Halloween Word Search

I haven't done one of these for a long time, so here's a Word Search from my only book (so far) with a ghost.

3rd Imogene Duckworthy mystery

BROKE Word Search

E T O M A T O G A R D E N G H T U D R O P I N A T A B Y P T S H E K C I L T L A S S Z N E O P C W O L L A M H S R A M B H L N H X N C O N F E T T I O G A A Q S L L A F E E M Y W J A R V K Q F X G B R O D E O Y Y E L B M A R C S J E R K Y M S Y Y M M I E S N E T R O H A S I H C E W D E W E Y L Y J M GHOST DEWEY IMMY MARSHMALLOW VANCE HORTENSE JERKY PINATA WYMEEFALLS TOMATOGARDEN AMYJOBETH SALTLICK RALPH CONFETTI SCRAMBLE RODEO

Magna Cum Murder

Last week I previewed what I’m writing about this week. After the fact, I can tell you lots about this adventure.

I make it a point to visit a new (to me) conference every one or two years. Malice Domestic is my mainstay since at least 2006, but I’ve also gone to a couple of Left Coast Crimes, Mayhem in the Midlands, Murder in the Woods (that may not be the right name—it was in Boise ID), a few Killer Nashvilles, two Writer Police Academies, Murder in the Magic City, Alabama Writers Conclave, and one in Plano whose name I don’t remember.

Online I’ve done one Poison Pen Webcom and Mystery Thriller Week.

So this year, my new one was Magna Cum Murder in Indianapolis. I was talked into it by Margaret Hamilton, who met me there. It was our first face-to-face meeting after knowing each other online for quite some time. As you can see, from the number of conferences above, I know quite a few writers who go to them. It was VERY fun to see some that I already knew, plus meet some I knew only online, and also to meet brand new writers and others, as well, I hadn’t known at all.

The venue was the Columbia Club, which, I was told, is NOT a hotel. It was stressed to me that I should not tip the waitstaff since they’re paid better than normal. I didn’t tip the maid either, and I hope that was okay!

A man in the lobby, who worked there, told us the history of the place. He said it was the third building on the site. One previous one was used by Benjamin Harrison to stage his campaign rallies. The present edifice was built in 1924 or 1925, before The Crash. It’s over the top ornate in the wood and plaster carvings. The lobby holds a piano that was played by Hoagy Carmichel, a table that was in the oval office of Harrison, and a huge golf trophy with an interesting history. An “obscene” history, our guide said.

The trophy was given to the winner of a golf tournament held each year between the Columbia Club and the Indianapolis Athletic Club. Each year, the winner made the trophy larger, until it’s now taller than a person. In 1935, a woman from the competing club draped her diamond necklace on it. When The Columbia Club won it, they took it home, diamonds and all, and quit the tournament, retiring the trophy to their lobby! That does seem pretty underhanded.  

Anyway, the conference was held Friday through Sunday, October 19-21 and the panels were all well done and well attended. I was on two of them. Down These Mean Streets, with a PI theme, during which I discussed my Imogene Duckworthy PI spoof series. The panel was moderated by M. Ruth Myers and done by me, Terence Faherty, Dianna Collier, and Jim Doherty. The others knew a LOT about the history of PI novels.

Down These Mean Streets taken by Elaine L. Orr

My other panel was called The Mists of Time, about historical fiction and, in my case, prehistory. Moderated by Fedora Amis, the rest of us were Caroline Todd, Albert Bell, and Bradley Harper. 

Reavis interviewed by John Gilstrap

Peter Lovesey at the banquet

Guest of honor was Reavis Z. Wortham (with whom I’m privileged to share pages in the first Austin Mystery Writers anthology, Murder on Wheels.

International guest of honor was Peter Lovesey.

Unfortunately, I had to attend in a surgical Cam Walker boot, but had a blast anyway. Karen Maslowski and I amused ourselves in the bar one night. I also dined with Molly and Andrew Macrae, Susan McDuffie, and two friends of Molly's Friday. 

