J.M. NORTHUP

WIPs and New Releases

1. Tell us about your book…
   • Is this a WIP or a new release?
     • New Release
   • Is it a standalone or an installment to a series or collection?
     • This is the first book in a new series
   • What is the story about?
     • One single scream. It was all reporter Serena Davidson heard as she put her daughter to bed. It was a sound no one else claimed to hear. Not even her husband, Sheriff Colton Davidson, believed her. Serena’s persistence drives her to investigate on her own. Will she be able to uncover the truth, or will one scream unhinge her entire world?
2. What inspired this tale?
   • How did you come up with the plot?
     • I’ve wanted to come up with a Halloween inspired book for some time. I had a few horror novel ideas but I couldn’t put anything to paper. My agent challenged me to come up with a cozy mystery. I had already written so many from a detective point of view, I decided to go a different route this time, the wife of a sheriff who hears a scream where no one believes her.
   • Did you have to research for this novel – if so, what and why?
     • A little. I moved to the Georgia area three years ago, but I haven’t had much time to venture out often. I had to use the internet to look up houses in the Peachtree City area, directions for time to drive from news stations in Atlanta out to different locations, and if the setting had police or sheriff departments.
   • If you did research, what surprised you most to learn, and why do you think that was?
     • Nothing really surprised me about the research.
3. Tell us about your character?
   • Who is the main character?
     • Serena Davidson is fearless in her reporting ability for the Atlanta news. Her assignments included everything from government conspiracies to homicide investigations. Her nosey reporter instincts and persistent curiosity have landed her in hot water both personally and professionally on more than one occasion. Enlisting the help of her best friend, Alicia, and her husband, Sheriff Colton Davidson, Serena launches her own investigations, not stopping until she uncovers the truth.
   • Is your protagonist anything like you, personally?
     • No, not at all. She is a cross between a female news anchor/reporter from Long Island and Velma from Scooby Doo.
   • What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
     • I needed someone with a fun personality, someone people really liked, and can get herself into trouble. So, I decided to use someone I talked to on IG from Long Island for the fun personality, interesting stories, and someone people like. I wanted Velma from Scooby Doo, because she was constantly getting into trouble over the pursuit of the truth. She is also the most underrated character from that show, and I wanted to pay tribute to her.
4. Is there anything specific that you want readers to know about this piece of work?
   These are cozy mystery books but will deliver some impactful suspense scenes. They will also NOT follow my typical cliffhanger style of writing. They will be part of a series but you can read them as a standalone book as well.
   • How do we get a copy? Has the book already been published, or is it available for pre-order?
     • https://tinyurl.com/AScreaminthenight 
     • Are you offering ARCs to beta readers – if you are, how do they contact you for a copy?
       • Please reach out to me through email: AuthorAndrewHess@gmail.com