Conferences and Conventions

by Kaye George (who will also be Janet  Cantrell at the next convention)

Are these good for authors to attend? I had a publisher who insisted they are a waste of time and money. True, they do use up these things, but I could never call them a waste. I’ve gotten SO much out of them. After all, it’s due to Malice Domestic and Killer Nashville that I can call myself an award winning writer!

Besides the opportunity to win awards and put cool things on your book covers and in your bio, the psychological benefits are enormous.

I’ll never forget the time I arrived at Malice late Thursday night and, after chucking my things in my room, headed down to the bar for a drink. Vicki Delaney came up to me while I was ordering and said, “Hey sailor, can I show you a good time?” Vicki is a stitch! I joined her and a small group of writers at a table. We were the only ones in the bar. A rousing discussion of ellipses and em-dashes ensued. You can’t find fun like that if you’re not with a bunch of writers!

Then there was the time I lunched with Annamaria Alfieri in Nashville. She had attended a session that I hadn’t been able to, so she filled me in. We were talking about human trafficking, to use the polite term, which had been the topic I’d missed, but we were also talking about plot possibilities. When mystery writers get together, serious discussions of murder methods, plot devices, and the dark side of the human psyche flow. I would feel awkward speaking about those things in public if I weren’t with other writers. I wonder what the waiters at those conferences think.

When I first started attending conferences, I gained a huge amount of knowledge from listening to panel members talk about details of writing, also about publishing, submitting, and just plain keeping on in the face of the incredible amount of rejection we all experience.

As I’ve gotten published and am now speaking on panels, I find that I don’t need to attend the sessions about nuts and bolts writing so much, but still find it great fun to see the people I know behind the panel tables.

Which brings up another benefit, getting to meet people face to face that I’ve known online—sometimes for years. Sometimes I’m surprised at how short or tall people are, and by what their voices sound like, especially accents. After I’ve met someone, I can hear their voice as I read email exchanges and blog posts, and can picture them much better than I can from a tiny headshot.

Also, of course, there’s always the hope that attending mystery readers and fans will discover and like your books!

By the way, I’ll be at Malice Domestic in May and if you’re free at 3 on Saturday, my panel will be called “The Paws That Refresh”—a panel by writers who use pets in their novels. I think you’ll have time to get down to the bar to see the Kentucky Derby at 4. If you leave early for that, I’ll forgive you.

Have I missed any of the benefits of conferences?

Going to Nashville!

I’m going to be at Killer Nashville when this posts. This will be my second trip to this conference. Someone mentioned that there is a trolley tour available a short walk from our hotel. I won’t have time to do this, so I decided to do my own tour, before I go, from the comfort of my office.

First, some history. Nashville was named after Fort Nashborough, near which it was first located. The fort is named after Revolutionary hero Francis Nash. Situated on the Cumberland River, it grew quickly.

Its nickname is Music City, mostly country music. Four major record labels and other small ones record there. It boasts the Grand Old Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the General Jackson showboat.

Other nicknames: Athens of the South, The Protestant Vatican (or The Buckle of the Bible Belt), Cashville, Little Kurdistan, and Nash Vegas.

Gibson guitar and Nissan North America headquarters are also located in Nashville.

Three interstates meet near downtown, I-40 (the one I’m driving in on), I-65, and I-24. This must be a mess! It’s the second largest in population in the state (Memphis is largest), but the biggest in metropolitan area, spreading over 13 counties.

The town gave rise to Moon Pies and Goo Goo Clusters. I’m going to see if I can locate any of those while I’m there. It’s been ranked the 13th snobbiest city for foodie culture. Am I the only one who sees a disconnect here?

Vanderbilt University and at least 4 other colleges make this a university town, AND it’s the state capitol.

Some local dishes are called hot chicken, hot fish, barbecue. Meat and three is type of restaurant service. I might see if I can locate some of that, too.

You know, I might have to schedule an extra day or two next time.

info from:

http://www.nashville.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville,_Tennessee

Conference Crazy

As you’re reading this, I’m probably at the day job, trying to tie up loose ends before I take off to San Antonio on Wednesday. I’m excited for my first (non-drive thru) trip to Texas.  I've already promised myself a trip to the Alamo as soon as I arrive.

The conference is the Romance Writers of America national convention.  I’ve gone twice before, but this will be my first time published, agented, and partied. J So I’ll actually have something to do on Thursday evening this year.

Why do I go to a conference that takes a big bite out of my book budget? Networking. Here’s where you have easy access to editors, agents, fellow writers. The relationships I've made over the internet strengthen with a face to face meeting.  And of course, writers are also readers. I’m doing two signings while I’m there, one to support literacy, and one for the free books given away at conference.

In addition to parties and free books, the conference has amazing workshops. I’ll be focusing on branding, building my career and character development this year. My brain will come home full and fried, not just from the Texas heat, but from all the things I’m going to learn.

Once I’m home, I have one more trip on my to do list for 2014. I’m heading to Indianapolis for Magna Cum Murder in October.

