Noir at the Bar 2020

Years ago, a few of us area mystery writers had fun reading our work at a Noir at the Bar, our local contribution to a nationwide series of short public readings at popular watering holes in local taverns. Later, I attended another one up in Maine, also a good time.

In this time of Plague, it's now a virtual event. You log on to see authors read their works remotely, with your own choice of beverage. Everyone stays safe, but we get a good night of excellent reads by top authors.

So our recent one was outstanding, hosted by authors Edwin Hill and Daniel Ford.
with readings from authors such as: Edith Maxwell, Paula Munier, Dale T. Phillips, Barbara Ross, Bonnar Spring, Phil Temples, and John Vercher.

If you missed it, you can still give a listen on the excellent writer site Writer's Bone:
http://www.writersbone.com/boston-noir-at-the-bar 


There will be others upcoming!

Maine Crime Wave Conference 2019

We had a blast at the recent Maine Crime Wave Conference in Portland, ME, which is helped by the Mystery Writers of America, the Sisters in Crime, and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. Lots of authors- old friends and aspiring writers came together for a weekend of craft sessions, panels on various subjects, and schmoozing with fellow writers.

To see a writeup of the conference from last year, click here.

Nothing says a New England Writer Conference like Connie Johnson Hambley.

To see an interview with Connie, click here

Brenda Buchanan

And we were off to a rousing start, with a good crowd.

Plenty of books for sale by the attending authors.
 Sales were handled by Barbara Kelly of Kelly's Books To Go.

This fellow Dick Cass was instrumental in getting things to run smoothly. 

To see an interview with Dick, click here

Here he is with Jessica Sweet.

 Superstar thriller writer Gayle Lynds with another conference helper, Hannah.

Gerry Boyle with his latest book

And with agent Meg Ruley and the best-selling Lisa Gardner

 

Here's James Hayman checking out my books!

To see an interview with James, click here

More superstars: Tess Gerritsen, Neil Nyren, Kate Flora

To see an interview with Kate, click here

The Milliken crew: Maureen, Rebecca, and daughter

To see an interview with Maureen, click here

Bruce Coffin (R) making a point

Barb Ross and John Clark

To see an interview with Barb, click here

Vaughn Hardacker, who has a Wendigo novel which makes a great pairing with my Shadow of the Wendigo.

The Holms- Chris and Katrina

Julia Spencer-Fleming

And here with Jessica Elliott

Eddie Vincent, of Encircle Publications

Ruth McCarty

James and Meg

A lovely day, with lots of learning and good information being swapped.
Thank sto all who worked to make it happen!

Noir at the Bar- Maine Writers

Maine has so many good writers, and this was evident in the recent Noir at the Bar held in Biddeford.

Here's the group shot

It was held in a funky and interesting bar

A great crowd gathered to hear the amazing array of talent

 

So each writer came up to read a short piece. Gayle Lynds kicks off, with a great true story about how she offered to sign her own books at an airport kiosk, but the unbelieving dipstick register person said she couldn't allow the books to "be defaced" by the author's signature!

Brenda Buchanan was the Mistress of Ceremonies

Barb Ross says her piece

To see an interview with Barbara, click here

Bruce Coffin does his thing

To see an interview with Bruce, click here

Dick Cass, another tall galoot, gets up

To see an interview with Dick, click here

Yet more height, as James Hayman takes the stand

To see an interview with James, click here

The authors had their books for sale, and business was brisk

More authors! Maureen Milliken

Joe Souza

Sandra Neily

EJ Fechenda

John Sheldon

 And Julia Spencer-Fleming

Each author also contributed a book (as did I, upon request) for a huge basket of reading. 

Here Gayle picks the lucky winner

The audience enjoyed the afternoon

As did the authors. Thanks to all for a fun time!

Crime Bake 2018

Another Crime Bake has come and gone, another trip to Brigadoon. More fabulous interaction with top-name mystery and crime writers, happy fans, a supportive and generous writing community, and people who are just plain fun, apart from being supremely talented. Yeah, all that and more.
Reps from the New England chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America did a great job.

First, kudos to those who worked at it. Here's Edith Maxwell and Michelle Dorsey, co-chairs who ran the event, and made it great for everyone else.

To see an interview with Edith, click here.

Here's the first stop when one arrived, registration. Thanks to these volunteers, led by Kathryn (L).

