Without Further Adieu. . . Voila! The Final Cover – Where The Ley Lines Meet.

I know my books are known for their surprises. The plots have totally unexpected twists and turns because they are written organically. I never know the plot when I write that first sentence. I just report the story that is unfolding before me. The reader learns what is happening at the same time I am learning. The dialogue that is exchanged is spontaneous. Events often take my breath away. Completely channeled.

I hope I have the time in life to write another dozen books.

But if I don’t, and this is my last, I will cross that veil a happy man.

I left it all on the court. Blood, sweat and tears.

A lot of shit happens in this book. To be honest, I was as shocked as my inner circle of readers with how this resolves. Lots of laughs, lots of action, lots of tears.

Claire is ecstatic. I am forever in her debt.

I am also forever in the collective debt of my inner circle of readers – and the cold readers of the completed manuscript – all named in the acknowledgment.

You kept me writing and kept my story honest. I had a lot of fun this go around. Thank you.

All of the major mystical characters from the first four books appear for this last hurrah.

Along with a bunch of cool new ones, including Fergus the Jack Russel terrier (like all my characters, F is named and based upon a real counterpart), who is going to steal your heart. He stole mine.

In fact, purely as a favor to Fergus, I snuck his boy Pete Sheridan into WTLLM as another major character. I gave a nod to Ulysses by calling him “Buck” and switching Sheridan for Mulligan Both man and character are bigger than life.

For this reason, I hope that whatever Hollywood genius options the rights to The Claire Saga (I’m telling you right now it’s going to cost you, so don’t try to low ball me), and they will come because this story unfolds like a film in your head and there is just nothing like this story out there. I’m really not talking shit here. I take no pride of authorship in this story which was totally channeled. I’m as surprised and pleased with how it played out as the readers. But Claire let me put my name on the book, so you are going to have to negotiate with me, and I’ll be wearing my entertainment lawyer hat.

This is a character driven vehicle. So, Hollywood better also sign on all of the actors for the entire length of the saga, up front, keep them healthy and film the saga like LOTR, all at once (Harry Potter got away lucky with the Dumbledore replacement). While there are a few lead characters that the story is built around, like Claire, Gina and Jimmy, it really is an ensemble piece because every character that enters the story is integral to its success. You don’t want to be replacing actors mid saga, because the readers are going to emotionally invest in each character from the moment they meet them and love them until the very end. Just like I do.

Is this the end? Never say never.

By the way, I’d love to hear what actors the readers see playing the roles. You can post your thoughts either below as comments on my blog pages or as posts on my FB page. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091444194790

One dear friend – Renee Clarke – who ended up as a central character in WTLLM (there’s your proof Renee) – recently suggested Josh Duhamel to play Lenny. I thought that was spot on. He’s perfect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Duhamel. Shit, we share a birth day, although I’m much older and he’s much better looking.

While you await the delivery of WTLLM, which should go on-line at BRW for pre-sale sometime this week (Amazon, B&N and Walmarts, etc. a little later), I strongly recommend every reader go back and reread the saga from the beginning. I’ve noticed that the readers who have purchased and reviewed the Kindle Box Set of The Claire Trilogy – The Wise Ass, An Alien Appeal and Kissing My Ass Goodbye – read them in about a week, back-to-back, and seem to get much more out of the story in this one continuous concentrated pass, as reflected in their reviews.

Finding Jimmy Moran cleanses the reader’s palate, because, after TCT, you are going to want to know what kind of childhood led to the genesis of a young lawyer who could so easily transition from a construction site, to Wall Street, to the mafia, to the NoCo version of Oz, and so far beyond, and who loves his family – blood and adopted – the way that he does, with all of his heart, to the very end. Because FJM is told in retrospect, with the loving guidance of Claire, it also lays out a lot of Easter eggs for the conclusion of the story in Where The Ley Lines Meet. So reread all four books this time – TCT and FJM – seriatim, looking for those golden nuggets. See if you can figure it all out before you read WTLLM.

I love this cover. It is foreboding, yet hints at salvation in every meaning of that word. It is simple, but all the elements are represented.

Richard Lamb nailed it.

There is no summary on the book cover. This can only be discovered by reading it.

As an alternative, I’ve been blessed by this latest crew of writers who stepped up to read and provide the coolest cover blurbs for WTLLM – Joe Barrett, S Kay Murphy, David Buzan and EH Wilde. Amazing writers in different genres whose books should be read while you await WTLLM. All are available on Amazon.

Another first for me has the writer, Kerry Fryar Freeman, providing an amazing Introduction to WTLLM. I may publish that introduction between now and the drop date – April 16, 2024 – although if I have any more miracles in me, I’d love to drop WTLLM sooner. In the meantime, KFF drops her debut novel – Sedona – this Wednesday, 11/15/23, and I highly recommend you seek it out. https://www.kerryfryarfreeman.com/

Well, that’s it. Like Christmas, it’s over before you know it.

I’ll be posting a video version of the reveal on my FB page – because I don’t know how to add videos to my blogs.

For those of my fine, five readers that have followed along reading the first four books as they were published, thanks for sticking with me. For those that have just enjoyed our morning moments sharing the blog, I appreciate you as well, but you don’t know what you’re missing.

Monday, Monday has again raised its Mamas & Poppas head.

But we’ll get through it.

First, my kitty cuddles and my rounds. Fur before humans.

And whatever else we do, let us make today a great one.

Thanks again for tuning in for the cover reveal.

You all rock!