Category Archives: Conversation

The first reaction

Last March I headed to the spa with Nora and JoAnne, ready for a quiet week of work, painting, puzzles and reading. Always reading.

People ask me regularly if I read Nora’s books while she’s writing them.

I’m on the left.

No.

Nora writes alone, finishes alone, then sends the manuscript to her editor and agent. I knew this process going in 18 years ago. You don’t meddle with success.

However, over the years, on more than one occasion the publicity team asked me what I thought about quotes from an upcoming book — one I hadn’t read. So I did request to be part of the second tier of readers after the first editing pass.

Readers, I had Inheritance on my Kindle as we drove to the spa.

The week was March-y in that Laurel Highlands way — blustery, calm, sunny, overcast, freezing precip and then sudden dry over the course of a day. We came and went from the suite. I hit the gym, Nora and Jo did their ensuite workouts. We painted flowers in the art studio, did some puzzles. A good, relaxing week.

Then came that fateful day — Saturday, March 11.

A blustery, freezing precip kind of day, one that lent itself to just snuggling in. I’d sampled Inheritance a bit over the week, but this was a dedicated-to-reading kind of afternoon.

There I was, sipping a glass of Veuve, propped up by pillows on the couch, reading away. Time went by at a pleasant clip.

I really liked Sonya and Cleo, the music, the dogs, Trey and Owen, the town…I began to read faster. Then faster. I was gripped with a sense of urgency and when I glanced down at Time Remaining in Book — 20 minutes…14 minutes…6 minutes…the dread set in.

No! Wait! Really????

Yes, my hair looked that good after lying about on a couch.

I finished it.

Then my friends, I slapped my kindle shut with great emphasis and looked directly at the creator and said, “What the fuck????”

With a dazed look, Nora pulled herself up from the depths of her John Sandford novel, shook her head and said, “What?”

“Inheritance ends like that???” I demanded my voice pitching higher with each word.

“Well that was the right place to stop. Leslie liked it.” Then she kind of smiled, pleased with my reaction.

(This meant I had to text WTF to Nora’s editor next. And she, too, was pleased I liked the book.)

Now, dear readers, please keep in mind I’m pretty able to move on after finishing a book or a movie, but this was in the moment.

As a side note, have you ever read the science on reaction? According to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, author of A Stroke of Insight, “When a person has a reaction to something in their environment, there’s a 90-second chemical process that happens in the body; after that, any remaining emotional response is just the person choosing to stay in that emotional loop.”

A random aside I know, but it explains why I can move along — entertainment wise.

So I stomped around a bit, then remembered four decades of absolute trust in Nora to deliver a wonderful second book, and calmed down. All was good. (I did plan pick up some knitting to deal with the book hangover.)

Except then it hit me: “Do you realize what this will mean in terms of reader response at the end of November???” Delivered in a much higher pitch.

Again my hair looked this good on a lazy Saturday in March. <g>

I needed to stomp it off again. Then settle in — crankily — for the 8.5 months until release day. Remember: I may read things early, but I still have the exact amount of time to wait as you do.

And you all delivered the reactions well. WTF???

But I’m not writing this post to dwell on our shock. That should pass.

Here’s what’s on my mind: in the heat of the moment, everyone seems to have forgotten that since 2016 Nora’s trilogies are published a year apart. We’ll get part 2 (which is titled The Mirror, no descriptions yet) in November 2024.

And the finale in November 2025.

We have to tuck our inner Veruca Salts away and be patient. And once you’ve gone through the 90 seconds of emotional reaction, you’ll see that we’re lucky readers overall.

If you read Nora and JD, there are four new books coming your way in 2024. If you only read Nora, there’s a summer read (the twisty, fascinating Mind Games in May) and The Mirror. Two books in a year is generous, to say the least.

And there are other things you can read/watch starting with Nora’s conversation with Lulu Garcia-Narvarro in the NYT.

