Elaine Viets, Modern Moms, and Why I'll Never Write for the NYT

Well, I think it's now entirely obvious why I would make a terrible journalist! I had planned to blog each day of Left Coast Crime, but became distracted by MANY shiny objects.

A few catch-up highlights: The debut author breakfast went swimmingly, and I even had five lovely new readers at my table. Afterwards, I chatted with writers Michelle Gagnon, Alexandra Sokoloff, and JT Ellison. Simon Wood was there as well and told (in his delightfully deadpan Brit accent) a wicked story about his eight year-old self misspelling the name of a particular Norse king. And though I should've been at more panels learning things, I spent lots of time in the "Endless Conversation" room with its informal writer roundtables. There, I got to hear Kelli Stanley play the harmonica, and learn why Mario Acevedo writes cool books like The Nymphos of Rocky Flats. Last, but not least, was my own scheduled endless conversation panel with my new favorite breakfast companion, David Corbett, as well as Sam Reaves and Patricia Stoltey.

(I know that's a lot of linked names, but one of the best things about Left Coast Crime is its intimacy. Readers and writers alike get to spend lots of time getting to know one another, and these are folks I think you'll like to meet, too.)

On Saturday night, ISABELLA MOON did not win the coveted ARTY award for which she was nominated. The ARTY went to Rhys Bowen's HER ROYAL SPYNESS, a book I had been dying to read. Fortunately, on that morning's visit to Denver's cozy MURDER BY THE BOOK bookstore, I was able to pick up a signed first edition and Rhys very kindly inscribed it for me before the banquet. I devoured the book on the plane ride home, and it was exactly the charming between-the-wars (WWI and II) mystery romp that I had hoped it would be.

Best and Worst celeb-contact moment: The best part was meeting mystery writer and former St Louisan Elaine Viets and having the privilege of pushing her wheelchair for her. The worst part was getting Elaine Viets and her wheelchair stuck in the teeny-tiny elevator I never should have even considered pushing her chair into. But I was excited and thoughtless and even may have said a curse word out loud a moment after I jammed the chair in the door. *sigh*

Best Tourist Moment: Touring the Molly Brown (the unsinkable one) House and having high tea with my friends Kelli and Tana at the stunning Brown Palace Hotel. Oh, and between the house tour and tea, I got to stand on the step of Colorado's Capitol Building that is exactly one mile above sea level. (Drop by my myspace blog for a slideshow because I can't figure out how to do one here.)

Latest News: 1) My editor seems to like CALLING MR LONELY HEARTS, and I'm very relieved and excited. Seems it's "sexy horror!" Editing begins this week. Can't wait for you all to read it. 2) What does an incredibly dilatory blogger do for an encore? Why, she starts blogging somewhere else, of course. Meet the Mid-Century Modern Moms--Ten women of a certain age who have teenagers at home. We'll dish about life with the darling creatures--and they're kids of all descriptions, abilities, and challenges. I blog every other Wednesday, so I think I can keep up.

More later. Really!

P.S. When you were a child, did you ever accidentally let slip a naughty word that you didn't know the meaning of at the time? Best story wins a copy of Elaine Viets's DYING TO CALL YOU and an ISABELLA MOON spiral bound journal.

Left Coast Crime, Day 1

I took it as a good omen this morning that I turned the television on to see a shot from Hitchcock's The Birds. I think it will be a fun day for mystery and crime writing fans in Denver!

Yesterday's panel with Peter May, Christine Jorgensen and Robert Greer went very well. The room was full of folks who wanted to know about psychological thrillers, and, given that my fellow panelists have written almost thirty books between them, I think I was the one in the room who learned the most! Most gratifying, though, was the number of aspiring writers who came to the signing table to mention that they were given renewed energy and hope for their own writing. I loved meeting every one of them--and now that my biggest panel is over, I'll be able to mingle a bit more and meet more readers and writers.

On my way to grab a little solo lunch and prepare for the panel, I was nearly run down by one of the clever electric trams that travel up and down the pedestrian mall in front of the hotel. The sidewalk and the street are fashioned from the same patterned concrete and the curb is low and I just kind of began wandering. I completely ignored the warning bell and only got out of the way when people on the sidewalk began shouting at me! But those electric trams are so quiet (well, except for the whole bell thing). It makes me worry a bit for the day when all vehicles are silent--They should broadcast music or make constant pinging noises or buzzing or something.

Fortunately, last night when I took the tram to and from dinner I was with a great crowd of folks and managed to stay on the sidewalk--even after having a whole beer with dinner. (And I confess that I felt no extraordinary effects from the alcohol even with Denver's major altitude--though it really did mess with my sleep.) I was thrilled and privileged to have writers Marcus Sakey and Jason Starr on either side of me at the restaurant. They're just as smart and interesting as their books.

In about forty-five minutes I'm be in front of a breakfast crowd and will have a whole minute to talk about ISABELLA MOON. I'll be there with twenty other debut writers and it will be my last "debut" event for the novel. I have lots of fun things to give away, but I can't imagine how many folks will want to get up for a 7:30 a.m. show!

More later!

Things to do at Left Coast Crime in Denver, Day 1, Minus 1

Writers are supposed to know many interesting things. But this writer had no idea that Denver, Colorado (where I'm attending the Left Coast Crime Convention) is actually NOT in the middle of mountains. On the way from the airport to the downtown Adam's Mark Hotel, the shuttle driver informed me that Denver is at the very edge of the flatlands, at the feet of mountains. I felt very ignorant in that moment. It seems that it's all flat--and massively uphill--from the banks of the Mississippi to here. Did you know this? Go figure. I'm tempted to blame one of my geography teachers for my ignorance, but I expect it's my own fault for not paying attention.


While the actual conference is in Denver and begins tomorrow, I spent the evening in Boulder. Boulder oozes charm and hipness and tiny million dollar homes. My friend CJ Lyons, whose debut novel, LIFELINES, is out today (YAY, CJ!), did a group signing at High Crimes Mystery Bookstore on Pearl Street. (Sadly, High Crimes is closing its doors next week to reopen as web-only.) There I also met writers Peter May, Rhys Bowen, Louise Ure, and Steve Hockensmith. A thousand thank-yous to my friend/Thrillerbabe Margie Lawson for giving me the grand tour. There's a picture of the radiant CJ somewhere here....

I saw a darling Keeshound tied up and waiting for its owner outside of a restaurant. Foolishly, I did not take its picture. BUT I did see the Disaster Animal Rescue Hummer. That was a little surreal. Must be a Boulder thing.


My room at the Adam's Mark is as big as Texas. Everything is oversized here in Denver, too. I can't wait for the conference to begin tomorrow. My first panel is in the afternoon, the topic is psychological thrillers, and I will proudly proclaim that ISABELLA MOON is chock-full of psychopaths out for thrills!