Rebel Blog

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2025 Update

Another vital six months for Rebels!  Here’s the latest:

Chris has been on an unprecedented roll over the last year plus. He is enjoying the reception of his two most-recent Max Fend Thriller, Maximum Risk Series novels, released in 2024, Cobalt and Cradle. His thriller I Heard You Paint Cowboys, the second in his Counsel Fungo bounty-hunter series, released in April of this year, and he is currently promoting it. He also has a short story accepted by Celestial Echo Press, is looking for a publishing home for an earlier horror manuscript, and has been continuing to develop his historical-based crime novel set in immediate post-World War II Japan.

Lauren continues to promote her novels, including the most recent, Gemma, with appearances at author events, including the Bucks County Book Festival and the Skippack Local Author Book Fest. She is working on final edits of her newest offering, a Thanksgiving holiday-based thriller, titled Don’t Come Home. Lauren is meanwhile working on a new manuscript, a novel about a set of events that take place within an airport.  

Russ has been pitching and querying a number of his completed manuscripts to independent publishers and agents. He was gratified to add to the accolades of his debut novel Ella’s War with a finalist designation in the audiobook category this year from the Wishing Shelf Awards. Editing and production of his second novel with Vine Leaves Press — a thriller titled Queen of the Bay — will begin spring 2026 for release in early 2027.

Dave is continuing to submit short stories for publication, including an excerpted first chapter, set in early 20th century share-cropper culture of the deep south, of his novel in process about a famous Philadelphia charismatic religious cult leader. 

Kathleen continues to revise the second book in her murder series, Murder in Haddonfield, as she is also working on short stories.

Rebels were delighted to welcome writer Marc Elias Keller as the newest member of our novelist group.  Marc is author of a previous literary historical novel, numerous short stories, book reviews, and other published writings. Rebels had a chance to critique Marc’s current completed draft manuscript in progress — featuring a couple entwined in a progressive business venture — and offer helpful feedback. Marc is undertaking revisions.

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Lots going on for Rebels now.  

We are thrilled to have accomplished novelist Lauren Forry as our newest member.  Lauren writes in the crime and thriller genres. She is promoting her recently released novel Gemma and is now working with her agent on finalizing her newest manuscript Don’t Come Home. See more in her bio on the About page. Lauren just participated in the Chocolate Town Book Festival.  She and Chris will participate in the Bucks County Book Festival.

Chris’ thriller novel Cobalt released in February of this year (2024) and his crime thriller Cradle released in October (2024).  These are both in the Max Fend Thriller, Maximum Risk Series. In the same genre, his novel I Hear You Paint Cowboys — related to an art theft of a famous N.C. Wyeth painting and to the plague of automatic weapons in our society — is set to release in April 2025.  His earlier novels Jane’s Baby and Scars on the Face of God are once again available.  See https://www.chrisbauerauthor.net/books. Chris is in the early stages of working on a wartime crime novel set in post-WWII Japan.

Promoting his novel Ella’s War, Russ appeared as the featured author at gala opening of Harrington, Delaware Library and participated in the Friends of Harrington Library Author Expo. He has signed to publish his second novel — a thriller titled Queen of the Bay — with Vine Leaves Press.  He is currently querying a number of additional completed manuscripts as well as a co-authored streaming TV series.

Dave is submitting short stories for publication. He placed again in Bucks Country Community College short story competition. He is querying his historical literary novel Coryell’s Ferry.

Kathleen is querying the first book in her murder mystery series, Murder in Jersey City, and is revising the second book in the series, Murder in Haddonfield, with the help of in-depth critique from our Rebels group.

Our discussions of craft (POV, defining protagonists and supporting characters), the state of publishing and publishing opportunities continue, and an array of other writing topics continue apace. 

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Rebels march forward with multiple projects

Another gainful year for the Rebel Writers! We have met monthly and plied the convo on fiction writing and publishing, offering encouragement and support.

Russ has had a full year to experience the new journey of being a published novelist.  For him, it’s been both life changing and affirming, and a lesson in the not-glamorous experience of trying to claw one’s way into the ever-hardened, -fragmented, and -supersaturated world of publishing.  It’s given him transcendent moments, of praise and recognition for his book, along with awards and simultaneous consternation about the modern indie-press novelist’s challenge of converting accolades into book sales.  A worldly writer’s dream of mixed realities.  At once, validating and sobering.

Through his co-authoring work on the novel of our late colleague John Wirebach, Russ has gained literary representation from agent Tracy Crow, who is currently pitching Mean Streets Paris ’44 to publishers.

Chris has set the pace in level of activity in the group with multiple publication projects in play.  See his bio here.

With input from the Rebs, Kathleen has completed her novel Murder in Jersey City and begun to query it to agents, and has embarked on the next in that series, Murder in Haddonfield.

Dave is coming off a hiatus in his efforts, to return to pitching his historical novel and to advance his two other novels in progress.

Jennifer has taken a leave of absence from the Rebels to keep abreast of her many commitments with regards her various book projects, her podcast, and her graphic design commitments.  We look forward to her near-term return.