And thanks to Tom Lyons, of the New England Mobile Book Fair, who, along with his staff, carts tons of books to the event so that people can get signed copies of their favorite authors.

To find out more about Tom and the bookstore, click here.

Note: I'll be signing books at the New England Mobile Book Fair on Saturday, Nov. 24th, from 1-3, as part of their big celebration 

for Small Business Saturday. 

Come on down and start holiday shopping- books make great gifts!

With music, and samples from the Wine and Spirits store next door!

Friday night of the event, we all greet each other and start chatting.

Here's Bruce Robert Coffin, Len Rosen, Elizabeth Elo and Don Kaplan.

To see an interview with Bruce, click here. 

To see an interview with Don, click here.

And Edith with the incomparable Kate Flora, who was later feted at the event with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her untiring service to the writing community.

She even got a tiara, of which I was quite jealous 

(and yes, like Kate, I have previously worn one). 

Being the great sport she is, she even wore it, at request, to the morning-after breakfast 

(shown below, with Michelle Clark)

To see an interview with Kate, click here.

Taking the bull by the horns: Elizabeth, Dave Zeltserman, and Lisa Lieberman, all on a search for hard-to-find morning coffee (at a hotel convention!)

To see an interview with Dave, click here. 

Barb Ross, who for once, could (mostly) relax and enjoy the conference.

To see an interview with Barb, click here. 

Tilia Klebenov-Jacobs, who writes as stylishly as she dresses!

To see an interview with Tilia, click here.

And Vincent O'Neil, who may not be as stylish, but interesting in his own way...  :-)

Some debut authoresses with me that I'm pretty proud of. 

Nicole Asselin has her first book, Death at First Pitch, coming out soon. 

She took my Mystery Writing and Thriller Writing classes at the Cape Cod Writer's Conference, where I taught back in 2017.

Max Folsom, on the right, got a manuscript critique from me at Crime Bake two years ago, and now her debut novel, One Bad Day After Another, was one of the five finalists for the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

I ain't sayin', but maybe I know talent when I see it... 

And Michelle Clark with Jay Shepherd and Tom.

I guess gray is in this year...

Lisa sits with Susan Oleksiw and Sheila Connolly

Like the other Bruce (Springsteen), everyone loves Bruce Coffin

Here he is with Nikki Woolfolk and Edith

Here's Mark Cecil, an interesting guy with some writing to check out

So it's more than just hanging out for a good time. 

We have panel discussions on many different subjects.

Here's one with Dave, Barbara, and Marian Stanley

A story panel with Kate, Lorraine Nelson, Linda Landrigan (Editor of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine) and Stephen Rogers, with Ruth McCarty as moderator.

And there were pitch sessions with agents

Super-agent and debut novelist Paula Munier (center), whose new book
A Borrowing of Bones is recently released, and a must-read.

Tilia and Elizabeth with Paula

Then there's the pre-banquet gather.

New attendee Joe gets dazzled by Hank and Jonathan

 All leading to the Awards Banquet.

Here's Vickie and Rachel, delightful dinner (and later poker) companions.

(Like me, Vickie has an IMDB credit- ask us about our stardom!)

Just don't ask her how her hotel room was... 

Chris Knopf, seated, knows something.

The Night of Stars

A hard-working gang, before the awards work start.

Michelle, Edith, Mo Walsh, Kate

Liz Mugavero, avoiding, left, and glamorous but dangerous Jessie Crockett, with Barb, R

And there are also book signings!

Here's Nikki with our favorite Hank Philippi Ryan and 

Guest of Honor (who rocked it!) Walter Mosley.

Here, Sarah (yay, librarians!) gets her copy signed.

Joe Finder joins Hank and David Handler

And after dinner and all that, we gather to talk more about books, biz, and life.

Michelle and Jason Walcutt

Chris and Michelle. You'd think they like each other.

More meals- breakfast and caffeine.

Hello, Paula Sewell

Mo and Karma Lei Angelo

Claire Murray

And then it's time for goodbyes, until the next event.

But this part can take hours...

Brian Shea, a thorn between two roses

So finally time for rest for those who made it possible-

Like Connie Johnson Hambley, who was a blur of motion, 

so much so I only got one pic of her instead of the usual 40 or so.

To se an interview with Connie, click here.