An Announcement and a Life Update

Debbi Mack
5 min readSep 26, 2022

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This is definitely NOT my office. But it looks pretty. (Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash)

Hi, I have good news actually. Number one: my book is actually, the print version of the sequel to this book is actually in, in process.

I mean, I think all I have to do is look at the proof of it. I’ll be able to tell for sure if it’s ready to, to “go go.” So I’m so excited about the fact that it’s going to come out. Fatal Connections, which is the, you know, sequel to [Damaged Goods] will be coming out November 11th, assuming all goes as planned as they say. And the other good news is that this book actually made the second round of a contest that I decided to enter that could get it attention from agents, I guess, you know, people in the film industry. So it’s the second round and it’s like one of the first yeses I’ve gotten in a long, long time. So it’s like, yay.

And then the other thing I was going to say was I spent part of the weekend, just a little bit, cleaning my room and there’s just so much stuff here that I don’t know. I dunno if it’s useful. I don’t know if it’ll come in useful later, but I’ll tell you one thing. Seriously, I don’t think I need, oh, I’ve been looking for this! <laugh> I feel, oh, I might keep this one. “How to start an online business.” Yeah, I’ll pass along any information I find out to you because see, I used to give away that kind of information all the time. I was always talking about self-publishing and I was always telling people here’s how it works. I did it for free on a blog. Yeah. Now people are charging for it. Big money, too. Oh, here’s something for a laugh or something.

I’m not sure what … I mean, it’s like, okay, you want [Lina Khan] to step down off of an antitrust case because of her own personal point of view. News flash: Every judge has a point of view. Let’s see. What else? Transforming Hollywood, the creator economy. I think I know about this. “More than 30 states sue Google over extravagant fees and GooglePlay store.” Well, how about that? Oh, this guy, Byron Warnken. (Requires a subscription. Sorry, but I couldn’t defeat the paywall. Not this time.) I printed this out. I couldn’t even tell you why. Maybe it’s cuz I’d like to write about his life. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll keep this one. He taught the bar review class that I took. There’s a class that you can take before you take the bar that will help you focus in on what it is they’re going to ask, the kind of questions to expect, that sort of thing.

It’s really interesting. Oh, here’s a cover page for a pilot I’m working on. Actually, the pilot is kind of written. I have to rewrite it, of course, a few hundred times before anybody will say yes to it. If they do. Oh yeah. “Launch day communications plan.” More checklists for me. Yeah. Right. I’m gonna look at that.

Let’s see. “Length, tone, voice, characters, dialogue.” Maybe I’ll keep this in case I teach a class on this sort of stuff. I don’t know. “How to do an interview.” I think I know something about that. I’m not sure. Let’s see. Oh, oh yeah. Stuff about Amazon and Google and yeah, I’m beginning to wonder why I bother. Oh, and then of course I have to try to understand [Medicare!] cuz I’m, you know, 66 years old and well, you know, things happen and, oh gosh, so many wonderful things.

Maryland Public Television. What am I doing with this? I, yeah, well of course it’s nice to look through it. See if there’s a program I wanna see. And Maryland Public Television is where I first saw Doctor Who. So I guess I have a special connection with them. I don’t know. Maybe I just like them, maybe I like things that are printed and speaking of which … yeah.

I took this photo.

Okay. Let’s just get down to it then. I’m eventually going to throw this out, even though it’s, there’s kind of a sentimental attachment there. It’s the Washington Post, which is owned by someone, and let’s see Parade Magazine. I remember when this was an actual magazine, you know, kind of more like this <laugh> yeah, what’s happened to Parade? It’s become a pamphlet, but my goodness with a nice picture of Paul Newman.

You do know who Paul Newman is, right? Even though he is well before the time some of you out there in the world were born, this guy is awesome. Come on. He is. And if you haven’t seen Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, well then shame on you or something. I don’t know. <Laugh> all right. That’s it for me I’m done (sort of). Have a nice day!

PS: You can read sample chapters from Fatal Connections here, along with chapters from my Sam McRae mysteries and book reviews and stuff! :) You can check it out for free!

PPS: I also post my audio versions and text of some of the Sam McRae novels here for patrons on Patreon.

PPPS: Here’s a review of two screenwriting books!

And be sure to see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, if only for this scene! :)

BONUS LINKS!

It’s about friggin’ time! Also, you can read about self-publishing graphic novels or comics or whatever, too!

Plus Spotify now carries audiobooks!

My thanks to Joanna Penn for these! :)

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Debbi Mack
Debbi Mack

Written by Debbi Mack

New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including the Sam McRae Mystery series. Screenwriter, podcaster, and blogger. My website: www.debbimack.com.

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