Robert Fate Returns to the Lunch Room!

Remember I said I was working on a very special announcement? Well here it is, and I am dizzy with excitement - my dear pal Robert Fate has dropped in for another visit to his favorite online lunch place, and he's brought surprises with him!

I'm very pleased and honored to announce that his newest book in the Baby Shark series, BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION, will be officially released in the next couple of weeks, and Bob has brought a few copies to the Lunch Room, which he will autograph and send to five lucky people - just enter to win! Details are below, but for now, grab a seat, settle in, and enjoy a few minutes of banter with Bob.

JB: We're so excited to have you drop by the Lunch Room again, Bob - welcome back! While we're waiting for your order of fried okra, let's chat about what you've been up to since you were here last (March 9, 2007) ... a new book ready for release, obviously, and Kristin has grown up quite a bit. You hinted at more adventures for our Baby Shark heroine - are those in the works?

ROBERT FATE: Yum, fried okra. Okay, let's see. It is May 1957 at the beginning of book three, Baby Shark's High Plains Redemption. So, yes, Kristin has grown up some. She will be twenty-two in July. She and her boyfriend, Lee, the Dallas Police Detective she met in Baby Shark's Beaumont Blues, are on again, off again. The problem they are having is one of full disclosure. She doesn't want to lie to her lover, but on the other hand how can she be totally honest with him? He has sworn to uphold the law and she and Otis are compelled by circumstances, from time to time, to work just over the line. That is to say, they occasionally bend the law in order to see justice done for their clients. But Lee and Kristin are crazy about each other, so it's a thorny issue that may not get settled for a book or two more.

JB: That's great - I really like Lee and Kristin together. And I do note that there is a fourth Baby Shark book scheduled to be released next year - yay!

I have to ask about HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION - when we talked last, BABY SHARK'S PANHANDLE CARAVAN was the working title. Although I love the one it's actually being published under, when did it change (most of our writer buddies know that happens all the time - but for the benefit of our non-writer members, you might throw in a brief explanation of the 'why')? Please give us a brief rundown of what Kristin's up to this time around.

RF: Titles, huh? My understanding is that different publishers handle the decision in reference to titles differently. At some publishing houses, I hear that authors have little or nothing to say about their titles. At my publisher, Capital Crime Press, the authors do have some say so about their titles. So, I alone was responsible for the confusion surrounding the title for book three in the Baby Shark series.

Here come all my excuses – I thought at first I would call it Sooner Weekend as a tongue in cheek stab at what turns into a weekend from hell. Everyone said it sounded like a travel book. Next, I thought Panhandle Caravan was a good idea because of the locale and the time Kristin spends in her car. Sounds like a musical comedy, I was told. I admit my stories are like cozies with a few brutal murders, but musical comedy? So, finally, I settled on High Plains Redemption. It sounded a little snooty to me, but everyone liked it and it does honestly address the subject of the book. So, as that TV detective used to say, "Dat's da name of dat tune."

And what is Kristin up to? You're really nosy for a lunchroom owner, you know that? I'm going to allow the reviewers to answer that question, but I will say that Kristin has some moments of hard-edged self-reflection about what she is turning into. She begins to question how easy it has become for her to kill. Nuff said.

JB: Yep, Nosy Nellie, that's me. And as I said, I love the title High Plains Redemption. It's perfect for the story. And I think you've given enough of a teaser to get folks interested in reading it - trust me, people, this is his best yet.

Now, what about that standalone you were contemplating?

RF: I am still contemplating a standalone. Here is the look I get on my face when I am contemplating. See? That proves it.

JB: How are things with Fern and Jenny? And who could forget Pharrell the sunbathing turtle. Is he still around?

RF: How kind of you to ask about my wife and daughter. Fern, as you know, is a ceramic artist. She is entering stuck-up shows these days in which you must be "invited" to display your pieces. Uh huh. Her hat size goes up with each invitation, but Jenny and I still love her. Jen is finishing her sophomore year at USC. We live fifteen minutes from her apartment near campus, but we only see her when she runs out of laundry, needs her refrigerator restocked, or comes home to sleep like the dead for a couple of days. She says it's all that studying. Well, I guess it could be all that studying ... "Sure," her father says, "It's because of all that studying."

The turtle? You ask about the turtle? What's the matter with you? He still wants to bite me and only shows his personality to Fern and Jen. I threatened to plaster a turtle soup label on his house, but Fern won't allow it.

JB: Sorry. Forgot that was a touchy subject. ;)

Thank you so much for coming back to visit with us, Bob. I'm thrilled and honored by your generous offer to give away brand spanking-new autographed copies of BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION to five lucky Lunch Room visitors.

RF: Thank you for the invitation (see, Fern, I get invitations, too). It was my pleasure to join you, and the books? I am happy to think they will be read (and hopefully enjoyed) by visitors to your kitchen and stool set up. Finally, my fried okra has arrived. I will say J.B., you’re pleasant enough, but the service around here is really sloooow.

JB: Yeah, I know. I gotta have a chat with the hired help.

Okay, folks, here's the deal. We're giving away five autographed copies of BABY SHARK'S HIGH PLAINS REDEMPTION in a random drawing. All you have to do to enter the drawing is click here to send me an email. (Please be sure to include your full name in the body!)

The drawing will be held on Friday, May 9, 2008 here in the Lunch Room. The winners will be notified by email and a list will be posted here. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by - your order will be ready soon ... if I can get the kitchen help off her ... never mind. Have some iced tea ...

=) JB

Robert Fate is the author of the Baby Shark series featuring Kristin Van Dijk, who is one tough little cookie. You can read my reviews of BABY SHARK and BABY SHARK'S BEAUMONT BLUES by following the links to the right under "Periodicals to Peruse". Visit Bob's website at www.robertfate.com.