The First Virtual Bouchercon

by Paula Gail Benson 

This year’s Bouchercon was scheduled to take place in Sacramento “where murder is a Capitol crime.” Michele Drier, Rae James, and an excellent team that made up the local committee had worked tirelessly to organize a wonderful event featuring Scott Turow (Special Guest of Honor), Walter Mosley (Lifetime Achievement), Anne Perry (Distinguished Guest of Honor), Anthony Horowitz (International Guest of Honor), Cara Black (Local Guest of Honor), Janet A. Rudolph (Fan Guest of Honor), and Catriona McPherson (Toastmaster).

After Covid 19 changed our lives, the local organizing committee blazed new territory by converting the conference, in its 51st year, to a virtual event held this past Friday and Saturday. A new Bouchercon for a new half-century! According to Michele Drier, 33 live panels were held with audiences from about 80 to more than 260 each. Attendees used the chat line to ask questions and greet fellow participants. Pre-taped welcomes for each day and interviews with the Guests of Honor were available for viewing during the 48 hours of the conference. Also among the taped segments was an interview among past Sisters in Crime Presidents and one of Anthony Boucher’s radio programs, presented by authors.

I was delighted to be asked to moderate a live panel, titled “Make Mine Romance: Is there a Love Angle?” I knew two of the panelists, Grace Topping, a blogging partner here at Writers Who Kill, and S.C. Perkins (Stephanie), who prepared graphics to publicize our segment. Both Grace and Stephanie were nominees for this year’s Agatha for Best First Novel.

While I had heard about the other panelists, this was the first time we had the chance to interact. Let me assure you they all now are on my to-be-read list, including our host June Gillam. Here’s a little about each so, if you haven’t already, you can discover their work.

Photo Courtesy of Grace Topping

Julie Hennrikus writes series under three names, the Garden Squad mysteries as Julia Henry; the Theater Cop mysteries as J.A. Hennrikus; and the Clock Shop mysteries as Julianne Holmes.

Rena Leith’s two novels, Murder Beach and Coastal Corpse, take place in northern California and involve protagonist Cass Peake with a ghost.

Camille Minichino, in addition to having a Ph.D in Physics and being a writing teacher, is the author of 5 series: the Periodic Table Mysteries, the Miniature Mysteries (written as Margaret Grace), the Professor Sophie Knowles Mysteries (previously written as Ada Madison), the Post Mistress Mysteries (written as Jean Flowers), and the Alaskan Diner Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Logan).

 

S.C. Perkins, a 5th generation Texan, writes about ancestry tracer Lucy Lancaster. Her first novel won the 2017 Malice Domestic Best First Mystery Competition. Lineage Most Lethal is the second in the series.

 

D.R. Ransdell has written a memoir about her 25 years experience in a mariachi band. Her mystery series features mariachi violinist Andy Veracruz, and she has written a romance set in Thailand.

 

Faye Snowden has two mystery novels featuring Dr. Kendra Hamilton and one with protagonist Raven Burns, a police detective whose father was a serial killer.

Grace Topping’s protagonist is home stager Laura Bishop. Her first novel became a USA Today Bestseller.

Grace Topping, Rena Leith,
Paula Gail Benson, Camille Minichino,
S.C. Perkins, Faye Snowden,
Juie Hennrikus, D. R. Ransdell
Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Crowens

Not only was it great to hear what this insightful group of authors had to say about how romantic elements (including humans, pets, professions, and obsessions) influenced their work, but also it was terrific to have this discussion take place at Bouchercon where often hardboiled and noir stories predominate the conversation.

Golden Age of Mystery Panel
Roberta Rogow, Ana Brazil, Debra Goldstein,
 Josh Pachter, John Billheimer, Marty Wingate

In addition to Grace and myself, I have to give a shout out to our fellow blogging partners who also appeared at this year’s Bouchercon: Connie Berry (participating in a panel considering how to build a fictional town and also an Agatha nominee this year), Jennifer Chow (participating in a panel about furry friends), Debra H. Goldstein (moderating a panel about The Golden Age of Mysteries), Marilyn Levinson (moderating a panel about paranormal elements), Keenan Powell (participating in a panel about amateur sleuths), and Shari Randall (participating in a panel about whether small town murders have to take place in England). Yay to Writers Who Kill for a super presence!