In a couple weeks, I’ll share the link to Inheritance’s playlist. (Please note, Nora does NOT listen to music when she writes — the songs were all part of the story.)

The year will pass. And how we choose to fill that year is up to each individual. I’m opting to dance around, read other authors, watch a few movies and be grateful for what’s up ahead.

Laura

Inheritance discussion spot

Inheritance is in stores today! The first book in The Lost Bride Trilogy sets the stage for what’s to come and this is the place to discuss.

First, the official description:

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin brother he never knew about. When her uncle, Collin Poole, left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, his will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. With her engagement recently broken, her freelance business just getting off the ground, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth.

Trey Doyle welcomes Sonya to sprawling clifftop manor.  He acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid — Trey refers to her as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

So…what did you think of Inheritance?

And remember, spoilers are very much ahead.

Laura

Payback in Death discussion thread

A Cranky Publicist Holiday Diary

Nora outlined her pre-holiday preparations last week, so I’m certain she’s deep in cookie dough this weekend. Since we have pretty diametically opposed approaches to the holidays, I thought it would be fun to share a diary of my run up to Christmas.

(BTW, You definitely know this is a Laura post since I have the World Cup final on in front of me — like in the featured photo. For those of you who have followed from the first opening tap, hasn’t the beautiful game made this month even more magical?)

November 29 – December 1
Nora and I headed to Tyson’s Corner to meet Kat and Sarah for a couple days of girl time before getting back into the holiday marathon. And back to work.

We arrived at the hotel before noon. Checked in, grabbed some lunch, then meandered through some stores. Nora grabbed new holiday pillows and some other decor (since we all know she finished gift shopping before the 4th of July). Kat was further behind in her holiday prep — an ally! — and she was happy to score some gifts in Crate & Barrel and Sur La Table.

Now, Nora and I have tons in common, but we take divergent paths on sports. She’s a lifelong baseball fan, otherwise sports are white noise in the background. I watch just about everything. As a side note, Sarah is a Washington Commanders fan by birth and a Buffalo Bills fan by marriage (she’s having a fun season) while Kat doesn’t hear white noise when it comes to sports, she hears Mozart on a different frequency altogether.

I’d tracked the US/England World Cup game on my phone while we shopped, so when we got back to the suite, I put it on the TV and sat in a chair so I could face the game. Nora, Sarah, Kat positioned themselves facing each other. I kept the game on mute, though I did emote when necessary. And when the game ended in a tie, not a loss, I did a little happy dance to their complete amusement.

We spend the next day at Saks in Chevy Chase with Azita — Nora’s long time shopper — and the rest of the amazing, enthusiastic team at the store. We shopped a bit, I had a fun session with a Guerlain makeup artist, then we ate lunch serenaded by the lovely Stephanie of Singers & Strings/Next Entertainment on her electric violin. She played for nearly 3 hours — popular music, holiday music — and never missed a note.

The amazing Stephanie

After lunch we made Christmas decorations with the very sweet ladies of Coffee & Calligraphy out of Annapolis. We’d fill empty glass containers with bits and pieces of holiday decor, then the the C & C team would write our names on the front, and a tree, star or wreath on the back. They had enough supplies for us to make ornaments for spouses and kids. Kat, as you see in the photo below, sat down and created her own designs for the back of hers.

Nora and Kat in deep concentration.
Some of the finished products

Then it was back to the hotel for dinner and gifts. Now, for all the snark, I was curious about all the Christmas gift purchases in Italy. Nora found a beautiful red saddle bag for Sarah in Florence (sorry, didn’t snap a photo) and these beautiful earrings she and Kayla deemed “Laura.”

A lovely and thoughtful gift. And so appreciated — in spite of all my comments about early purchases.

It was a wonderful start to December.

December 3 – 4
To clarify, I think about gifts throughout the year — I just don’t ACT on them. This first weekend in December is all about crafts with my neighbors. Before we started I finally ordered the calendars I make from my photos through the year. Takes care of a number of people on my list. Score one for me!

Calendars.

