The RT Booklovers Convention was a huge success and more fun than I could shake a stick at! I'll have a full report once I'm fully conscious and have finished sorting through all the photos.
While you're waiting for my riveting RT report, feast your eyes on my updated schedule for CONvergence (Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, Bloomington, MN -- July 1-4):
Thursday, July 1
8:30 PM -- Psychology of Criminals
Location: Atrium 4
About: Many SF/Fantasy villains are portrayed as just plain evil, but in reality there is a deeper psychology behind criminal behavior that is not explored outside crime novels. Is criminial Psycholyg ever effectively explored in genre characters?
Panelists: Christoforo Pasquarette, MontiLee Stormer, Jeannie Holmes, Sherry L.M. Merriam, Dana Baird
Friday, July 2
5:00 PM -- Jeannie Holmes and Joel Arnold signing
Location: Autograph Table
About: Jeannie Holmes and Joel Arnold will be available to sign their work.
7:00 PM -- Bad Boys Are Cuter!
Location: Atrium 4
About: Why are we attracted to the bad ones? Batman, Darth Vader, Dracula, Wolverine. Good guys or bad guys, why are the dark brooding one so damn sexy?
Panelists: Amada Marquez, Tracie Peters, Jeannie Holmes, L.A. Banks, James Turnbull
10:00 PM -- Jeannie Holmes Reading
Location: Vista Suite
About: Jeannie Holmes reads from her newly released novel "Blood Law" and other works.
Saturday, July 3
11:00 AM -- How to Create a Good Villain
Location: Bloomington
About: What makes a villain stand out from all the others? How do you write a villain like Dracula or Marissa Coulter and not one like any number of villains we can't remember to use as an example.
Panelists: R. Scott McCoy, Jeannie Holmes, S.D. Hintz, Christoforo Pasquarette
Sunday, July 4
2:00 PM -- Super Sparkly Fangalicious Necromatic Notions!
Location: Bloomington
About: No, it's not on Broadway yet. The evolution of the vampire in modern fiction from sexual liberator to fuzzy love bunny. Fang bangers unite!
Panelists: L.A. Banks, Tangee Harrison, Jeannie Holmes, Nick Larson, Dayna Jean Wolter
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Delta Blues and Close Encounters of the Famous Kind
Forgetting for the moment that I'm under a crushing deadline to deliver the sequel to BLOOD LAW, I ran off to the Mississippi Delta for a weekend of debauchery with a bunch of writer friends.
The drive up was interesting in that Mark, my Official Marketing Genius (O.M.G.), and I were in
our new "tour bus." Yes, that is indeed a Smart car. In fact, it's Mark's every day, drive to work and putter around town car, but he had a special "wrap" applied just for me and BLOOD LAW. (Ain't he sweet? And, yes, that's the original book cover on the car. We'll swap for the new soon.) After making a few wrong turns, getting lost, and finding B.F. Egypt, MS (yes, there is a town in northwestern Mississippi named Egypt), we finally arrived at our destination: Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, MS.
GZBC played host to the DELTA BLUES mystery anthology launch party, aka Writer's Weekend of Debauchery. However, before the
real party started, Mark and I met up with our friends Michelle and Alexis for a birthday celebration dinner in Mark's honor on Friday night. We headed over to Madidi, a restuarant also owned by Morgan Freeman, (Are you sensing a theme here?) and had a great time with great food. If you ever have an opportunity to eat at Madidi, order the garden spinach and parmesan risotto with the tempura shrimp. Out...of...this...world...good!
Saturday was a day of walking around downtown Clarksdale and taking in the sights. Of course, some of the best sights were in GZBC itself. Where else will you see this sort of decor?
Yes, the patrons are encouraged to write on the tables, the walls, windows, blinds, curtains, and just about any other available surface. Thousands of people have left their names and notes behind. I even added my own name to the wall upstairs outside of the apartments.
Saturday was also the day the winners of the Delta Youth Writing Contest were announced. (Congrats to all of them!) On hand to extend his own congratulations to the winners was none other than Morgan Freeman! Squeee! Yes, I was in the same room as "god." Unfortunately, I wasn't able to actually meet him. (Photo of Mr. Freeman and Carolyn Haines with DELTA BLUES anthology snagged from Carolyn's Facebook page. Like I said, I wasn't able to get this close. He was long gone by the time I was able to get through the book sale line. *pout*) Following the awards ceremony, anthology contributors signed copies of the DELTA BLUES with $1 of all proceeds from the sale of DELTA BLUES benefiting the Rock River Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping the arts and literacy in the Delta. (Books are available in hardcover, paperback, and limited edition versions. If you were unable to make it to the launch party, please know that you can still help as $1 for each book sold will be donated.)
