Tag Archive for: Mayhem in the Midlands

Sitting Among the Super Stars


In the photo: me, Donna Andrews, Marcia Talley and Deborah Crombie.

First, let me say, this past weekend at Mayhem in the Midlands was extraordinary.

The con is always held in Omaha, and we’ve been to this particular mystery event nine times. We’ve gone so often we’ve made friends with people who live in Omaha and others who attend this conference on a regular basis.

This year, one of my panels was with the guest of honor, Deborah Crombie, and Marcia Talley, the toast master, moderated by Donna Andrews.

I knew most of the people who attended that panel hadn’t come because of my presence on that that panel. Deborah and Marcia are good friends and it definitely shows when they are bantering back and forth. My biggest contribution was making people laugh. One thing I know how to do is offer one-liners.

An interesting, and most rewarding event for me and I think the audience to was a conversation with authors. Radine Nehring, Nancy Pickard and I sat in a circle with audience surrounding us. Radine had come up with many interesting subjects for us to discuss and it worked well. Several people told me it was like eavesdropping on our conversation. I hadn’t read Nancy Pickard’s work, so before the conference I purchased The Smell of Rain and Lightening (or maybe it’s the other way around) and I absolutely loved it.

In fact, for every panel I was on or moderated, if I hadn’t ever read anything by the author before, I got the book and read it. Believe me, that really helps–especially when you’re on a panel with brand new and nervous authors.

This year besides those two panels, I moderated one and I was on another about Religion in Mysteries. 17 of my books sold, which is the best I’ve ever done at this conference. Being on panel and being a good panelists helps sell books. Being a good panelist means that you have to be engaging without hogging the panel. (Yes, some authors do hog panels.)

Being on panels and going to them is only one part of attending a mystery con. The people who come and the great conversations you have are another plus. And I can’t give a report about Mayhem without saying that the eating at Mayhem is pretty darn good too. There is a reception the first night, and this year they had a mac and cheese bar. You put the mac and cheese in a champagne glass and chose what toppings you wanted from a vast array. Of course they had the usual fruit, cheese, cracker, meatballs etc. for the less daring.

The Sisters in Crime buffet this year consisted of tacos and all the trimmings–delicious.

The hotel for Mayhem is right at the end of The Old Marketplace which is full of wonderful restaurants. Of course we had one lunch at Ahmad’s Persian Restaurant, our most favorite. We also ate at the Indian Oven, M’s, and a new place called Stokes. Of course we always had a great group of people with us.

When we first arrived, one of our friends in Omaha took us to another restaurant on the other side of town, plus gave us a tour of some of the new things that have been built since the last time we were there. On our last night we also went out with this same gal to another great place, The Upstream Brewery and hubby and I both had their root beer, which is delicious.

Anyway, I’m back, tired and overwhelmed with work.

Marilyn

How Writing Changed My Life

When reading Maggie’s wonderful post about how writing saved her life, I have nothing to compare. However, when I began thinking about it, I realized writing has truly changed mine.

Many of you know I married young, raised five children, husband was gone a lot with the Seabees and when he retired the grandkids started arriving. I worked on and off through the years, wrote things like PTA newsletters, plays for my Camp Fire Girls, etc. I’ve always been a voracious reader and wrote short stories when I was a kid. While the kids were young tried my hand at two novels which were rejected almost immediately, tossed them out and decided I probably didn’t have what it takes.

While babysitting grandkids I managed to write another historical family saga. It went through lots of rejections but after tons of rewrites, it was finally accepted for publication. I wrote another which was also accepted.

By this time, hubby and I had moved to the foothills of the Sierra where we now live and is the setting for my Deputy Tempe Crabtree novels. I switched to mysteries and wrote several of my Rocky Bluff crime novels–the first one published as an e-book, long before anyone had a clue what that was.

Rather than go into the whole long history of my writing and publishing, these are the things that changed my life because of writing.

1. I doubt I would have learned how to use computers as early as I did if it hadn’t been for my writing. I got so tired of typing and retyping my books I was ready to try anything to make it easier. Of course I had to have lots of help from the fellow I bought the computer from.