Bouchercon 2020 concluded with the Anthony Awards ceremony held on a public access channel. The nominees appeared on screen to hear the winners announced and make acceptance speeches. At the end of the evening, as the baton was passed to Heather Graham, for 2021’s local planning committee in New Orleans, promises were made to continue virtual access and allow for more participants. I hope that will be possible. For all that we’ve had to learn during this year of isolation, the new capabilities for connections are a true asset.

 

An Interview With Julie Hennrikus

by Grace Topping

I’ve been following Julie Hennrikus’s multifaceted career for years and am continually impressed by all she has accomplished. So I was amazed to learn that she has taken on yet another challenge, establishing an online school for artists, Your Ladders. It’s a pleasure to have Julie Hennrikus here to tell us all about Your Ladders. 

Welcome back to Writers Who Kill, Julie. 

After years working in different Boston area theatres and writing mysteries, what prompted you to start yet another career?

Julie Hennrikus

Like many writers (and artists), I have juggled several jobs at the same time over the years. I’ve been blessed in that I’ve had three careers, all at the same time. I’ve worked in the performing arts for over thirty years. I’ve worked in box offices (and created one for Harvard University), been a general manager and a company manager, programmed venues, and done marketing. I’ve also run a service organization for the New England performing arts community.

Another career is as a teacher. I’ve been teaching arts administration classes on the college level for almost 15 years. I love teaching, and make sure that my classes have practical knowledge mixed in with inspiration. Like the writing path, the path of folks in the performing arts is challenging, and I try to prepare students for the ride.

And then, of course, there’s my writing life. It took me 15 years to get published, and the road has had its bumps, but I just published my sixth novel.

Last year several things came together for me. I wanted to make more room in my life for my writing. I was teaching, and one of my students said to me that he was grateful he took my class, since it prepared him to graduate. He felt badly for the students who hadn’t taken the course. And then I thought about the folks who aren’t in urban areas, but are trying to produce work, or figure out how to manage their artistic paths. All of a sudden the idea of opening an online school started to blossom in my brain.

Tell us a little about your new endeavor?

Opening my own business has been an interesting journey. The first model I created was an online school. I created four classes to launch the school. These are all business classes, but taught for creative folks. They are taught via videos and worksheets. Spotlight on Spreadsheets teaches basic spreadsheet skills, and then I teach folks how to use spreadsheets for budgeting, audience development, and tracking your own career. Footing Your Ladder is about business planning. Climbing Your Ladder is about budgeting, and figuring out income streams. Extending Your Ladders helps folks create marketing plans.

I decided to price my classes so that they were affordable for artists. But even then, the folks I’m trying to reach had some price resistance. I had to make a choice. Serve fewer people, the folks who could afford it, or create a model where more people could access the classes. So this spring I created a subscription model. For $19 a month, folks have access to the classes, a monthly training, and access to the Your Ladders community.

I’ve added more classes, and will continue to do that as the needs of the subscribers become clearer to me.

What was the inspiration behind the name Your Ladders?

My goal is to help artists build ladders over the obstacles in their path by teaching them business skills to get there. I have to explain the name, but I like the image. Some of these obstacles, like not understanding budgeting, are a roadblock for folks. The work of creative people is too important to be stopped by not understanding business skills, so I want to help folks build their ladders.

Who is the program designed for?

Since my career has been spent in the performing arts, folks in that field are a focus. I’ve also been adding writers to the mix, since I know a lot about that path as well.

When I think of my ideal subscriber, they are on a creative path and need to learn more to move to the next level. It can be a professional path. It can also be an avocational path. If you’re on the board of a community theater, for example, you may need to learn about budgeting. Your Ladders can help. If you’re a drama teacher who has to put on (produce) a show, Your Ladders can help. 

