Hey, I’m Not Thinking About My Next Novel At All (Kidding)

nashvilleAs I write this, I’m in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Killer Nashville conference. I’ve put on my bonafide author mask (authordom still feels too new to be real yet), which means I’m on panels and signing books and the whole author thing.

So here I am promoting KILMOON. What about the second novel in the County Clare mystery series, you ask? I’ve got a solid second draft that still needs heavy revision for plot. I just need to get on it, yah, you know?

But it’s as I was saying last week: depression partially controls my actions vis a vis (is that how you use that phrase?) my energy levels. That said, I’m feeling confident that I’ll finish this draft by the end of the year.

See, that right there, that little bit of hope and looking forward — that’s a good sign. Yay!

GREY MAN continues the story of Merrit Chase, newcomer to Lisfenora village, Ireland, and Detective Sergeant Danny Ahern. Whereas KILMOON was mainly Merrit’s story, the second novel will be Danny’s. In this novel, Danny finds himself matching wits with a man who doesn’t seem to exist after a teenage boy dies in Danny’s arms. When the violence hits too close to home, he must figure out the connection between a mute women with traumatic amnesia, a hermit jewelry designer, and a second dead teenage boy.

(That up there isn’t official marketing copy — a little early yet for that.)

The title “Grey Man” refers to a local myth that runs as a theme through the novel — a predatory faery that snatches people when the fog descends. As you might guess, it’s foggy in the novel!

I’m not sure about the title GREY MAN — do you think it’s too generic? I never know what to name my novels … 

Author: Lisa Alber

Lisa Alber is the author of KILMOON, A COUNTY CLARE MYSTERY (March 2014). Ever distractible, you may find her staring out windows, dog walking, fooling around online, or drinking red wine with her friends. Ireland, books, animals, photography, and blogging at Lisa Alber's Words at Play round out her distractions. Visit her at www.lisaalber.com.

21 Replies to “Hey, I’m Not Thinking About My Next Novel At All (Kidding)”

  1. P.S. I LOVE coming up with titles. I usually title mine before I write them and they act as a spring board for the story. It’s especially cool when they have a double meaning, which is a goal of mine as well. (I think this may make me weird)

  2. Lisa, I think it’s amazing that you have a solid first draft with all you’ve been through in the last year. Cheers to you! Hope you’re having a blast in Nashville. I’ve been loving your photos.

  3. I like the title Grey Man. When I googled Grey Man, the results were similar. it means an individual who can blend into any situation. I think it matches the story you are writing about, unless I am mistaken here.

    When I was in Nashville years ago, I discovered a wonderful coffee shop called Fido’s and it is in the Hillsboro district. Big plus at that time was that NO smoking in that cafe so you can actually taste your food 🙂

    And on another topic, I just wrote on my blog about the Book Passage writing conference.

    Check it out at: http://www.cozymysteryfan.blogspot.com

    1. Hi Diana! Oh cool, thanks for telling me that. You know, I’ve never Googled “Grey Man” before. 🙂 I’m going to check out your Book Passage blog right now. I loved that conference! Cheers, Lisa

    1. Thanks, Lori. We need to catch up, it feels like … Right?

      That title would fit uncomfortably close to my real life, wouldn’t it? Not that I’d mind that. I copped to depression on my debut panel this morning! Yee gads! I’m just a TMI fool. 🙂

  4. I like the title, and I like mysteries where the supernatural may or may not be involved. John Dickson Carr wrote some excellent ones — and early in his career he’d written The Burning Court, which did have a supernatural element, so after that you were never 100% sure… (in most mystery stories, when the detective says that there_has_ to be a logical explanation, you can be pretty sure there will be one eventually).

    And, yes, that is how you use “vis-a-vis.” 🙂

  5. I think they’re both great titles! Grey Man is short and punchy like Kilmoon, so it follows in a certain tradition. But I also REALLY like When the Fog Descends…so very ominous and intriguing.

  6. I like the title “Grey Man”, as it’s suggestive of many possible things, but there’s already at least one recent book titled “The Grey Man” (possibly in reference to a term from Scottish folklore), and a whole series of “Gray Man” books by another author, the first of which is called “The Gray Man”. All slightly different from your would-be title I know, but maybe too close for comfort.

    “When the Fog Descends” is also very good — it really evokes a classic mystery vibe. A Google search reveals no books by that name, although there is a piece of Japanese ambient/experimental music which seems like it belongs in someone’s mystery: http://akitomisaki.bandcamp.com/track/akito-misaki-when-the-fog-descends

    1. Andy! Thanks for thinking about this on my behalf. Yeah, I thought “Grey Man” might be overused … I’m liking “When the Fog Descends” actually … quite alot. I’m going to check out the musical track!

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