My Writing Life

A new week and an almost new month. There will be some changes in my blog. Monday will be about what I'm doing, the gains in my wirting, the problems I'm having and other things about writing and my life. Tuesday will have excerpts from my books. Wednesday is genre days, Thursday interviews with published writers and Friday writing tips.

This week, the excerpt will be from Murder and Mint Tea, the genre Cozy Mysteries, the interview will be with Marilyn Meredith, a mystery writer who has been my friend since the first EPICON and Friday I'll finish up the Plotting segnment.

I am back from a trip begun in rain and ended in rain. Managed during the six days of travel with staying in a different place every night to do a bit of writing. Not as much as I wanted but rain travel is no fun. On the return trip, the rain was so heavy we missed the signs for an exit, fortunately not the one we needed. Spent some time with relatives and also with my husband's 50th medical school reunion. Seeing what time has done to people was interesting. The banquet had the worst food I've had for years. How can someone ruin crown roast been I'm not sure.

I'm back to the computer. Am completing the revisions of In Other Worlds -- Egypt and completing a draft of the Amber Tower. Have started the fourth and hopefully final book in the Henge Betrayed series, a YA fantasy. Also have to do some reading of things for the upcoming EPIC Ebook award since I decided to help herd writers with judging the contest. Also see what all I have for the historian role I volunteered to head the committee. Why I do these things I don't know but there's a part of me that hates to see a vaccuum.

EPICON2010

I'm back from NOLA, actually been here for several days catching up on email. Had a great time and spent most of my time visiting with people. First of all, compliments to Holly Jacobs. She's a funny lady and a fellow person of Irish descent. Though my ancestory is more of a mongrel nature having English, Welsh, German and American Indian in the mix. Bought her book though she kept telling me I didn't have to. Is that a way to sell books? Read it and though I'm not into the contemporary genre at the present time, though always subject to change, enjoyed the book. Brought back some memories since I have an adopted daughter who had a baby at a young age.
Then there's Marilyn and Hap. Have known them since the first EPICON in Omaha and still remember the Persian restaurant plus other adventures we've shared. Virginia Beach and the restaurant across the street from the hotel. Las Vegas and the cold that wasn't really cold to me.
Brenna is next and this time she appeared with a sling. Didn't try psychic healing this time though I considered doing just that. Congratulations to her after finaling for many years, she is the proud owner of an EPIC E award. Nicely done.
Jolie, one beautiful woman and one who thought she was superwoman. This aging lady stepped in to give her a hand on the decorations for the banquet which turned out to be lovely and like our own Mardi Gras. Kudos to her and may she keep writing.
Then there's Dan, from Mundania, one of my publishers. This is one funny man. He hosted the awards and kept me laughing. I did harrass him a bit about my book I'm awaiting release. Also one my grandson is dying for. He's re-reading the first in the series -- Flight. To me this was a tribute and also to my publisher for letting it into ebook and print.
Then there was Zetta and Jim, two I met in Las Vegan. He has the great accent. I've always been a sucker for a brogue. Also kilts are interesting. Zetta is a funny lady and I enjoyed our chats and showing off pictures of my grandchildren.
Lorna and Larry and also friends who are now writing mysteries as well as other things. They're savvy people. Lorna and I competed as to who laughed the most at Dan's brief monologues.
Fantasy writers Kathy and Gloria are acquaintances and I've read some of their books. Good ones. Gloria's has dragons and I'm a sucker for dragons. Trees are interesting, too.
Rick Reed was another from Las Vegan to arrive in NOLA for EPICON. He cleans up nice. And he allowed me to post a silliness on his blog.
I won't forget Kin who won the Children's YA last year and is collecting donations to be auctioned off for her local zoo. I bought her book for my granddaughter and she presented me with a cute little lamb.
Met a lot of new people and at my age it takes several cons before I remember names.
Of course there's Charlotte who did a bang up job with organizing the conference and making our stay wonderful.
Linda McLaughlin and Janet Quinn who I've known for several years and are always glad to talk about people we know.
Marcis, her husband and mother and her sort of shy daughter who is a real cutie were with us on the boat cruise.
Can't forget Carol who last year ran herself ragged being president and running the conference. This year she's facing a boatload of releases. Running ragged in a different way.
Lisa and Sean who oversees the treasury, More poser to him. Lisa has come up with bids for Williamsburg for next year. Can't wait. She had a pair of dresses for the banquet and was a real quick change artist.
Then there's Debi Sullivan, a woman with a sexy voice and a strong sense of advocacy for New Voices.
These are the names I really remember and ones I spent some time with. There were some new faces and hopefully next year I'll have the names to the faces. New Orleans is a lovely place and I did have some time speaking to natives and hearing of their experiences and their hopes. Looking forward to seeing everyone next year