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September, 2008
With gas prices high and airports a hassle, I've stayed close to home and concentrated on my writing. But, California is a big state with many opportunities for promotion, and I live smack-dab in the middle of the state.
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Marilyn Meredith and me |
The big news I have to announce is that I have a new publisher. Billie Johnson of Oak Tree Press is a friend from the Public Safety Writers Association. We see each other at the Vegas conference every year. She enjoyed my first book and is eager to publish the next book in the Christy Bristol Astrology Series. Be on the lookout for WHERE ANGELS FEAR in the coming year.
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Me with author Michael Mehas at PSWA Conference |
This year's PSWA conference was at the beautiful Suncoast Hotel and Casino the city of Las Vegas. I was happy to see friends I met last year and make new acquaintances. I'd promoted Mary Montegue Sikes and her novel EAGLE RISING on my Murder Circle. I met Michael Mehas, who wrote STOLEN BOY. This year Victoria Heckman, author of the KO'D Hawaii series and my “Sister” from the Central Coast Sisters in Crime, became a member.
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Giving my speech on pulp cover art.at the Public Safety Writers Conference
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I did a presentation on Pulp Cover Art and the artists who drew the lurid covers that made the mystery genre so popular in the '40's and '50's. It was fun to research and a sexy workshop to present to the group. My speech was the first one in the morning and I certainly got their attention with copies of those covers!
At the end of the conference we carpooled to Cheesecake and Crime, a book store in Henderson, NV. We did a group signing and ate luscious cheesecake. It's great to find a book store so supportive to the genre. You can find a link to the book store in my Links section, as well as a link to PSWA.
| With Poet Sarah Cortez at Cheesecake and Crime Bookstore, Henderson, NV |
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With Dennis Griffin signing at Cheesecake and Crime |
| Sarah Cortez, Marilyn Meredith and Michelle Perin |
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I was invited by the Kings County Library to help put together their Local Authors Program. I spoke to the library crowd last year and you can view my speech on the Home page. I'm excited for a chance to promote local authors in the area. I've even convinced Dennis Griffin and Michael Mehas from the PSWA group to travel to the Valley to participate. On the links page is the addy for the library. If you want to read more about the program, check out my blog “Field of Dreams” at the KC Writers blogspot. I have the addy listed in my Links.
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Speaking at the Hanford Library
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I haven't been writing too many short stories, but I'm happy to report that Sniplits took two of my shorts and are offering them as audio downloads at the site. “Sayonara, Mr. Chips” never got the readership I felt it deserved (the contest folded), so I'm happy it's now available. An Asian man reads he story and does Mr. Oshikane justice. “True Confections” continues to be popular and is “the little story that could.” Those 500 words have earned me more money than any other story. Sniplits is listed on my links.
My Guerrilla Workshop, which I first presented at PSWA and then to Murder in the Grove, continues to be in demand. This year I gave the workshop at the Erle Stanley Gardner Festival, the Chowchilla Writers Group and the Central Coast Sisters. I handed out dog tags that said “Guerrilla Writer” for the women who participated in San Luis Obispo.
| Teaching my Guerrilla Writing workshop at Murder in the Grove. Photo by Loay Abu-Husein. |
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I always enjoy doing events with the Coast Sisters. Signing at the San Luis Obispo Book Fair is one event we do together. This year Denise Hamilton was there with LA NOIR, the anthology she edited. With her were Jim Pascoe and Naomi Hirahara. Naomi wrote the book “Snakeskin Shamesin” and had the antique instrument with her. Her husband knows how to play it.
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Naomi Hirahara and the Snakeskin Shamisen
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Denise Hamilton, Jim Pascoe, Naomi Hirahara, authors of LA Noir. |
| CCC Sisters at SLO Book Fair |
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On my last visit to the coast, Victoria and her husband invited me and my friend, Kate Anderson, to their home. Husband Dave Doust crafts beautiful waterfalls from natural materials. You can see his work at http://www.davedoust.com. I will be hanging out with Victoria at Left Coast Crime, Hawaii. Victoria is from the islands and sets her mysteries there. I'm sure we will be partners in crime. My sister Cathy, who often accompanies me to conferences, is treating me to this one. She'll be exploring the island while I'm stuck indoors, listening to the panels.
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Victoria Heckman and I will be together at LCC Hawaii. |
Older news pages:
July 2007
March 2007
December 2006
April 2006
June 2005
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