My 5th Toni Day mystery, The Body on the Lido Deck, is edging ever nearer to publication. I’m waiting for proofreading, and after that, the actual production of a physical book which I’ll have to read and make final changes to. Unfortunately, this is probably going to take another month at least, which means I won’t have it in time for Art in the Park but should have it in time for Thousand Springs.

I submitted this to the publisher in January, for Pete’s sake, so I could have it soon enough not to miss any selling opportunities. The editorial review was so good that I need only copyediting, not the full-meal deal. Yet it seems that this one is taking longer than any of the others did.

Could it be that the indie publishers are drowning under the tsunami of writers wanting to publish? The move to indie publishing is gaining momentum, I know, so maybe I should just shut up and deal.

Meanwhile, I’m working on the 6th Toni Day mystery, with the working title A Deadly Homecoming, which is set in Long Beach, California, where Toni grew up, and where Mum and Nigel live.

In an unexpected twist, Toni’s Mum, who has always deplored Toni’s tendency to get involved in dangerous situations, is now urging her to do so on behalf of her best friend Doris.

Who knew?