What Makes Me Happy

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What Makes Me Happy

By Saralyn Richard

 

Nana with the cast of “Peter and Wendy”

Recently, one of my writer friends, Kathleen Kaska, featured me in her newsletter, the theme of which was: What Makes You Happy?

I had fun answering Kathleen’s questions and thought I’d share them with you.

  1. What makes you happy? children and dogs! A long-time educator, I taught pre-school through twelfth grade, and I never had a dull moment. Every time I thought I’d seen and heard everything, something else happened to surprise me. Being surrounded by children guarantees that you’ll have new ideas and be forced to find creative solutions. I’m similarly happy when I go places with my sheepdog, Nana. Prior to Covid, Nana and I visited more than 100 schools, libraries, and museums, where we read the children’s book Naughty Nana. Nana is a show-stopping celebrity, and watching her light up when she’s with people is magical.
  2. What songs, when you hear them, make you glad to be alive? I love show tunes. I can belt out the lyrics to almost any Broadway musical, and I’ve been known to dance around the family room while I’m singing. Happy, sad, romantic, or whatever, I love to pretend that I’m on stage, singing like a Tony-award winner. Two of my favorites are, “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady, and “Tonight” from West Side Story. I also love the Bee Gees tunes from Saturday Night Fever.
  3. What are your most profound beliefs? One of my beliefs is that time is our most precious commodity. I’m terrible at keeping track of time, though. I also believe in the power of girlfriends, great books, and ghosts.

Last weekend, my husband and I got to hear Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. (formerly of the Fifth Dimension) sing, and we visited with them afterwards. We saw them perform on our first date many years ago, when we were in college. We are still together, and so are they! Another reason to be happy!

 

What makes YOU happy?

 

Saralyn Richard loves being a writer and connecting with readers. Visit her website at http://saralynrichard.com and sign up for her monthly newsletter to receive fun info, surveys, contests, freebies, and more.

Clicking Our Heels – Summer Plans!!!!

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Summer time! What do you think about in June? For Stiletto Gang members, it’s all about our summer plans.

Barbara Eikmeier – We just got a teardrop camper trailer and I’m making plans for a road trip from KS to CA to camp on the beach in Oceanside, CA. We tent camped there with our kids when they were little and now we’ll do it with our granddaughter!

Mary Lee Ashford – We have no big plans this summer. Well mostly be staying around home and working on house projects. Some major decluttering going on here. Perhaps a short trip with the family or a weekend away but nothing big. However, in September we are planning a trip to Scotland and we are pretty excited about that. Look for plenty of photos!

Linda Rodriguez – We’ll be moving once again. I’m not looking forward to that nightmare, but I am looking forward to what comes after it. Just as our youngest son moved back in with us after his PhD while he was looking for a job, we will be moving in with him while we are looking for a house, since we will be moving to the town where he lives. It’s actually his idea, and he swears he’s looking forward to it. So am I. He’s a lot of fun.

Shari Randall/Meri Allen – Travel and beach time! A nephew is getting married, too, so it’s a full summer.

Debra H. Goldstein – A number of writing conferences, a lot of writing, and plenty of family fun!

Lynn McPherson – Lakeside cottage with the family and lots of good books.

T.K. Thorne – My garden. I can’t wait to see things blooming, especially around my little pond and to see the frogs come take a swim! And maybe work out how I can focus more on writing without feeling compelled to get other things done first. Wish me luck on that!

Bethany Maines – Probably a trip to Arizona to visit friends, and then our annual visit to Fairy Fest, and camping.

Donnell Ann Bell – I have a couple of conferences I’d like to attend, visits with family, my husband I are talking about a trip to Banff, Quebec, and I have monthlong jury duty in August!!

Dru Ann Love – I will be visiting Charleston, South Carolina and San Diego, California.

Saralyn Richard – Summertime is family time around here. I’m looking forward to having lots of company and fun times at the beach, barbecuing, and visiting all the tourist attractions.

Gay Yellen – Promote the new book, attend a writing conference or two, and still have time to take a non-writing couples vacation.

Lois Winston – I used to love cruising, but ever since the pandemic, I’m hesitant to travel to any place where I could wind up stuck for weeks or longer. So other than attending Killer Nashville in August, my only plan for now is to visit friends in the NY metro area and take in a few Broadway shows. Maybe in another year or two I’ll feel brave enough to consider Europe again.

