FAQ
Is Dying for a Living the first in a series?
Yes. There are seven books total. Dying for a Living, Dying by the Hour,
Dying for Her: A Companion Novel, Dying Light, Worth Dying For.
Dying Breath and Dying Day (in order). To learn more, visit the Books tab
located in the menu bar.
Is the Dying for a Living series over or will you write more Jesse books?
Jesse's/Ally's story is finished with Dying Day, book 7. I've considered writing an
8th book, retelling it all from Caldwell's POV or even an 8th book that continues Jesse's
story... There is also the possibility of a short story collection outlining the 66 death
replacements Jesse performed before Dying for a Living opens.
There's also always the possibility that I could write a spinoff from Maisie's or
Gloria's point of view.
If you had to describe the premise for Dying for a Living in five words or less how would you describe it?
Girl dies again. And again.
Where do you live?
In Michigan, USA.
What do you do for a living?
As of October 2018, I am a full-time author.
How many books have you published?
30 and counting...
Do you ever speak at conferences or give readings?
Of course! I'd love to hear more about your event. Please email me at kory@korymshrum.com with the details and dates. Or you can check my availability here
Are your short stories “Dive” and “Blind” going to be turned into novels?
Blind, no—well, maybe—no, probably not. Dive, yes. In fact, it's already happened.
Shadows in the Water is the first installment in a supernatural crime thriller series,
inspired by my short story, Dive.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve always been writing poems or short stories for as long as I can remember, but I attempted to write my first novel in 2005. Two more terrible “novels” and twice as many incomplete manuscripts later, I sat down and wrote the first page of what would become Dying for a Living. It was August 25, 2008.
Do you have any other work published outside of the Dying for a Living or Shadows in the Water series?
Yes, LOTS, including my Welcome to Castle Cove series (which is like the Choose Your Own Adventure books I loved as a kid) and the 2603 series, a sci-fi detective series set in the future. Jack and the Fire Eater (Victorian Magic with demons), 3 poetry books, and a memoir about my mother's murder called Who Killed My Mother?, a witches-fighting demons fantasy called Blade Born and more. Learn more on the books page.
For short fiction, I co-edited/compiled an anthology with author Angela Roquet called Badass & the Beast:
10 "Tails" about Kickass Heroines and the Beasts Who Love Them. As you can
probably guess, it focuses on the relationship between heroines and their furry sidekicks.
It features a story about Jesse Sullivan and how she came to meet her pug, Winston.
It's a charity anthology and all the profits will be donated to the Animal Welfare Institute
(an A+ charity according to Charity Watch).
I am an independent bookstore who wants to carry your book(s), but I do not want to order from Amazon. Is there a solution for me?
No problem! IngramSpark now distributes my paperbacks to all independent retailers. And I offer a discount to all wholesale buyers. Please contact me if you have trouble locating the ISBN.
I am a bookstore owner/event planner and would love to host you.
Great! I love to support bookshops. Please email me at kory@korymshrum.com with your ideas.
I would love to read your books but I have a limited income and I can't find your work in the library.
This is often the case for books printed by small /independent presses. However, your library can order my books through several of my distributors. You will have to ask your library to get you the books though--and I love supporting libraries so I encourage you to do this.
I am a writer too. Is it possible that you can read my manuscript and critique it for me?
Unfortunately, no. I’m already committed to a handful of other writers both inside my writer’s group (The Four Horsemen of the Bookocalypse) and a few writer friends. If you don't yet have a writer's group of your own, I suggest you form one with either writers in your city, or online. These types of support groups really can't be beat.
If you're looking for paid editing help , I highly recommend Sharon Stogner and Joe Thomas.
Wait, did you just say you are one of The Four Horsemen of the…Bookocalypse?
You can call me Conquest. Careful: Death, Justice and War are lurking around here too...
I’ve also published a book. Can I give you a free copy in exchange for an honest review?
At the moment I am not longer accepting review requests. I have time constraints that are already eating into my writing time.
Where can I buy your work?
My work is available for purchase in ebook, paperback, and audiobook formats through all major retailers. They're also available in the UK, Canada, Australia, and many other countries. If you have a particular book in mind, please visit its individual information page located under the Books tab. You can also purchase ebooks directly from this website
Can I get a signed copy of your book?
Maybe! I host a monthly giveaway for signed books for all my newsletter subscribers. Join my newsletter (under the Free Starter Library tab) and you might be the next lucky winner.
Can I interview you on my blog/website/podcast/foil-hats & aliens show? Can I be a guest on one of your podcasts?
Possibly! Pitch me here.
Can I be a guest on one of your podcasts?
At the moment, both my Who Killed My Mother? and A Well Cared For Human podcasts are solo shows--meaning I do not have guests or conduct interviews. This may change for A Well Cared For Human in the future.
Can I e-mail you tell you my thoughts about your book(s), blog, or just to chat books?
I love to hear from fans! You guys are the best thing since hot fudge sundaes with whip cream and sprinkles. You can stop by social media, join my Facebook group, or email me.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.