So if you’re out and about at either of the two conferences, grab my arm and maybe we can grab a drink together.  Coffee or beer, it doesn't matter. I’m just happy to be climbing out of my writers cave for a few days.

Do you attend conferences? What do you love most about them?

Lynn

10 days until the release of MISSION TO MURDER - pre-order here

In the California coastal town of South Cove, history is one of its many tourist attractions—until it becomes deadly…

Jill Gardner, proprietor of Coffee, Books, and More, has discovered that the old stone wall on her property might be a centuries-old mission worthy of being declared a landmark. But Craig Morgan, the obnoxious owner of South Cove’s most popular tourist spot, The Castle, makes it his business to contest her claim. When Morgan is found murdered at The Castle shortly after a heated argument with Jill, even her detective boyfriend has to ask her for an alibi. Jill decides she must find the real murderer to clear her name. But when the killer comes for her, she’ll need to jump from historic preservation to self-preservation …

Let's Put on a Show!

Did you know that there’s a Let’s Put on a Show subgenre in musical theater? (Why don’t people tap dance any more?)

The one who made the most lasting impression on me (and lots of other people) was Mickey Rooney. 

I’m not doing musical theater, though, I writing mysteries, as are most of you reading this, I suspect. What’s the equivalent in our field? Let’s put on a conference!

My former critique team in Austin TX is doing just this on November 6th. They’ve had great good luck getting local authors to donate time and talent and the sign ups are going well. I predict a block buster event. Take a gander at what’s going on:

https://www.facebook.com/events/195810233934581/ (Click on that header to get the whole picture.)

Have you ever thought about putting on an event like this? On this scale--or a bigger or smaller one? These gals have been organizing this for months and have thought of all the details, down to designing a logo for the event.

Hey, if you’re anywhere near Austin, you might want to sign up to attend this. If not, you might want to pay close attention and say, Let’s Put on a Conference!

A Week on the Road

A Week on the Road

                                               By Randy Rawls

 

        Sometimes I have to remind myself how tiring travel is. I left South Florida last Thursday morning, heading for Cape Fear Crime Festival in Wilmington, NC. I should have known not to trust that small map I had. It's a lot farther than it looked. Anyway, made it to Santee, S.C. before deciding to employ common sense and find a place for the night. With that accomplished, I looked at gas prices. Wow, so much cheaper in S.C.--at least 30 cents a gallon--than in South Florida.

        On Friday morning, I pushed on and landed in Wilmington in the early afternoon. Met with some of the CFCF gang on Friday evening for a pizza party. Joyce Lavene and Judy Nichols provided pizza and colas. Several other authors supplied stories about our crazy world of writing. I won't mention the jokes that peppered the evening. Judy regaled us with stories of her adventures on Jeopardy. If you missed it, she won big.

        Saturday morning, too early and too cold for this old South Florida body—temperature dropped to 22 degrees overnight—I had the first session. Did my BOOT CAMP FOR WRITERS, which seemed to be well-received. One person assured me she was heading into rewrite after listening to my list of evils. As I do at any appearance with writers, I offered to critique the first 10 pages of anyone's manuscript—if that same anyone wants to hear the brutal truth. A couple of folks stepped up and said they'd take a chance. I'm looking forward to receiving their work.

        The conference continued through the day, and although attendance was small, it was a fun day. Judy and Joyce came up with a gimmick I haven't seen at any other conference. They set up a Skype connection with the Guests of Honor. First up was William Bernhardt. It was a no holds barred interview and Bernhardt hung tough and answered every question. In the afternoon, the Skype session was repeated with Alexandra Sokoloff. She, too, was totally candid and fielded some tough ones.  I may have witnessed the future of conferences. No expensive Guests of Honor on site, just Skype sessions. Having run SleuthFest a few times, I can hear the cash register kajinging with savings.

        When the day wrapped up, we hugged our goodbyes to those who had other places to be, then the rest of us met for dinner. A fun day at a fun conference with fun people.

        On Sunday morning, I was on the road again, heading for my hometown of Williamston. After a couple of days there, I was en route again. Arrived home this afternoon (Wednesday) and now sit here reporting to you, looking forward to an early bed tonight and a late rising tomorrow morning.

        If you live within commuting distance—and who doesn't since airplanes took over the skies—consider Cape Fear Crime Festival for next year. I am.

 

 

A Musing on Conferences, Cruises and Cooking Iguanas...

Writing is by definition a lonely profession. Unless, of course, you count the imaginary friends with whom you share your life. Otherwise, human contact is sporadic, and contact with other writers even rarer.

There is the internet, though, and although it is a great blessing in information, it still lacks a great deal of the personal touch. No email, however informative or pleasurable, can equal the pleasure of sitting and chatting with another writer while sipping the beverage of your choice. There is an instant camaraderie, a sense of sharing that just isn’t there with other people.