Anita Carter – We’re planning for a trip to Scotland in September!

Robin Hillyer-Miles – This summer we’re enjoying our home in the SC Lowcountry, going to the beach, on local hikes, and lounging in our small backyard pool.

Kathryn Lane – To spend the summer in my beloved mountains in northern New Mexico. I’ve lost a lot of writing time this year to unexpected issues so I’m looking forward to uninterrupted writing. Bob and I will travel around New Mexico to research areas for the novel I’ve just started.

Fighting the Good Fight

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Fighting the Good Fight—For the Arts

by Saralyn Richard

My first foray into the world of teaching was as an English instructor, and I learned a lot about working with students in a required academic subject.  Several years into that career, I earned a graduate degree in administration, and I switched out of the English department and into Fine Arts. The Fine Arts department consisted of visual arts, speech and theater, music, and foreign language (still a mystery how that fits, except that foreign language does involve some performance skills).

As the Fine Arts chairperson, and later the Assistant Principal in charge of Fine Arts (and other departments), I learned a few things immediately:

  1. As elective subjects, the students were more motivated to learn, attended more frequently, and earned better grades than in the required subjects.
  2. The arts provided extensive opportunities for extra-curricular activities that enhanced and enriched the school community as a whole. In essence, Fine Arts was the heart of the school.
  3. Every year when it was time for students to choose electives, the Fine Arts had to fight for its existence.

One might wonder why classes that were so successful and valuable would have to justify their worth continually. The reasons run deep, and they extend beyond the school system and into society as a whole. There are mandates—required subjects take precedence, so resources of time, space, and personnel must be assigned to them first. There are budget restrictions. Performing arts may require expensive equipment, uniforms, and supplies. The extra-curricular activities associated with the classes add another layer of expense with travel to competitions and coaching costs.

The annual effort to promote the department and recruit students to take the classes was monumental, and it included some extraordinary teachers and events, like a Fine Arts Festival, to make a difference.

Fortunately, our board members, administrators, teachers, and parents embraced the value of the arts and pushed to keep the department viable.

Fast forward to the present, and I find myself still in the fray. As an author, I face increasing challenges in the literary arts—publishing and marketing woes, intense competition for reach into audiences, threats of AI, and more. I also serve as the President of the Board of our local historic theater, and I find the same challenges there, a scarcity of resources, a need to fill the seats for the shows, a competition for entertainment dollars.

The arts are still considered frills—nice if you can have them, but easy to cut if you need to trim the budget. Yet I can’t imagine life in a society where there are no books, plays, concerts, ballets, symphonies, or art galleries to provoke thought and discourse and to touch people’s hearts. We can’t have culture without arts, and we can’t have a full life without culture.

I dislike politics in all its forms, but I always stand up for the arts wherever and whenever I can. Do you?

Saralyn Richard writes award-winning humor- and romance-tinged mysteries that pull back the curtain on people in settings as diverse as elite country manor houses and disadvantaged urban high schools. An active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn teaches creative writing and literature, and continues to write mysteries. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers like you. Visit Saralyn here, on her Amazon page here, or on Facebook here.

 

Missing Malice – A Love Letter

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by Sparkle Abbey

Awards Banquet Table

Malice Domestic is the annual convention that celebrates the traditional mystery and frankly it’s one of our favorites.  This year we were unable to attend and we were so bummed. From our very first Malice Domestic and multiple ones since that first one, the mystery community welcomed us. We’re so grateful for the opportunity to meet readers who have become friends. And thankful for all the wisdom shared, advice offered,  and great tips from other mystery authors. Sometimes tips about things we were too new to the business to even know we were going to need to know. We listened, we took notes, and we soaked it all in.

It was necessary but so very difficult to not be there this year. We were sad to miss getting to meet new people, see old friends, and share in the celebrations. To everyone who posted photos on social media, thank-you so much. It was wonderful to get to live a little bit of that Malice magic vicariously.  To all of the Agatha Award nominees and winners that we didn’t get to congratulate in person – congratulations! If you missed the list of Agatha winners you can find it here: Announcing the Agatha Award Winners

And if you have not yet read these books, you should. All of them.