2. I was one of the founding members of the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime and I’ve made so many friends there. I still attend the meetings whenever I have the opportunity. (I also belong to the L.A. and Central Coast chapters and have friends in both.)

3. Once my first mystery was published, I attended my first Bouchercon there I met
so many wonderful people in the mystery field–authors and fans.

4. I’ve since attended other Bouchercons, Left Coast Crimes, Mayhem in the Midlands and other mystery cons and made more friends. Going to one of these events now is like attending a family reunion. It’s so much fun to see people I know and enjoy being around even if it is only once a year.

5. To get to all these places, hubby and I usually fly. I used to be a bit nervous–now I think of it as an adventure–even when I end up having to spend the night in an airport because of a missed flight due to weather, or being the last flight into Chicago during blizzard.

6. Together, we’ve visited places all over the country we’ve never seen before and probably would never have gone to if it hadn’t been for the mystery cons.

7. Alone, I’ve been to Alaska twice. The first time, I went to visit a school in a tiny village and was driven there on a frozen river. The second time, I stayed with a Native woman I’d met and visited a school in Wasilla.

8. I was fortunate to be asked to be an instructor at the Maui Writers Retreat in Maui–and took hubby along–he who didn’t think he ever wanted to go to Hawaii and had the time of his life while I worked.

9. I’m on the board of directors for the Public Safety Writers Association and I’m the program chair for their annual conference in Las Vegas and I’ve met the most fascinating experts in the public safety field as well as top notch mystery writers who’ve agreed to come and teach.

10. If I wasn’t a mystery writer I might be like some of my friends who are my age who mostly talk about their ailments, their grandkids (I love mine and my great grandkids but I have to many I’d monopolize the conversation if I told about each one of them), how bored they are, or gossiping.

So, you can see, my life has really been changed by my writing.

Marilyn

Mayhem in the Midlands

This will be a mishmash as I’m just home from Mayhem in the Midlands after a grueling traveling experience. Due to tornado warnings in Denver, we sat on the plane in Omaha long enough to miss our connection flight to Bakersfield. We were not the only ones to miss our flight and so stood in a long, long, long line waiting for customer service (took two and a half hours) to find out that to get to the airport where we left our car we’d have to wait until Tuesday (I’m writing this on Monday and we were in the airport on Sunday expecting to get home that evening–ha ha.) There were two seats left on a plane to Fresno that left Monday so we took them. That meant we had to find someone willing to drive our other care to Fresno, pick us up, drive us then to Bakersfield so we could get the car we’d left there. Who knows what’s happened to our luggage–certainly not us. But we’re home now.

Mayhem was wonderful and I promise I’ll have more to say next week when I’m not so swamped.

But here’s a photo of the basket from all of us at the Stiletto Gang put together for the Silent Auction at Mayhem (proceeds go to the Omaha Public Library)and the final bid I believe was $100. Pat Lange, a teacher from Omaha and a good friend, actually put the basket together from the books etc. I sent to her.

The other photo is of the Spouse’s panel at Mayhem–hilarious as usual. I don’t have everyone’s name in the right order, but it’s something like this: Jan and Tim Burke, Sean Doolittle and his wife, Tim and Zoe (she was the International Guest of Honor), (all of my notes are in the luggage that didn’t come home with us), Hap and me, Radene and John Nehring.

We laughed a lot during the conference, ate wonderful meals, spent time with gracious authors–and it was a wonderful experience as usual.

Marilyn

Mayhem in the Midlands

Wednesday, hubby and I get up at 3 a.m. in order to be at the airport for a 6 a.m. flight. We always fly in the puddle jumpers first–this time to Denver where we’ll change planes to get to our destination, Omaha NE and one of my favorite mystery cons, Mayhem in the Midlands.

Not as many authors are in attendance as there usually are–a good thing for authors. I have two panels and I’m moderating another. My husband is even on one–Spouses of Mystery Writers. He did this a couple of years ago and it was great fun for him and the audience.

