Murder & Matchmaking

By Marie Hodgkinson

video

PledgeMe.Project

Writing,



NZ $1,231 pledged


39 people pledged


Closed


NZ $1,000 minimum target


100 100% Complete

This campaign was successful and closed on 20/03/2015 at 7:32 PM.

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About

Murder & Matchmaking

Project 2014-07-17 16:34:45 +1200

It is a truth universally known that a mother in possession of a surfeit of daughters must be in want of eligible bachelors. Less well documented are the extremes to which she might go if her daughters’ prospects are endangered by other neighbourhood beauties …

Award-winning author Debbie Cowens puts a new spin on some old favourites in her latest literary mashup. Murder and Matchmaking is a dark comedy that answers the question: if Mrs Bennett is so worried about what will happen to her if her daughters don't marry ... why doesn't she really do something about it?

Read the first three chapters of Murder & Matchmaking for free (PDF).

The big idea

Paper Road Press is a micropress based in Wellington, New Zealand. We've published two books in our two-year lifespan: Baby Teeth: Bite-sized Tales of Terror, winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Collected Work and the Australian Shadows Award for Best Edited Work; and Engines of Empathy, a comedic thriller in the vein of Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde. We're looking forward to launching Murder & Matchmaking in April this year - but we need some some cold, hard cash to give it a proper boost.

Murder & Matchmaking has already been edited and the cover reveal is scheduled for March. $1,000 will help cover print costs for an initial print run to make the book available in NZ bookstores; otherwise the release will be limited to ebooks and Amazon print on demand.

About the author

Debbie Cowens is a Kapiti-based writer and English teacher. She co-authored the award-winning Mansfield with Monsters with her husband and her stories have been published in both New Zealand and international publications and anthologies. 

Murder & Matchmaking is her first novel and it weaves together many of her favourite things: Jane Austen heroines, a Sherlock Holmes-inspired detective, mischievous canines and intrigues. She is a little surprised that more chocolate didn’t sneak its way into the narrative.

Comments

Updates 2

Cover art reveal & new rewards

27/02/2015 at 7:03 AM

We're implored not to judge a book by its cover - but what if the book has no cover? Happily, that is a question for some other time, as we can now reveal the cover art for Debbie Cowens' Murder & Matchmaking.

Cover artist Henry Christian-Slane also created the artwork for Engines of Empathy; you can see his portfolio, including some eerie short comics, at http://henrychristianslane.com/

To celebrate the cover reveal for Murder & Matchmaking, we're adding two new reward options to the campaign.

$5: Digital wallpaper

Pledge just $5 towards the campaign and receive a digital wallpaper suitable for use on your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, similar to the image above.

$20: Personalised postcard

You'll receive a postcard with the cover artwork on the front and a personal message from Debbie Cowens on the back, along with an ebook copy of Murder & Matchmaking.

$40: The perfect gift for a Jane Austen or Sherlock Holmes fan

Perhaps you have a friend whose birthday falls in April; perhaps you've only just realised Christmas was four months ago. Either way, this gift-wrapped copy of the print book and postcard sent directly to some lucky reader (and an ebook copy emailed directly to you) is just the thing.

-

We're now over 60% of the way to reaching our fundraising goal for Murder & Matchmaking. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far.

A sneak peek at the first few chapters ...

18/02/2015 at 9:12 PM

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” - Miss Bingley

Is there someone you're trying to impress? Why not download this free PDF sample of the first three chapters of Murder & Matchmaking? It's sure to help somehow*!

*Results not guaranteed. 

Free sample of Murder & Matchmaking Chapters 1-3

 

    Pledgers 39

    Anna Klein
    20/03/2015 at 7:32pm

    "Looking forward to reading it :-)"

    Kevin Berry
    20/03/2015 at 10:18am

    "Great idea for a book. Please autograph it :-)"

    Jenny Pollock
    19/03/2015 at 10:11pm
    Summer Wigmore
    19/03/2015 at 7:39pm
    Simon Smith
    12/03/2015 at 9:46pm
    Wayne Hodgkinson
    06/03/2015 at 12:49pm
    Erik Andersen
    05/03/2015 at 11:57pm
    Morgan Davie
    05/03/2015 at 9:35am
    Nick Hoddinott
    04/03/2015 at 11:44pm

    "I look forward to reading it, Debbie is an inspiring n talented woman, come on n buy her book..."

