An Undefeated Book Series—in more way than one by Karina Bartow

An Undefeated Book Series—In More Ways than One

In June 2015, all of my professional dreams seemed to be coming true and in rapid succession. Not only had I just signed my first publishing contract, but the publisher expressed interest in a sequel. After learning I’d already written one and planned two more, he asked if I had a title for my series.

My series? A few days earlier, I didn’t know if the first book would ever see the light of day!

Needless to say, I felt like I’d been shot into space with hardly a chance to buckle my seatbelt. I started to brainstorm what I could call my series right away, as my publisher flooded my inbox with suggestions. None of them grabbed me, though, and my euphoria soon turned to frustration, with the perfect name eluding me.

The Undeafeated Detective…

When Minka Avery left the police department and her life as a deaf detective, she thought chasing after her toddler daughter and keeping tabs on her mischievous husband would be the extent of her excitement. Before long, however, her brother lands on the list of suspects in a high-profile crime and throws her world into chaos.

Torn between her conflicted feelings for him and her desire to see justice carried out, she decides to unofficially explore the matter on her own. She begins to see that the case is bigger than it seemed at first glance, but before she can unravel it further, she discovers Robin using her garage as a hideout from the authorities!

Now forced together, can Minka overcome the many distractions to figure out the massive scheme that's really playing out? And can the bizarre circumstances somehow improve her and Robin's chilly relationship?      

Under pressure, I half-heartedly agreed with his idea of “The Deaf Detective Series” but it didn’t satisfy me. Sure, the books do follow a deaf detective, but being disabled myself, I’ve never liked to be known for my handicap. I’d resent if anyone titled a book about me, “The Story of the Author with Cerebral Palsy”.

I retreated into my room to listen to some music, which has always played a significant part in my creative process. One of my favorite bands had just released a new album, and it featured a song about being undefeated. When it came on, the lyrics and melody resonated with me, and I thought of how it suited my novel. Despite the challenges the protagonist, Minka, faced in the plot, she comes out victorious every time, undefeated.

Then, it struck me: The UnDEAFeted Detective Series.

My publisher was reluctant to put an intentional typo on a book, but I persuaded him by showing him a concept for a logo, which would separate the a. An artist polished it up for us, making it an integral part of the book. To me, it represented Minka’s resilience in joining the police force despite her handicap, as well as what she faces in the series—including her husband’s having to enter witness protection in the first installment, Husband in Hiding.

At the time, I couldn’t foresee how the theme of “undefeated” would relate to the production of the rest of the series. Two years later, the publishing company restructured, and I ended up being released from my contract. Obviously, they wouldn’t proceed with the sequels to follow, so I suddenly had three manuscripts on my hands with no prospects to get them published.

I had doubts about a different company picking up a series that’d already been started, but like Minka, I persisted. As rejections rolled in, I feared it would be “defeated”, until The Wild Rose Press accepted its long-awaited second installment, Brother of Interest, with a release date coming soon.

To my fellow authors, may this show you the power of perseverance…and the power of a title!

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