We enjoy Mayhem for many reasons, the first being the people. The same mystery fans come year after year and we’ve made friends with many of them. It’s like going to a family reunion–so much fun catching up. We also have good friends who are fellow authors and I look forward to seeing them and getting their latest book.

The hotel is great too. They have wonderful full breakfasts that come with the price of the room. (I think this is what my husband likes best. He always get an omelet with everything on it.)

The hotel is located at the end of The Old Marketplace that has a wonderful array of all kinds of restaurants and quirky shops. We’re looking forward to at least one meal at the Persian restaurant where we’ve made friends with the owner. He always recognizes us and calls us “California.”

The weather is always different, we’ve roasted, froze, experienced thunderstorms and threats of tornadoes. We’ll be leaving 100 plus degrees here in the foothills of the Sierra, so almost anything will be a welcome change. I’ll give a report when I return.

Marilyn a.k.a. F. M. Meredith

Mayhem in the Midlands

Evelyn has given her take on Mayhem, here goes with mine.

What I like best about Mayhem in the Midlands, always held in Omaha on Memorial Day weekend, is the many mystery fans. Oh yes, there are lots of mystery authors but the readers far out number us.

Unfortunately, there was a snafu with the hotel who over-booked the meeting rooms, causing all sorts of problems, especially for the book sellers. It’s never a good idea to upset the booksellers. Because I’ve attended Mayhem eight years in a row, hubby and I have made a slew of friends. One who we always look forward to seeing is Pat Lang, a teacher, resident of Omaha, and serves on the Mayhem committee. Mom and daughter, Sara Weiss, from Texas, like Pat, have also been friends of ours since we started visiting Omaha.

We got to see some of our favorite authors too, like Jan Burke, who is a sweetie, and Twist Phelan, one of my hubby’s favorites–take a peek at her photos on her website and you’ll see why.

Omaha is one of our favorites towns, and Ahmad’s Persian Restaurant, our favorite place to eat. However, we tried some other places this year too including the Bent Fork, an Indian place, and a Brewery–all had wonderful food. Because the hotel where the convention is held is right across from the Old Marketplace, there are lots and lots of shops and wonderful restaurants. (Because we don’t have many good restaurants near us–eating out is a big treat for us.)

While I’m at Mayhem, I make it a point to meet new people–especially readers. After all, how can a reader know about you and your books unless you tell them? I also like to single out people who seem to be all alone and invite them to sit with me and whoever I happen to be with for a meal. I’ve been to cons where I had a hard time meeting people–and I don’t want anyone to feel like I did then.

It was a pleasure to see Evelyn David again and I watched her in action on a panel about the taboo against killing animals in books. She did wonderfully well, up against some formidable authors. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to really visit her as much as I would’ve liked to.

And if I’m able I certainly plan to return to Mayhem in the Midlands.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

More Mayhem! May 24, 2008

Mayhem in the Midlands – Saturday – May 24, 2008

It’s mid-afternoon in Omaha. Just finished my panel on “Pet Peeves: Killing Animals vs. Killing People in Mysteries.” The moderator was Sean Doolittle (author of Dirt, Burn, and Rain Dogs). Others on the panel were Pat Dennis (comedian and author of Hotdish To Die For), and Marilyn Victor (co-author of Death Roll).

This panel was unstructured and allowed the audience and the panel members to discuss the issue of the killing of animals as a plot device in mysteries. There were as many opinions voiced as there were people in the meeting room (about 25). Many readers would not read books where animals were killed. Many would not read books where animals were killed without a very good reason. Many would not read books where animals were killed if they had developed any emotional investment in the animal character. Others were fine with animals being killed as long as the book was well written and the deaths advanced the plot. One aspiring author in the audience worried that her almost-finished book on a serial pet killer would be a non-starter with publishers. After almost an hour of conversation, both pro and con, the best advice the panel could give her was to write “her” story and see what happened.