Onto crafts. You’ve all heard the story about Nora being an Earth Mother/Queen of Crafts before she discovered her true creative outlet in writing (for which we are thankful). Prior to winter 1979, she sewed Jason and Dan’s clothes, she did needlecrafts, macrame, pottery, to name a few. Once she wrote that first – never published – book she gave all her craft supplies away.

Me? I’m always game to try a new craft. And fortunately have many like minds in my neighborhood. This year a group of us learned needle felting (I call it stab and gab) and stained glass. Candlemaking and blacksmithing are two we want to try next year. On my own, I have any number of yarn crafts on the needle or hook. Finishing them is a different ball of wool.

My main craft partner in crime is my friend Tara — who I’ll call The Craftinator. Or maybe The Maven of Making. Or maybe just Tara.

Months ago she sent me a link for some Christmas hoop crafts and asked me to file under future Mayhem (our preferred terminology for making things).

Now, I think it’s important to mention that, like Nora, The Craftinator is a woman who starts a project and doesn’t stop until it’s done. (See Nora and writing books one at a time.)

Me? I’m Doug the Dog in UP — show me something shiny, I’ll yelp, “Squirrel!”, drop what I’m doing and focus on the new. Tara will finish a project and I’ll store mine for a later date. (That later date is probably never-ish from the state of my craft closet.)

I sense a theme in my friendships, btw: people who follow through.

Anyway.

This particular December 3, a group gathers in Tara’s craft room — because, of course she has an organized craft space. Five neighbors with glue guns, decorations, battery operated LED lights, Cava and snacks. We started at noon with no real plan other than finishing. While my friends created woodland or bright party scenes, I really just wanted the Zen of wrapping the hoop with jute.

Once done with that, I decided to add a web of lights, then some pearls and felt balls. Mainly, I wanted a wreath for a Reeth (get it?). But I ran out of felt balls to fill it out. Please note, because we are adult women the discussion of needing green balls went downhill. Fast.

The afternoon was a fun one. And here’s what I brought home:

My husband took a long look when I brought it home. “Is that a hexagram?” he asked.

“I think you mean Pentagram,” I replied. “Maybe.”

“Hmmmmm,” was the reply. “What did everyone else make?”

“Well, here’s Tara’s.” I showed him my phone.

He stared at the photo. “And how long did Tara have to do this?”

“The same as me.”

“Huh.”

And for the record, here’s what the entire group made:

Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan to re work mine. For Christmas 2023.

On Sunday, most of the same group attended a session on building succulent Christmas. Despite my frustration at getting some of the stems to fit into the mossy base, THIS is a project on display. Batting .500 (so Nora gets the reference).

December 8 – 12
We had an early Christmas with our kids because that worked for everyone’s schedule this year. Having an early celebration made for a very relaxing weekend (and easy travel from Connecticut and LA). Part of the fun was our neighborhood holiday gathering, held outdoors under cafe lights with fire pits and heat lamps.

My family.

December 16
I returned to my church’s choir in November, just in time to rehearse Christmas music . On this Friday night, we sang at the Sicilian Tenor’s concert at our church, kind of a dress rehearsal for Christmas Eve and Frederick’s Candlelight Tour of Historic Houses of Worship on December 26. (If you live in the area, it’s a wonderful evening of song and food.)

Setting up for concert

December 18
The World Cup final is in the books (what an absolutely beautiful, brutal and amazing match) and I’ve moved over to NFL games for this Sunday afternoon. Nora’s probably still working on cookies.

For those of you lighting the first candles on the menorah tonight, Happy Hanukkah! May your candles burn bright this season.

For those those of you still working toward the Christmas marathon finish line, I’m with you (I need to send cards, calendars and wrap gifts – no biggie).

This is my last personal post of the year, but keep an eye out for a kind of questionnaire post as Nora and I work toward some changes here on Fall Into The Story.

Laura

From a chilly Friday morning walk in Frederick.

