The Water Tower: A Lakeview Mystery
Cozy Mystery/Women Sleuths
1st in Series
Setting – A fictional Ohio town in the suburbs of Cleveland called Lakeview
Level Best Books (June 20, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 250 pages

Synopsis

Josie Ashbury was a successful Hollywood actress with a booming career—until an on-set breakdown sends her back to her small Ohio hometown to recover. Taking a job teaching at her old high school, Josie is beginning to put the pieces of her life back together when one of her students dies under suspicious circumstances. The police close the case quickly, without any real answers. Josie is determined to find the truth behind the girl’s death.

At the same time, Josie is battling demons of her own. As she faces debilitating insomnia that leaves her with gaps in her memory, she dives into the tangled secrets surrounding the investigation. When she finally unravels the web, she discovers that the truth lies much closer to home than she could have ever imagined.

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Excerpt

She stood on the water tower, looking at the skyline she had only observed from the ground. You really could see the whole town from up here. Funny how your whole life can fit into one 360-degree glance. Peering down at the ground, she was no longer able to see individual blades of grass, all of them blurring into a sea of perfect emerald green. To her right was the roof of Lakeview High School, looking small from this vantage point. She felt as though if she leaned over far enough, she could almost touch it. But that was ridiculous; the school had to be several hundred feet away. Her vision came in and out of focus as she swayed, thinking about her life, her past, her future… Reaching out her slender arm, she twirled her wrist. She could hardly wait for graduation when, everyone said, “real life” would begin. “I can’t wait to get out of here,” her friends exclaimed, dreaming of big cities and even bigger lives in far-off places: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, anywhere but here. But she knew they would return, just like their parents, raising 2.5 kids with a Labradoodle and a balding husband in one of the best-little-suburbs in the country. Was it really so bad? She watched all these super-educated women who had given up their careers to stay home and clean up after the kids and drive to soccer practice, instead of changing the world as they’d so hopefully planned when plotting their escape years earlier. Was that her fate? Was that what awaited her now? Dozens of similar thoughts swirled and crashed like waves in front of her, mixing in a fantastic spray of colors, lights, and sounds.

Guest Post

5 Tips to Keep Your Cool Throughout the Publishing Process

You’ve finished your book. Hooray! The hard work is done! Haha, just kidding (kind of). When you’re writing a book, the actual writing is only a portion of the process. Now it’s time to get it published. If you’re self-publishing, the process is more in your control; but if you’ve decided that traditional publishing is the route you want to take, you may have a longer road ahead of you than you think.

Let’s quickly go through the traditional publishing process. Assuming a publishing house hasn’t magically swept in and bought your book (which I’ve heard does happen from time to time, just not to me); the first step in the publishing process is finding an agent. Once you’ve found an agent, the agent will read your work, likely edit it or, at the very least, give you notes. When you’ve finished revising, your agent will shop your book around to publishers. Most agents have relationships with specific editors at different publishing houses, so your person will probably have someone (or several people) in mind. The editors will want time to read your work, then they will let your agent know if they want to take on the project, i.e., publish your book. The publisher then sends contracts (which you should always, always, always have an attorney look over), and once you’ve signed, the real fun begins.

Your publisher will get you on a production schedule, which can mean your book will be published quickly or, well, not so quickly. My publisher bought my book in 2021, and my publication date ended up being in June of 2023. During the time while you’re waiting for the book to be published, you’ll do rounds of edits with your editor – how many rounds depends on the manuscript. You may also have to give guidance about cover art, write acknowledgements, summaries, and dedications. Depending on the publisher, you may also be involved in the marketing process, which can involve podcast interviews, blog interviews, newspaper interviews, guest posts ( 😀 ), book signings, and so on.

So the question is: how do you keep your sanity through this whole process?

1. Be patient. Publishing a book requires the most patience I’ve ever had to put towards anything in my life. I am not a patient person by nature, so I’ve had to try to train myself not to freak out. Do whatever you need to do to keep your cool – meditate, do yoga, scream into a pillow, whatever works for you.
2. Stay on top of your end. There are some things that are in your control during the time you’re waiting for your book to get on the shelves. Being punctual – or better yet, early – with your materials will make things that much easier on your publisher, agent, PR person, and whoever else is helping you. Control what you can!
3. Develop a social calendar. We all hope that our book will be an amazing success out of nowhere, but posting regularly about your release on social media bumps up the chances. Don’t inundate your followers and friends with reminders to buy your book, but do post reminders from time to time so people don’t forget.
4. Communicate with your people. My agent, editor, publisher, and public relations person have been so, so, so amazing throughout the last couple of years. If you have questions, ask them. They want to help! And it’s better than sitting around wondering what the heck is going on.
5. Enjoy yourself! For many of us, publishing a book is a dream come true. Allow yourself time to enjoy that this is actually happening, especially if your road has been complicated. Plan a launch party, break out the champagne, schedule a dinner to celebrate, or just go up on your roof and yell “I’m published! I’m published! I’m published!” a la Monica Geller from Friends on your pub day. You’ve absolutely earned it.

About the Author

Amy Young is an author, comedian, and actor based in Cleveland. After spending a decade in Los Angeles working in the entertainment industry and writing her debut novel, The Water Tower, she returned to Ohio to be closer to family. Amy is working on her second book, a thriller, and in her free time she enjoys going to the theatre, bingeing reality TV, and spending time with her husband and many, many cats. She has a B.A. in English from Kenyon College.

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