Every day over breakfast in their Edmond home, Jordan Dane and her husband map out plans for her to kill people.
And because her spouse is an enthusiast of crime-oriented entertainment, Dane said, "He's able to contribute quite a lot."
Luckily for the general populace, the murders Dane commits are relegated to paper, committed against fictional people only. The first of such efforts, "No One Heard Her Scream," goes on sale Tuesday. The romantic suspense novel centers on Detective Rebecca Montgomery investigating a serial killer of women in San Antonio.
Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is so confident of Dane's sales potential that it will be issuing her second and third novels in short order. "No One Left to Tell" will be released April 29, while "No One Lives Forever" streets May 27.
RECOGNITION
The "No One" books form an unofficial trilogy of female crime-fighters trapped in webs of stress and seduction. Although each novel stands on its own, Dane knew she had something special when she started writing "Scream."
"I thought, 'I think I've got a three-book deal here,'" she said. "And when my agent read it, she called me and said, 'You're right: I think you've got a three-book deal here.'"
Dane said she's not concerned with the publishing house's back-to-back release strategy creating confusion or overload among readers, especially with the increasing splintering of entertainment options.
"It's all about getting your name out there," she said.
"?Rod Lott
