Local author Bobbi A. Chukran, who recently grabbed attention with the publication of an excellent short story, has also released a novel, entitled Lone Star Death.

Lone Star Death is a mystery novel, and has seen various incarnations throughout Chukran’s career. After many revisions, publication under a different title, and then more revisions, it has been re-released for the Kindle platform. Chukran is also writing under the pseudonym B.A. Neal.

Chukran was kind enough to provide Literary Austin with some commentary about the evolution of Lone Star Death. Please enjoy this glimpse into the novel’s evolution, and the struggles it took to reach success:

This is the book that I couldn’t let go, and my first completed mystery novel. I started writing it sixteen years ago and is my “never give up” lesson. I submitted it to an e-book publisher who sat on it for four years, stringing me along, then I withdrew it and sent it to a big-name traditional publisher who loved it, but wanted me to add more “spice” and turn it into a steamy romance. It’s foremost a mystery, and I didn’t want to do that. I submitted it to another publisher who didn’t like the fact that there was a “house of ill repute” in it. The last straw for me was when another small press publisher loved it, put it through their editorial wringer, then after waiting for almost a year (and after I did extensive editing and added 30,000 words to it), somehow the file got horribly corrupted in their office and they passed on it. So, on the occasion of my 50th birthday, I published it myself using an online distributor. It sat there for six years, with a few sales to libraries, when I decided to totally revamp the book. It was re-edited, updated, I designed a new cover, took on a pseudonym, and released it as an e-book for the Kindle through Amazon.

It has a new life now, and I have renewed energy to continue it as a series.

Lone Star Death is currently available on the Kindle. Chukran is also planning to work with Smashwords to make the novel available on other platforms, and intends to create print copies through CreateSpace.

Congratulations again on some great work. Literary Austin salutes your success, and wishes you many sales.