If your book is strong in setting, a fun and easy way to reach new readers is by creating a Google Map. Because my novels take place all over the world and the stories are set in actual museums, cafes, and monuments, I thought it would be a good way of transporting readers to the settings I describe. Honestly, creating a map for my novel The Lover’s Portrait, was one of the first things I did when I started self-publishing….
The art and carved objects created by the Asmat of Papua inspired my artifact mystery, Rituals of the Dead. Here are some photographs of the Missie (Mission) Museum Steyl’s Papua New Guinea collection, as well as that of the Tropenmuseum – in particular their fantastic bis poles. Missie Museum Steyl is a fascinating museum located in Southern tip of the Netherlands. You can read more about Museum Steyl, their Asmat collection, the colonial origins of many ethnographic museums the locations described in…
My latest art-related mystery, Rituals of the Dead, is set in Papua and the Netherlands – two nations on opposite sides of the globe yet connected by a colonial past. Dutch New Guinea Dutch New Guinea – as the Papua Province of Indonesia was known until 1963 – was considered to be one of the last truly wild frontiers. The seemingly impenetrable interior and extreme weather, combined with rumors of headhunting and a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, enticed many explorers wishing…
I am pleased to announce Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery is available as audiobook on iBooks, Audible and Amazon! Now you can listen to two of the Adventures of Zelda Richardson mysteries via these three retailers. Start with The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery or dive on into Rituals of the Dead. The audiobooks are standalones, though listening to them in order may enhance your enjoyment of the stories. 🙂 Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery When a famous…
It has taken a while for the shock to wear off, but I am so thankful to the thousands of readers who have found my books as of late! In early June, The Lover’s Portrait hit number 75 on Amazon’s Kindle list. It was also the number 1 Bestseller in the categories Historical Thrillers, Amateur Sleuth, Heist Thrillers, and Historical European Fiction in Canada, Australia and the United States for four glorious days. Since then, my art mystery and artifact…
Happy days! Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery won a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award! Rituals of the Dead was read and evaluated by Chill’s readers against the following… Were the characters strong and engaging? Was the book well written? Did the story / plot have you turning the page to find out what happened next? Was the ending satisfying? Would you recommend to someone who reads this kind of story? Many thanks to the Chill with a Book…
I am deeply honored to see my article, ‘When Fiction is Perceived as Fact’ on Women Writers, Women’s Books website! This short piece provides insight into the inspirations for my latest novel, in particular Michael Rockefeller’s role in its inception. When Fiction is Perceived as Fact “My latest novel, Rituals of the Dead, came to be because I wanted to write a mystery about an Asmat bis pole. Considering the Asmat live in the Indonesian province of Papua, the…
Since finishing Rituals of the Dead, I have noticed an influx in news reports about the restitution of ethnic artifacts – a topic central to my latest mystery. So we are clear, I am not referring to antiquities such as the Parthenon Marbles (or Elgin Marbles, depending on your nationality). I’m talking about shrunken heads, painted shields, feathered headdresses, carved ancestor sculptures, ritual masks, and the like. The same objects currently filling western museums dedicated to anthropology and ethnography. At…
I am thrilled to see a fabulous new review of Rituals of the Dead on TripFiction’s website! “This is an enjoyable and easy to read story of artefact collectors, with mystery and culture playing an important part.” You can read the entire review here. Under the review, authors of books strong in setting can also find out more about advertising on their site. 🙂
I am to see my latest novel, Rituals of the Dead: An Art Mystery, receiving so many great reviews since its publication on April 6! I am quite grateful to book blogger and author Amy Shannon for posting one of the first official reviews of Rituals of the Dead. And what a review! 5 Stars – Magnificent “First, I’m a big fan of Alderson’s, and I’ve read her other books, The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery, Down and Out in…