Malice Domestic Convention

Malice Domestic
If traditional mysteries are your
cup of tea.

Malice Domestic, one of the country’s premier mystery conventions, is the first weekend of May, and I’m excited to be participating this year! It's a convention for people who love traditional cozy mysteries.

The convention is held at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, MD. For me, it’s not that far a drive—I live in southern Pennsylvania—but the nightmare traffic of the DC area is enough to convince me that, if I am going, I will stay in the hotel. That not only spares me the commuting, it also means I have a greater opportunity to mingle with other attendees. Which, as far as I am concerned, is the best part of the convention.

I have gone in the past, and it’s a magical experience. I find there is always too much to do, and I have to make hard choices about what to attend and what to skip. I’ve never figured out how they manage to schedule three panel sessions I’d like to attend at once, and then have a spot following it with topics that are of great interest to others, but not necessarily to me.

This year, I have a spot on a panel—Challenges, Challenges: Protagonists on the Edge—on Sunday Brothers in Crime, the fifth in the series, which was released in 2014.  I’ve been reading books by the other members of the panel, and I think it’s going to be a lively discussion.I also have a book signing time afterwards.

New cover for
Brothers in Crime.

morning. If you’re there, I hope you’ll come to it. It’s a good fit for Jesse Damon, the protagonist of my crime novel series, who is on parole for a murder conviction. The book I will be discussing is

Malice Domestic has a hospitality room where authors can give away various promotional items. Some of them are very creative, but I’m afraid I’m not that clever. Since I have a new publisher, Wildside Press, who is working on getting my books available for the conference, I have all new covers for them. I’ve arranged for bookmarks for the series with the new covers.

I plan to make little booklets of Pride Is a Sin, a short story that was published a few years ago, and give them out. It’s one of my favorite stories, and I hope other people will like it, too.

One fun feature is Malice-Go-Round, which has been compared to speed dating with books. Authors circulate to tables to talk briefly about their books, and often leave giveaways and treats. Every year, there are more authors than available spots, so there’s a drawing to see who gets a spot and who doesn’t. Last year, I was dead last on the list. I figure that can’t happen two years in a row, so I’m hoping to be selected. I’ve already laid in a supply of Hershey kisses and atomic fireballs. At least I like them, and I know I’ll eventually eat them myself if I end up bringing them home again.

But meeting people is the best part. Fans, other authors, people who I have admired from afar, dedicated and hardworking volunteers who make the conference run. I have made some very good friends, and hope to continue that tradition.

Writing is a solitary experience, and interacting with all these people with similar interests is invigorating. How do you connect with people who share your interests?

In addition to this blog, of course!