And by the way, registration is open for Malice Domestic 2024. And we’re not missing out again. We hope to see you there!

sparkle and abbeySparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Ashford and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often get together and plot ways to commit murder. (But don’t tell the other neighbors.)

They love to hear from readers and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, their favorite social media sites. Also, if you want to make sure you get updates, sign up for their newsletter via the SparkleAbbey.com website

Excerpt from HOW THE MURDER CRUMBLES

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Hi. I’m Debra and I’m an author on a deadline which means I’m working on and thinking about my WIP 24/7. Not only do I have a deadline looming, I have a release in about 50 days of a brand new series. So this is why this month’s post will be an excerpt. I seriously can’t think of anything to write. My brain is fried and it needs a break from words.

The excerpt below is from my upcoming novel, HOW THE MURDER CRUMBLES, and it’s the first book in the Cookie Shop Mystery series. It releases on June 20th in print, ebook and audio formats.

Here’s the excerpt and I hope you enjoy meeting Mallory Monroe, a cookiepreneur turned amateur-sleuth.

 

“Why was the cookie so angry with the baker?” Kip Winslow asked the group of five women as they tied their aprons. He waited for a beat before sharing the punchline.

Mallory Monroe paused as she walked out of the bakery’s kitchen. She tried not to roll her eyes at her friend and employee’s joke, knowing the punch line was going to be just terrible—and that she’d laugh all the same.

“He had a chip on his shoulder,” Kip finished with a chuckle.

The women, who had signed up for the beginner cookie decorating class, laughed at the silly joke. Though Mallory noticed one of them, who had introduced herself as Elana Peterson, barely cracked a smile. Even Kip’s worst jokes usually got a small smile. Or a groan. Something.

Once the women were settled, Kip returned to the kitchen to make sure the sugar cookies would be ready to swap out when it came time to start decorating. Mallory took her spot at the farmhouse table she’d found while antiquing. Because of her tight budget, which had no wiggle room, she had to be creative regarding the bakery’s décor. But, thanks to flea market trips, learning how to sand and paint, and a lot of elbow grease—hers and Kip’s—she had unique furnishings that added the extra oomph she wanted for the bakery.

“Are you ready to decorate?” Mallory looked at each woman, and four out of five nodded enthusiastically. The fifth, Elana, gave only a slight nod, and even that seemed half-hearted. Her friends noticed, and their excitement seemed to temper. Mallory didn’t need the group’s energy dipping. To keep the upbeat mood— after all, cookies were supposed to make people happy—Mallory quickly launched into the story of how she had become the owner of The Cookie Shop.

“I’m so happy you’re here today because I get to share with you my passion for cookies and cookie decorating. When I was a little girl, I visited Wingate and I spent most of my time right here with my Aunt Glenna.” Her voice choked, and she wondered when she would be able to talk about her aunt without getting emotional. It seemed like only yesterday Aunt Glenna had given her blessing at the re-grand opening of the bakery.

“She was a wonderful woman,” the woman to the right of Elana said. “Excellent baker.”

“Thank you. It was here, with her, that I discovered my love for baking and decorating cookies.” Mallory blinked, hoping to keep back the tears. She missed her aunt so much. She missed how her aunt smelled of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger—her own spicy fragrance from hours of baking. She missed how her aunt whispered, “When it’s made with love, the recipe is never wrong,” when Mallory messed up a batch of cookies. She smiled at the memories and then continued.

“Back then, I dreamed of being a baker like my aunt. But then life happened. I grew up, got a degree, and found success in advertising.”

“You’ve had quite a change in your life,” the gray-haired woman seated across from Mallory said.

“I have. The one thing that never changed, though, was baking and decorating cookies every chance I got. Then one day, I discovered cookie bouquets, and I was hooked. I made them whenever there was a birthday or new baby or promotion.” The last word stuck in her throat, and she swallowed hard. She hated to admit it, but she still harbored some bitterness after not getting the promotion she’d worked so hard for. Looking back, perhaps it had been for the best. It was one of the reasons she had taken the biggest leap of faith in her life—buying the bakery. And then changing pretty much everything about it.

“You’ve certainly made this place your own,” said the woman seated next to Elana.

Mallory nodded as her gaze traveled around the bakery. She’d loved the bakery just the way it was, but her vision for the space was more colorful and whimsical than her aunt’s had been.

