It’s Tuesday, April Fool’s Day, and a very quiet opening day for Overkill. I’m at home instead of being on tour. The first official event won’t be until Sunday afternoon.
I’ve made breakfast and gotten my steps–mostly inside steps these days, but they still count. Now I’m writing the blog. Pretty soon it’ll be time to fix dinner. So rather than leading some kind of over-the-top, glamorous, best-selling author life, I’m really pretty damned ordinary. That’s as it should be, and I’m happy to be so. Now, onto the blog.
In the nineties Bill and I went to Germany to take European delivery of his Porsche Boxster. One of the benefits of doing that included a factory visit. I didn’t look forward to that with a whole lot of interest, but it turned out to be fascinating. They operated under a supply system called JIT—Just In Time inventory. Every forty-five minutes or so a box truck would arrive at the factory loaded with the parts needed by mechanics for the following hour’s worth of work. Said parts were then delivered to each mechanic’s individual work station. Once the mechanic finished his part of the job, he was required to sign off on it. If that part of the vehicle failed during in-house testing, he was the one required to fix whatever was wrong.
Why bring up that piece of ancient history? Last night I lay awake for the better part of two hours, wondering what in the world would be the topic for this week’s blog. This morning, my JIT subject matter was right here waiting for me, sitting in my morning’s worth of email.
In the old days, Terry House, my top-drawer fan in Grand Junction, Colorado, would have her Audible copy of the new book drop at midnight. By the time I crawled out of bed the next morning, she would have already finished reading the book and have an email with her comments sitting in my email inbox. Terry passed away a number of months ago, so this time my first-responder is Ben from Green Valley. He just finished his reading of Overkill. One of the things that he enjoyed about it is the fact that many of the fictional names in the book coincide with names from his own life.
I’m sad to have to admit that there’s a glaring error in this book, something discovered by one of my wonderful first-day readers. Now that I’ve mentioned the existence of said error, I have no doubt that all my SERs (Sharp-eyed Readers) will go searching for same, and no doubt they’ll succeed in finding it. I’ve just submitted a correction for that to my editor in New York. The fix won’t be in current printings of Overkill, but it will appear in subsequent ones.
That’s one of the very real hazards of writing more than sixty books, especially series books, over the course of forty years. It’s hard to remember every detail of the histories of all those individual characters. Remember that time in Payment in Kind when Beau had a passing thought—30 words worth—about his not serving during the Vietnam War? Years later, when his service in Vietnam was front and center in Second Watch, several readers let me have it on that score, too. You’ll find that in current editions of that book, rather than the battered original paperback ones, that passing thought has been edited out and vanished.
So let’s be clear. This is NOT a complaint. I’m grateful to have fans who care enough to let me know when I’ve screwed up. But once again, I’ll take comfort in what I learned on the reservation—that every piece of art, regardless of what kind it may be, must have at least one error in it, because only the Great Spirit is perfect.
Believe me, I’m anything but!
By the way, I’ve recently been informed that the Amish also believe in the necessity of imperfection in artwork.
My aunt always told me that my knitting projects will have an error in a stitch. But that’s okay because no one is perfect. Your books are awesome. Just got the newest. Be healthy and come back to Casa Grande for a visit. Saw you there several years ago. Loved your visit. Your are an amazing lovely person.
My aunt always told me that my knitting projects will have an error in a stitch. But that’s okay because no one is perfect. Your books are awesome. Just got the newest. Be healthy and come back to Casa Grande for a visit. Saw you there several years ago. Loved your visit. Your are an amazing lovely person.
Well, I probably won’t be looking for the error, because I will have forgotten there is supposed to be one, but if I happen to notice it, I’ll likely remember you mentioned it, and not let it bother me. I’m looking forward to reading it, that’s for sure, as I look forward to all your stories. Life doesn’t feel quite complete if I don’t have a JAJ on the go.
I pre-ordered the book on Kindle but haven’t downloaded it yet. Just curious…will the error already be fixed in that version? Just wondering how that works in the non-print world. (I most likely will not notice – while I’ve read every book you’ve written, I don’t qualify as sharp-eyed, lol)
I expect it will be corrected in the ebook editions immediately. It’s a matter of changing a couple of sentences.
