FRINGE meets CASTLE in this
New Adult Sci-fi Mystery Suspense.
Gingerbread Man is a three part episode in the romantic suspense series, A Nursery Rhyme Suspense, by Amazon best-selling author Lee Strauss.
Episode release dates:
1) Run Run Run - December 31
1) Run Run Run - December 31
2) As Fast As You Can - January 7
3) You Can't Catch Me - January 14
RUN RUN RUN
College girl meets boy online. A killer targets girls like her. She's next on the list. The boy wants to save her. She thinks it's him.
It's worse than they both think.
AS FAST AS YOU CAN
Marlow finds himself in a "new world" and has to convince Sage of the danger at hand. Their friendship grows as they work together to track a killer and hopefully find their friend Teagan before it's too late.
Preorder on AMAZON
YOU CAN’T CATCH ME
Marlow and Sage were on track to catch a killer, when the unbelievable happened. Now Marlow has to convince this "new" Sage of the danger and their friend Teagan remains in grave peril.
Preorder on AMAZON
Read all three episodes by January 14, or
wait until January 28 for the compete boxed set.
GINGERBREAD MAN
(episodes 1-3 complete)
Preorder on AMAZON
Gingerbread Man serial by Lee Strauss
Author Guest Post
The Giveaway
Gingerbread Man serial by Lee Strauss
Episode 1, Run Run Run
Series: A Nursery Rhyme Suspense
Genre: Mystery Sci-fi/ Romantic Suspense
Buy on December 31
Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google Play
Excerpt from Run Run Run
SAGE
“I met this guy,” Teagan said quietly. “He said something that kind of creeped me out.”
I blinked several times as I processed this and twisted to face her. “You’re online dating?”
She shot me a horrified look. “No! It’s not a dating site. It’s a campus chat room.”
Nora swung her legs around and returned to a sitting position. “What’d he say?”
“Well,” Teagan began, “he told me that there had been a rape and that I should be careful.”
I didn’t get it. “Why does that creep you out?”
“Because he told me about the rape before it happened.”
What? Nora and I chimed in together. “Before?”
I leaned forward and asked, “He predicted the rape? How?”
Teagan shrugged. “Maybe he’s psychic?”
“Or,” Nora began, “he did it. His way of playing with your head.”
Why Serials?
What is the fascination with serials? It seems like everyone is writing them now. And readers are reading them. I can tell you from a writer’s perspective why I’m writing A Nursery Rhyme Suspense, and as a reader I can tell you why I like to read them.
They are like literary TV shows. I think most people would agree that television writing in the past decade has been outstanding (for the most part). Think Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, Gilmore Girls. There is a reason why these shows were so successful. The writing is terrific.
There has also been a trend in TV shows that follow one long story arc, rather than each episode being it’s own arc. These have seen recent success as a result of streaming TV and sites like Netflix that allow for binge watching. It’s easy to start from the beginning and watch right through to the end. Breaking Bad is written this way as is Terminator: The Sara Connor Chronicles and the first season of Veronica Mars. (VM was a hybrid: a season long story arc mixed with episodic short story arcs.)
Serials are like literary TV shows. Some authors write whole seasons of six or more volumes to tell one story. Some write short episodes, each 10k to 15k each. Others, like myself, write longer episodes of more than 20k that would also qualify as novellas.
Episodic writing takes a lot of thought. Whereas a novel as a beginning, middle and end, when writing serials, each episode has to have a beginning, middle and end (that’s not to say the ending won’t be a cliff – it most likely will – much like TV shows do, to entice the viewer to tune in again next week or to click the next episode on Netflix.) Episodes have to make sense on their own. I think that makes for tighter and more interesting writing. At least it makes it a challenge to the writer.
And like TV, each episode can be slightly different in tone or style from the others, if the author choses. With the Gingerbread Man, episode 1 is told from the Victim’s and the male protagonist’s point of view with very few scenes from the female protagonist. In episode 2 the point of view alternates between the male and female protagonist and in the third episode, it’s told entirely from the male protagonist’s point of view. These are devices that maybe wouldn’t work well in one novel, but are fine in episodic writing.
Readers love serials for the same reason they love their favorite TV shows. They can consume episodes in a short amount of time, they anticipate the next installment and they grow attached to the characters and their unique world and personal struggles.
If you’ve never tried reading a serial before, I hope you will give Run Run Run – Gingerbread Man a chance.
Lee
Interview with the Author
Q: How did you get the idea for A Nursery Rhyme Suspense Series?
A: My husband and I were in London researching for a couple of books in my romance series, and while walking around we started talking about the story idea that led to Run Run Run. I wish I could remember exactly what triggered the idea, but unfortunately, that tidbit is lost. It was sometime later that I decided to work with the Nursery Rhyme theme.
Q: Why are you writing it in episodes and not just one long book?
A: Short answer: The story suits the episodic format. Each episode is told in a different manner and isn’t streamlined enough to flow as one narrative. Think about how TV shows work. Long answer: See my guest post blog on Why Serials?
Q: What genres do you write?
A: I write two main genres. Science Fiction/Dystopian with strong mystery, suspense and romantic elements. A Nursery Rhyme Suspense and The Perception Series fit here. I also write Contemporary Romance, primarily The Minstrel Series, which is set in the singer-songwriter world.
Q: You also write under a pen name?
A: I do. I write lighter YA fantasy as Elle Strauss
Q: Tell us a bit about your personal life.
A: I was born in a suburb of Chicago. I split my time between Kelowna, BC Canada and Dresden Germany. I’ve been married for 27 years and have four grown children. My husband is a musician and works a lot in Europe, which is why we live there for half of the year.
Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I’m a late bloomer. I didn’t start writing until my early thirties.
Q: Are you a cat or a dog person?
A: Definitely cat. ☺
Q: What are you working on next?
A: I’m working on Row Row Row Your Boat, the next installment in A Nursery Rhyme Suspense, and as Elle Strauss I’m working on the 5th book in The Clockwise Series.
Q: Where can we find out more about you and your books?
A: Everything you’d like to know about my books and how to follow me on social media can be found at leestraussbooks.com
The Author
About Lee Strauss
I write mixed genre Romance, most recently The Minstrel Series.
I also write fun, lower YA fiction (time-travel and fantasy) as ELLE Strauss. I divide my time between BC, Canada and Dresden, Germany and enjoy drinking coffee and eating chocolate in both places.
Visit me on the web at these locations:
The Giveaway
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