THE TIME FOR SERIOUS PROMOTION IS DRAWING NEAR

I received the advance paperback copies of DEVIL'S DANCE and THE DEVIL'S DUE, as well as promotional posters. What a great feeling to see these books that I have lived with for over fifteen years finally in print. Can't wait to hear the audio books now.

It's been quite a journey, from the time I first felt compelled to write this story. As a magazine article writer, I didn't know the first thing about writing fiction. Unfortunately when I showed my draft to a friend, an author with thrillers in publication, his comment was that it would never get published. As with anything else, I had to learn my craft. The mere fact that magazines and newspapers published my articles, didn't mean I could write fiction. The year was 1996.

With each rewrite I learned more, but still didn't have the formula for this particular story. Time passed and my sister and I launched a funny mystery series. The first book (written as Morgan St. James and Phyllice Bradner) won an award. The second in the series was finished and nearing publication. I'd learned to write fiction, but the tale told in DEVIL'S DANCE and THE DEVIL'S DUE is deeply emotional. The characters had to grab at the heartstrings and not let go. Not at all like writing humor. Sometimes I sat at my computer crying as I identified with the protagonist.

The situations had to have the reader at the edge of their seat, waiting to find out what happened next. And the two loves of Jen Connor's life had to be tender and make the reader root for them and cheer them on. Not an easy task. Mix in creating villains that made more than one of my first readers admonish: They better get punished at the end. You can't let them get off. My female and male first readers alike became very protective of Jen Connor. She had become the three-dimensional character I strived to create all of those years.

After seven rewrites, I was finally there and L&L Dreamspell and Books in Motion are bringing this story to life.

This is fiction, but every day newspapers and TV tell stories that are not that different. I've dedicated the books to all the young women who have been kidnapped, raped and even sold into brothels like Jen Connor was. Those who survived and those who did not.

Visit my website, http://www.arlissadams-author.com/ for more information or http://www.lldreamspell.com/. Look for releases in August and September. I welcome letters from readers.

Arliss