Don’t worry about the errors. Your writing is like fine wine. Gets even better as you grow older.
Oh, JA. You worry too much <3
How you keep as good a track of your multiple numbers of characters as well as you do elicits admiration from me. A difficult job, to say the least.
I’m willing to bet that most cultures have the philosophy (spoken outright or assumed) of having a flaw in workmanship. I was surprised to learn that hand-knotted rugs always include a defect in design or workmanship to let the buyer know it was human-made. Now I’m surprised to learn of all the other cultures which include this philosophy. We’re never too old to learn. 🙂
I had put a HOLD request in at my local library and was excited to get a call and pick it up yesterday. I am excited to start it and see if I can discover the error. Such fun.
I appreciate that you continue to keep writing and because I am half a year older than you, I excuse any and all errors.
I am so glad to hear that you are not perfect!! It makes you human like the rest of us. It will be awhile before I get to Overkill as I just finished Hand Of Evil, and Cruel Intent, Trial By Fire and Fatal Error are not due to arrive until tomorrow. By the time I am ready for Overkill it will be in paperback and the error will have been corrected.
Blessing to you and Bill.
Judy, no matter how long I’ve been making Quilts, and hand quilting them with Joy, there is always a mistake or two, it still bothers me. The difference is, thousands of fans (which I do not have) aren’t scrutinizing my quilts…..enjoy the Sun today, outside steps!
I have read your books from the beginning and all the series. I love them all. I read and listen (audiobooks) for mindless entertainment. I’m not an editor, I’m a fan.
Thank you for years of enjoyment.
Stay safe.
Wonderful story so far.
I’m a quilter . There is a story in quilting circles that Amish quilters deliberately make a mistake because only God is perfect and therefore their quilts can’t be perfect. I have also heard that is not true. I think that having to deliberately make a mistake is a pretty proud thought and not very Amish from my very small knowledge of Amish ways. For my own quilts, I never make a deliberate mistake because I make plenty without doing one on purpose.
I had a bit of a surprise when I woke up Tuesday. I had pre-ordered Overkill on Audible so there it was. I hadn’t forgotten it was coming. I just don’t pay attention to what day it is. So the only possible mistake that jumps out at me was Ali’s age when she was fired. I was surprised when I read it because that would make her at least a decade older than what I had thought.
Amen. Try as we may, mistakes are little reminders that you’re reading a work written by the human being. I’m reminded of friends of mine, who so our niche or do some kind of handiwork and they always leave a special Mark or the special way of doing a stitch that lives anybody who really knows them recognize it’s their work. Looking forward to reading this book.
I have been voraciously reading “Overkill” and no matter what error it contains I say you have created another of your wonderful stories. Before receiving the new book I had been re-reading the Beaumont series. It was a bit of an adjustment to switch to Ali, but very shortly I was back into all the characters and backstories of her series. I’m about half way through the book and look forward to continuing the journey tonight. I know there are others who have not read “Overkill” yet so anything said about the story would spoil it for them. I find your vocabulary in all your books helping me increase mine. My father used to keep a dictionary by his chair to look up words he didn’t know. I’m a 21st century version of my dad and use my iPhone to do that. Thanks for my increased vocabulary and grammar I get from reading your stories.
One of the things I liked about the first book by you that I read was that some of it occurred in my neighborhood – Beau chasing the bad guy down Invergordon Rd. (64th street) on the Phoenix/Scottsdale border. And when a friend is a character in your book , that’s special.
In one book by Stuart Woods there was a character that I swear was modeled after someone I knew – same name, same life story. If it was really him, then I hope Woods’ experience with him was better than mine.
I think it’s rather charming that you have such wonderful fans (and I am one!) who care so much about your characters. Frankly, I am not one of those folks who remembers what happened years ago. I just enjoy each book as it is released and I look forward to receiving my Amazon copy of each book the day it is released. Thank you for creating such compelling characters!
Congratulations on you
Good morning!
I am soooo imperfect. Can’t do anything about it, so I just charge on.