The Choice discussion thread

It’s finally here: the conclusion of The Dragon Heart Legacy. And this is the space in which you can discuss all things The Choice freely.

The official description reads:

Breen Siobhan Kelly grew up in the world of Man and was once unaware of her true nature. Now she is in Talamh, trying to heal after a terrible battle and heartbreaking losses. Her grandfather, the dark god Odran, has been defeated in his attempt to rule over Talamh, and over Breen―for now.

With the enemy cast out and the portal sealed, this is a time to rest and to prepare. Breen spreads her wings and realizes a power she’s never experienced before. It’s also a time for celebrations―of her first Christmas in both Talamh and Ireland, of solstice and weddings and births―and daring to find joy again in the wake of sorrow. She rededicates herself to writing her stories, and when his duties as taoiseach permit, she is together with Keegan, who has trained her as a warrior and whom she has grown to love.

It’s Keegan who’s at her side when the enemy’s witches, traitorous and power-mad, appear to her in her sleep, practicing black magick, sacrificing the innocent, and plotting a brutal destruction for Breen. And soon, united with him and with all of Talamh, she will seek out those in desperate need of rescue, and confront the darkness with every weapon she has: her sword, her magicks―and her courage…

Share your thoughts on The Choice in the comments. As always, spoilers will happen, so read the comments at your own risk.

Laura

Nightwork discussion thread

I know it’s a month off, but I think of release day for Nora’s summer book as the first day of summer (or winter in the southern hemisphere). Nightwork is on shelves now!

Harry Booth started stealing at nine to keep a roof over his ailing mother’s head. He slips into luxurious, empty homes at night to find items he can trade for precious cash for medical bills, the mortgage, for food. When his mother finally succumbed to cancer, he left Chicago—but kept up his nightwork. He developed into a master thief with a code of honor and an expertise in not attracting attention or getting attached.

When he meets Miranda Emerson, the powerful bond between them upends all his rules. But along the way, Booth has made some dangerous associations, including the ruthless Carter LaPorte, who sees Booth as a tool he controls for his own profit. Knowing LaPorte will leverage any personal connection, Booth abandons Miranda for her own safety—cruelly, with no explanation—and disappears.

But the connection between Miranda and Booth is too strong, pulling them inexorably back together. Now Booth must face LaPorte, to truly free himself and Miranda once and for all.

Here’s the place to discuss everything related to Nightwork — so spoilers very much ahead.

Personally, I loved this book so very much. Can’t wait to reread.

Laura

Abandoned in Death Discussion thread

https://www.ttpbooks.com/product/abandoned-in-death-hc-by-j-d-robb-released-02-08-2022-/1699?cs=true&cst=custom

Today’s the day — Abandoned in Death is on shelves and e-readers so you can dig into Eve’s next case.

Here’s the official book description:

This case opens when a woman’s body is found in the early morning, on a bench in a New York City playground. She’s clean, her hair neatly arranged, her makeup carefully applied. But other things are very wrong—like the tattoo and piercings, clearly new. The clothes, decades out of date. The fatal wound hidden beneath a ribbon around her neck. And the note: Bad Mommy, written in crayon as if by a child.

Dr. Mira, the NYPSD’s top profiler, confirms what seems obvious to Eve: They’re dealing with a killer whose childhood involved some sort of trauma—a situation with which Eve is all too familiar. Yet the clues suggest a perpetrator who’d be roughly sixty years old, and there are no records of old crimes with a similar MO. What was the trigger that apparently reopened such an old wound and sent someone over the edge?

When Eve discovers that other young women—who physically resemble the first victim—have vanished, the clock starts ticking louder. But to solve this case she will need to find her way into a hidden place of dim light and concrete, into the distant past, and into the cold depths of a shattered mind.

And now the comments are open for discussion. Did you find any of the teasers – let us know down below.

Laura

New Year, New Page

A quiet, family New Year’s around here, and again no big open house with friends and family. Hopefully next year things will be safe enough for a gathering.

