Tag Archive for: PSWA

Now I’ve Got This Up on the Right Date Now

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Actually, I thought I’d written a post for my turn on the blog, but if I did, it disappeared. So I wrote one and put it up on the wrong date–so now I’m doing it again, just realize that I wrote it a week ago.

I spent Thursday through Sunday in Ventura CA–and though that’s a
wonderful place to visit, I was there for the Public Safety Writers
Association’s Board Meeting. We only meet once a year, though stay in touch via email.
For many years I’ve been the program chair for their annual conference in July,
but I’ve turned the job over to someone younger and certainly as
capable or more so than me.

While there, of course, I was too busy to get any work done–and now
that I’m home, I’ve got a long, long list of things I must
accomplish–and one is working on my latest book.

I’m also planning a blog tour for my next Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery.
While in Ventura, I took some photos of places that could be in my
fictional town of Rocky Bluff.

Ventura is a wonderful place right on the Pacific Ocean. It has the most
fabulous restaurants–many within walking distance of the hotel where
are board meeting was held. The town is also famous because Erle Stanley
Gardner had first law office here. And it’s the home of the San Buena
Ventura Mission. Years ago, I was a day care center teacher in Ventura
and was in charge of the school age kids during the summer. We walked
all over the old downtown. It has changed a lot since that time.

The beach

Ventura Keys–where the rich people live.

And now it’s time for me to hunker down and get some work done!

Marilyn


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The Stiletto Gan

How Do You Decide Which Mystery or Writing Conference to Go to?

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Going to mystery cons are so much fun–and I used to go to a lot more than what I do now. The main reason I’ve cut down is I no longer enjoy flying. I’ve always had to change planes at least twice and often three times. Once I had to change concourses which meant a bus ride and going through security again.

Back when it was easier, I went to Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime no matter where they were (well in the U.S. anyway.)  After a while it was like going to a reunion because of meeting old friends–some of whom I met at previous cons.

One of my favorite cons was Mayhem in the Midlands which is no longer in existence. Too bad, Omaha was a great place to visit. And that was part of the whole experience, because all these cons are held in different cities, there is the opportunity to see places you’d never get to otherwise.

I went once to Love is Murder and loved it. Being a California native, what I didn’t love was flying in right in front of a snow storm–though loved the snow once we got settled in the hotel. Also loved meeting new people, and spending time with old friends too.

I’ve been twice to Malice Domestic–loved it, but it’s just too far away.

Left Coast Crime is another favorite–and I will be going to the one in Monterey CA–that’s drivable for me. Whether or not I’ll go to Bouchercon (also in CA–Long Beach) hasn’t been decided. Driving in L.A. traffic is another things I’ve given up.

One writing conference I go to every year is Public Safety Writers Association’s conference. The participants are made up of men and women in many public safety field, active and retired: police, FBI, dispatchers, firefighters, the Air Force equivalent of NCIS, on police psychiatrist, most of whom write mysteries or want to write mysteries and a small contingent of mystery writers who have figured out this is a good place to make friends with people who know how it really is. A small conference, it’s easy to really network.This one is always in Las Vegas in July–another I can drive to, and the month it’s held makes the hotel price cheap.

Epic is a conference for e-published authors and publishers. I’ve been to most of them. This is small and moves around each year. Whether I go to anymore will depend upon where they are

The big question is why go? First off, it’s fun. Mystery readers attend Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime. An author can meet readers with a little effort (means speaking to strangers), being friendly, and handing out business cards or bookmarks. I’ve met several readers this way who have since become my fans..

Because most of us are mystery fans too, it’s great to see your favorite authors and tell them how much you love their books.

What Mystery or Writing Conferences do you go to, and why?

Marilyn

Coming very, very soon. #13 in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series!