Personally, I think expectations have much to do with whether or not a reader will accept the murder of animals in a work of fiction. I say “murder” deliberately because the intentional killing of an animal evokes a different reaction than if the animal dies of disease or old age. If the author is going to market his/her book as a thriller, then the expectations of the reader are different than if the book has been advertised as a cozy or traditional mystery. Thriller readers are more likely to accept killing an animal as part of the plot. Cozy readers may or may not, depending on the animal involved and their personal attachment to the fictional character.

It was an interesting discussion. Killing fictional animals is a dicey proposition. On the other hand, no one had any angst about killing fictional people. There’s more than a little irony in that.

Tomorrow I head home!

Happy Memorial Day to all.

Evelyn David
Murder Off the Books

Mayhem Diary

Mayhem in the Midlands – Friday Morning – May 23, 2008

I arrived in Omaha, Nebraska yesterday evening. Had an uneventful drive from Muskogee, Oklahoma – 450 miles give or take. Rented a car with good gas mileage for the trip (my old Ford Explorer is a heavy gas drinker and is better left in the driveway for now). I hope gas prices don’t double before I leave on Sunday.

The Omaha Public Library puts on a great event. I attended last year and really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and well-coordinated conference. Mayhem in the Midlands is held in the Embassy Suites – Downtown. The hotel staff is friendly and very helpful with dealing with everything from internet connections on my laptop to helping me get all my luggage and important “stuff” from the car to the room. Couldn’t ask for a nicer location.

The first panels start at 9:00 am. I’m hoping to get my act together and sit in on a few (several dealing with crime lab information and analysis) before my panel at 3:00 pm – Casting Call: Creating Real Characters.

More later. Right now I need some breakfast – or at least coffee. I also need to check out the silent auction baskets (Evelyn David donated one) and leave some bookmarks at the bookstore.

Mayhem in the Midlands – Friday Evening – May 23, 2008

Just got back to my hotel room. Ready to kick off my shoes and drink a Pepsi One (I brought some from home and loaded the hotel room refrigerator.)

This year Mayhem is doing something a little different by running a series of panels concerning “real life” crime labs. The first panel I attended was entitled, “Crime Lab/Crime Scene: Behind the Scene, the Real Crime Scene.” Jan Burke (author of the wonderful Irene Kelly mystery series) and Chicago author Alex Kava interviewed David Kofoed, the head of the Douglas County Crime Lab. He talked about processing a scene and how what he and his team do that is different from the tv CSI show. It was very interesting to hear how his job has changed since he began in the early 1980s. DNA is a big factor now, but because of the expense and backlog for testing, much of the best crime scene analysis is done with photography, blood splatter analysis, and meticulous observation and documentation of every detail of a crime scene.

The second panel I attended was entitled, “Crime Lab/Crime Scene: Inside a Real Case File: The Jessica O’Grady Case.” Leigh Ann Retelsdorf, Douglas County Attorney and Prosecutor, and Dave Kofoed gave a presentation of a real Omaha case where the victim’s body was never found but they were still able to get a murder conviction. It was a fascinating look at a real crime scene and how it was processed. They used a power-point presentation with actual photographs of the crime scene. I learned a lot about blood splatter analysis and building a murder case.

At 3:00 pm I sat on the panel: “Creating Real Characters.” I spoke about Murder Off the Books and the characters in Evelyn David’s fictional world. My co-panelists were: Craig Johnson and Debra C. Thomas. Suzanne Arruda moderated. Craig Johnson writes the Sheriff Walt Longmire novels. His latest book Another Man’s Moccasins will be released by Viking Press on May 29. Debra C. Thomas writes short stories that have been published in Great Mystery and Suspense Magazine. Suzanne Arruda (a former zookeeper and science teacher turned writer) is the author of the Jade del Cameron historical mystery series. Her books are set in Post World War I Africa.

The panel was informal and fun. The audience asked lots of great questions. After the panel, I autographed copies of Murder Off the Books and answered questions about when the sequel would be published. Right now, we’re hoping for fall 2008.

