Events on back to back weekend mean a lot of traveling but also some great satisfaction and fine rewards!
I appreciate Katie Kelley and Theresa Earles inviting me to another Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival in Suffolk, VA (and the crazy nice poster in the picture above!) and to Debby Buchanan, Nikki Bonanni, and Roberta Rogow for inviting me to my first Deadly Ink.
Highlights of my time in Suffolk included interviewing festival guests of honor Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner, and at the top of my list for Deadly Ink was taking part in the Writers Academy where I led a short workshop on plotting and pacing.
But overall the greatest pleasures came from interacting with readers and writers—in some cases old friends (hey, hey, LynDee Walker, for example, who first introduced me to the Suffolk festival in the first place) and in other cases new ones. Up in New Jersey this past weekend, I met lots of new folks I’d only known from their work or from social media, including guest of honor Meg Gardiner as well as R.G. Belsky, Christine Bush, Bob Daniher, Jack Getze, Teel James Glenn, Carol Gyzander, Jeff Markowitz, James McCrone, L.A. Preschel, Christopher Ryan, and Al Tucher, among others—and old friends here too, including the great T.J. O’Connor, who was at Suffolk as well. We’ve been on the road a lot these last ten days, T.J.!
Great to connect with these writers and with our readers. Back home now—and already gearing up for the next batch of events ahead too:
Saturday, September 1, 2018
- Roundtable Discussion: “What Makes a ‘Great’ Book?” with John Gilstrap and D.A. Spruzen, part of the Great American Read, Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA • 2 p.m.
Thursday-Sunday, September 6-9, 2018
- Bouchercon, Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort, 501 5th Avenue NE, St. Petersburg, FL
- Opening Ceremonies, including presentation of Macavity Awards • Thursday, September 6, 6 p.m.
- Panel, as moderator: “Fear Factor: Threatening Family in Thrillers,” with Jordan Harper, Michael Koryta, Karin Slaughter, Wendi Corsi Staub, and Lisa Unger • Friday, September 7, 10 a.m., Majestic
- Panel, as panelist: “Anthony Nominated Short Stories,” with Susanna Calkins, Jen Conley, Hilary Davidson, Barb Goffman, Debra Goldstein, and moderator Tara Laskowski • Friday, September 7, 1 p.m., Royal 1AB & 2AB
- Bouchercon Speed Dating Breakfast • Saturday, September 8, 8-9:30 a.m., Vinoy Grand
- Anthony Awards • Saturday, September 8, 7 p.m.