The Larkspur Mysteries book four, ‘Seeing Through Shadows’ is nearly here. Today, I offer you the blurb and the cover. Don’t worry, there are no spoilers.
First of all…
What Makes a Good Blurb?
This is really a blog post for another day (he says, knowing Jenine PA will see this and make a note to remind me to write one), but what, to my mind, makes a good blurb? For me, it’s
clarity, power words and intrigue.
I hope the blurb below has all of those things; blurbs are very difficult things to write. When I can, I like to start with a one-line quote from the book that ties everything together. In this case, the quote from Fleet is appropriate to both storylines in the novel: the main character’s investigation into a haunting at Larkspur Hall, and his deliberations about falling in love.
After the quote, I try to divide the story into its acts and offer a tantalising synopsis of the main drive of each one. I don’t always succeed, but this is what I have for Seeing Through Shadows.
Seeing Through Shadows
The Larkspur Mysteries Book Four
“Risk is the spark that ignites adventure.”
Barbary Fleet, 1891
Chester Cadman has been duped by unscrupulous men, ridiculed in the newspapers, and disowned by his family. Only twenty-two, he is on the verge of starvation when a Clearwater detective makes him an offer he can’t refuse: Join the Larkspur Academy and investigate a haunting that has plagued Lord Clearwater’s family for nearly four hundred years.
Mystified, but determined, Chester enlists the help of fellow academy man, Frank Andino, and is soon presented with a second mystery: his attraction to the loyal, but bawdy young Greek. Together, they unearth sinister family secrets that could destroy Clearwater’s reputation and the academy — but the truth must be known.
Faced with a double dilemma, Chester is forced to confront the past even if it means Clearwater’s downfall and a broken heart. It’s a risk, but, as Fleet says, ‘Risk is the spark that ignites adventure, and love is the greatest adventure of them all.’
As you see, not too long and definitely not an entire synopsis. I’ve read some blurbs that are a page long, and I stop reading after the second paragraph. I’d say 150 to 200 words is enough, but I’ll leave further advice for when I do write a post about how I do blurbs.
All being well, ‘Seeing Through Shadows’ will be available in two weeks, and I’ll announce it on my Facebook page and our Facebooks readers’ group, Jackson’s Deviant Desires. Come and join us there and let everyone know what you think about my latest cover from Andjela K. Hopefully, it makes you wonder what the story is about, and even if it doesn’t, it’s a wonderfully romantic, Gothic image.
The last piece of good news before the reveal is that my books are now, or will soon be, available to buy in the Netherlands. Amazon have now added that country to the list of countries where I can distribute; I just need to go through the admin process on every one of my 35 titles. So, while I do that, click on the image below to reveal the cover for ‘Seeing Through Shadows’ the Larkspur Mysteries book four.
