Returning to the Scene of the Crime
By Kay Kendall
Tomorrow I fly north to
attend the Canadian mystery conference named Bloody Words. Location: Toronto.
attend the Canadian mystery conference named Bloody Words. Location: Toronto.
This is something akin to
poetic justice. Not only is this my first Canadian writers and fan conference
but also Toronto is the setting for my debut mystery. Yes, Toronto.
poetic justice. Not only is this my first Canadian writers and fan conference
but also Toronto is the setting for my debut mystery. Yes, Toronto.
New writers are often advised
to “write what you know.” Yes, I do know Toronto. I lived there for three
years, albeit twenty years after my fictional murder takes place there. At
least I know the climate, the architecture, the street layout. For the right atmosphere
for the time period of DESOLATION ROW, 1968, I consulted friends who lived
there at that time.
to “write what you know.” Yes, I do know Toronto. I lived there for three
years, albeit twenty years after my fictional murder takes place there. At
least I know the climate, the architecture, the street layout. For the right atmosphere
for the time period of DESOLATION ROW, 1968, I consulted friends who lived
there at that time.
Thanks to the joys of the
internet—Facebook, Twitter, and the like—I’ve made many virtual friends in
Ontario. I’m excited to know that I will be meeting some of them, live, for the
first time after many months of correspondence. With Canadian authors like
Cathy Ace, Vicki Delaney, Gloria Ferris, and Dorothy McIntosh I’ll soon be
discussing different ways to bump off our fictional victims. If past mystery
conferences are anything to go by, these chats will be replete with great cackling
and fueled by a fair bit of vino.
internet—Facebook, Twitter, and the like—I’ve made many virtual friends in
Ontario. I’m excited to know that I will be meeting some of them, live, for the
first time after many months of correspondence. With Canadian authors like
Cathy Ace, Vicki Delaney, Gloria Ferris, and Dorothy McIntosh I’ll soon be
discussing different ways to bump off our fictional victims. If past mystery
conferences are anything to go by, these chats will be replete with great cackling
and fueled by a fair bit of vino.
Bloody Words has a novel
way of winding up. It should be a hoot. People attending the closing banquet are
encouraged to dress as characters from mystery fiction—preferably historical. I’ll
be going as my amateur sleuth Austin Starr, in full hippie mode. Do expect
photos later!
way of winding up. It should be a hoot. People attending the closing banquet are
encouraged to dress as characters from mystery fiction—preferably historical. I’ll
be going as my amateur sleuth Austin Starr, in full hippie mode. Do expect
photos later!
The life of a writer is
not what I always thought it would be. Thanks to technology and to the
gregariousness and kindness of folks in the mystery-writing world—both authors
and readers alike—my several years as an author have been anything but
solitary. For an extrovert like me, this is a great joy.
not what I always thought it would be. Thanks to technology and to the
gregariousness and kindness of folks in the mystery-writing world—both authors
and readers alike—my several years as an author have been anything but
solitary. For an extrovert like me, this is a great joy.
*******
Kay Kendall is
an international award-winning public relations executive who lives in Texas
with her husband, four house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. A fan of historical
mysteries, she wants to do for the 1960s what novelist Alan Furst does for
Europe in the 1930s and 1940s–write atmospheric mysteries that capture the
spirit of the age.
an international award-winning public relations executive who lives in Texas
with her husband, four house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. A fan of historical
mysteries, she wants to do for the 1960s what novelist Alan Furst does for
Europe in the 1930s and 1940s–write atmospheric mysteries that capture the
spirit of the age.