Malice - After the FAct

One day after one of my favorite mystery conventions and I'm still grinning like a loon. The Malice Domestic mystery conference is always a great time. I see a lot of old friends on panels and in the hospitality room. It’s great to see who wins an Agatha Award. It fun to attend a high tea, renew acquaintances with folks who share my publisher or my agent, and meet fans from as far away as Canada. It’s fun to see who is most creative in the hat contest (that’s Elizabeth Zelvin in her charming chapeau. It’s actually a chap-Poe with a bobble head of Edgar Allen lashed to the back.)

The biggest surprise was learning that some of my favorite authors - Dan Stashower, Lindsey Davis, and Peter Lovesey - are also flat out hilarious if you let them near a microphone! It’s also quite a kick to have an editor from a major publisher tell you that she is following your career and wants to know what you’re working on. That kind of thing can make an already great event truly memorable.

Malice: A forethought

I’ll spend next weekend in the company of a lot of dangerous ladies, and I wanted to give fair warning, just in case you might want to be one of them.

Friday through Sunday we’ll gather in Arlington, VA for the Malice Domestic Mystery Convention. Since 1989, Malice Domestic has been an annual mystery fan’s convention focused on the traditional mystery--think in terms of books best typified by the works of Agatha Christie. However they are a warm and welcoming group and even those of us who write private eye stories are made welcome. Besides, Arlington is the next town over so Malice is like my hometown mystery con

This year’s guests of honor include Lindsey Davis and Charlaine Harris. To prove there’s no gender bias here, Dan Stashower will serve as Toastmaster, and this year Peter Lovesey will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement award. And because writers love to be surrounded by fans, they expect more than 175 authors to attend as well.

All the panels, interviews and great meals will take place at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel. Even if you don’t live nearby you might want to check this one out. And look for me. I’ll be chatting with my favorite authors too, but never too busy to greet a fan.