Marie/Elise: An Update

Update for Marie/Elise Murder Mystery Novel

It's been a while since I wrote about Marie/Elise. The reason for this is that there hasn't really been all that much to say that wouldn't relate to plot-critical decisions I have made as I wrap up the manuscript and edit it myself and based on beta readers' suggestions, questions, and feedback. 

Ah, yes. Graphics from writing days of old...

 

So far, the feedback has been quite positive overall, and I'm doing my best to polish up the manuscript in time for a self-imposed deadline (around 28th of September at the latest). I'm looking forward to more feedback from my readers and am excited to get this manuscript looking the best it possibly can by the end of the month! After that, I'll be moving on to The Pirates of Sissa (which will hopefully translate into the podcast also being updated weekly starting first week of October - more to come about the podcast in another post). 

The manuscript is finally in its most complete and coherent form to date, and given that I've been working on this story for over five years on-and-off now, and having been through several different drafts, that's saying quite a lot! I'm excited to finalize it and move it onto its next stage!

The book is a slow-burn psychological mystery thriller, with the mental state of the first-person narrator playing a critical role in the events that take place in the book. In that sense, it's a bit of an introspective book, in my opinion, with a lot of interesting thought-process and inner monologue, as well as a certain amount of grey areas that will leave readers wondering just who committed the crime. There are a few red herrings, a few plot twists and revelations, and I've tried to turn a few tropes on their heads, so we'll see how that works out!

It's been an up-and-down kind of experience of late, because I've both been motivated and inspired for the book and tired and frustrated by it. I think there are certain elements of a mystery that can be a bit tougher to pull together when compared to other kinds or stories (like my previously published psychological thriller Apartment*). Given that this is my first mystery, I'm learning how to put these elements together and getting that experience for the first time. It's a steep learning curve, but definitely worth the effort. I'm finding that it's very satisfying to overcome the obstacles that seem to pop up in my path while I write this story.

Currently I'm trying to fix one last issue that has popped up since I decided to change the ending, and that's how to exonerate a particular character. I feel I've written myself into a corner in that regard, and I'm trying to do a little research and brainstorming to figure out how I'll solve this little puzzle. Without this character being revealed to have undoubtedly not committed the crime, the story's ending falls apart - as does the story itself, as it will become a great deal darker than I want it to be. We'll see how that works out!

For now, I'm still in contact with readers and trying to implement edits based on their helpful feedback. More updates to hopefully come soon!

*Apartment is currently unavailable for purchase or download anywhere. If you would like to request a copy, please get in touch. The book will be available again once my official website and shop have been launched. Will keep you updated!