Writing the Story: Positively the Best Part of Being an Author

Presents …

The title of this blog says it all. I’m in my element when I’m deep in the writing and story creation of a new book. Living in one of my two fantasy worlds and writing out play-by-play heists requires thinking like a thief—my happiest moments!

I’m not a thief, mind you. I’m an author. But it so captures me, gets my creative juices flowing, to imagine what being one would entail—in an off-the-charts fantasy capacity where thieves are the good guys and the equipment is epic—so epic as to be designed by me and … well … for the most part, not real.

See, in the world of fiction—at least my fictional world—thieves aren’t anything like reality paints them. In my Requisition For: A Thief and Thief à la Femme series, high-end theft is an art, a worthy vocation in which the professional, talented, and well-trained thief excels. Yes, my thieves make a good living from theft, but they steal from despicable individuals, the loathsomely rich and “believing I’m entitled” types, and they always help the poor. Those un-entitled vagabonds are the antagonists of my stories. They are clearly entitled to nothing, being merely despicable, loathsome, and rich.

The Triple Crown* … *of Jewel Theft (Thief à la Femme Book 3) focuses on a fifty-year-old heisting challenge: stealing three gems in a specific order on very specific days—just like The Triple Crown of horse racing. And, perhaps more than the other two books in this series, this third installment is very much about rescuing these diamonds and foiling the “thugs” who would break an unstated rule of high-end theft: High-end thieves steal only from the despicable, loathsomely rich who consider themselves entitled.

In this book, Thief à la Femme Rayla Rousseau is going to put a stop to it.

Publishing date for The Triple Crown* … *of Jewel Theft (Thief à la Femme Book 3) is tentatively scheduled for early 2020.

Also, it is my extreme pleasure and privilege to become a part of:

… with whom I will be publishing all Requisition For: A Thief and Thief à la Femme Books (beginning with Thief à la Femme Book 3) in the foreseeable future.

Balancing Two Series

Balancing Two Series

Back in February of 2018, with seven Requisition For: A Thief Series books completed, I spread my wings and ventured out to start a new series.

Whereas the REQTHIEF series features a male thief who finds himself on the “right” side of the law working for a covert espionage team–stealing for the U.S. government, I wanted something different for the new series. Not too different, mind you. I’m still the “author who’s passionate about thieves who aren’t really bad guys.” But several of my reading audience had expressed a desire to see a female thief. Thus was born the Thief à la Femme Series with Book 1 – Born to Steal, the part-one cliffhanger for the pilot to the series. Book 1 was quickly followed by Book 2 – thief.con, wrapping up the pilot story.

Being a Michigan girl myself, I gave my slick, talented female thief–who is a thief in her own right (Thief à la Femme), as well as a member of a group of female thieves (Robin(s) of the Hood)–a wonderful Michigan-girl background.

I returned to the Requisition For: A Thief Series for 2019, publishing Book 8 on July 16th:

and The Price of Notoriety < Prequel One > on August 28. “Price” originally had been written many years before as a standalone heist/romance (the first book I ever wrote), but I have now rewritten it and released it as the first Prequel to the REQTHIEF Series:

Clearly it’s time to get back into the Thief à la Femme Series–which is what I’m doing with The Triple Crown* … *of Jewel Theft:

I’m now so glad I made my female thief, Rayla Rousseau, a Michigan girl. I had the pleasure and privilege of touring Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan as research for this book, and it was a phenomenal experience.

Much like the title suggests, the book centers around a trio of jewel thefts patterned after The Triple Crown of horse racing.

With such an awesome cover, I only hope I can do it and my home state justice, as Michigan (and specifically her Upper Peninsula and unique island) take center stage in Book 3.

Publishing date is tentatively set for early (March/April) 2020.

For REQUISITION FOR: A THIEF fans, take heart. I have high hopes to turn out Book 9 –The Thief Within – later in 2020, as well, and yes, as the “Prequel One” moniker suggests, there will be a Prequel Two coming up the road, likely in 2021.