Once the keys were handed over, Mallory had gotten to work. She’d revamped the front of the bakery. The white walls were given a fresh coat of light green paint, and then she added framed wallpaper panels. She chose a floral wallpaper with giant rhododendrons in pastel colors. Over the antique wood floor stood a long console table she’d found at a tag sale. After stripping and painting it lime green, she used it to display a variety of cookie baskets she offered. An oversized, chunky pedestal table in the center of the bakery had also been stripped and then painted a deep coral. She topped it with two smaller pedestal stands. There she displayed smaller cookie baskets and the hand-dipped gourmet apples she also sold.

She continued speaking for another minute, wrapping up her story, and then got to work. For the class, they were making simple cookie pops. Gathered together, they’d make a sweet bouquet. She demonstrated how to roll out the sugar dough, cut out the daisy-shaped cookies, and insert the bamboo stick.

She made her way around the table to check everyone’s progress. This wasn’t exactly a difficult task. Mallory expected these women to have had some experience with this basic skill of baking.

 

 

 

 

To celebrate the release of HOW THE MURDER CRUMBLES I’m giving away bookmarks and stickers.

If you send me a screenshot of your confirmed pre-order for HOW THE MURDER CRUMBLES along with you mailing address (US domestic addresses only) I will mail you a bookmark and sticker.

If you get your print books, ebooks or audio books from your local library, send me either a confirmed hold or borrow for the audio or ebook when it’s available in your library or a photo of the print book you’ve taken out of the library. Be sure to include your mailing address. Also, if the book isn’t available in your local library, please request it. 🙂

The email address to send your order confirmation is Debra@Debrasennefelder.com or just reply to this email.

 

 

 

 

Debra Sennefelder is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery series.

She lives and writes in Connecticut. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking, exercising and taking long walks with her Shih-Tzu, Connie.

You can keep in touch with Debra through her website, on Facebook and Instagram.

What’s Your Superpower?

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I’m sitting in a condo at Hilton Head Island, enjoying the rainstorm. I keep hearing the beep-beep notification of an alarm or battery going dead. I try and pinpoint its location to no avail. The maintenance guy sat on a counter chatting with the front desk operator. I explained that I have a Superpower which is great ears, and I keep hearing a beep. The maintenance guy asked what room I was in. When I told him, he said, “Aha, the door alarm.” He followed me down the hallway, but his key, a real key, not a pass card would not fit in the door marked, “Employees Only.” He headed back to the reception area to find a housekeeper who he said had the proper key.

Upon his return he shook his head and told me the door he wanted was outside, not the one he’d been trying. He asked if I still heard it because he could not. I said I did. He went outside. He returned and asked me to follow him. The rain had moved on to a faint shower, and I barely got wet when I took his steps behind my condo, which was on the corner. Inside a two-story tall eight-by-ten room was a bank of computer screens high on the wall. And the beep-beep got louder.

He pointed at the screens. “Is this what you’re hearing?”

“Yes.” We shared a high-five.

He looked up at the screens and said, “Now, to remember how to fix this.”

I waved to him before I returned to my room. Twenty minutes later, a knock came at the door.

“Maintenance.”

I opened the door and greeted him.
“Can you hear it now?”

“No.” I said. “Great job. And thank you for listening to me.”“Thank you for having great hearing before I left for the day.”

What’s your superpower?



My boss likes to as this question of others. It’s a great conversation starter and makes one think about their assets, their strengths, their abilities in a positive manner.
Besides hearing, I’m also good at knowing someone needs something before they need it. I’ll hand someone a writing instrument and a pad of paper before they think they want to take down a note. I’ll have a water bottle at the ready before speaker’s voice begins to falter and they rea

lize they need a drink.

What’s your superpower?

Lean into it today. Realize your worth. Enjoy you being you. We all have something to give to the world.

 

Robin Hillyer Miles

Robin is currently editing “Cathy’s Corner,” a contemporary romance with a pinch of magic realism that she is determined to get published before her 60th birthday this November. In the meantime, enjoy one of her short stories that can be found in “Love in the Lowcountry Winter Holiday Volumes I & II.”

Rejects Pack Trilogy

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by Bethany Maines

IT’S A TRILOGY!

