If you’re wondering about those four friends on the cover of my 1984-set high school crime novel THAT OCTOBER, maybe a couple of introductions are in order.

All credit to my friend and amazing artist Sara McKinley for bringing these characters to life for the cover of my book. She’s saramckinleyart on Instagram.

One of the things I tried to do when writing THAT OCTOBER was make some characters familiar without making them stereotypical. I’m not sure I succeeded, but Toni was probably toughest for me.

Toni Carter fulfills the “best friend” role in the book for her unwavering support of Jackie Rivers, but I hoped to give Toni some depth by making her the friend who was most confused and felt most isolated of the girls. Toni is an outsider, with a mom who’s considered strange – she is on the hospital cleaning staff and is a part-time psychic – but whom Toni fiercely defends.

All of us knew or know a Toni: Loyal and sweet and a little out of the mainstream. With a friend like Toni, you’re never alone.

The actress I saw in my head and I was writing Toni: Brittany Murphy, so wonderful in the “best friend” role in “Clueless.” She passed away in 2009 but is forever frozen in time for me as Toni.

More of the cast of characters to come.

And you can buy THAT OCTOBER anywhere, but here’s a link to the Barnes & Noble site:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/that-october-keith-roysdon/1147324325