Lori Whitwam

(Posted 7/24/09)

Help me name my new book!

Having finally completed a book, I can no longer imagine not being in the process of writing one. My next book will be more "straight mystery," whereas Make or Break is more a romantic suspense. In actuality, the new book is one I started a couple of years ago, but I wasn't at the point in my personal development to be able to see it through. I got confused and frustrated, and didn't know where to turn for guidance, so I archived it and gave up. Then Make or Break hit me, and I did whatever it took to get that story told. Now, I'm ready to move on to the next one, while simultaneously working to get Make or Break into publication.

The premise for the new book is a mystery, involving a 30-ish woman who owns a pet supply shop in a community shopping center in fictional Arcadia County, located in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. Her name is Michelle "Mitch" Donahue. She is a coordinator for the area's golden retriever rescue group, and has two wonderful goldens of her own. When she goes to drop off a new foster dog at the home of her friend and mentor (name still being determined, but for now let's call her Olivia), she finds Olivia dead in the kitchen, and the woman's male golden and male foster dog missing. Her female dog is cowering under a table. The police are quick to dismiss it as Olivia having interrupted a burglary, and the two dogs simply ran off when the killer left the door open. Mitch, however, knowing Olivia's male dog well (he's litter mate to the female dog, as well as one of Mitch's dogs), she knows he would never leave Olivia or his littermate. He is too well-trained for that. She believes one of the dogs was the reason for the break-in and subsequent death of her friend, and sets out to locate the dogs and find out why.

There will be some interesting supporting characters, including Mitch's best friend, Rose, and her long-time friend/convenience date-boyfriend Jamie. However, her romantic interests shift (since she and Jamie aren't really "involved," per se) when Olivia's nephew, Evan, comes to town for the funeral and to deal with the issues surrounding Olivia's house, dogs, and estate. Mitch knew Evan slightly growing up, and had a bit of a crush on him, but he was five years older and didn't take much notice of her other than occasional teasing and practical jokes. She hasn't seen him since she was 13 or 14, as he and his family lived in (Pittsburgh? Cincinnati? Still deciding.) He becomes involved in helping her solve the mystery, and consequently becomes involved with her.

This will be a portrait of the area in which I grew up, and the wide ranging personality types of the residents. We'll have the huge, odd, but kind-hearted neighbor family, hillbillies and displaced urbanites, dog people and dog-idiots, rescue volunteers and shop owners, and whatever else I can think up.

I'd originally planned to use a title something like "Recycled Gold," or something with "Gold" in the title, due to the golden retrievers. I am approaching this as an eventual series, and "Gold" could be the common element in the titles. But I'm not locked into this idea.

So, help me out here! Based on what you know, do you have suggestions for a working title for the new book? I'm about to start writing out my character sketches for Mitch, Evan, and Jamie. Once I feel I "know" them (because that's how it worked best for me with Make or Break... gotta know the characters so they can tell me their stories), I'm ready to get down to work on those crucial first few chapters!