Launch Party at the Author’s Note

Please join me on Monday, September 8th at Author’s Note for a launch party for my newest teen/adult crossover novel, If Looks Could Kill. We will have sessions at 6 pm and 7 pm. The book doesn’t officially release until Tuesday, 9/16, but by special permission from Simon & Schuster, we’re launching early, giving customers a chance to get their hands on an early copy. We expect the store to fill up, so we are asking people to RSVP by “buying” free tickets on AuthorsNote.com. We may add an additional 8 pm session based on demand so please do RSVP if you plan to come, and the sooner the better.

This novel was a work of many years, all while living here in Medina and running the bookstore, so it seems fitting that I begin the launch here. The Author’s Note party is the first event of a 29-stop nationwide “Monster Tour” which feels appropriate since If Looks Could Kill is about a clash between two monsters of myth and legend — Medusa and Jack the Ripper. The book is Simon & Schuster’s Top Shelf pick title for Fall 2025. It’s never easy to describe your own work, so I’ll let others do it for me. Publisher’s Weekly called the novel “an inventive Greek mythology-infused thriller” with “witty banter, intrepid female characters, and thoughtful meditations on faith.” A Goodreads member wrote: “The story pulses with rich historical texture, compelling character development, and a darkly satisfying … edge, especially as Medusas emerge not as monsters, but as protectors of the wronged. With its slow-burn romance, eerie atmosphere, and a truly unforgettable villain, this book is both riveting and revelatory–a brilliant reimagining that delivers on every front.”

The presentation on September 8th will be especially interesting because Michael Hawley, an expert in Ripperology in general and in the particular suspect whom I cast as my Ripper in this story (Francis J. Tumblety from Rochester), will join me and give a brief presentation at the start about what we know and don’t know about Jack the Ripper and our suspect. Michael is a wealth of information and an engaging speaker. His books will be available for sale also.  After his remarks I’ll give a brief presentation, a reading, a Q&A, and a signing.

Please join me on Monday, September 8th at Author’s Note for a launch party for my newest teen/adult crossover novel, If Looks Could Kill. We will have sessions at 6 pm and 7 pm. The book doesn’t officially release until Tuesday, 9/16, but by special permission from Simon & Schuster, we’re launching early, giving customers a chance to get their hands on an early copy. We expect the store to fill up, so we are asking people to RSVP by “buying” free tickets on AuthorsNote.com. We may add an additional 8 pm session based on demand so please do RSVP if you plan to come, and the sooner the better.

This novel was a work of many years, all while living here in Medina and running the bookstore, so it seems fitting that I begin the launch here. The Author’s Note party is the first event of a 29-stop nationwide “Monster Tour” which feels appropriate since If Looks Could Kill is about a clash between two monsters of myth and legend — Medusa and Jack the Ripper. The book is Simon & Schuster’s Top Shelf pick title for Fall 2025. It’s never easy to describe your own work, so I’ll let others do it for me. Publisher’s Weekly called the novel “an inventive Greek mythology-infused thriller” with “witty banter, intrepid female characters, and thoughtful meditations on faith.” A Goodreads member wrote: “The story pulses with rich historical texture, compelling character development, and a darkly satisfying … edge, especially as Medusas emerge not as monsters, but as protectors of the wronged. With its slow-burn romance, eerie atmosphere, and a truly unforgettable villain, this book is both riveting and revelatory–a brilliant reimagining that delivers on every front.”

The presentation on September 8th will be especially interesting because Michael Hawley, an expert in Ripperology in general and in the particular suspect whom I cast as my Ripper in this story (Francis J. Tumblety from Rochester), will join me and give a brief presentation at the start about what we know and don’t know about Jack the Ripper and our suspect. Michael is a wealth of information and an engaging speaker. His books will be available for sale also.  After his remarks I’ll give a brief presentation, a reading, a Q&A, and a signing.