With a touch of whimsy, the history of Help for the Haunted — which is as much a work of serious historical fiction as it is of fun occult detection — is slightly complicated. I began by posting the supernatural investigations of Vera Van Slyke and Lida Prasilova on a blog that no longer exists. The tales were liked well enough that “something that never happens” happened. A publisher contacted me with the hope of releasing the entire collection. That publisher is Emby Press, and you can probably still find a copy of the first edition of Help for the Haunted somewhere. (The different cover is an good way to spot it.)
However, after a couple of years, Emby Press did what many small presses do: reconsidered its strategies. With the rise of easy self-publishing, the press realized that its authors were better off publishing their own material, and this is when I began to think about launching Brom Bones Books. My rights were returned to me, and the first edition of Help for the Haunted went out-of-print.
But I had a couple of other books almost completed: Spectral Edition and The Lost Limericks of Edgar Allan Poe. So Brom Bones Books started with those as I polished a few spots here and there in Help for the Haunted. However, it’s time for the next step.
I’m very pleased to report that Help for the Haunted: A Decade of Vera Van Slyke Ghostly Mysteries is again available for purchase. It’s out in paperback (and a Kindle version of it is planned. I’m still learning self-publication. Timmy needs time, you see.)
Please visit my new page describing the book. There, you’ll find ordering information and handy links to online bookstores. Vera and Lida have future adventures coming, too! In fact, the next book in the series is titled Guilt Is a Ghost. I’m aiming to release that in 2019.
BROM BONES BOOKS 