Shadows, Rain, and Deadlines: The Halfway Mark of ‘Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye’

The rain is falling hard in Seattle, both outside my window and on the page.

I have officially hit the halfway mark on the manuscript for Don’t Kiss Me Goodbye, and the ghosts aren’t staying dead. We are 26 chapters deep into this 52-chapter sprint, racing toward a December 31st release deadline, and the coffee pot is working just as hard as I am.

Writing a hardboiled detective novel is a lot like working a cold case: you think you know where the bodies are buried, and then the shovel hits something unexpected.

In the first half of the book, we’ve seen Copper Steele take his punches—literally and metaphorically. But as we cross into the second act, the dynamic has shifted. This isn’t just about a gritty P.I. chasing a lead anymore; it’s about a man realizing that his “white knight” complex might be the very thing that kills him.

The stakes have never been higher. Betrayals are cutting deep, secret daughters are stepping out of the shadows, and the line between the victim and the villain is blurring.

But the real heart of this story is Shania Savage. She is proving she’s more than just a partner; she’s the anchor keeping Copper from drifting out to sea.

A Sneak Peek from the Draft:

“I didn’t steal you,” Shania said fiercely. “I saved you. Or I tried to.”

She leaned in, her face inches from yours. “She was poison, Steele. A toxic bloom that looked pretty but rotted everything it touched. She took your badge. She took your pride. And she almost took your life. Twice.”

She rested her forehead against yours. “I’m not the thief. I’m the one trying to pull you out of the wreckage.”

As I dive into the final 26 chapters, the body count is rising, and the mystery of the Gadianton Brotherhood is unraveling fast. Copper Steele is battered, bruised, and currently nursing a bullet wound, but he’s finally seeing clearly for the first time in twenty years.

Get ready to walk the wet pavement with Copper and Shania. This case is personal, and it’s going to leave a mark.

Coming to Kindle December 31.