Saturday night began the true debauchery when the Blues Muse Band took the stage at GZBC. Made up of anthology contributors, the Blues Muse rocked the house. They even had groupies! Band members were:
Michael Utley—keyboard
Nathan Singer—guitar and vocals
Michael Lister—drums
Daniel Martine—guitar and vocals
David Sheffield—harmonica
Lynne Barrett—vocals
Charlaine Harris—back-up
Carolyn Haines—back-up
Alice Jackson—playing the box
Mary Saums—bass and vocals
Toni Kelner—vocals
The entire weekend was a blast! Thanks to Carolyn Haines for inviting me to come hang out with a bunch of great writers. It was much needed down time, and now it's back to work on the BLOOD LAW sequel! Wheeeeeee!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
She went thatta way! No! That way! The other that way!
I confess. I live a double life.
I have an uncanny ability to memorize the layout of a building within minutes are remember where rooms are located. I retain these "blue prints" for years it seems. I remember the layout of a childhood friend's house and I only visited her home once for a birthday party before she moved away. Stores, airports, restaurants, office buildings, hotels...I memorize it all. A useful trick at conferences.
However, there is another side of me. The side that couldn't find its way out of a paper sack in the dark with two hands, a flashlight, and a map. Don't ask me which direction is north from any given spot because I can't tell you. The same goes for the other directions. And, no, the sun's position doesn't help because unless I see it moving I can't tell west from east. I often confuse left and right turns and have to back track. It's frustrating, really.
So you're probably wondering if there's a point to all this. There is. But first, an example of my fabulous sense of direction:
Last Tuesday I left home for my weekly Citizen's Academy meeting with the Mobile Police Department. I hadn't been there in a couple of weeks because of Bouchercon and post-travel recovery time. The path to where the meetings are held is familiar so it doesn't give me trouble...with the exception that it's close to downtown and I never go downtown by myself. One way streets confuse the hell out of me so I avoid that area whenever possible.
The trouble began with I arrived for the meeting to discover no one was there. Because I had some jackass following too closely behind me I wasn't able to slow down and make a U-turn in the parking lot like I wanted. I decided I'd go to the next major street and make the block. Sounded like a good plan at the time. Heh...yeah...right....
I turned left at the next major street knowing I needed to make a left to get back to Government Street and from there back home. Unfortunately, the street I'd chosen didn't lead back to Government, at least not right away. I'm searching for Government Street and realize too late that I'd just crossed it. I'm now in the land of one way streets and have no freaking clue what street I'm on anymore. All I know is that the street lights are getting further apart and dimmer by the second. Buildings are boarded up and the general vibe of the area is not a good one.
So I find a place to make a U-turn and call Mark. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: "I'm freaking out! I'm lost in downtown!"
Mark: "Where are you now?"
Me: "How the hell should I know? I'm fucking lost!"
Mark: "What street are you on?"
Me: "I don't know."
Mark: *sigh* "Do you see any cross streets?"
Me: "They don't have signs that I see. Wait. Here's one.... *driving through intersection* Damn it! That was Government. Again!"
Mark: "Turn around and go back."
Me: "All call you back in a few. Got to making another 'youie'."
I turned around and drove back to Government. Got in the left turn lane. Light changes and I'm heading home....so I think.
If you've ever been to downtown Mobile you will know there are a few distinguishing landmarks. One is the newly built "skyscraper" with the unfinished looking top. (I don't know that official name of the building and honestly, don't really care.) Another landmark is the Bankhead Tunnel. I'm driving along Government and wondering why the skyscraper appears to be getting closer. If I'm heading west towards home, I shouldn't even see the damn thing. Now I'm utterly confused and to add to my confusion, I drive past the Bankhead Tunnel entrance. It finally dawns on me that I'm going the wrong direction.
Again.
Government Street literally runs into Water Street and your choices are left or right. I'm on the phone with Mark and waiting to turn right onto Water Street. The conversation goes something like this:
Me: "I went the wrong way. I'm turning right on Water Street now."
Mark: "Okay, you--"
Me: *sees a sign for I-10 East to Pensacola, Florida and a looming interstate on-ramp* "Crap! This is not what I wanted!" *quick turn onto Canal Street*
Mark: "What's going on?"
Me: "I can see I-10 but I can't get to it to go west. I'm on Canal Street. I think."
Mark: "Canal isn't going to take you--"
Me: *sees a 'No Outlet' sign* "Grrr! I fucking hate downtown!"
Mark: "Park somewhere and I'll come get you."
Me: "There are no street lights here. I'm not stopping. Hell no."
Mark: "Then what do you want me to do?"
Me: *making U-turn* "I'm heading back to Government. Once I get there, I can get home. I hope."