    Grant Stone
    04/03/2015 at 9:58pm
    Rachael Steller
    03/03/2015 at 9:54pm
    Judit Klein
    02/03/2015 at 8:01am
    Rory
    01/03/2015 at 8:44pm
    Amanda Jane Booth
    28/02/2015 at 8:59pm
    Fiona Jeffries
    27/02/2015 at 10:39pm
    Pam
    27/02/2015 at 8:40pm
    The Prince of Lies
    27/02/2015 at 7:57pm

    "Murder most foul, lies, betrayal and a hell-hound? This pleases me."

    Nicola Collie
    26/02/2015 at 10:19pm
    Olivia
    25/02/2015 at 11:04pm

    "looks cool :)"

    Amanda Reilly
    23/02/2015 at 8:07pm
    Jan Goldie
    22/02/2015 at 12:33pm

    "Go Debbie! Can't wait to read it."

    Svend Andersen
    20/02/2015 at 10:21pm
    IdiotSavant
    20/02/2015 at 5:54pm
    Kura Carpenter
    20/02/2015 at 5:06pm

    "Woo-hoo! I can't wait to read this :)"

    Amanda Fitzwater
    20/02/2015 at 10:27am
    Ellen White
    20/02/2015 at 9:14am
    Sally McLennan
    19/02/2015 at 10:26pm

    "Really excited to read more great writing from Debbie Cowens :)"

    Pearce Duncan
    19/02/2015 at 5:05pm
    Lee Murray
    19/02/2015 at 9:26am

    "Can't wait to read this new release from Debbie! I love her writing. "

    Jenni Sands
    19/02/2015 at 9:07am

    Murder & Matchmaking

    Project 2014-07-17 16:34:45 +1200

    It is a truth universally known that a mother in possession of a surfeit of daughters must be in want of eligible bachelors. Less well documented are the extremes to which she might go if her daughters’ prospects are endangered by other neighbourhood beauties …

    Award-winning author Debbie Cowens puts a new spin on some old favourites in her latest literary mashup. Murder and Matchmaking is a dark comedy that answers the question: if Mrs Bennett is so worried about what will happen to her if her daughters don't marry ... why doesn't she really do something about it?

    Read the first three chapters of Murder & Matchmaking for free (PDF).

    The big idea

    Paper Road Press is a micropress based in Wellington, New Zealand. We've published two books in our two-year lifespan: Baby Teeth: Bite-sized Tales of Terror, winner of the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Collected Work and the Australian Shadows Award for Best Edited Work; and Engines of Empathy, a comedic thriller in the vein of Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde. We're looking forward to launching Murder & Matchmaking in April this year - but we need some some cold, hard cash to give it a proper boost.

    Murder & Matchmaking has already been edited and the cover reveal is scheduled for March. $1,000 will help cover print costs for an initial print run to make the book available in NZ bookstores; otherwise the release will be limited to ebooks and Amazon print on demand.

    About the author

    Debbie Cowens is a Kapiti-based writer and English teacher. She co-authored the award-winning Mansfield with Monsters with her husband and her stories have been published in both New Zealand and international publications and anthologies. 

    Murder & Matchmaking is her first novel and it weaves together many of her favourite things: Jane Austen heroines, a Sherlock Holmes-inspired detective, mischievous canines and intrigues. She is a little surprised that more chocolate didn’t sneak its way into the narrative.

    Comments

    Cover art reveal & new rewards

    27/02/2015 at 7:03 AM

    We're implored not to judge a book by its cover - but what if the book has no cover? Happily, that is a question for some other time, as we can now reveal the cover art for Debbie Cowens' Murder & Matchmaking.