Star Watching: While going to and from the panels I spotted Charlaine Harris, Jan Burke, Chris Grabenstein, and two of the nicest women you’ll ever hope to meet – Honora Finkelstein and Susan Smily (co-authors of The Chef Who Died Sautéing). I also caught up with fellow Stiletto Gang blog sister, Marilyn Meredith. She and her husband always look like they are having a good time!

Tomorrow I’m on another panel – “Pet Peeves: Killing Animals vs. Killing People in Mysteries.” Should be interesting!

Stay tuned.

Evelyn David

Omaha Bound

No airplanes for me this year. I’m driving to Omaha, Nebraska. Mayhem in the Midlands breaks out tomorrow as mystery writers and fans from all over converge in the land of wonderful steaks and Cornhusker Football. Mayhem in the Midlands is being held at the Downtown/Old Market Embassy Suites, 555 S. 10th Street, in Omaha, during May 22-25, 2008. Check out the Mayhem website for more details and the full schedule.

This will be my second year to attend. By the time you’re reading this I hope to be at least a hundred miles closer to the conference. Hopefully I’ve remembered to put in the Evelyn David Auction Basket for the event. I’ve never put a gift basket together before. I purchased three different wicker baskets before settling on one that was the easiest to pack with Murder Off the Books promotional items, an autographed copy of the book, two Murder Off the Books t-shirts, and a garden gnome! (Those who’ve read the book will understand the significance of the gnome.)

Evelyn David will be appearing on two panels at Mayhem: Friday 3:00 pm – “Casting Call: Creating Real Characters;” Saturday 1:30 pm – “Pet Peeves: Killing Animals vs. Killing People in Mysteries”

Murder Off the Books will be available for sale at the conference. I’d be happy to autograph a copy for you.

The Guest of Honor at Mayhem this year is Alex Kava. The Toastmaster of Honor is Jeff Abbott. An outstanding list of mystery authors are scheduled to attend including two of my favorites, Jan Burke and Charlaine Harris.

I’ll be blogging throughout the conference. Check back for updates daily.

Evelyn David
http://www.omaha.lib.ne.us/mayhem/

The Books on My Desk

My second novel is finished and I’m more than ready for a quiet vacation somewhere with a sandy beach, but until Oprah discovers a fondness for Irish wolfhounds, my trips will all be to mystery conventions. I’m going to Mayhem in the Midlands in May – no beaches, but Omaha is a great place to visit. Since I’m driving this year, I hope to have a chance to see all the sights.

Speaking of sights, my house looks like a disaster area. Or maybe just a house where nothing got done the past couple of months except writing. Looking around my living room, the place where I write (yes, I have a spare bedroom that I will eventually turn into an office but for now I’m superstitious about changing anything), I see the effects of the “write until you drop” effort. Office supplies, Christmas wrapping paper, TV Guides from November, receipts from Staples, pens with mismatched caps, sticky notes with all kinds of important information (i.e. the Pizza Hut delivery number, the name of a poison I researched, and a plot point I feared forgetting), and books. I have lots of books stacked on my desk, on the floor, even part of the sofa has been commandeered to serve as a temporary bookshelf.

I love books. I love reading. So when I decided I wanted to learn to write fiction, my first instinct was to purchase books on writing. I devoured dozens of “how-to” books. Some were useful, others not so much. Some yielded practical information – the correct punctuation of dialogue; others gave me hints for structuring a plot, introduced me to pacing, and clarified the finer points of “point of view.”

My favorites are already showing signs of wear and tear – I’ve read them more than once and refer to them often while writing.

Here’s the best of the best – my recommendations for any mystery writer’s desk.

For help with the nuts and bolts:
Writing the Novel – From Plot to Print – Lawrence Block.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – R. Browne & D. King.
Save the Cat! – Blake Snyder.

For research:
Death’s Acre – Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson
Deadly Doses, A Writer’s Guide to Poison – Stevens & Klarner.
Death to Dust–What Happens to Dead Bodies – Kenneth V. Iserson M.D.

For inspiration:
On Writing – Steven King.
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Anything by Laura Lippman or Nevada Barr

Evelyn David