My absolutely thrilling, totally exciting, won’t-stop-talking-about it announcement.

If you’re friends with me on social media, you probably already know: I’ve had some excitement recently.

And by “excitement” I don’t mean my daughter’s broken arm or the fact that one of the ad campaigns I helped birth caught the eye of John Grisham (yes, THAT John Grisham). It’s my three-book deal with publisher, Henery Press.

I think my “squeeeeeee!” was heard ‘round the world when my agent told me that a press I had known and loved was interested in talking with me. After all, I had toiled in the trenches of novel-writing and agent-wooing for what seemed like an eternity. But once the surrealism had passed and multiple conversations with Henery’s amazing editorial team had been conducted, reality sunk in.

I was about to snatch the brass ring of novelists: the oh-so-coveted book deal.

Meetings were had. Suggestions were offered. A contract was proffered. Before long, I had transformed from Kathy Valenti, advertising copywriter, runner wannabe and novelist try-hard into Kathleen Valenti, fer-realsies mystery author on the path to publication.

So I’m thrilled, humbled, blessed (and a bunch of other adjectives) to announce that Protocol, the first of my Maggie O’Malley mystery series, will hit the shelves in September of 2017.

I’m hard at work on the next novel in the series. Meanwhile, my many thanks to my agent for his superb publishing matchmaking skills, and acres of gratitude (that’s how gratitude is measured, yes?) to Henery Press and its wonderful authors for their warm welcome and unending kindness.

I’m excited to begin the second leg of this journey, and am eternally thankful to have you walking by my side. I can’t wait to see where we go.

xoxo