Jeff Cohen
I am beside myself with anger.
The changes that I described here have been enacted by the American Psychiatric Association and the words "Asperger's Syndrome" will not appear in the upcoming DSM-V. It's an outrage. I'll say no more. Read the previous post.
Instead, let's examine one of the most vicious recent traditions in the holiday season. That's right, it's time for the Monday DEAD GUY holiday letter, personalized specifically for you by being as general as possible. Shall we begin?
Dear (Insert Name):
Well, 2012 has just about reached its end, and my goodness, the time seems to fly past a little faster with each passing year. Here I just got used to writing "2012" on the four checks I actually sent someone this year (isn't online banking wonderful?), and it's practically time to handicap the Oscars.
This year has been a very busy one for us. This is a subtle yet unmistakable hint that the person sending the letter has been doing way better than you have, a theme which will recur frequently throughout. See if you can spot all the insults! The books have been rolling out regularly and seem to be meeting lots of new people every day!
Obviously,
Old Haunts was our adorable little debut in February, joining older siblings Night of the Living Deed and An Uninvited Ghost in the Haunted Guesthouse family. The next installment, Chance of a Ghost, is expected February 5, and we're all incredibly excited to see the new addition to our clan!
But before then, we get a visit from a very close relative:
A Wild Ghost Chase, the first-ever Haunted Guesthouse eSpecial from Berkley, will be here at the end of this month (and the end of this year--December 31, or a week from today, depending on how you set your watch)! Exclamation points are overused in holiday letters to drive home the excitment the sender has in his/her life each and every minute, and you don't.
That little rascal, A Wild Ghost Chase, is a novella, sold only as an ebook (and only $2.99), and is told from the perspective of the best dead detective in Harbor Haven, New Jersey, Paul Harrison. When Paul and his ghostly companion Maxie find a nine-year-old ghost of Native American heritage living in the haunted guesthouse, he makes a rash promise to help find the boy's mother. They've both been dead over 200 years, so that's not going to be easy.
(Just as an aside to Haunted Guesthouse fans, A Wild Ghost Chase will also include a sneak preview of Chance of a Ghost, to whet your appetite for February 5!)
Meanwhile, the year saw the Aaron Tucker series recorded as audiobooks, and they are now available on Audible as well as from Books In Motion! It's so sweet when the little ones start talking, don't you think? And then you can't ever get them to stop!
Meanwhile,
Chance of a Ghost, because we're so looking forward to February 5, is certainly on our minds. It deals with the suspicious (to him) death of a very over-the-top amateur actor, Lawrence Laurentz, who comes to Alison Kerby's mother Loretta begging for a chance to find out about the circumstances of his demise. The medical examiner says Lawrence died of heart issues, but Lawrence insists he was murdered--with an electric toaster thrown into his bath.
Alison doesn't want to take the case, but Lawrence says he can offer a special fee--he can connect her with her deceased father, whom Loretta says is "missing."
But we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. After all, we need something to write about in next year's holiday letter!
Love, peace and a happy new year to all!
