Sisters in Crime Holiday Event 2019

Despite the impending Snowpocalypse, we held the Sisters in Crime Holiday Event at the Chelmsford Center For the Arts.
Thanks to Susan Gates and the Center for the community support.

It was a lovely get-together with food, drinks, and good conversation.

Lisa Jackson, here with Chapter President Connie Johnson Hambley, received special thanks for putting this event together, as she has for so many functions in the past number of years.

To see an interview with Connie, click here.

Despite the weather, we had folks come from far and wide across New England.
Here's a group from Maine, including Bruce Robert Coffin and Ed Hunt.
To see an interview with Bruce, click here.

And Arlene Kay, coming in from the Cape.

To see an interview with Arlene, click here. 

Joanna Schaffhausen brought the family.

To see an interview with Joanna, click here.

Toni (Leigh Perry) Kelner gets a new throne for Sid the Skeleton!

To see an interview with Toni/Leigh, click here.

Tilia Klebenov-Jacobs

To see an interview with Tilia, click here.

Mo Walsh and Stephen Kelner bravely sing a holiday ditty penned by one of our attendees.

Julie Hennrikus, Edith Maxwell, and Susan Oleksiw

To see an interview with Edith, click here.

A nice time was had by all.

Brigadoon Once More

Another Crime Bake has come and gone, another sighting of Brigadoon, now gone in the mists of time. As usual, it was a lovely time with good friends in the mystery writing community, as well as fans. Jointly sponsored by the New England chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, Crime Bake is a learning experience, a networking opportunity, and a wonderful time.

We kicked off Friday night with our panel on publishing (self/Indie/other), which was well-attended (about 75 people). 

Many folks came by in the next couple of days to say how much they'd learned from it. Judging by that, I guess we were a hit!

As usual, Tom Lyons was there with the New England Mobile Book Fair to sell the books of all the attending authors on panels.

Here's our Guest of Honor, Ann Cleves, with Ang Pompano

And with Coralie Jensen

Co-chair of the event Edith Maxwell with Susan Oleksiw and Ruth McCarty

To see an interview with Edith, click here

Elisabeth Elo with a photobombing Leigh Perry (who was here on her birthday!)

To see an interview with Leigh, click here

Joanna Schaffhausen

To see an interview with Joanna, click here

The always-dapper Ray Daniel

To see an interview with Ray, click here

Mo Walsh with Sarah Smith

Connie Johnson Hambley and Kate Flora

To see an interview with Connie, click here

To see an interview with Kate, click here

Hank Phillippi Ryan, Elizabeth Elo, Kate Flora, and JR Walcutt

To see an interview with JR, click here

Lisa Lieberman, Dick Cass, and Kate Flora

To see an interview with Dick, click here

Maureen with Bruce Coffin

To see an interview with Bruce, click here

Our GoH Ann Cleves with superstar book bloggers Kristopher Zgorski and Dru Ann Love

Doing my book signing for my latest Zack Taylor mystery (#6), A Darkened Room, with Jeanne

Stephanie Gayle with debut author JR Walcutt

Breakfast is a communal gathering

Sarah Smith (Center) with Frances McNamara

Leslie Wheeler (R)

Me with BJ Magnani

Chris Knopf and Mo Walsh

Leigh Perry, Donna Andrews, and JR Walcutt

Eddie and Cynthia Vincent of Encircle Publications, at the tired end of the conference

So much packed into just a few hours. Can't wait for next year!

Bouchercon 18

This year’s Bouchercon was awesome, as usual. It had a high bar for doing so, because I’d just been to Killer Nashville, for an amazing experience. But Bouchercon came through and did not disappoint. There were lots of fellow members of the Mystery Writers of America and the Sisters in Crime.

St. Petersburg was pretty, but sweltering. The conference hotel was lovely, with spacious halls and lots of glass pieces by Dale Chihuly.

I got to meet  few celebrities- here's our "Dolly Parton"

And a trio of superheroes!

I did get to the Dali Museum to see the work showcased. If you’re down there, make that a must-do.

The best part of the conference itself was talking with Andrew MacDonald, the grandson of John D. MacDonald, who was the “Ghost” of Honor at the conference, with a panel (led by John D. scholar Cal Branche) that discussed his work and influence.

And after explaining that my Zack Taylor series is direct homage to John D.’s Travis McGee, Andrew accepted a signed copy of the first Zack Taylor mystery, AMemory of Grief. So honored to have a connection to the master, who was a major influence in me becoming a mystery writer. 

With Cal and Andrew

There were many other panels as well, like the one on Action, so well moderated by Neliza Drew.

And this one, with the usual suspects: Rick Ollerman and Dana King with John Shepphird

I’m linking to many writers here, and you’re definitely going to want to check out their work. Some I've even interviewed on the blog, so check them out.

Here’s Linda Sands, who I met at Killer Nashville.

Here’s Linda with her basket donation for the charity auction.

And with Angela Durden

Some fellow Maineiacs:

Barb Ross

To see an interview with Barb, click here

Guy Cote and Bruce Robert Coffin

To see an interview with Bruce, click here 

Dick Cass
 To see an interview with Dick, click here 

James Hayman

To see an interview with James, click here

Dinner Group (Brenda Buchanan on the R)

Chris and Katrina Holm with Erica Ruth Neubauer

And some other folks. Leigh Perry

To see an interview with Leigh, click here
 

Sherry Harris

James, Linda, and I with Joanna Schaffhausen (R)

To see an interview with Joanna, click here

Daniel Dark (another Killer Nashville contact) with Steve Cooper and MattLeyshon

And there were podcasts happening during the event, like the popular one Authors on the Air by Pam Stack. Here’s Pam with her helper Joan (R) with Guy and Deb (Center).

So Pam scored an interview with Michael Connolly, who went on right before me on the podcast-
so my story is that he was my opening act!

Not to say people enjoy getting their picture taken with Linda, but here’s Rick Ollerman doing so.

And Brendan DuBois

Not as good-looking, but still terrific guys, Robert Downs and Warren Moore, who I’ve met at Bouchercons past.

And speaking of nice, here’s Mindy Meija, of the Twin CitiesSisters in Crime, vamping it up

Paula Munier, who has her first book just out!

Are we going to call this fellow nice? Sure, let’s go with that. Josh Stallings.

Jordan Harper, whose book She Rides Shotgun is amazing. More so that it’s his debut novel.

Terence McCauley, here with Pam and Heather Graham

Clea Simon

Christine Carbo

Daniel Palmer and Rebecca Drake

Pamela Winston

And those I didn't get a chance to shoot with my camera like our Canadian attendee Ryan Aldred