Once I finally was heading the right direction on Government Street, getting home was a snap. However, the whole ordeal was an hour of my life I'd rather have back. It certainly didn't enhance my love of driving downtown, and I mean downtown anywhere, not just Mobile. I had similar experiences when I lived in Denver, Colorado that didn't endear downtown Denver to my heart either. Then again, I also had similar experiences in both McComb and Brookhaven, Mississippi, and I grew up visiting those towns. I think any downtown area and I are destined for a rocky relationship.
So, now you're probably really wondering where my point is in this story. It's coming. Next post... ;-)
I have an uncanny ability to memorize the layout of a building within minutes are remember where rooms are located. I retain these "blue prints" for years it seems. I remember the layout of a childhood friend's house and I only visited her home once for a birthday party before she moved away. Stores, airports, restaurants, office buildings, hotels...I memorize it all. A useful trick at conferences.
However, there is another side of me. The side that couldn't find its way out of a paper sack in the dark with two hands, a flashlight, and a map. Don't ask me which direction is north from any given spot because I can't tell you. The same goes for the other directions. And, no, the sun's position doesn't help because unless I see it moving I can't tell west from east. I often confuse left and right turns and have to back track. It's frustrating, really.
So you're probably wondering if there's a point to all this. There is. But first, an example of my fabulous sense of direction:
Last Tuesday I left home for my weekly Citizen's Academy meeting with the Mobile Police Department. I hadn't been there in a couple of weeks because of Bouchercon and post-travel recovery time. The path to where the meetings are held is familiar so it doesn't give me trouble...with the exception that it's close to downtown and I never go downtown by myself. One way streets confuse the hell out of me so I avoid that area whenever possible.
The trouble began with I arrived for the meeting to discover no one was there. Because I had some jackass following too closely behind me I wasn't able to slow down and make a U-turn in the parking lot like I wanted. I decided I'd go to the next major street and make the block. Sounded like a good plan at the time. Heh...yeah...right....
I turned left at the next major street knowing I needed to make a left to get back to Government Street and from there back home. Unfortunately, the street I'd chosen didn't lead back to Government, at least not right away. I'm searching for Government Street and realize too late that I'd just crossed it. I'm now in the land of one way streets and have no freaking clue what street I'm on anymore. All I know is that the street lights are getting further apart and dimmer by the second. Buildings are boarded up and the general vibe of the area is not a good one.
So I find a place to make a U-turn and call Mark. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: "I'm freaking out! I'm lost in downtown!"
Mark: "Where are you now?"
Me: "How the hell should I know? I'm fucking lost!"
Mark: "What street are you on?"
Me: "I don't know."
Mark: *sigh* "Do you see any cross streets?"
Me: "They don't have signs that I see. Wait. Here's one.... *driving through intersection* Damn it! That was Government. Again!"
Mark: "Turn around and go back."
Me: "All call you back in a few. Got to making another 'youie'."
I turned around and drove back to Government. Got in the left turn lane. Light changes and I'm heading home....so I think.
If you've ever been to downtown Mobile you will know there are a few distinguishing landmarks. One is the newly built "skyscraper" with the unfinished looking top. (I don't know that official name of the building and honestly, don't really care.) Another landmark is the Bankhead Tunnel. I'm driving along Government and wondering why the skyscraper appears to be getting closer. If I'm heading west towards home, I shouldn't even see the damn thing. Now I'm utterly confused and to add to my confusion, I drive past the Bankhead Tunnel entrance. It finally dawns on me that I'm going the wrong direction.
Again.
Government Street literally runs into Water Street and your choices are left or right. I'm on the phone with Mark and waiting to turn right onto Water Street. The conversation goes something like this:
Me: "I went the wrong way. I'm turning right on Water Street now."
Mark: "Okay, you--"
Me: *sees a sign for I-10 East to Pensacola, Florida and a looming interstate on-ramp* "Crap! This is not what I wanted!" *quick turn onto Canal Street*
Mark: "What's going on?"
Me: "I can see I-10 but I can't get to it to go west. I'm on Canal Street. I think."
Mark: "Canal isn't going to take you--"
Me: *sees a 'No Outlet' sign* "Grrr! I fucking hate downtown!"
Mark: "Park somewhere and I'll come get you."
Me: "There are no street lights here. I'm not stopping. Hell no."
Mark: "Then what do you want me to do?"
Me: *making U-turn* "I'm heading back to Government. Once I get there, I can get home. I hope."
Once I finally was heading the right direction on Government Street, getting home was a snap. However, the whole ordeal was an hour of my life I'd rather have back. It certainly didn't enhance my love of driving downtown, and I mean downtown anywhere, not just Mobile. I had similar experiences when I lived in Denver, Colorado that didn't endear downtown Denver to my heart either. Then again, I also had similar experiences in both McComb and Brookhaven, Mississippi, and I grew up visiting those towns. I think any downtown area and I are destined for a rocky relationship.
So, now you're probably really wondering where my point is in this story. It's coming. Next post... ;-)
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