November 1, 2017 Vol. 21, No. 6 First Draft Written by and for the Guppies, a chapter of Sisters in Crime www.sinc-guppies.org

Inside this issue: The President’s Message by Debra H. Goldstein he President’s column usually stresses live in an Ozzie and Harriett or Leave it to Editor’s Note 2 Welcome New Guppies T the good things and good people that Beaver world. Then again, I never did. I grew make the Guppies what it is. This month, I up with protests, Vietnam, and the history of Upcoming Classes 3 intended to congratulate us, as the largest Kent State, but I also grew up feeling safe Sisters in Crime chapter, for exceeding the wandering the streets of London at sunrise to Boas and Kick Lines 7 700-member mark. I thought I might remind see if char ladies really exist, running down a you no matter whether you are street in Boston, hearing a con- Guppy Anthology 8 starting out or already an estab- cert in Las Vegas, dancing at a lished writer, volunteering for club in Florida, flying in and out Agent Insight 9 tasks (we need two new Agent of Paris, and kissing my chil- Social Media 11 Quest monitors), taking classes, dren good-bye as they went off or participating in critique groups to spend school years abroad. Dorothy Cannell Guppy 12 or on the Listserv is an excellent History teaches us the sins of Scholarship means to learn and network. hatred and violence accomplish Diverse Voices 13 Networking, even though an nothing except decimating hu- The Editor’s POV 14 internet connection, brings us manity, so why are they repeat- closer together as a community. ed? I don’t have an answer, but NaNoWriMo 16 In some ways, it is a faceless I rail against those who act with- community, but it is a meaning- out thought for others. We talk Fantasy Agent Insights 17 ful one. We’re there for each other for the ups of communication, but there is none of value and downs of writing and the same with our in these acts. A point is made, but it is lost in Ipso Facto 19 life cycle events. During the five years I have the tragedy of the moment. been seriously writing and been a Guppy, I’ve Author Interview: Heloise 22 I reach out my hand to all of you, for only if Jones come to know and care about so many of we communicate will there be a world and a you—and it is mutual. SinC Celebrates 30 23 life for us, our children, grandchildren, and Meeting and putting faces on names at a the generations to come. The Flip Side 24 conference is icing on the cake, but it isn’t the As writers, we have the power to communi- beginning of friendships. When you send a cate. Our writings inform or amuse. They The Routine of Writing 25 message, ask a question, or participate in touch people we never know exist. As I share anything Guppies offers, you’ve already tak- my sorrow and horror at the loss of lives, I A History of Forensics 26 en the first step to building lasting supportive rejoice that we, as Guppies, come together networks. Bouchercon 2017: A 28 and create a community for good. Glimpse These connections were what I was going to write to, but this morning I woke up to news Colorado Gold Conference 29 of the Las Vegas shooting. It saddened me to think whether by the actions of terrorists or Calendar 31 lone wolf demented individuals, we no longer First Draft Page 2

Editor’s Note New Members f all the welcomes a new Guppy gets, Our final Diverse Voices column is by Vinnie Welcome new and return- O mine may be the most desperate: Please Hansen, on the topic of cultural appropriation ing members: consider writing for First Draft. Please, please, and writing outside one’s ethnicity. please. We also have Cori Lynn Arnold, a regular con- Dianne Ascroft Fortunately, new Guppies often tributor, providing some great tips Patricia Bowen take me up on the offer. You’ll on making time in your busy Kelly Burch see a couple of new names in this schedule for NaNoWriMo. Mary Cooper issue. Dr. Bradley Harper is a You can learn about all the clas- Kathy Curnow retired army pathologist who now ses we have coming for 2018 (it Tamara Dolson writes mysteries—and a brand looks like a great schedule, put new Guppy. He will be writing a Colleen Driscoll together by Elaine Douts), as well couple of columns for us; the first Marianne Fox as the upcoming Guppy antholo- one is a brief history of forensics, Marie Hannan-Mandel gy, which soon will open for sub- with some interesting tidbits that Bradley Harper missions. There’s also infor- were new to me. Patricia Bowen, Kate Jesse mation about the annual Dorothy another new member, shares her Cannell Guppy scholarship Barbara Kelley thoughts about the routine of writing. (deadline is next month, so apply soon!). And Ross Kerr Ramona Gault is writing her first article for us, you can celebrate Guppy achievements at Bo- Brenda Kilianski having interviewed Heloise Jones on her new as and Kick Lines, compiled by Elaine Will Bharti Kirchner book, The Writer’s Block Myth: A Guide to Get Sparber, as well as get a glimpse of Boucher- Allison Kirk-Montgomery Past Stuck & Experience Lasting Creative con 2017 through photos. Elizabeth Louis Freedom. And Sue Hinkin reports from the Col- Have you ever wondered how exactly the Fan- Anna Loan-Wilsey orado Gold Conference and tells us all about tasy Agent Project works? Both submitters and Lisa Malice Diana Gabaldon’s underpainting technique. “agents” explain what they got from the experi- Wanda Morris We have our regular columnists and contribu- ence. Harini Nagendra tors, of course, and I appreciate them all im- Sara Newell As we close out the year, I want again to thank mensely. Writing a column is no easy task, but all who contributed to First Draft. You can see Brenda Lee Reed they come up with interesting pieces every past issues on our website. An index of articles, Julie Reiff time. Carol Newhouse talks with literary agents compiled by Elaine Will Sparber, can be found Marilyn Richards about how many clients they take on a year; on the Yahoo site, under Files. Beth Savoie Beth Green and Christina Lorenzen write about Paula Sewell pulling back from social media to save your And, remember, if you have an idea for an arti- writing—and your sanity; Keenan Powell de- cle or column, please don’t hesitate to email Joyce Simons constructs one of my favorite movies, My me at [email protected]. Please, Susan Smith Cousin Vinny; and Nancy L. Eady delves into please, please. Jane Suen the mystery of quotation marks on The Flip Cynthia Tolbert Happy holidays and hope you enjoy this issue. Side. In my own column, I write my last in a Stacey Wollschlager series on formatting issues, this one geared to Lourdes indie authors.