Imagine, therefore, my purring pleasure at taking my very first ever cruise and, to make it even better, it was with a bunch of writers! The Husband and I attended the Florida Romance Writers’ Fun In The Sun cruise last week, and it was spectacular. It wasn’t just romance, either; the splendid Nancy Cohen did a mystery workshop, and there were agents and editors right there on the boat with us… trapped where they couldn’t get away! (Evil laughter) There was a bookfair and a variety of workshops on all kinds of writerly subjects from time management to query letter critiques. Best of all there were other writers; writers with whom we could rejoice or commiserate or simply compare notes.

There were personal joys totally unrelated to writing, too. A day trip to the Mayan city of Tulum, where the iguanas run around just about anywhere you look. One woman there was startled to learn that they are a mainstay of the local diet; when I started to give her some of my favorite iguana recipes (learned when I lived in Mexico many years ago) she shrieked and ran. I don’t know why. I think that was really quite unadventuresome of her. Properly cooked, iguanas are quite tasty – but not as good as the food on the ship. Three exquisite meals a day, plus snacks, and none of which I had to cook! I don’t know why someone hasn’t come up with a Cruise Ship Diet – after several days of prime rib and Atlantic salmon and other gourmet goodies, one looks at a plate and thinks, “Oh, law, we have to eat again?” For once stunned into quiescence, my appetite still hasn’t recovered.

One memory I will always treasure is from the last night at sea – The Husband and I all alone at the bow of the ship, dancing on the deserted helipad under a full moon, our only music the soft swishing of waves against the bow. Sigh.

Now, as this blog is supposed to be writing related, I must get back to business, and I do promise there is a point. Writers write. We create worlds and populations in our heads, and nearly every one of us does it alone. However, we are not endless founts; we must recharge our batteries, interact with our peers and have some down time. Yes, everything generally ends up being research, but we simply cannot work 24/7, either with or without keyboard. Some of us are fortunate enough to have writer’s groups within a reasonable distance where we can talk with other writers. (And oh, how I would have loved that when I was first starting out!) If not, there are the relationships-at-a-remove available on the internet. Both are wonderful things, and a writer should have both.

But…! If you can, get to a conference. It doesn’t have to be on a ship, however yummy that might be. There are dozens of conferences – mystery conferences, romance conferences, sci-fi conferences, cross-genre conferences – happening all over the country. The intellect, the energy, the personal touch can be incredibly beneficial, as can the opportunity to meet industry professionals face-to-face. Some conferences are distant, others close; some are expensive, some not. There’s a conference for everyone.

Yes, it’s a form of working vacation. What’s wrong with that?

Janis Patterson is a 7th-generation Texan and a 3rd-generation wordsmith who writes mystery, romance, horror, children’s, non-fiction and scholarly. Once an actress and a singer Janis has also been editor-in-chief of two multi-magazine publishing groups as well as many other things, including an enthusiastic amateur Egyptologist. Janis’ husband even proposed in a moonlit garden near the Pyramids of Giza. Janis and her husband live in Texas with an assortment of rescued furbabies.

The Mystery Connection

Writing in any genre can be a solitary occupation – sure, we have critique partners, readers and often listen to music as we work, but we have to develop our stories, characters, plot, pacing, plant our clues and create our whodunit while often in a room with just our self and our computer.

But never fear, dear author, there are lots of ways to connect with other mystery writers. We get that burst of energy or inspiration from like-minded individuals, and challeng ourselves with new ideas and thoughts with interaction from other mystery writers, who may write in a different sub-genre, but who know the unique skill set needed to plant clues that don’t leap out and give away the ending, create a believable story and let the heroine/hero solve it in a satisfying way, whether that person writes sci/fi mysteries, urban mysteries, cozies, thrillers, etc.

You can take classes with some of the masters of the genre and sub-genres, meet editors and publishers, schmooze with other authors and even learn some of the business of writing!

Check out some of the conferences and festivals around North America.

http://www.sceneofthecrime.ca

http://siwc.ca

http://www.bookpassage.com/content.php?id=44

http://wordharvest.com/

http://www.killernashville.com/

http://www.sistersincrime.org/events/

http://www.mysterywriters.org/?q=mwaevents

In addition to these get-togethers, there are plenty of online courses offered where you can learn, discuss the topics with like-minded writers, and get inspired. I try to take online courses on a regular basis. Because of my location, it’s tough to get to a weekly class in person, but with the internet I can learn from the best right in my office! So, I always watch for courses that interest me – could be on plotting, or developing the business side of writing, or setting goals.

You can join various on-line writing groups and/or writing clubs that meet in person and chat regularly with other authors about the process, get answers to questions, whether on research (ie, what kind of handgun has the most kickback), plotting, or sometimes you can just chat about the latest episode of CSI!

So, while it’s a solitary profession, mystery writing is never lonely. What are some of your favorite ways of connecting with other mystery writers, and why?

Libby McKinmer
Romance with an edge

www.libbymckinmer.com

http://www.twitter.com/LibbyMcKinmer

libby@libbymckinmer.com