Mystery Week

Everyone who knows Crimespree, knows that we spent this past week in New York City. What a week it was. I came to the party late. Trailing two days behind Jon, Paul, Jen and Judy.

Here are the bullet points.

Great meetings with many of New York's top publishers. We were there to talk Bouchercon involvement. The enthusiasm was gratifying. Jon has developed a good and quick presentation over the past three years. I'm a proud wife.

Big News for two of Mystery's champions.

Agent extraordinaire David Hale Smith has joined Inkwell Management in a move that I believe to be brilliant for both sides. The incredible talent the two are merging promises great reading ahead for readers everywhere.

Good Friend Ben Leroy of Tyrus Books had some news of his own. I am very excited both by the launch of F&W Crime, and the future of Tyrus Books. Ben has an eye for fiction that thinks outside the box and adds to the world of books.

Tremendous Launch for THE RICH & THE DEAD at The Mysterious Bookshop: When hundreds of people descend upon an independent bookstore on a Tuesday evening, it reaffirms my belief in the book itself. The bookstore on Warren Street was pulsating with life and overflowing with both authors and the folks who buy their books. If you are a reader be sure to visit this store on any New York visit.

The 65th Edgar Awards
And the Edgar goes to.....
A night of glitz, glamour, and celebration. A banquet with edible food. New memories created with old friends and new acquaintances. Long live mystery.


The Raven Winners: To see Augie (Centuries & Sleuths) Pat & Gary (Once Upon a Crime) outside of their natural milieu was worth a trip to New York. These three people have championed the book and the people who write them for many years. Owning a bookstore would be a thankless task except for their love of the written word. This one time "Payback is a Blessing". I cannot over-emphasize what it meant for me to see them receive this honor in person.

The 2011 Grand Master: Sara Paretsky is one of the world's most amazing women. Three decades ago now she began to write a series about a PI named V.I. Warshawski. This series breathed a fresh breath into the life of the Private Eye Novel, proving it could sell. Her sales encouraged many of the writers I know, male and female to begin writing what was in their gut. The sales allowed publishing houses to take a chance on talented new writers in the field of Crime.One of the founding members of Sisters in Crime, Paretsky has influenced an entire industry, from the people who publish it to the folks who report it. She has done it with a quiet elegance that has required the raising of her voice on occasion.
The champion of many social issues, Sara has lent her name and reputation to homelessness, womens' shelters and the list goes on. Her series has explored issues ranging from abortion to the quiet death of print newspaper. She does this with one of mystery's most enduring characters. V.I. is the go to chick for many of us who read and write.

That she receives this honor in a year when the presidency of the MWA is passed from Laura Lippman to Lisa Scotteline only makes it more special.

Typing from Wisconsin with two cats at her feet...