Family of Spies Book Launch

It is official!

The McNally Robinson launch date for my third novel 

Family of Spies

is set for April 29th at 2:00 p.m. 

Please join me in McNally's atrium for a fun-filled afternoon. Of course there will be cookies, clues, and prizes! 

This is a family friendly event, with special guests from the Adopt an Author program at Beaumont School.

Family of Spies, is a middle grade novel loosely based on the mystery revolving around my Rhodes Scholar grandfather, Edward Hugh Martin Crawford. He was a pilot with the R.C.A.F. and was awarded an MBE, based on his involvement in World War 2. Eighty years later, the details of his military career remain sealed. Our family lore of code breaking, secret missions, and connections to Bletchley Park, fueled my imagination when writing this story. Back in 2013 when I began research for this novel, I wrote a blog post exploring my grandfather's life. You can read it by clicking here: The Queen's Rum Runner.

When cousins Ford, Ellie and Gavin, discover their great-grandfather was a rogue World War 2 spymaster, they must outrun MI6 and the CIA through the streets of Paris, relying on their wits and Ford’s newfound clairvoyant skills to unlock Great-Granddad’s spy secrets buried in the past. Great-Granddad hid something important to the war effort and these agencies want it back!

And finally, a huge thank you to my editor, Stephanie Berrington of Yellow Dog, an imprint of Great Plains Publications, for working with me to strengthen every passage of this novel. 

Judging a Book

As I journey down the publishing road of Family of Spies, I have started to research middle grade book covers. Since readers do judge a book by its cover, getting this right is imperative.

Yesterday, I met with Winnipeg's McNally Robinson who graciously shared their knowledge on what draws readers in, what sells, and the key features of an older middle grade novel cover.

We found some key similarities in popular titles. More often than not, the faces of the characters are not revealed, leaving more to the reader's imaginations. Certain colours seem to dominate: blues, purples, blacks. Mysteries do lend themselves to a darker cover after all. Each book title has a striking font which reveals a glimmer of the story's tone.

These stunning covers topped the list:

The Girl Who Drank the Moon was our favourite. 

I loved it so much, I bought it and can't put it down.

Then I found these gorgeous books this morning:

I have read many of these titles, and now want to read them all!

Which ones do you like best?