Friday dinner, Julia Kellman, Susan McDuffie, me, Molly MacRae, Andrew MacRae, and Phil Miller

Me and Karen Maslowski

And a few more pix.

Joe, T'Gracie Reese, and me

me with Susan McDuffie

 

Me and Bradley Harper on The Mists of Time

A Brand New Adventure

This weekend will be an adventure in several ways. What will? Magna Cum Murder!

I’m attending this conference next weekend, Oct 19-21, for the first time ever. I love going to new-to-me conferences and I also love going to old, tried-and-true cons, like Malice.

I’ll be on TWO panels, so I’m pumped about that. On Saturday at 4:30, I’ll be speaking on the topic, Down These Mean Streets—PI novels. My Imogene Duckworthy series sort of qualified, right? She wants to be one. And she works for one, eventually. My worthy panel mates are Dianna Collier, Jim Doherty, and Terence Faherty, with M. Ruth Myers moderating. 

The other panel is Sunday at 9 am. At least it will feel like 10 to me, being from one time zone over. This panel is called The Mists of Time and deals with historical novels, and one pre-history series (mine). Moderated by Fedora Amis, our panel consists of Albert Bell, Bradley Harper, and Caroline Todd.

I believe I’m meeting all these moderators and panelists for the first time, except Caroline Todd. We’ve done panels together before. I’m very much looking forward to this.

A couple of other really cool things: I’m meeting up with a few writers I see at other conferences, and will meet some people I feel that I know well online, but have never physically met. Should be fun!

Here’s another way this is an adventure. I’m getting the pin out of my toe the day before I fly there. I haven’t walked normally, without a clunky shoe or boot, for 6 weeks. And I didn’t walk well before that for a long time because of the condition of my feet. Which should be fixed, miraculously when the pin comes out and the post-op shoe comes off. Right? I can walk all over the place then. Okay, I know—I’ll try not to overdo for a bit. But then I WILL get back to walking for exercise.

photos from morguefile.com by TrisMarie and NicolaAvery

CARS TO SEE AND BOOKS TO BUY

Actually, there were lots of things to buy, including home-made pralines from a woman who grew up in New Orleans! (kimsneworleanspralines.com)

It was fun seeing all the old cars. It was a Lions Club benefit show, held in a huge local church parking lot. I spoke to the owner of the green Model A Ford. He told me, when I asked, how to tell the difference between a Model A and a Model T. He said to look at the fenders. The T’s fenders are flat and the A’s fenders are rounded at the edges. Also a T has a taller cab. His car (the green one) was, like every single one there, pristine. The most common sight was of men polishing and dusting their shiny cars.  

I liked the red ’39 Ford (I asked). The guy who owned it kept himself scarce, but the truck owner told me that the man had taken 8 years to restore it.

I didn’t see any ’40 or ’42 Hudsons. That’s what I grew up driving.

And books! The Authors Guild of TN had a double booth where xx of us sold our books. Some of us did better, but I just sold one, and wasn’t alone in that. However, the woman who bought DEATH IN THE TIME OF ICE was an anthropologist and was very interested. I hope I have a new fan!

photos by me and Denise Sherriff

Remember to never split an infinitive

This is the last of the William Safire writing “rules” for me. I’ve had such fun considering them. We all know how bogus this one is, right? Every since Star Trek: To boldly go where no (man/one) has gone before. The latter, “one,” for Next Generation, since they finally realized that there were women along and they hadn’t been there before either.

I’ve read that the origin of rules like this stem from Latin scholars, or maybe just snobs. It’s impossible to split an infinitive in Latin, since they are only one word. Esse, amare, videre, regere, audire (to be, to love, to see, to rule, to hear). Okay, but just because you can’t split them in Latin, doesn’t mean you can’t split them in English. Ours are TWO words. You can always split two words. I’m always eager to find places to happily break this rule. Which, it seems, never was a rule.*

Go ahead, cleave those infinitives, if it makes sense in your context!

*https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/split-infinitives

axe photo from morguefile.com