On Friday I'm going to visit some family in the DC area, THEN I'm going to the Malice Domestic mystery convention! I'm not sure how many years I've been attending this one, but it's the one I've been to the most--at least 6 times.
I worked on packing my clothes today and almost have that finished. But that's the easy part! Would you like to know what all is involved for my trip this year? I'm doing it up because of my nomination for an Agatha Award. (Like how I slipped that in--again?)
When the call came out to donate a basket for the charity auction, I contributed to one from the FISH TALES anthology group. Two of my fellow Guppies, Krista Davie and Daryl Gerber, are nominated for Agathas for their stories in that book. I'm also donating a basket with a CHOKE theme. Luckily, I mailed those things and don't have to pack them.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sisters in Crime, our chapter, the Guppies, wrote 25-word mystery stories. Yes, this can be done! Flash fiction at its best. A lot of Gups jumped into this project and the result is a whole bunch of these little gems. One Guppy, Theresa deValence, formatted the stories into a booklet which I volunteered to hand out for Guppy promotion at the conference. Those are being mailed, too, so I don't have to pack them.
However, I also volunteered (there are LOTS of things you can volunteer for at this conference) to host a table during the banquet. It's not necessary, but it's nice to give little table favors to the people who sign up to sit at your table. So I've been haunting the dollar store and other places and will have to pack those.
I'll also have to remember to pack my bookmarks--new ones made up with the five covers of my books: my novel, my short story collection, and three anthologies I have stories in. I had a very good year in 2011, getting my novel published AND those short story anthologies. I squeezed in a QRC (quick read code, I think). I wonder if anyone really uses those.
Can't forget my camera, my laptop, a flash stick with my latest projects on it, my e-reader loaded with some airplane reading. I won't need to bring other books, since I'll be given a bag full at Malice and won't be able to resist buying even more. A swimsuit? Maybe--oh sure, might as well. I'll also bring some copies of my collection, A PATCHWORK OF STORIES, to sell on consignment in the book dealer room where my novel will be on sale. The book dealer, Mystery Loves Company, has ordered those, so I won't have to deal with them either, unless there are problems with ordering. Fingers crossed!
I'll be back with a report (and pictures if I remember to take them) in May. Meanwhile, look for Evelyn David's guest blog on Friday, the 20th, and the chance to win a FREE BOOK! I'll check in here when my flight lands.
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