    Cover artist Henry Christian-Slane also created the artwork for Engines of Empathy; you can see his portfolio, including some eerie short comics, at http://henrychristianslane.com/

    To celebrate the cover reveal for Murder & Matchmaking, we're adding two new reward options to the campaign.

    $5: Digital wallpaper

    Pledge just $5 towards the campaign and receive a digital wallpaper suitable for use on your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, similar to the image above.

    $20: Personalised postcard

    You'll receive a postcard with the cover artwork on the front and a personal message from Debbie Cowens on the back, along with an ebook copy of Murder & Matchmaking.

    $40: The perfect gift for a Jane Austen or Sherlock Holmes fan

    Perhaps you have a friend whose birthday falls in April; perhaps you've only just realised Christmas was four months ago. Either way, this gift-wrapped copy of the print book and postcard sent directly to some lucky reader (and an ebook copy emailed directly to you) is just the thing.

    -

    We're now over 60% of the way to reaching our fundraising goal for Murder & Matchmaking. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far.

    A sneak peek at the first few chapters ...

    18/02/2015 at 9:12 PM

    “I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” - Miss Bingley

    Is there someone you're trying to impress? Why not download this free PDF sample of the first three chapters of Murder & Matchmaking? It's sure to help somehow*!

    *Results not guaranteed. 

    Free sample of Murder & Matchmaking Chapters 1-3

     

      Anna Klein
      20/03/2015 at 7:32pm

      "Looking forward to reading it :-)"

      Kevin Berry
      20/03/2015 at 10:18am

      "Great idea for a book. Please autograph it :-)"

      Jenny Pollock
      19/03/2015 at 10:11pm
      Summer Wigmore
      19/03/2015 at 7:39pm
      Simon Smith
      12/03/2015 at 9:46pm
      Wayne Hodgkinson
      06/03/2015 at 12:49pm
      Erik Andersen
      05/03/2015 at 11:57pm
      Morgan Davie
      05/03/2015 at 9:35am
      Nick Hoddinott
      04/03/2015 at 11:44pm

      "I look forward to reading it, Debbie is an inspiring n talented woman, come on n buy her book..."

      Grant Stone
      04/03/2015 at 9:58pm
      Rachael Steller
      03/03/2015 at 9:54pm
      Judit Klein
      02/03/2015 at 8:01am
      Rory
      01/03/2015 at 8:44pm
      Amanda Jane Booth
      28/02/2015 at 8:59pm
      Fiona Jeffries
      27/02/2015 at 10:39pm
      Pam
      27/02/2015 at 8:40pm
      The Prince of Lies
      27/02/2015 at 7:57pm

      "Murder most foul, lies, betrayal and a hell-hound? This pleases me."

      Nicola Collie
      26/02/2015 at 10:19pm
      Olivia
      25/02/2015 at 11:04pm

      "looks cool :)"

      Amanda Reilly
      23/02/2015 at 8:07pm
      Jan Goldie
      22/02/2015 at 12:33pm

      "Go Debbie! Can't wait to read it."

      Svend Andersen
      20/02/2015 at 10:21pm
      IdiotSavant
      20/02/2015 at 5:54pm
      Kura Carpenter
      20/02/2015 at 5:06pm

      "Woo-hoo! I can't wait to read this :)"

      Amanda Fitzwater
      20/02/2015 at 10:27am
      Ellen White
      20/02/2015 at 9:14am
      Sally McLennan
      19/02/2015 at 10:26pm

      "Really excited to read more great writing from Debbie Cowens :)"

      Pearce Duncan
      19/02/2015 at 5:05pm
      Lee Murray
      19/02/2015 at 9:26am

      "Can't wait to read this new release from Debbie! I love her writing. "

      Jenni Sands
      19/02/2015 at 9:07am
      This campaign was successful and got its funding on 20/03/2015 at 7:32 PM.