Yesterday I signed my third book contract with Basil E. Bacorn Publishing, after sending them what could be considered a sequel to My Turn to Die, which they accepted a few weeks ago. This was for Stranger Coming Home, which finishes up my cycle of Lenny Strasser stories (unless I choose to take his tale up again in his old age). This is the least noir for the four Lenny novels, but since it did continue his story, it was subject to a right-of-first-refusal review as specified in the contract for the earlier book.
This of course is entirely fine with me. Marketing a novel sans agent is no easy task, and, as the publisher pointed out, having both novels in the same catalogue makes cross-promotion easier. I am happy to be working with Bacorn on this series, as well as the children’s book that started this whole ball rolling.
It is less likely that I can convince them to re-issue the first two Strasser stories, which I self-published, but perhaps that might change if the novels currently on schedule to release do well. You can help; I’ll of course let you know when and where they are available. The last one is scheduled for release in March of next year, so there own’t be long to wait. And the self-published novels are available now at various entities; you can find out more in the books section of this website.
It’s been a damned long wait for me, though. It feels good to be moving ahead at last.
Rick Risemberg
Crow Tree Books 