I just returned home from Magna Cum Murder and I’m so excited to get started on my fifth Mitch Malone novel. November is National Novel Writing Month and I enjoy trying to pound out the very rough draft in a month. It works for me. But back to Magna, it was a great group of other writers and readers who love mysteries. It was heaven to talk about writing and mysteries nonstop Friday through Sunday. I met and talked with so many great people! Best of all some even brought my books. I’m eternally grateful to them!
Friday night I competed in a game show with Parnell Hall, Ruth Dudley Edwards, Les Edgerton, Con Lehane. The World’s Best Detective show is the brainchild of Austin Lugar who serves as MC. Two detectives are pitted against each other to solve a murder suggested by the audience. Parnell is a very funny guy and I was worried about being able to keep up with his quick wit. I didn’t know the other contestants. The show was funny and we all played off each other well. As for Parnell and I…we didn’t agree on most of the pairings and bantered back and forth. Harry Bosch (created by Michael Connelly) defeated Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, whose name I could never pronounce correctly.
Saturday I could relax and enjoy the sessions and then moderated a panel on Sunday morning on “It’s not a vacation, it’s research.” Not sure why I was tapped to do this because I live in Michigan and my books are set in Michigan put the panelists had books set in Washington D.C., England, Thailand, and Vancouver. They had great stories about their research trips.
Kudos to Kathryn Kennison, Magna Director, her crew and Ball State University for sponsoring this great weekend of Mystery.
Wendy Gager is a fifty-something writer who found the practice of yoga a way to relieve migraines and jump start her imagination and find the joy of writing.
Sounds like a great conference, WS! It's on my list to attend next year. I could use some of that energy.
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