So last year I swore I wasn’t going to do another “quick” release of a trilogy because that was just too much work.  The Supernatural world of the 3 Colors Trilogy was so much fun, but was I ever tired by the time A Brighter Yellow came out.  I thought that I would revisit that world, but I thought maybe I’d take a breather.

Side note: quick is in quotes because some people think quick is a book a week. To misquote Sonny and Cher – that ain’t me, babe. One a month is plenty fast.

WELCOME TO THIS YEAR’S TRILOGY

Well, apparently delivering books is like delivering babies.  They’re just so dang cute that you want another one and the mind blocks out the pain.  So, this summer I will be bringing you the Rejects Pack. The inspiration for the series was really that I watched too much Indiana Jones and The Mummy and thought… There should be werewolves in this. I love that light-hearted banter, the sweet romance, and heroes who swash and or buckle even if they’re not in full pirate mode.

The Rejects Pack Trilogy focuses on a pack of wolves (and one human) who have been rejected by their birthpacks, only to be welcomed by Alexander “Alekos” Ash in the magical wasteland of Greece. Alekos is searching for vindication–attempting to prove that his brother wasn’t responsible for the Night of 1000 Deaths that stripped Greece of magic during WWII.  And it finally seems like that goal is within his reach.

Hudson (book 1) – May 10

Hudson is a shifter wolf with a YouTube channel focused on hand-forging period accurate weaponry and he falls headlong into love, adventure, and a mysterious tomb with Yazmin Hunter-Blake, an Egyptology student looking for a treasure trove of Egyptian artifacts.

Killian (book 2) – June 14

Killian is shifter wolf on a mission to the long lost Library of Alexandria to bring back the spells to create a werewolf and save his human packmate, but amnesia, a beautiful she-wolf named Moira DeSandre and a horde of warlocks are all causing some problems.

Alekos (book 3) – July 19

Alpha wolf Alekos has been looking for the mystical cause of the Night of 1000 Deaths that stripped magic from Greece and killed his brother, but fate is about to bring him face to face with his brother’s murderer, an ancient magic, and Eliandra Smith, the human who might be his fated mate.

Stay tuned for additional fun things like Goodreads Print Editions Giveaways and E-book Edition Giveaways!

Pre-Order Here: https://amzn.to/3l32CAL

Add to your Goodreads List: https://www.goodreads.com/series/365361-rejects-pack

Enter to Win a Print Edition of Hudson: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/365402-hudson

Watch the Trailer: https://youtu.be/S7u4J8J9WWE

***

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter, or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

How to Connect with Your Local Libraries by Shari Randall

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I’ve invited two guests today, Susan Hammerman and Cari Dubiel. Both have served with me as Sisters in Crime’s National Library Liaison and they have a wealth of information and advice to share with authors eager to connect with libraries.  Susan interviewed Cari and got her helpful tips on how published and aspiring authors can connect with their local libraries, get their books added to local library collections, and pitch great topics for public programs. Cari is a published author and the Assistant Director of Twinsburg Public Library in Twinsburg, Ohio, and Susan is a writer, former rare books librarian, and coordinator of SINC’s We Love Libraries program.

Thank you for joining us! xo Shari

Published authors want to get their books on library shelves and in the hands of library patrons. What should they do to get their novels added to a library’s collection?

A writer should come in and ask for the name of the person who handles collection development for the library. Making a personal connection with the collection development librarian will really help you. Tell them about your book, where it falls, and a little about yourself. If you’re not comfortable starting the conversation in person, you could begin by sending an email to introduce yourself.

Which Libraries Should Published Authors Target?

Your local public libraries, where your books will be popular and circulate.  It’s better to contact the libraries around you—near where you live or where you’re from, where there’s an obvious connection to you or your book.

What about a broader approach? Should authors reach out to as many libraries as possible through cold calling, mass email, or bulk mailing?

I probably won’t buy a book based on a blind mailing, a cold call, or an email that went to every library in the country. There is nothing about it that would hook me in. I have to spend a lot of my budget on bestsellers. In order for me to be interested in a backlist title, I have to have a personal or direct connection to the book or the author. I have limited money to work with, but if I see a title set in or around Twinsburg or from a local author, I usually buy it. There’s an author who grew up in Twinsburg, who now lives in Georgia. His reaching out to me to tell me about his book made sense. He has a real connection to our library.