We did go away for a week—rented a house again to be safe—and stayed in. It’s lovely to spend that kind of time with family, and just hang.

The view from the house.

Lots of play with the boy time, jigsaw puzzles, a little work, room service—and a Nana makes spaghetti night. Griffin’s a fan of my pasta!

Busy boy.

BW gave me a weird, fascinating, unstructured jigsaw of a moose for Christmas. This would never, ever, never have been done without Kat, the Queen of Chaos. I helped, but she did the heavy work.

The moose

Griffin really enjoys the vacation space. One morning, BW got up and went downstairs before I set up to work out. I went down to get my caffeine and water, and the lower level is quiet but for Griffin, sitting at the dining room table watching Sesame Street on his iPad. Normally Jason gets up with him in the morning as Kat is on any night duty. (The boy occasionally likes to party at 3 am!)

I had heard what I thought was the boy and his dad tromp up the stairs at about six, and thought nothing of it.

I say hi, get my stuff, wonder where Jason is. Hunt BW up who tells me the boy was playing with his trucks on the couch when he came down. Huh.

I realize he got up, didn’t wake his parents, just came up from the lower level where they all sleep, and entertained himself until someone joined him.

So I made him breakfast, then left him under BW’s watch and went up to work out.

Once home, it’s back to work, and the start of my annual full-house purge.

Making progress! All the Christmas stuff is put away, and that’s an accomplishment. Weekdays are for writing, and progress made there, too. Yay.

I found a jar of applesauce of the counter Fri. BW hunts and gathers, and I cook. If I’m around I help him put groceries away, but he got home with them Fri while I was working out. He left out the applesauce which I decoded as a hint. Applesauce Cake?

So Saturday, after workout, after the purge of the One More Room (and organizing Christmas stuff), my office, I made the cake. The purging’s moving right along since I did a serious job of it the last couple years. And the cake’s a nice reward for both of us.

Applesauce cake!

Today, after workout, it’s bake Italian bread to replenish the supply, and get a tortilla soup simmering. Purge dining room and library while soup is simmering and dough’s rising.

Italian bread stocked up.

Snow—expected—starting falling about the time I took the bread out of the oven. Since we’re going nowhere, it’s very pretty. Falling faster and harder now, but still going nowhere, Sunday chores are done, and the house smells of simmering soup and fresh baked bread.

Tortilla soup!

Please stay safe. If you’re not vaxxed and boosted, get vaxxed and boosted. Our Laura’s had her hip surgery postponed twice since hospitals in our area are overrun with Covid patients—over 90% of them unvaxxed.

Take care of yourselves and everyone else, and let’s make 2022 a lot better than 2021.

Oh, and if you want to watch something to pass the time, check out Brazen on Netflix, based on my Brazen Virtue from way back in 1988! They did some serious updating!

Nora’s view of opening credits.

Good deal!

Nora


I’ll share some Brazen content tomorrow. For now, here’s an off camera pic of the stars.~Laura

The Becoming Discussion Thread

Today’s finally the day we learn more about Breen and Marco’s adventure. The Becoming, book 2 in The Dragon Heart Legacy, has landed in stores, on ereaders, on audio.

Here’s the place to discuss all things about The Becoming. Did you race through? Did you savor? Share all the thoughts in the comments.

And please be aware, spoilers are allowed in the space.

Laura

Top of the In Death charts

While I’m not usually a list person, I know there are readers who love to create/debate/talk about them. So we’re adding another new, occasional feature here: Random Sunday Lists.

In the teasers for Forgotten in Death — which hit #1 on a few best seller lists, thank you all very much — I mentioned it was now in my top five In Death titles.

In the comments to that post, Lori K asked what’s in my top five.

My reply:

These four are set in stone. Number 5 rotates between Conspiracy, Survivor and now Forgotten — depending on the day/mood.

What are your top five In Deaths? Remember there are no rights and no wrongs. It’s just a little fun.

And no whining that I’ve set a limit. <g>

Laura