One Writer's Avoiding the Sophomore Jinx

Everytime I write the second book of anything (like, say, in a series), I'm reminded of the sophomore jinx. Baseball players who are a superstitious bunch by nature speak of second-year players who have a bad year and call it their "sophomore jinx." Players will go to all sorts of lengths to break the jinx like changing their baseball bats or drive to the ballpark over a different route. I'm not quite that obsessive, but I do have to wonder if my second title The Cashmere Shroud will measure up to my debut title Quiet Anchorage. I didn't change my laptops or write in a different place like the ballplayers do to avoid the sophomore jinx. The early positive reviews certainly indicate that Cashmere is able to hold its own quite well. The Cashmere Shroud was as much fun to write as Quiet Anchorage. I believe the fun behind each novel's creation translates to the storyline for the reader to enjoy, as well