How does the program work?

You can subscribe for $19 a month. If you subscribe, you have access to all the classes, including the Self-Promotion, Networking, and Pitching classes I recently added. I’m also doing monthly trainings, drilling down on specific topics. You’ll have access to those trainings, and to the library of previous trainings. And finally, there’s the Your Ladders Community. It works like a Facebook group, but it is on the same platform as the classes, so you don’t have to join Facebook. The other option is to register for a class, and have lifetime access to the class.

What type of commitment are you looking for from people who sign up for the program? Is it flexible based on needs?

It is totally flexible based on needs. While I have designed each class with lessons that build on one another, there may be people who want to create their own learning journey, and the classes support that. I’m looking forward to getting to know the folks who have subscribed better, so I can design syllabi for them. That said, and this could be the Virgo, INFJ arts administrator in me, I think it is worthwhile for every artist to think about their mission and core values as they move forward on their career. To understand their unique value proposition. To think about their intended audiences. Your Ladders supports folks as they build a solid foundation for their artistic practice.

Ideally, how long would the course or program run for an individual? Does it vary?

The classes themselves comprise short videos and worksheets. So someone could speed through the classes and exercises. But a lot of the lessons require thoughtful work to implement. In the arts, and I include the writing path when I talk about this, there isn’t a cut and dry formula that is guaranteed to work. There are skills you add to your tool belt that move you forward, but you have to do the work. 

You can also “retake” a class at anytime. I have taken several online classes, and find that revisiting them is never a waste of time. I pull more information out of them as I implement what I’ve learned.

Folks can subscribe to Your Ladders for as long as they’d like to, and cancel at any time. For me, that means I need to keep working on keeping the content fresh, and getting new subscribers. But I think this model, sort of a Netflix model for business skills, is a good one for supporting and empowering artists.

How can people find out more about Your Ladders?

You can go to www.YourLadders.com/subscribe to learn about the subscription. YourLadders.com will also get you to the blog, and it will give you access to some of the content I provide for free. Folks can also email me at Julie@YourLadders.com, and I’m happy to answer any questions.

While running your program, are you going to continue with your writing career?

Absolutely! My goal is to create enough balance in my life where my writing career gets more of my time. My writing means the world to me, and my own creative journey gives me additional insight into the artistic path of my students. The journey is a roller coaster, not a flat highway with clear exits, entrances, and pit stops. I know my writing journey has been made easier because of my arts administration skills. Not easy, but easier.

What books are you working on at the moment?

In January I launched The Garden Squad series with Kensington. I write that series as Julia Henry. I’m thrilled with the attentionPruning the Deadhas been getting. Tilling the Truth is out in August, and I’m working on book #3 now. My Theater Cop series, which I write as J.A. Hennrikus, had the second book, With A Kiss I Die, released in April. 

Thank you so much for inviting me to talk about Your Ladders! I have a passion for Your Ladders as well as my writing, and love to share the vision for my new business.

Thank you, Julie. 

BIO:

Julie Hennrikus has worked the arts community for over thirty years. Most recently she was the executive director of StageSource, the service organization for the New England theater community. Prior to that she worked at Emerson College, as the General Manager of Emerson Stage, where she also taught arts management classes. Prior to Emerson, she was the Program Manager of the Memorial Hall/Lowell Hall Complex at Harvard University for ten years. She began her career in box office and front of house, including creating the Sanders Theatre (now Harvard) Box Office, running the box office for Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment at the ICA in Boston, and working for different shows at the Charles Playhouse. 

Julie has been teaching arts administration for over ten years at different colleges. From that experience, she understands that perceived lack of business skills can be obstacles in the path for many artists. She recently opened an online school for artists called Your Ladders, which is designed to give artists tools to get over those obstacles.

Julie is also a published mystery author, writing three series under the names Julianne Holmes, J.A. Hennrikus and Julia Henry. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. @YourLadders @JHAuthors