A local public library can’t purchase every published book. What should authors, especially indie and self-published authors, do to confirm their books fall within the scope of a library’s collection?

Read your library’s collection policy to make sure your novel fits. The collection policy describes what the library purchases. The policy should be posted on the library’s website. If it isn’t posted on the website, explain to the librarian that you’re an author, and ask for a printed copy of it.

What else can published authors do to connect with their local library?Think about what you can do for the library, like offering to lead a public program for them.

What are some ideas for public programs that authors could suggest?Think of broader topics that are tied to your book and would have public appeal. An author who writes a cozy series about garage sales asked me for ideas, and I suggested she have a program on how to get the best deals at garage sales. Everyone would come to that. My books have codes and cryptography. I could have a program where I talk about the history of cryptography and ciphers.

You had to research something when you were writing your book. Think about whether you could turn that research into a public program. Ask your local public librarians. Find out what’s popular.

What about writing-related topics?Those programs are really popular. Patrons like hearing about an author’s writing journey. I also had success with a program where the author talked about the difference between traditional and indie publishing.

What about authors trying to get their local libraries to host their book signings?

Unless you’re famous, a library probably isn’t going to host a book signing for your book. Solo book signings usually do not do well. You could do all the PR in the world, and unless you have a huge investment in it and a big network of your own, you’re not going to get people to attend it. If the library is willing to do it for you, then you need to make sure people show up.

Not all libraries have them, but if your library has an author fair (Twinsburg does, and it’s very popular), then try to get included in that instead.

Should aspiring authors try to connect with their local librarians or is it better to wait until they have published books?

You should try to get to know your local librarians—but in an authentic, genuine way. Ask the librarians about themselves. Get to know them. You could ask them for recommendations for comp titles for your manuscript, which would allow you to describe your work, or ask for recommendations for books on writing craft. Another option is to attend public programs you’re interested in. Also, if your local library has a writers’ group, go to it, and share your successes.

Susan Hammerman, a former rare book librarian, is the Library Liaison and coordinator of the We Love Libraries program. Susan writes crime and neo-noir short stories. Her stories have appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Magazine, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Blood and Bourbon, Retreats From Oblivion, and the Stories (Within) anthology. Website and Twitter

Cari Dubiel is the Assistant Director at Twinsburg Public Library in Ohio. She was the Library Liaison for the National SinC board from 2012-2017 and remains active in the Northeast Ohio chapter (NEOSinC). Her short stories appear in several anthologies, the most recent being Family (Writing Bloc, 2022). Cari is represented by Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency. Cari offers an exclusive work for her fans and followers, HOW TO REMEMBER, an award winner from the Mystery Writers of America (Midwest Chapter) and Library Journal. Get a free copy at caridubiel.com.

Website: https://www.caridubiel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caridubielauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/caridubiel

 

Readers, have you visited your local library lately? 

 

 

Clicking Our Heels – Our Favorite Food Places to Speed Dial

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Last month, we talked about some of our favorite foods. Rather than leaving that topic, we began to wonder what food or restaurant we each have as our respective speed dial favorites. As you can imagine, our answers are a mixed bag.

T.K. Thorne – Assuming we had such a thing where I live (our neighbors are cows), sushi.

Bethany Maines – There is a restaurant down the street that makes the BEST wonton soup, but due to the cost they’re the speed dial button I only use in case of emergency. However, Tatanka Take-Out, down the block in the other direction does know our names and will stay open an extra few minutes so we can run over and pick up our order.

Debra H. Goldstein – Pizza. Any and all pizzerias.

Anita Carter – Gateway Market for their Cranberry Walnut Salad with Grilled Chicken.

Shari Randall/Meri Allen –  I have way too many take out spots on my speed dial. My kids call me the Take Out Queen. But if I had to pick one, I’d say tacos.

Mary Lee Ashford – There are several local eateries on my speed dial and I have to confess that during the pandemic I added a few more. One favorite is Main Street Bakery & Cafe and they have the best Cuban in town. But then for burgers, there’s Lachele’s Fine Foods, and for Italian food there’s Latin King, and … well, my speed-dial is extensive. Bottom line, there are a lot of great restaurants in town and mostly my favorites are the locally owned specialty spots.

