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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stacy Juba
Mystery Author Launches 25 Years Ago Today Column On New Blog
Mystery author Stacy Juba has created a new kind of 25 Years Ago Today column, similar to the historical retrospective that appears in many newspapers and television news segments, except with a twist. As a tie-in to her mystery novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, Juba has launched a regular feature on her new blog in which published authors and guest bloggers visit to answer the question “What were you (or your character) doing 25 years ago?”
So far, her guests have turned in a wide variety of 25 years ago moments. For example, literary and contemporary fiction author Maria Savva wrote about the mysterious Red Man from her childhood, mystery/suspense author Darcía Helle created a fictitious memory from the perspective of her character Nick Donovan, and short story writer Stephen D. Rogers described what working for a direct mail company taught him about the writing business.
“I love how each and every post is different, even though they are all answering the same exact question,” said Juba. “It gives readers a chance to learn more about the backgrounds of their favorite authors. And in some cases, the authors talk about the background of a character instead, which serves as a sort of ‘prequel’ to their book and is a treat for their fans.”
From time-time-time, Juba also plans to have non-authors share their 25 years ago moments and will compile their responses into special columns, putting out her invitations through avenues such as Twitter. Juba will also weave her own 25 years ago moments into various posts, recalling her childhood memories of reading and writing mystery stories and sharing excerpts from her early writing. She has been writing stories since fifth grade and had her first book, the young adult novel Face-Off, published with Avon under Stacy Drumtra when she was 18 years old.
After graduating from college, Juba worked as a newspaper editorial assistant and compiled the 25 and 50 Years Ago Today column as one of her tasks. This inspired her first adult mystery novel Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, ISBN: 978-0-615-29011-9, about an editorial assistant who stumbles across an unsolved murder while researching the 25 Years Ago Today column on the microfilm. The book is available in trade paperback from Mainly Murder Press and will be released in e-book format in summer 2010. Juba’s second mystery novel, the reality-TV show-themed Sink or Swim, is scheduled for release in December 2010.
More information about her work can be found at www.stacyjuba.com and www.stacyjuba.com/blog.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New England Journalist Publishes Mystery Novel Set In Newspaper World
Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, the debut mystery novel of award-winning New England journalist Stacy Juba, has been released by Mainly Murder Press. Juba, a three-time New England Press Association award winner, started the novel while working in her former position as a staff reporter at a Massachusetts newspaper.
The book follows the story of obit writer and editorial assistant Kris Langley, who feels like the newsroom slave – that is, until she stumbles across an unsolved murder while compiling "25 Years Ago Today" items from the microfilm. Determined to launch her reporting career, Kris investigates the cold case of an artistic young cocktail waitress obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. She soon learns that yesterday's headline is tomorrow's danger, for finding out the truth about that night twenty-five years ago may shatter Kris’s present, costing her love, her career, and ultimately, her life.
Like her main character, Juba began her journalism career as an obit writer and editorial assistant, where she spent a great deal of time compiling “25 Years Ago Today” columns from the microfilm.
“While the book is fiction, my newsroom background provided me with the realistic details to create an authentic setting and premise that I hope will be enjoyed by newspaper readers, journalists and mystery fans alike,” she said.
Juba notes that attention continues to be focused on unsolved murders due to the popularity of television dramas such as Cold Case and the increased involvement and public visibility of family members. According to the National Institute of Justice, recent advances in DNA technology also are allowing officials to take a fresh look at these cases. Along with these technological advances, the creation of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) has improved the chances of solving cold cases with DNA.
“The subject of cold cases is a timely one, and for the fictional scenario in my book, I challenged myself to create intriguing twists and turns,” said Juba. “I think that readers will like taking a crack at the puzzle along with my sleuth, Kris Langley.”
Title: Twenty-Five Years Ago Today
Publisher: Mainly Murder Press
Format: Trade paperback
ISBN: 978-0-615-29011-9
Pages: 254
Price: $14.95
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