When you’re dealing with a worldwide pandemic, the release of one little novel seems kind of insignificant. At the same, losing yourself in a book is a wonderful way to pass the time while you’re hunkered down at home (you are practicing good social distancing and washing your hands, right?).

The bad news: Covid-19 has thrown printing and shipping schedules out of whack and delayed the release of The Heebie-Jeebie Girl in hardcover to June 9. The book is still available for pre-order from your favorite local independent bookstore–check out indiebound.org to find one near you.

The good news: The e-book version of The Heebie-Jeebie Girl will still be released as scheduled. Watch this website or follow me on Facebook or Twitter for details about the virtual launch party at 7:00 pm EST on April 23. (And mark your calendar for Wednesday, June 10, when we hope to have an in-person book launch at Loganberry Books in Cleveland, Ohio.)

I was fortunate to be part of a great Cleveland.com piece on how several local authors releasing books during the shelter-in-place orders are coping. And if you’re looking for other good reads, local writers and literary types have some suggestions.

No matter how you choose to read, I hope you’ll take a trip to Youngstown, Ohio, via The Heebie-Jeebie Girl. That city has a lot to say, literally–Youngstown is one of the narrative voices that tells the story of a little girl and her great-uncle who set out in 1997 Youngstown to find the guys who robbed her grandmother. As always, your reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and any other online book discovery sites are a huge help.

I’ve never done a staggered book release like this, so I don’t know what to expect. These are strange times–none of us know how this will play out. Stay healthy and keep reading.