Some good news to share: I’ve officially signed the contract for Pismo Beach Sniper, Book Three in the Thad Hanlon & Bri de la Guerra Mystery Series. I’m really happy to be working again with The Wild Rose Press (TWRP) and my terrific editor, Lea, to get this next book out into the world.

This is my third time around with the TWRP publication process. The production flowchart is simple...but time-consuming, usually taking close to a year to complete. There’s cover design. Categorizing the manuscript in accordance with BISAC—Book Industry Standards and Communications codes. Then, keyword selection for the bookseller’s search engines. Book blurb finalization. First and second-round edits. Galley reviews and final approval. If I’m really, really lucky and learning curves actually make a difference, Pismo Beach Sniper should be released sometime in September or October this year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek at the back cover blurb I submitted for review:
 

When sniper fire shatters the Central Coast Surf Trials at Pismo Beach, private investigator Thad Hanlon is thrust into every parent’s worst nightmare. His eleven-year-old son and two teammates are shot while surfing—one critically injured—turning the contest into chaos.

Terror grips the Five Cities beach community. The shooter disappears, torching his hideout, leaving only questions. Random attack—or the first move in a deadly hunt? Why target young surfers? And is the marksman finished…or just beginning?

Urged by desperate parents, Hanlon and his sharp-witted partner, Bri de la Guerra, race to protect the kids as they train for the West Coast Championships. But as the detective duo closes in on the sniper, they discover the surf team isn’t his ultimate target—and the worst is yet to come.
 

Pismo Beach Sniper was a lot of fun to write and very organic when it came to plotting. Usually, I have a good idea of where the story is going and how it might end. Not so with this book. New characters kept making their way onto the page. And minor characters from my earlier books in the series became major players. I think you’re going to love the surprises, the unexpected twists, and the turns you didn’t see coming.

As The Wild Rose Press team makes progress on the publication process, I’ll keep you posted on the release timeline and when I expect to do a book launch. For now, I’m turning my attention to writing Book Four in the series. All I can tell you is that you’re going to be hearing a lot more from sassy, combat-arts-obsessed Bri de la Guerra in this next caper. Other than that, everything else is still a mystery. J 

In Other News – Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Recently, Thomas Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Literary Titan,  notified me that Oceano Beach Bedlam had received the Literary Titan Gold Book Award.  He wrote: “Your book deserves extraordinary praise, and we are proud to acknowledge your hard work, dedication, and writing talent. Start telling the world that you’re an award-winning author because we will be!”

Here’s a snippet from the review:
 

“Honestly, I had a blast with this one. Oceano Beach Bedlam is a smart and entertaining read. If you like your mysteries with surfboards, sass, and just enough heart to keep you caring, this one’s for you. It’s a great pick for fans of offbeat detectives, fast dialogue, and sun-drenched noir with a brain and a soul. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy Janet Evanovich, Robert Crais, or the beachier edges of Elmore Leonard.” — Literary Titan  
 

If you know me, I’m not one to take praise well.  So, such positive reviews and the whole award thing left me feeling a little like a monster stack of flapjacks drowning in syrup. Very treacly. And yet, the MBA side of me kicks in and realizes from a marketing standpoint, awards and five-star reviews can be useful.  So, you may have noticed, I’ve updated the book cover on my author website to showcase the award.
 

I like that the seal colors match the book cover. (The creative side of me smiles.).  If you’re interested in the full review from Literary Titan, here’s the link:  https://literarytitan.com/2025/07/03/oceano-beach-bedlam/

Until next time. By then, maybe I’ll have a book cover for Pismo Beach Sniper to show you.
 

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