Steering Committee First Draft Staff Editor: Lourdes Venard President Debra H. Goldstein [email protected] Columnists: Julie Ciccarelli, Nancy Eady, Treasurer Karen Duxbury [email protected] Beth Green, Christina Lorenzen, Carol Newsletter Editor Lourdes Venard [email protected] Newhouse, Keenan Powell, Elaine Will Website Liaison Cori Lynn Arnold [email protected] Sparber Member-at-Large Paula Gail Benson [email protected] Proofreaders: Sharon Owen, Rosalind Villers Member-at-Large (Classes) Elaine Douts [email protected] Member-at-Large Anna Castle [email protected] ©2017. First Draft is a bimonthly newsletter Member-at-Large (Manuscript swaps) Jane Gorman [email protected] of the Guppy chapter of Sisters in Crime. Member-at-Large Carolyn Rowland [email protected] The editor reserves the right to edit articles Member-at-large (Membership) Susan Van Kirk [email protected] for clarity and space. Immediate Past President James M. Jackson [email protected] First Draft Page 3

Upcoming Guppy Classes by Elaine Douts feel gung ho about our 2018 classes. We have some new Class policies I instructors who are “in the field” professionals I want you to meet. (Thanks, Elaine Will Sparber, for the suggestions.) Whether The Guppy Chapter subsidizes the cost to our members for you are a beginner or have been on the bestseller lists, there’s every class. Subsidies range from $5 to $20 per student per always something new to learn. I hope you like our classes and class. Even so, if you have trouble paying for the cost of a join in the swim this year. I will try to have all of the classes up on class, we have a scholarship fund available for one class per our registration site (https://sincguppies.wildapricot.org/events) by year. For more information, please contact our treasurer, Ka- New Year’s Day. If you have questions, please email me at ren Duxbury, at [email protected]. [email protected]. Please read our class policies before you register for a class For those of you awaiting Julia Hunter’s Investigative Techniques at https://sincguppies.wildapricot.org/Classes-FAQ. If you course, I am sad to announce that she has decided to stop teach- have questions, insights, or criticism, please email me at any ing. Her 2018 class has also been canceled. And now onto better time at [email protected]. news—a freebie by Kaye George! Head over to https://sincguppies.wildapricot.org/events to see During the week of January 21, Guppy Kaye George will give a more of our classes. free short story course on the Guppy email list. Kaye’s short sto- ries have appeared in numerous publications. For further infor- mation, go to https://kayegeorge.wixsite.com/kaye-george/short- evidence, blood-spatter analysis, autopsies, and laboratory tech- stories. I hope Kaye’s course will help to perfect your stories for niques. the next Guppy anthology. Kaye will post the classes to the email Symon has been a certified federal polygraph examiner since list throughout the week. Anyone can respond (remember to 2010 and is highly skilled in the psychophysiological detection of shorten your posts). Save the class name and lesson number on deception. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level your emails in the subject line so Kaye knows what material your courses in forensics at George Washington University and Mary- question pertains to and so those members who don’t wish to mount University, including Basic Forensics, Crime Scene Pro- participate may bypass your email. Thanks for volunteering, Kaye. cessing, and Crimes Against Children. We will continue to have courses using Yahoo as a platform. As I Geoff will teach two classes. He will present Scene of the Crime: write this, it has come to my attention that not all devices receive Perpetrating and Investigating Your Fictional Felonies in Yahoo invitations. Some members’ phones, iPads, and iWatches April and The Author’s Arsenal: Writing, Weapons, and may not receive them. Please check all of your devices for invita- Wounds in September. tions before emailing me that you haven’t received an invitation. Dana Kaye received her bachelor’s in Meet our new instructors! fiction writing from Columbia College Chica- Karen Dionne is the author of the dark go. After college, she worked as a freelance psychological suspense, The Marsh writer and book critic. Her work has ap- King’s Daughter (G.P. Putnam’s Sons) peared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Time and three other novels. She is co-founder Out Chicago, Crimespree Magazine, Windy of Backspace, an online writers communi- City Times, Bitch Magazine, as well as on ty, and has served on the International GapersBlock.com. This experience has Thriller Writers’ board of directors. Learn been crucial to her publicity career; she has more at www.karen-dionne.com. She will the contacts and necessary industry insight teach a class on How to Weave Backsto- to form pertinent, widespread media cam- ry Seamlessly into Your Novel. Attend paigns. her February class. Dana is known for her innovative ideas and knowledge of current Geoff Symon is a 20-year federal forensic investigator and poly- trends. She frequently speaks on the topics of social media, graph examiner. His participation in high-profile cases includes branding, and publishing trends, and her commentary has been the attacks on September 11, 2001, the Iraq War, the Space featured on websites, including The Huffington Post, Little Pink Shuttle Columbia explosion, the 2002 bombings in Bali, and the Book, and NBC Chicago. She is the author of Your Book, Your Chandra Levy investigation, among countless other cases. Brand: A Step-By-Step Guide to Launching Your Book and Boost- ing Sales, available from Diversion Books. He has direct, firsthand experience investigating cases including murder (of all types), suicide, arson, kidnapping, bombings, sexu- Dana will teach Your Book, Your Brand in April. al assault, child exploitation, theft, and financial crimes. He has Continued on new page specified and certified training in the collection and preservation of First Draft Page 4

