Behind the Scenes of Bed of Bones

Bed of Bones, the fifth installment in the Sloane Monroe series, is set in Park City, Utah. This is the third novel in this location, and as of right now, it will be the last--not the last in the series, just the last in Park City. Originally I wanted to set the novel in a different location, but given the unique love triangle between Sloane, Giovanni, and the newly introduced Cade McCoy (Stranger in Town, Sloane Monroe series #4), I feel the time has come for some changes in Sloane's life, and you'll begin to see some of these in Bed of Bones.

 

Here's a description of the novel:

 

Sometimes even the deepest, darkest secrets find their way to the surface…

Summer 1956

Thirteen-year-old Willie Compton and his younger brother Leonard stumble upon a mine shaft while hiking the hills of Park City, Utah. The shaft is unsealed, abandoned. While Leonard stares at the hole in wonderment, a Slinky he’s been flipping back and forth between his hands slithers through his fingers, tumbling toward the mouth of the shaft. Leonard bolts forward, reaches out to grab it, but he slips, then he falls.

Present Day

Up-and-coming filmmaker Melody Sinclair stirs in her chair, nervously awaiting the debut of her film at the Sundance Film Festival. Based on a true story, Bed of Bones tells a tale of murder, shining a big, bold light on Park City’s tragic past. A past that’s about to revisit the present.

 

It can be purchased at the following:

 

Amazon

 

Barnes & Noble

 

Kobo Bookstore

 

iTunes (Just waiting on it to go live, then I'll add the link)



If I'm being honest, this novel is the most action-packed and challenging book I've written to date. I stopped writing many times to research various scenes, from the history of Park City to forensics details such as the rate of deterioration of a dead body when found frozen, or in the case of this novel, several dead bodies. Forensics is fascinating to me, and I'm fortunate enough to have experts in the field willing to answer my burning questions. 

There's a lot of rich history in this one. The murders, of course, never happened, but when I talk about the silver mines, a good deal of it is actual fact. In the 1860s, the first silver mines went up, and by 1892 Park City boasted one of the most successful mines in the world. This didn't last, of course. After WWI and the Great Depression, the silver industry changed, and by the 1950s, Park City was a ghost town, with less than 1,000 residents remaining. Many of the original mines still exist today, but have been secured over the past several years to avoid accidents. If you ever find yourself in Park City, free tours of the mines are given daily.  

The first ski resort opened in Park City in the 60s and it's one of the main reasons tourists flock to Park City every year during winter. The town also hosts the annual Sundance Film Festival. Between the film festival and the history of the silver mines, I wanted to bring the two together and create a novel that incorporated both. I'm very satisfied with the overall result.

As usual, you'll meet some interesting new characters in Bed of Bones, but Walter "Butch" Thornton, curator of the Park City museum, is my favorite. My grandfather's name is Walter, but friends and family knew him as Butch. He passed away in in 90s, but will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Walter in his military years. Quite the lady killer.



I am often asked when the next novel in the series will be released. I am currently writing Sloane Monroe series #6, which has an expected release date about four months from now. More details to follow. Once I have #6 written, I plan to give my other series a turn, and will be writing the second installment in the Addison Lockhart paranormal suspense series.

I hope you'll enjoy Bed of Bones as much as I enjoyed writing it. It is schedule for release at the end of this month.