Marla, here, introducing my wonderful friend Cindy Brown. I’ve known Cindy since my first Left Coast Crime back in [mumble mumble]. You may know Cindy from her delightful Ivy Meadows Mysteries, set in the world of theatre, or her “Slightly Silly News,” but Cindy’s new book takes on a more serious tone and I can’t wait to read it!

Today, she’s talking to you, dear readers, about your superpower! And she’s giving away a copy of ECHOES OF THE LOST to one lucky commenter. Take it away, Cindy!

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The Magical Power of Being a Reader

I suspect you are unaware of your superpower, so I’m playing Yoda today to encourage you to “feel the Force.” 

I love writing. At the best times, stories flow onto the page. At the worst, I have to knuckle down and figure out where I went wrong. But even that is a difficult delight, like doing an especially challenging puzzle.

Publishing is another matter. There may be an author out there who does not suffer the rejections and setbacks associated with getting a book into the world, but I haven’t met them.

That reader-connection is why my new mystery, Echoes of the Lost, is not buried in a file on my computer today. I love this book. Agents and publishers did, too. They said things like, “gripping and atmospheric,” “brilliant and gritty,” and from “a really talented writer.” Six of them asked for exclusive rights while they considered it. Each one of them held onto the book for a considerable amount of time. And then they all passed, citing marketing reasons. 

This back-and forth querying phase lasted years. A publisher finally offered a contract  I wasn’t sure about, and I had to pass. It felt like the nail in the coffin of my beloved book.

Enter my beta readers. They loved Echoes of the Lost as much as I did. They kept poking me (in a nice way). They dared me to keep submitting. They reminded me they liked it so much they’d read it twice. One even turned one of my rejection letters into an acceptance letter. if it weren’t for those readers, I seriously believe I would have stopped querying.

There’s more. Once books come out, you readers keep us authors afloat. Not just by buying books, but by reading and connecting. By telling us that you identified with a  character, or were surprised by a twist, or just enjoyed the ride. I keep many of the reader emails I receive and read them again when I’m feeling down. I suspect many others do the same.

Writing is wonderful, yes, but it’s the sharing of stories that’s the end goal. “There is a unique joy, the deepest satisfaction and a kind of spiritual appeasement in knowing that something we have made, or worked on, means something to somebody else,” says musician Nick Cave.

You, dear readers, can work magic. Read, read, read. Talk to your friends about books. Connect with your favorite authors.  And never forget that all of us readers bring light to authors’ lives, and to the world. As Yoda said, “Luminous beings are we.”

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Readers, what makes you want to connect with an author?

About Echoes of the Lost:

Retired cop Ster McCaffery wakes in the dead of night to find a small boy sobbing on his doorstep. Who is the child? Who left him there? And why’s Ster’s porch? Ster’s investigation leads him to Portland’s houseless community, to its deep cold river, and to his past. Only one thing is clear: The boy is in grave danger.​​​​​

“Brown’s latest, set amidst the houseless community in Portland, Oregon, features heartbreak, tragedy, and violence juxtaposed against heartwarming generosity, bravery, and humor…A superbly written story that highlights the massive social issue of houselessness and that will appeal to those who enjoy twisty mysteries combined with feel-good stories that deliver a strong social message.”

– Booklist starred review

About Cindy Brown:

Cindy Brown’s body of work defies genre, yet her serious crime fiction, humorous mysteries, disability news stories, and comedic plays all share themes of justice and community. She has been shortlisted for an Agatha Award (Macdeath), had over a dozen plays produced, and awarded a disability journalism fellowship by Women’s eNews in 2024. You can connect with her at cindybrownwriter.com, or via The Slightly Silly Newsletter on Substack. 

Cindy and her husband live in their favorite city in the world, Portland, Oregon, where she continues to write stories that speak to her, hoping to shine a light on the goodness that surrounds us.