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Mystery-thriller ‘Yosemite Lies’ on sale at Amazon

by BlogsNews & Updates

It’s finally here: the release of a modern mystery-thriller that’s been simmering in my brain since one of my own camping trips in 2015.

A getaway to Yosemite National Park’s vast and rugged backcountry turns life-threatening when two women camping alone realize they are being stalked—while long-hidden secrets may pose even greater perils in Yosemite Lies.

This one is a major departure from the historical Westerns I wrote with the Trail Angel trilogy. But like those books, Yosemite Lies is filled with strong characters, riveting action, and a propulsive story that will hold you to your seat.

Best friends Kate and Veronica welcome the escape as Veronica copes with a brutal divorce that jeopardizes her role in the company she founded with her husband. Yet a sense of menace looms from the outset. A handsome hiker with a mysterious past triggers alarms for Kate. An encounter with two aggressive strangers drives the women deeper into the wilderness.

When the danger ratchets up, Kate must discover who means to harm them—while seeking the courage to save herself and Veronica in a page-turner that will keep readers guessing until the end.

Fortunately, my camping trip wasn’t nearly so eventful—though memorable enough to spark the idea for the story you can now read. You can order Yosemite Lies through Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats. The book is a bargain in any version: $24.99 for hardcover, $14.99 for paperback, and just $4.99 for the e-book, which will be released July 11.

If you need to see a sample first before diving in to the adventure, you can read this excerpt on my website, derekcatron.com.

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‘Yosemite Lies’: It started as a campfire story

by News & Updates

Since I announced the July 11 publication of Yosemite Lies, I’ve gotten some questions about the inspiration for my newest novel. It’s a story I’m happy to share. My first visit to the national park was in 2007 as part of a backcountry camping trip hosted by the Sierra Club. I’ve done a few of these excursions and never had a bad time – or met a bad person. Among the best people I’ve met through Sierra Club is my hiking buddy Fred, who was also on that trip. I can’t recall the specific routes our group took or how many miles we hiked. I can only say the experience was magical. 

After hearing me talk so much about the trip, my wife, Lori, and our friends Paul and Sarah set out with me on our own journey into the backcountry eight years later. This time I took careful notes, even as my imagination roamed. 

Fittingly, it was around campfire that the embers of what would become Yosemite Lies were stirred into a flame I nurtured for years before finally committing to the page. I hope you’ll agree with me that it was worth the wait. Join the adventure and order your copy on Amazon today. 

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‘Trail Angel’ series now available as e-books

by BlogsNews & Updates

I’m excited to announce that my first three novels are now available in e-book versions on Amazon. The publisher who did such a wonderful job producing the hardback versions of Trail Angel, Angel Falls, and Avenging Angel decided a few years back to stop making e-books that are so popular on Kindles, iPads, and smartphones.

While I still love to hold a hardback in my hands — and see it on a shelf! — I also enjoy the convenience of e-books. Best of all from an author’s perspective, they can be sold at a price that encourages more readers to give a new author a chance.

Most of the people reading this note probably already own one or all of my books, and I thank you for that! Now, though, I hope you’ll recommend my books to the friends and family you haven’t trusted enough to lend your signed copy to. I’m offering Trail Angel at the introductory price of $3.99. The price for the others starts at just $4.99. Print-on-demand paperbacks and hardcovers are also available for those who prefer to hold their books — or haven’t seen their loaned-out copies returned.

This isn’t about the money, obviously. It’s about building awareness at a time when it’s never been harder for new authors to get noticed — even when their books are a fun read that earn good notices from the likes of Kirkus, Booklist, and the Historical Novel Society, among others.

I hope you’ll help me spread the word about these books you’ve enjoyed, so that more people can share in the adventure. I’ll have a new one for you, coming really, really soon. Yosemite Lies is a modern thriller — no history this time — but filled with characters you’ll love, or love to hate, and twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

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Surprising joys of editing

by Blogs

When you’ve been working for a year on a new book, you take your pleasures where you can find them. Deep into editing the third Josey Angel novel, it wasn’t enough to have a bird singing in the trees. I needed to know what kind of bird and what it sounded like. A lengthy Google and YouTube search into the birds of Wyoming and their calls got me an answer while providing this pleasant diversion into a Fort Collins band with just the right name. Enjoy the music and check back soon for more updates on “Avenging Angel.”