Barbara Eikmeier – La Mesa, the Mexican restaurant down the road. I love their Chicken Fajita Taco Salad, their Spanish speaking servers, and their brightly colored painted chairs carved with parrots, flowers and fruit.

Linda Rodriguez – I have a favorite Mexican restaurant, where I am considered familia, the oldest daughter is my goddaughter, and their food is fantastic, so we patronize them a lot. Just a couple of blocks from our house is a soul food restaurant, where we’re also considered family with some of the best Southern home cooking you ever ate in your entire life, and if we’ve not been there for a while, they worry about my health and check in on us.

Lynn McPherson – An NYC deli with big sandwiches, please!

Lois Winston – Because takeout involves someone other than just me, and he has very pedestrian taste in food, I’m sorry to say that it’s always the boring trifecta of pizza, Chinese, or hoagies.

Kathryn Lane – My own kitchen is my favorite place for favorite meals! I like to know what’s in my food, and I like fresh vegetables year-round, cod chowder when it’s cold, and guacamole in the summer!

Gay Yellen – Hu’s Cooking. Mr. Hu delivers fresh, authentic Chinese every time. Three Cups Chicken, full of garlic, basil, and ginger. And yes, he’s cooking.

Saralyn Richard – My default go-to restaurant is a small, cozy, clean, and friendly Greek restaurant called Kritikos Olympia Grill. Everything on the menu is fresh and healthy, but I always get the same thing–an avocado Greek salad.

Robin Hillyer-Miles – My favorite thing to order is a poke bowl with rice, lettuce, shrimp, edamame, corn, and whatever fits my fancy.

Dru Ann Love – Chinese.

Donnell Ann Bell – Hmmm, I haven’t ordered in since my husband and I moved to Las cruces. Thinking back to Colorado Springs let’s go with Thai food or pizza.

The Countdown to Malice is on!

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By Lynn McPherson

Today marks only thirty days until Malice Domestic, the annual mystery conference. I can’t wait. I’ll be on a panel, too, which makes it extra exciting. For anyone who hasn’t been, I highly recommend it. I went last year so I know it is well worth attending. The conference is in North Bethesda, Maryland, not far from Washington D.C. I’m flying there from Toronto with fellow author Desmond P. Ryan. If the timing or location doesn’t work for you, there are lots of other fabulous conferences to choose from.

Here’s a list:

Left Coast Crime, Sleuthfest, Bouchercon, Thrillerfest, Crime Bake, Killer Nashville… I’m sure I’ve forgotten one or two, but it’s a start. As I menti

oned, I went to Malice Domestic last year. I was lucky enough to go to Thrillerfest in 2019 too. I was lucky enough to be on a panel there as well. It’s worth doing your homework to decide which conference works best for you. In the meantime, I thought I’d outline reasons for attending in the first place.

  1. It is a great way to meet fellow authors, readers, and industry professionals. Like a kid in a candy store, these festivals are perfect for anyone who loves mystery. Everywhere you look, you’ll be surrounded by other mystery lovers. What’s not to love?
  2. Networking. Love it or hate it, in today’s competitive market, it’s important to get your name out there. Mystery authors have a reputation for helping each other succeed. It’s nowhere more obvious than when you meet people in person. Author friends are fun because they understand what you do, they love to talk writing, and they will share tips about what works for them. It’s not always easy to put yourself out there but it’s worth the effort. What’s better than meeting a new friend who shares your passion? Maybe you could decide to cross promote or interview each other on your website or retweet good news. That’s all networking is–making friends and helping each other succeed. Not so bad, huh?
  3. A chance to get out of your comfort zone. As writers, it’s important to engage in the world. See how others think, behave, move. Why not do it where you can learn, have fun, and be inspired? Simple.

There you have it, folks. A few reasons to take a chance and attend a conference. Is anyone else planning to attend Malice? If so, hope to see you there. Please come and find me if you do!

Lynn McPherson is the former Vice-Chair of Crime Writers of Canada, and a fan of all things cozy. She is the author of the Izzy Walsh Mystery Series, and has a new book coming out with Level Best Books in 2024. She also has a book under the pseudonym Sydney Leigh coming out next spring with Crooked Lane Books. You can find her at www.sydneyleighbooks.com