Changing My Life Style
by Kay Kendall
Five years ago I left my
public relations career of three decades and devoted myself to writing full-time.
I thought I knew what this would be like, but I was so wrong. My expectation
was that my life would be solitary, with little outside contact. My world would
shrink and my conversations grow few and far between—held mostly with my
husband, my dog Wills, and our three house rabbits. Well…wrongo!
public relations career of three decades and devoted myself to writing full-time.
I thought I knew what this would be like, but I was so wrong. My expectation
was that my life would be solitary, with little outside contact. My world would
shrink and my conversations grow few and far between—held mostly with my
husband, my dog Wills, and our three house rabbits. Well…wrongo!
Instead, my friend
list—both real and virtual—has multiplied like crazy. I converse with new people
all the time and have never been happier. Sure, I do spend hours in what I
fondly call my writer’s lair, dreaming up mystery plots and scheming villains.
But when I need a break, I go online and talk to my virtual friends all over
the continent or attend an author’s event. If it’s my own, I hang out with my
readers, and if it’s for other writers, I talk to writers I admire.
list—both real and virtual—has multiplied like crazy. I converse with new people
all the time and have never been happier. Sure, I do spend hours in what I
fondly call my writer’s lair, dreaming up mystery plots and scheming villains.
But when I need a break, I go online and talk to my virtual friends all over
the continent or attend an author’s event. If it’s my own, I hang out with my
readers, and if it’s for other writers, I talk to writers I admire.
|
| T. Jefferson Parker and me |
I don’t know if this is
true for authors who write in categories other than mystery/thrillers, but in
this genre, the writers are fantastically warm and welcoming. I expected the readers to be generous, but the
friendliness of other mystery authors was a wonderful surprise.
true for authors who write in categories other than mystery/thrillers, but in
this genre, the writers are fantastically warm and welcoming. I expected the readers to be generous, but the
friendliness of other mystery authors was a wonderful surprise.
A case in point was a
signing event last night at Houston’s great Murder by the Book. T. Jefferson
Parker talked about his latest novel, FULL MEASURE. He has written twenty acclaimed mysteries
over the course of his thirty-year writing career, and I’ve read and enjoyed
many of them. I first met him at the annual ThrillerFest conference held by
International Thriller Writers each July in New York City. That was in 2013
when my debut mystery was released. We shared experiences of writing a
book with the Vietnam War as a background. I talked to him again at
ThrillerFest in 2014, introducing myself again because I didn’t expect him to
remember me, even though we had emailed a few times. He said, “Of course I
remember you, Kay.”
signing event last night at Houston’s great Murder by the Book. T. Jefferson
Parker talked about his latest novel, FULL MEASURE. He has written twenty acclaimed mysteries
over the course of his thirty-year writing career, and I’ve read and enjoyed
many of them. I first met him at the annual ThrillerFest conference held by
International Thriller Writers each July in New York City. That was in 2013
when my debut mystery was released. We shared experiences of writing a
book with the Vietnam War as a background. I talked to him again at
ThrillerFest in 2014, introducing myself again because I didn’t expect him to
remember me, even though we had emailed a few times. He said, “Of course I
remember you, Kay.”
His opening words at
last night’s event were, “Great to see you, Kay.” Well, if one of your writing
heroes says that, of course your sense of well-being soars. We talked about books, and he shared the
genesis of his new book, his first literary novel. A young Marine returns from hard duty in Afghanistan to find his America riven
by discord and his family farm under threat from the economic collapse of 2008.
I’m eager to read what this wonderful author has to say on these important
subjects. (He is only one of three writers who’ve won more than one Edgar Award.)
last night’s event were, “Great to see you, Kay.” Well, if one of your writing
heroes says that, of course your sense of well-being soars. We talked about books, and he shared the
genesis of his new book, his first literary novel. A young Marine returns from hard duty in Afghanistan to find his America riven
by discord and his family farm under threat from the economic collapse of 2008.
I’m eager to read what this wonderful author has to say on these important
subjects. (He is only one of three writers who’ve won more than one Edgar Award.)
Some of my new friends are writers on this blog.
As a matter of fact, I am a participant because Linda Rodriguez invited me into
the Stiletto Gang after I met her just briefly. Gang member Majorie Brody and I did a book tour together in Alabama and met another gang member at Killer Nashville a few months ago, Debra H. Goldstein. So far other gang members are online friends whom I hope to meet some day soon. Again, mystery authors are
wonderful!
As a matter of fact, I am a participant because Linda Rodriguez invited me into
the Stiletto Gang after I met her just briefly. Gang member Majorie Brody and I did a book tour together in Alabama and met another gang member at Killer Nashville a few months ago, Debra H. Goldstein. So far other gang members are online friends whom I hope to meet some day soon. Again, mystery authors are
wonderful!
Lest you think it’s this
way with all groups of writers, I hear it is NOT so! A mystery novelist on a
Bouchercon panel a few years ago said he often went to meetings with his wife, a poet, and when poets gather, it gets downright chilly, and even vicious. Therefore he was stunned at his first attendance at
Bouchercon to find all the mystery authors so welcoming. That was my first
Bouchercon too, and I had just put my toe into the big ocean of mystery authors.
I can’t speak for poets (Linda Rodriguez can though), but I guarantee you, mystery/thriller authors are
wonderful people.
way with all groups of writers, I hear it is NOT so! A mystery novelist on a
Bouchercon panel a few years ago said he often went to meetings with his wife, a poet, and when poets gather, it gets downright chilly, and even vicious. Therefore he was stunned at his first attendance at
Bouchercon to find all the mystery authors so welcoming. That was my first
Bouchercon too, and I had just put my toe into the big ocean of mystery authors.
I can’t speak for poets (Linda Rodriguez can though), but I guarantee you, mystery/thriller authors are
wonderful people.
Have you had similar experiences
with mystery authors or readers? I hope you have, and if so, I’d love to hear your tales. Please share.
with mystery authors or readers? I hope you have, and if so, I’d love to hear your tales. Please share.
*******
Kay Kendall set her debut novel, DESOLATION ROW–AN AUSTIN STARR MYSTERY in 1968. The sequel, RAINY DAY WOMEN, comes out next year. Amateur sleuth
Austin Starr must prove her best friend didn’t murder women’s
liberation activists in Seattle and Vancouver. A fan of historical mysteries,
Kay wants to do for the 1960s what novelist Jacqueline Winspear accomplishes
for England in the 1930s–write atmospheric mysteries that capture the
spirit of the age. Kay is also an award-winning international PR executive who lives in Texas with her husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel
Wills. Terribly allergic to the bunnies, she loves them anyway! Her book titles
show she’s a Bob Dylan buff too.
*******
I love mystery authors. With a few exceptions some of the best and most well-known are fun people to be around, and if you've had the opportunity to meet them, they will probably remember your name.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this, Marilyn. It was a totally unexpected treat. It is so much fun to talk about plots and the writing life and favorite books and everything with other people who care about the same things we do. Just a real joy. I still have not figured out why I like to discuss how to kill a character and do it with relish. In real life it would make me sick to my stomach. Thank you for leaving a comment!