A New Chapter

From CJ

We all know that life is a gamble...but rather than looking at it as a win/lose proposition, I enjoy thinking of it as a series of adventures.

Adventures that I'd never have the courage to undertake without the help of a lot of people.

First and foremost,  my readers.

When I first get an idea for a story or character, it's all about me having fun with it, exploring all the possibilities, playing….yeah, I have the best job in the world, don't I?

But as soon as I decide a book is ready to be submitted for publication, the real work begins. Because now it's no longer about me, it's about giving the reader the best possible experience I can.

And that means work: slicing and dicing and rearranging and re-visioning and (yikes! the hardest part for me) making everything make sense.

To help me get a book to publication, there are sooooo many folks I rely on.



The folks who help me with research, my wonderful critique partners, my marvelous agent, my editor, copy-editor, the publisher's production staff, sales force, marketing and publicity departments, booksellers, reviewers, bloggers, reporters, conference organizers…..and, coming full circle, my oh-so-wonderful readers.

Not only do you buy my books, you ask your bookstores to stock them, you talk to your friends about them, you post reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, you ask your librarians to buy them, you read them at bookclub and invite me to phone in and talk to you all (something I love to do!), you give them to your friends and families, and my favorite part…you send me fan mail!

Your letters keep me inspired and motivated to start over again with a new project. I've heard from police officers, EMS workers, military guys (and gals), nurses, doctors, social workers, and tons of folks who have enjoyed my books.

Some of these letters make me cry—like the ones thanking me for inspiring or empowering or somehow helping someone with real life difficulties.

Told you this was the greatest job on Earth!

And now, I guess it's time to officially announce the newest chapter of my publishing adventure and the newest member of my publishing family: the incomparable, indomitable, and indefatigable Erin Brockovich!!!

Erin and her publisher have asked me to co-write the first in a new suspense series. ROCK BOTTOM will be released in spring, 2011 and features a young, single-mom who is an environmental activist (hmmm….sound like anyone we know, lol!)

Working with Erin has been amazing—the woman is just as incredible in real life as she was portrayed on the big screen by Julia Roberts.

And of course, she's one of my personal heroes, so this is a real dream come true.

You tell me, if you could work with any of your heroes, who would it be?

Thanks for reading,
CJ

About CJ:
As a pediatric ER doctor, CJ Lyons lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge suspense novels and has been called a "master of the genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine). Her award-winning, critically acclaimed Angels of Mercy series (LIFELINES, WARNING SIGNS, and URGENT CARE) is available in stores now with the fourth book, CRITICAL CONDITION due out December, 2010. CJ's newest project is as co-author of the first in a new suspense series with Erin Brockovich. To learn more about CJ and her work, go to http://www.cjlyons.net