Did you think I was just switching out book covers?
That’s what most authors and publishers do, along with a quick update of the front matter and back matter, such as the Also By book list.
I decided to offer much more.
Each book will have an Author’s Edition with new material created especially for my readers.
Each Author’s Edition will include new and expanded material, such as:
- A Note from the Author — a personal message from Debra.
- The Story Behind the Story — the journey the book took from manuscript to publication.
- Where the Story Began — the inspiration and first scene that brought the story to life.
- Book Club Discussion Guide — questions for book clubs and readers who want to explore the story more deeply.
- Continue the Adventure — an excerpt from another connected book readers may enjoy.
- Acknowledgments — updated to recognize those who helped bring the book to life.
- About the Author — updated author bio.
- Explore More Stories by Debra Parmley — an updated list of currently available and upcoming books.
- Explore More Stories by Debra Bishop — an updated list of currently available and upcoming books.
- Stay Connected — ways readers can find me and discover new releases and reader resources.
Not every book will contain every section. The material will vary depending on the book, its genre, its history, and what I remember and want to share with you.
As I’ve been working on these editions, something unexpected has happened.
I’ve realized that I’m not simply updating my books.
I’m preserving the stories behind the stories.
Some of these books were written nearly twenty years ago. I still remember how some of them began—the first character I saw, the first scene that appeared in my mind, and the questions that made me want to follow that character’s journey.
I don’t want those memories to disappear.
So, I’m starting with my oldest books, while those memories are still fresh enough for me to capture them.
And I’m discovering that the story behind a book can be almost as fascinating as the book itself.
For example, A Desperate Journey, my debut novel, began with watching a television news story about a man who had wives in different states who didn’t know about one another. I wondered how someone could get away with that today, when it’s so easy to check up on people. Then I thought about how different things would have been in the American West.
A few days earlier, western author Dusty Richards had challenged me to write my first novel and make it a western.
Suddenly, I saw a cabin in Kansas.
A note was pinned to the door.
Gone to Texas.
And Sally was standing there, unable to read it.
That was the beginning.
Dangerous Ties began very differently. I saw a woman hanging over an abandoned mine shaft, the rope breaking beneath her. A pail of water sat nearby, but she couldn’t reach it. She had been branded with an “S.”
Then the hero rode over the hill and saw exactly what I saw.
He had to save her before either of us could learn who she was or why someone wanted her dead.
That became the opening of the novel.
Those are the kinds of memories I want to preserve.
Because my books don’t begin with an outline or a plot idea.
They begin with a character.
My heroine appears. I see her, and the story grows from there.
As I work my way through my backlist books, I’ll be sharing more of these stories with you.
So, if you’ve read one of my older books before, you may want to give it another look when its Author’s Edition arrives.
And if you’ve never read it, you’ll get not only a new edition of the story, but a glimpse into how that story came to life.
I’m having a wonderful time revisiting these books, remembering where they came from, and preparing them for a new generation of readers.
I hope you’ll enjoy coming along with me.
