Mindy Carlson

I started querying this book almost exactly 1 year ago in June 2020. I got my agent in February 2021 and now on June 15, 2021 I have a deal with an honest-to-God publisher.

Crooked Lane is a smaller publisher, but it specializes in mysteries, which is exactly the kind of publisher I want. And, in a moment of serendipity, Terri Bischoff (my editor – I’m never going to get tired of saying that), is based in Minneapolis where I used to live. This whole thing has a very “meant to be” vibe to it.

My deal went fast. I got an offer about two weeks after my agent (also not tired of saying that) first pitched my book. We notified the other publishers, gave them time to make a counter offer, and then decided to go with Crooked Lane. It took about two more weeks to get the contract from them. My agent reviewed the contract, then I reviewed it, and we sent it back with edits and amendments. It took one day for them to get back to us with the final contract and *boom!*

This means Terri will start emailing me with edits and get to buckle back into a book I haven’t read or thought about in months. It also means I need to hurry up and finish the rough draft of my new book so I don’t literally lose the plot.

Thank you for all your good wishes and positive vibes. They’ve meant so much to me. I can’t wait to share the cover reveal with you and then the publication day. Watch this space for pre-order information.