December 1, 2020

BLOODLINE Is an AFR!

BLOODLINE OUT NOW!

Bloodline has been chosen as an Amazon First Reads and is releasing a month early! I am over-the-moon thrilled. What this means is that if you have Amazon Prime, you can read it for free. If you don’t have Amazon Prime, you can read it for $1.99.

Like Unspeakable Things, Bloodline takes place in Lilydale, a fictional version of my hometown of Paynesville, Minnesota. Also like Unspeakable Things, Bloodline is inspired by a true crime that took place in my hometown, though this one was never solved. The author’s note at the beginning of the book tells the whole story. And look for some Unspeakable Things Easter eggs in this one!

I hope you enjoy Bloodline!

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November 30, 2020

Book in a Bag

After years of trial and error and tweaking, market research, and a successful Kickstarter campaign, my novel- and memoir-writing technique is finally available to the public. Woot! Meet the Book in a Bag.

In honor of its release, I've dropped the price of my online plotting class from $49 to $4.

Make this the year you write that book!

BOOK IN A BAG

All good stories—fiction and nonfiction—are about the transformation of a character facing their greatest fear. The Book in a Bag method uses this fact to break complex writing into a simple, scene-based approach. It takes all the stress out of organizing your ideas, leaving you free to enjoy the exhilaration of crafting compelling short stories, novellas, novels, and memoirs. This method is suitable for all levels of writers at all stages of the drafting process.

KIT INCLUDES:

-Easy-to-follow instructions
-Plotting cards bound by removable clasp
-Notebook and colored pencils
-A lucky marble

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October 26, 2020

"Perfect Housewife" Kit

I have a thing about sending mail. I love it. I know where this quirk comes from. I grew up on a lonely stretch of road in a house that was equal parts terrifying and nurturing. My mom was a great cook, both parents encouraged my love of reading and my brain, my sister was the best companion, and at night, the monster came out. If you've read Unspeakable Things, you know a version of this story. Some nights, I was so scared I slept under my bed.

The thing that consistently soothed me growing up was getting mail: joy buzzers ordered from the back of Archie comics, Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes packets full of stamps that needed to be licked, Mad magazine, it didn't matter. When I saw the cloud of dust coming down the road telling me the mail carrier was coming, I felt relief. Mail meant someone knew I was out there. It meant there was a wider world, a place I could escape to when I grew up.

Escape I did, but to this day, I still feel that goofy, childhood relief when I receive packages. It turns out I feel even better when I send them. Shipping boxes of fun makes me feel connected, like I'm tossing out lifelines. Crazy, I know, but there you have it. And that's why I started sending out surprise grab bags every few months to newsletter subscribers. I put everything in them. Spam, books, candy, jewelry, a garlic peeler. It delights me. That delight inspired me to send out a 1980s kit with early copies of Unspeakable Things. It included '80s lipgloss, bracelets, scented pencils, and candy, all tucked inside an authentic 1980s Trapper Keeper. WOOT.

Well, now I'm obviously hooked. My next book, Bloodline, releases January 1. Publisher Weekly says, “Lourey ratchets up the suspense...[f]ans of Rosemary’s Baby will relish this,” and Kirkus Reviews writes, “Based on a true story, this is a sinister, suspenseful thriller full of creeping horror.” Guess what else? It's set in 1968. You know what that means! A "Perfect Housewife" kit! Yep, it's exactly as screwed up as it sounds. I've sent out over 60 of them and have five left (minus the early copy of the book), and maybe one of them has your name on it? To be entered to win, forward a copy of your Bloodline preorder receipt to jessicalourey@gmail.com before December 1, 2020.

p.s. As always, if you want to order a signed (and/or personalized) copy of any of my books, reach out to Once Upon a Crime, my fabulous local bookstore, and let them know. Preordering from them gets you two entries to win the "Perfect Housewife" kit.
p.s.s. Be well, please.

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