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FAQ
 Your books: what's new; what's to come; can I print a list of them?
THE SECRET FRIEND, a Darby McCormick novel, will be out in the UK this July. The first Darby McCormick novel, THE MISSING, came out in hardcover in the US and in mass-market paperback in the UK in 2007. Check the THE MISSING page for an excerpt as well as a list of all editions (English language and more). REMEMBERING SARAH is the most recent mass-market paperback in the US. Click here for a printable list of my books. 
I heard THE MISSING is a start of a series. Is that true?
As a matter of fact, yes, THE MISSING is the first book in a series featuring Darby McCormick, a woman who works at the Boston Crime Lab. The second Darby McCormick novel, THE SECRET FRIEND, will be out in the UK this July. THE MISSING also brings back Jack Casey from DEVIANT WAYS.
When are you bringing back Malcolm Fletcher?
I've brought Fletcher back in THE SECRET FRIEND, available in July.
Can we send you novel ideas?
Why on earth would you want to do that?! If you have an idea for a novel, please, hold onto it and write it yourself.
Do you attend book signings?
When asked, I generally do—especially for local bookstores. I'm a big fan of independent bookstores. They're the ones who handsell my books, put it out on the front shelves, get customers interested in me as an author. I owe a lot to them, so whatever they need, I'm there. If you're an indie bookstore and would like to schedule a signing or to send me books to sign, please email my webmaven, Madeira.
Do you really read your emails?
Absolutely. I try and respond to each one. Sometimes it may take me a few days—or maybe even a couple of weeks, depending on how busy I am. But I do read them all, and I promise I'll try and respond.
I signed up for your newsletter, but I'm not getting any.
You mean any newsletters, right? There's only a few reasons why this might happen. In case you're curious, THIS IS HOW OUR MAILING LIST WORKS: I use a double opt-in system to compile mailing list addresses. Click here to access the sign-up form. Fill out the fields and click on the button which reads "Join Now". You should automatically receive an email from us. This email will include a link, and ask you to click on it to confirm your registration. YOU MUST CLICK ON THIS LINK (or copy and paste it into your browser) or else your email address will not be added to my mailing list. Using this double opt-in system assures your internet provider that my email is not SPAM. If you do not receive that first email asking you to confirm your registration, then it's possible that you mistyped your email address, or your Inbox is over its size limit, or your spam blocker is bouncing my email. If your email provider or you yourself have a spam blocker which doesn't like me, you should add Chris_Mooney@mail.vresp.com to your address book. That could eliminate the problem. This will also enable your system to view all images and links in the newsletter when you get it. The last reason why you might not have received Chris Mooney's newsletter is the simplest. Maybe I haven't sent one out since you joined our mailing list? Newsletters are sent out on an irregular schedule. They're infrequent but juicy! I appreciate your patience...which supposedly is a virtue but the jury is still out, if you ask me.
If I ask nicely, will you send me a signed bookplate?
You betcha! Just email your mailing address to my webmaven, Madeira, and she'll get one out to you a.s.a.p.
How do I get published?
I read an interview where Robert B. Parker was asked the same question. He said, "Write it down and send it in." At the time, I thought he was being flip, but he's right. The way to get published is to write a good book. The way to write a good book is to read good books—and bad ones. And keep at it. Practice, practice, practice. Every writer will tell you the same thing.
How do I get an agent?
Same way you get published: Write a really good book. If you've done that, if you really believe in it, then look for agents who represent your type of book. Send a query letter to that agent—one page, introducing yourself and what you wrote—and always, always, always include a SASE (that's a self-addressed stamped envelope). And be patient. Agents work hard (they really do). If one agent says no, move onto the next one. And be prepared for rejection. Everyone, from Stephen King to James Patterson to John Grisham, has been rejected—more than once. King wrote four books before Carrie sold. The Firm was being rejected all around New York until a movie scout read it and made an offer on it (and then it was bought by Doubleday, where the book happened to be at the time). You're dealing with different people with different tastes. Don't take rejection personally. For one new author's trials through this process, go to Jennifer Weiner's website. She's the author of one of the funniest books I've read in a long time, Good In Bed. |
