Goodbye to Poe

The 2025 Poe in Lowell Festival has ended, and we had the sendoff last night at The Worthen in Lowell.

A few folks gathered to help celebrate. There were more, but they didn't get in the shot. 

We had readings, raffles, awards, and more!

Here is the group taking turns reading stanzas of Poe's The Raven.

One of the awards was the Spirit award to writer David Daniel, for all his work over the years promoting literary events in and around Lowell, and for his teaching and mentorships of other writers.

Thanks to Meg and her hard-working staff for all their effort to promote Poe in our area! 

Boston Book Fair

Had a great day at the Boston Book Festival. 

I took a turn at the Sisters in Crime booth (across from our close buds the Mystery Writers of America), selling and signing books along with Arlene Kay and Glede Kabongo.

And then an extra shift, with Leslie Wheeler, after two volunteers bailed on her, leaving her in a potential lurch. 

You can see the posters of the books published by our local chapter in the past year. One the lower left of the right-hand poster you can see my latest Zack Taylor mystery (#7), A Great Reckoning. 

Met many terrific people- the festival brings out the best!

One new acquaintance was young author Rosalind Yeh, who has already published multiple books.

Fun day in a very literary town. Thanks to all the readers out there! 

And tonight I'll be reading Poe's Annabelle Lee at the Worthen, as part of the Poe in Lowell Festival.

Book Signing at Tatnuck and another upcoming

I did say this is a busy time for a writer of scary stories.

So I'll be at The Worthen in Lowell on Sunday night, reading Poe's Annabelle Lee and accepting a Lowell Spirit Award for the terrific writer David Daniel.

Come help celebrate Edgar Allan Poe!

For the Halloween season, we had a book signing of spooky authors at the Tatnuck Bookstore in Westborough, MA.

With me were Steve Van Samson, Scott Goudsward, and Kameryn James

Do NOT mess with this lady- even her cleaver is stylistic!

Serious authors

Thanks to the store for hosting! 

Great New England Craft Fair

Had a great time selling books at the Great New England Craft Fair!

This was my table setup

Another good year, and better yet, I was right next to the G-Mom's BBQ sauce booth. 

Here's Amanda and her sister Alison, company owner. 

Folks, I don't even like BBQ sauce, but I sampled this, and was hooked! Had to get some, and recommend it to anyone who would listen. It's a new company, based in Nashua, and they're going to be HUGE! Since they gave out delicious samples, the booth was crowded all day

Across from us was the booth for SherpaAnt, an outdoor stuff company. 

More tasty treats-- here's the Aquidneck Honey booth, with some of the tastiest bee stuff ever! 

And Savvy Sweets, with sugar-overload treats.

But there was so much more! Like books from K.D. Mason

And more from fantasy/sci-fi author Linda Kepner

(And her hubby...)

Artist Renee O'Neill, who drove down from far northern Maine to be here

And a photographer, Jennifer Robinson

Music provided by Justin Jordan

Big crowds both days, and lots of nice people.

Thanks to all the helpers at the event who made it possible!

Busy October- and another story sold!

 Well, it's "Spooktober," the month of Halloween, and lots of activity. 

Not surprising, since I had Stephen King as a writing teacher back in college, and have continued to writing spooky stories.

Just got great news- my story Conference at Night has just sold to the upcoming Big Smoke Pulp Vol. 2!

Sunday, we have a book signing of scary authors at Tatnuck Booksellers in Westborough, MA this Sunday.

I'll be there with Scott Goudsward, Kameryn James, and Steve Van Samson.

The following weekend, I'll be selling and signing books at the Greater New England Craft Fair in Milford, NH, on Sat and Sun.

And the Saturday after that, I'll be at the Sisters in Crime booth from 2 to 4 at the Boston Book Festival on October 25 in Boston's Copley Square. 

Next day, I'll be doing a reading from the works of Edgar Allan Poe at the Poe in Lowell festival, 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Worthen, in Lowell.

On Tuesday night, the 28th, I'll be chatting on a Zoom call with author Errick Nunnally for the Tewksbury Writer's Night Out.

On Halloween, I'll be reading a scary story or two at the Chelmsford Senior Center, 9:30 A.M. 

Happy Halloween, everybody! 

Maine Crime Wave Conference

We had a blast at the Maine Crime Wave Conference in Portland, Maine this weekend. Writers of crime and mystery fiction gathered to celebrate, network, and learn more about the other authors. Talk, roundtable discussions, and fun panels made the day a great one. 

Held at Mechanic's Hall, the authors present liked the library and lacy wrought-iron shelf ends.

Here's the downstairs area with prominent Matt Cost in blue, who presided at the Friday Nights readings

Bruce Coffin, Dick Cass, and Philip Baker

Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, who put the conference together

Our roundtable on hybrid publishing, with my co-host Maureen Milliken, along with John Clark and Dr. BJ Magnani.

Brenda Buchanan, part of the Planning Committee

Paul Doiron, winner of the Maine Crime Master Award, and Chris Holm

Jim and S. Lee Manning, a married writer team, with John

Rebecca Turkewitz, with a book of her short stories, which came highly recommended.

Lucas Brilliott, a writer from up Bangor way

Julie Selbo, who is represented by Virginia Lee, who, along with her daughter, runs the VLee Literary Agency

Kate Flora and Bruce 

The ever-fashionable Jessie Crockett

Barry Somes of the Paperback Writer Company

Carolyn Wilkins (L)

Jules O'Brien

S. Mason Pratt

The crowd listens to a talk while Jessie channels Madame Defarge...

At the end, a mega-panel of authors answer questions

A great day chatting with friends old and new, and much business discussed. 

Thanks to all who made this happen! 

Lotsa More Shows!

Well, this month got busy. Had a couple of live shows on air, and the hosts liked me so much, they're having me back.

Here's my chat today with author Mike Sanchez.

Here's the last one I did with him. A few minutes of tech issues to start, so forward to the good stuff. 

And I was a panelist on Bonnie Graham's show on AI.

And will be on another one tomorrow! A special birthday show!

This Saturday, I'll be leading discussions up at the Maine Crime Wave in Portland, Maine. 

And then I'll be on R Weir's video podcast, Bringing Life to Characters, on Sept 29th at 6PM Mountain time.

On the 30th, I'll be chatting with author Steve Womack for the Tewksbury Library Writer's Night.