Ann Mullen Delivers Number 4

By Alex Carrier

A close girlfriend, mother of 4 wonderful children, once explained the process of childbirth with the following declaration:

“If having babies was easy, it wouldn’t be called labor!”

Now there is a statement applicable to many creative endeavors – such as getting a new book from author to reader.

A spark of inspiration imbeds itself in a writer’s mind, the creative mind igniting the process of giving life to art. The artist does not experience the joy of holding the much loved and desired newborn without completing both pregnancy and delivery.

Greene mystery author Ann Mullen has experienced the pleasure of both childbirth and literary birth. With her new and fourth book; conception, pregnancy and labor went well but delivery was a bit of a problem.

Being a person who likes to own her work, Ann is not only author but publisher overseeing, directing (and controlling?) every aspect of turning her thoughts into words into a book. This time, a little something got lost in translation.

Ann is a good friend to all of us on the magazine, so we have been front seat on this whole long arduous process. A less determined person might have considered changing careers.

Creating the story, turning computer characters into flesh-and-blood characters, plotting and writing and editing went normally. So, flush with the success of finishing another novel, author Ann became publisher Ann.

And things got dicey.

There was the problem with software. The printer no longer utilized the software Ann had so laboriously used to tweak her manuscript into printable format. Change number 1 for the adaptable Ann.

The printing company fell victim to illness, mechanical failure, disasters and delay. Ann sighed but firmly requested a few hundred copies so she could meet the orders of fervent fans who loved being first to read the new book.

Finally, as the truck bearing express shipment of the final copies made its way through the picturesque lanes and by-ways of Greene; the truck and a bridge made a slight misstep in their transit dance. (The photos, thanks to Ann’s husband, show minor damage to the bridge.)

Which is all to announce that Ann’s fourth book Middle River Murders is here. Experience the anticipation as you turn the first page and join the pursuit as Jesse and Billy search for a murderer before someone else falls victim.

Don’t you just love a newborn?

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