by Julie, wintering in Somerville
I am delighted to welcome Michelle Corbier to the blog today. Her next book, Murder in Gemini, will be released on March 7 and is available for pre-order. Welcome Michelle!
A Blessing in Misfortune
In 2021, I planned to self-publish my first novel, Murder Is Revealing, in spring 2022. After researching the process, I gave myself a year to complete it. Because I enjoy making lists, I meticulously plotted the steps toward publication. Though the launch didn’t transpire as successfully as scheduled, it took place. Unfortunately, no matter how carefully we plan, life intervenes.
The initial plan involved releasing Murder is Revealing in April 2022. I wanted six months for the preorder and pre-launch activities. However, in the fall of 2021, I traveled to Georgia to visit my parents. It became apparent that my mom’s dementia had significantly progressed. Though I intended to move east in a few years, I escalated those plans.
But I had a home in California and a full-time job I enjoyed with a supportive supervisor, generous salary, and benefits. Okay, deep breath.
In order to move back, I would need a job. I found an available job, interviewed, and received an offer within a month. Step one completed. Now the house. For those who remember, the housing market in 2021 was hot. Homes sold fast and way above asking price. But I didn’t receive a job offer until December. Undaunted, my home listed on the MLS the week before Christmas. Within five days, I had an offer.
During this time, my upcoming book launch fell apart. With my attention focused on moving across the country, I did the bare minimum in planning for the launch. Should I delay it, if so, for how long?
In my Write Club Mysteries series, Dr. Myaisha Douglas planned a life with her husband and son. But when her husband suddenly died, she became a single mother. She adapted, then her son left for college. Widowed with an empty home, she must build a new identity. Myaisha delves into writing—and murder. During the series, she explores life on her terms. Builds a new community, starts a promising intimate relationship. Along with her Labrador, Boomer, and Greensboro Women of Color Writing Group, she discovers a penchant for solving crimes—and confronting danger.
Prepare for the unexpected. I didn’t intend to sell my home and move across the country during a severe winter storm in 2021, but life intervened. I had a choice. Did I make a poor one? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Whatever happens during your journey on this blue marble, make the most of the situation. The book launch of Murder Is Revealing in May 2022 could have gone better. But I will use that experience to improve the launch of my sophomore novel, Murder In Gemini, in March 2023.
Second chances are few. Don’t muddle your life with ‘what ifs’. Move forward, head held high, and do the best can with your current circumstances. Have you erred in writing or publishing your novels? How did those mistakes impact your career—favorably or not? Misfortune may become a blessing.
Michelle is offering a free ebook to the first twenty people who email her at
web @ MichelleCorbier.com and mention the blog on the Wickeds.
About Murder in Gemini:
In between seeing patients, Dr. Myaisha Douglas writes mysteries. When the sister of a friend dies, she suspects murder. Her writing group investigates, hoping to publish a true crime story. The investigation becomes deadly when Myaisha uncovers a secret behind a necklace.
About Michelle Corbier
As a military dependent, Michelle moved between California and South Carolina. She enrolled at the UC Santa Cruz before attending Michigan State University. After twenty years in clinical medicine, Michelle works as a medical consultant. If not writing, she’s outside gardening or bicycling.
Twitter: michelle (@MichelleCorbier) / Twitter
TikTok: @MrsDoctorWrites
Website: www.MichelleCorbier.com
Substack: https://substack.com/refer/michellecorbier
Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/bzVMrG