You keep writing, and I’ll keep reading!
Your fan,
Lana Dillon Ellis
Overkill was great! I received my signed copy from Poisoned Pen of Scottsdale. Reading a book marked with that special red ink makes it SUPER great!!!
I’ve learned in my beading journey that an extra bead or seen thread is what makes something a one-of-a-kind.
Miss Judy.. YOU are the bestest one-of-a-kind!!!
Have a beautiful day!!
Another enjoyable read — now to wait for next book! ?? Mrs. Donner was a perceptive 3rd grade teacher. When my Mom was in college at San Francisco State, working towards a teaching degree, one of her teachers told her that categorically comic books were not to be read by kids. They were not literature with a capital “L”, and therefore not to be encouraged by teachers. That angered my mother who argued that at least they were reading! I loved Superman and Wonder Woman, and a “Comic” called Classic Something-or-other. It got me reading more than just comics – but rarely literature with a capital “L”, that had to wait until high school when I started to read for pleasure.
Keep up the good work!! ?
And that’s my favorite phrase after I finish a quilt!
I don’t understand why people have to point out “errors”. The JP book where he goes to Alaska had an “error”. I just kept on reading. I figure who ever does the typesetting messed up vs JA.
I read for enjoyment, not to find an error. However, I think I did once and sent you a note about it.
I remember hearing/reading about Indian baskets–you can tell real homemade ones from manufactured ones because the homemade ones purposely have an error in them.
See you Sunday at Third Place Books–Sandy and my sister will be with me. Just got our signed books from Brick & Mortar today in the mail.
Hmm. Guess I may qualify as one of your SER ..but it certainly doesn’t take away one bit of my enjoyment in reading your wonderful books. When I noticed it, it had me puzzled for a brief moment but I kept on reading and v enjoying Overkill.
Thanks for all the reading pleasure you have given ovet the years.
You’re human! Errors will happen from time to time.
It gets cleared up and you move on.
Looking forward to the next read!
Wonderful blog, Judy…but you are ordinary AND glamourous! All your books are great, just like you!
Remembering the life stories of imaginary people even though they seem real may not be quite as challenging as remembering all the details of our own lives—but then we have a lot more things (laundry, grocery shopping, where are my car keys/do I have any clean socks and so forth). But then presumably we don’t have a murder to solve or people shooting at us or running us off the road–and I’d prefer to pretend those things in the form of a book than live through them. Maybe that is why we are so detail oriented on the lives of the characters. Focusing on those details might vaccinate us against all those interesting and challenging events.
For the first 25 years of our marriage, my husband insisted that he had never been to Vietnam, but one day he mentioned to our then college graduate children that he was there on a special mission. When they told me, it sounded a bit “cloak and dagger.” There are are very few bits and pieces among his military “artifacts” that show he was there with the early “advisors.” For Beau not to admit in the early books that he had served and then admit serving many volumes later makes sense to me. My late husband relived being pinned down by a sniper for several hours after his buddy’s brains had been blown out. Every time he had a high fever or the intense pain of cancer, his screams were always the same “Sniper. 9 o’clock! Martinez, get down! No. No. No.”
Goosebumps.
Perfection is highly overrated. However all your books are perfect to me. Thank you for all the pleasure you have given us over the years.
I often think of something my mom used to say. She basically said when people go looking for dirt they should be able to find something. In her case I think she was most often referring to a less than immaculate house and someone finding a place she missed cleaning but I think it goes beyond that. That mistake you made in the cross stitch pattern makes it special and unlike the other hundreds of others who stitched that same pattern. Imperfections are what make things unique.
I am a quilter. I try to do my best in my projects. However, there is an issue in practically everyone. I try very hard to do a perfect job.
Yes, God is the only perfect we have. Also, if you look too close, you shouldn’t be!
My sister betta caught the error about beau in second watch.it is still one of my favorite books as my husband was in Vietnam. m
Second Watch was my first J.A. Jance book. I had been searching Amazon for books on Vietnam – I also served there. I am now re-reading Second Watch and it’s better the second time. Beau became my favorite with that book. Not saying that Joanna or Ali, or even Walker are less though.