Joanna Campbell Slan

Thanks for visiting the official website for New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author and Winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, Joanna Campbell Slan.

Cozy Armchair Winners and Paper, Scissors, Death Receives Agatha Nomination for Best First Novel

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Do you remember when Sally Field held up her statue of Oscar and said with wonder, “You like me!”

I’m having my own little Sally moment.

How long did it take me to write Paper, Scissors, Death? It took 55 long years. I started writing when I was in grade school. Won my first award in high school. Put myself through college writing and teaching other students to write. Supported myself through a bad marriage with my writing skills. Well…it’s been a long, long journey.

To celebrate, this morning I pulled three entries from a contest I ran with the Cozy Armchair Group–each will get a copy of the book:

Mare of Winsted CT
Dee of Great Falls MT
Krista of Wichita KS

I put my all into Kiki Lowenstein. I wanted her to be bright, funny, vulnerable, likeable, and definitely flawed. I made her a little overweight. A lot self-conscious. And sometimes too trusting.

I made Mert the best friend a girl could ever have. Full of common sense. No nonsense. Protective. Multi-talented.

I gave Dodie all the qualities Kiki lacks–a sharp business mind and a clear understanding of what it takes to make your way in the world.

I created Detweiler in the image of my wonderful husband (ahem! I learned from that first mistake). He’s thoughtful, all-guy, and he can be very sternly professional. But he also adores Kiki with all his heart.

I invented Anya as a female version of my son. Very smart, a wise-cracker, and a kid you can’t put anything over on.

And finally, dear, dear Gracie is a combination of all the Great Danes and one Bichon I’ve loved and lost. She’s that incredibly loyal dog who would give her life for the family she loves.

Thank you, all of you, for loving my fictional family back.

In return, I promise you more adventures, more fun, more thrills–and always my very best–

Joanna

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    I am so excited! Thank you for picking me! I needed a pick me up today, and this sure was it! I can’t wait to start reading your book…it sounds great! Dee in MT

  2. Mare Fairchild says

    I can’t wait to read your book. I’m already looking forward to meeting the characters. It really is my lucky day. Thanks so much.

  3. gardenlady5562 says

    Joanna – Congrats on the award. What an achievement.
    Loved the book – what a page turner. It was a pleasure meeting you in St Louis at the Killer Crop. We had so much fun with the trivia. Everyone is still talking about the 3 of us who got all 35 of the questions right.

  4. Joanna Campbell Slan says

    Aren’t all of you so sweet? I loved doing the crop here in St. Louis. That was such fun. Mare and Dee the books will go out Monday. I appreciate all of your interest and any help you can give spreading the word about PSD! You know, Garden Lady and her friends read the whole book TWICE and even corrected me on some questions!

  5. Anonymous says

    Dang it I didn’t win! LOL Well it really sounds like a great book and I guess since I LOST I’ll just have to buy it myself. : )
    Congrats to you lucky winners!
    Glenda