Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Author Julius Thompson and Swangin Webster 03/09 by One Karma Authors Lounge | Blog Talk Radio

Author Julius Thompson and Swangin Webster 03/09 at 6pm by One Karma Authors Lounge Blog Talk Radio

Make sure to tune on Friday March 9th for the PWP take over with Authors Julius Thompson & Swangin Webster.

We will find out about their novels and whats in these two talented Authors future plans in literature. 

Call in to speak with the host and the authors.
(646) 200-4542

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Love Is Murder

Love is Murder is over and what a great time I had!

I learned so much from David Morrell and Hank Phillippi Ryan; who I might add loved my shoes. Hank, not David. Oh, you thought Hank was a guy. No, she a very beautiful woman with the prettiest salt and pepper shoulder length hair. She is an investigative reporter for Channel 7 in Boston and she is also a lover of shoes. Oh, but I am totally off topic.

Love is Murder is run by some very dedicated volunteers. Yes I said volunteers. These women and men dedicate themselves for the rest of us. The meals,the cocktail hour and the mass book signing and even the one act play is all done by the little worker bees scurrying behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Hanley is the cutest woman ever! She made sure that everyone was having a nice time and she also came to the rescue when the computers went down and no one could register into their room so no one had a place to 'freshen' up before the panel discussions began. She offered her room up to a few of us and we were able to face 'our' public with a renewed spirit.

The staff was excellent and the service was impeccable! The food was incredible and the volunteers of LIM did a fantastic job. Who knew that scrambled eggs with roasted tomato and asparagus made a good breakfast?

I met some great people and made great friends I can't wait until next year. Yes, it's definite. I will be there every year from now on.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

One size DOES fit all

What a wonderful weekend it was! I attended the LIM conference. Love Is Murder is an annual conference held over the super bowl weekend and it was a blast!

I met some wonderful people but that will be a different blog, different day.

What I wanted to tell you was that one size DOES fit all. There was a vendor who sold shoes. Imagine my giddiness but then imagine my disappointment as shoe after shoe after boot was "not available in your size".

What! What! I could hardly breathe. I'm not sure, but I think I blacked out for a second. She went behind her 'magical' curtain to see if she had more in 'stock' but she peeked her little blond head out after almost two minutes and said, "can you wear a 10?"

I wanted to scream! NO, now find me a 9 in that red/black stiletto or at the very least in the red ruffle topped boot! After five LONG minutes she finally came out and said. "Sorry hun, we only have an eight."

She then told me, "well come back in ten minutes, I'll check my stock and see what I have in a nine." Armed with that, I went to my next panel discussion; apatly titled, how to lift fingerprints; which might have come in handy. Or at the very least show me what NOT to touch. I walked happily back to the 'vendor' room and looked for the little blond haired woman, who I might add was wearing the red ruffled topped boots that I wanted. She looked at me sympathically and said, "Sorry Hun, I don't have any size nines."

It all became a blur. My eyes went crossed, my breathing quickend and I believe I was in a state of shock.

What! What! What the heck has happened to all the little feet people? Have they all grown a size larger? I used to find size nine all day, every day and now you are telling me that a size nine in your 'traveling' shoe store is 'not available." At that moment, I became a mystery author. Plotting how I could get my hands on those size nines. I innocently asked, "well do you know who bought the last size nine?" Imagine my surprise when she told me,his name and room number; "because he bought them for his wife."

Hey we are at a mystery conference, what better way to end it, than with a TRUE mystery?
Who killed the man in room 211 with a stiletto shoe to the back? Perfect crime, right? Well it would have been had I not announced, "Well, I think I can take him." Yeah, I doubt if I would have made it to the lobby with my new red/black stiletto shoes.

So I guess the saying IS true, one size DOES fit all. Much to my chagrin, but there is ALWAYS next year...

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

LOVE IS MURDER--or is it?

This week I will travel to the Love is Murder conference in Chicago. This conference is held every year and I have known about it for at least a couple of years. It is held on Feb. 2-5 this year and yes the super bowl is being played, but there are televisions there.
This year I finally decided, you know; I'm going and boy am I glad that I decided that. As soon as my registration was paid for I received a phone call from one of the organizers, Hanley (and yes,her name is as unique as mine)and she was so bubbly. Imagine my shock when she asked me to be on a panel and possibly a moderator. Now here is the sad part. Hanley said, "you know we are not that well attended by the African American writers". What? Are you serious? I know there are THOUSANDS of us out here and yet this conference, has literally a handful, yes her words, of African American authors attending.
Well, I will do my best to change that. I know there are some great mystery writers, romance writers and thriller writers that are African American; why aren't you attending. Is it because you think because you can't, or do you limit yourself to genre specific events. Let me tell you, she will always see my face from now on. During the first week in February, you can believe I will be in Chicago, rubbing elbows with publicists, NY best selling authors and the best that the publishing industry has to offer. How many of you will be there next year?