Upcoming Guppy Classes, continued Our 2018 Curriculum Killer Suspense with Simon Wood February 25-March 10 Here’s a list of the 2018 courses I’ve scheduled so far (there may Student Cost: $40 be more) with a short synopsis of each. Look for the details on our Wild Apricot events website. Your heart is slamming against your The Story Arc with Ramona Long ribcage, your fingertips are moist, and January 7-20 you turn another page. The antagonist Student Cost: $50 is about to trap the protagonist— you’ve seen it coming—your hero is The Story Arc class will examine story under pressure and there is no es- and character arcs in short stories, cape. You wish you could do some- standalones, and book series. A story thing to prevent the protagonist from arc covers the premise—and promise— walking into it, but you can’t. You turn of the opening, through the building another page. If you’ve ever felt this suspense of the middle to a permanent- way while reading a book, then the ly altered story world and satisfying end- writer has done a great job at creating suspense—and if you ing. Topics examined will be: plot points continue to read all the way to the end, the writer has also done a to create tension; set pieces to deliver great job of maintaining it. So how do you, the writer, go about depth and emotion; subtext; origin sto- creating the same for your readers? Killer Suspense reveals the ries from comic books; archetypes from tricks of the trade for creating top-notch suspense in your writing, mythology; dramatic structure from whether it be a cozy or a spy thriller. The intensity might be differ- plays and screenwriting; and the hero/ ent, but the techniques are the same. heroine’s external and internal journeys. It is not necessary to Edit for Acceptances by Stephen D. Rogers have a completed manuscript for this course. Assignments will be March 11-31 taken from your own work, with a few original or borrowed exam- Student Cost: $40 ples. Writing the Series with Laurie Schnebly While we think of writing as a solitary act, publishing is a contact January 29-February 10 sport. We’re all competing for open slots, and nowhere is that Student Cost: $40 more obvious than in the short story market, where mystery mag- azines and anthologies accept a finite numbers of tales. Increase It’s one thing to write a standalone nov- your chances of appearing in the table of contents by editing for el. It’s another to write a sequel, a trilo- success. In this class, you’ll learn and practice how to make your gy, a box set, or an open-ended series short story the best it can be. that will continue for as long as you want. While great storytelling is great Scene of the Crime: Perpetrating and Investigating Your storytelling no matter what the format, Fictional Felonies with Geoff Symon there are techniques to keep in mind April 1-14 when writing a series that will not only Student Cost: $40 keep your readers on board through every story, but keep you from burning When you need your book to have a clue. out while they’re still waiting for more. This course gives you the basic tools to investigate your own fictional scenes. Not only will you learn the fundamentals, but How to Weave Backstory Seamlessly Into Your Novel with over the four-week course students will Karen Dionne develop their own crime scenes, fleshing February 11-24 them out further with homework. Lessons Student Cost: $40 include:  Getting to the forensic basics Behind every well-developed novel lies an important backstory.  Evidence: what’s important to your story versus what’s But including too much too soon can halt your story’s momentum. important to an investigator Using examples from her own novels as well as students’ work,  Who’s at the scene and what their roles are international bestselling author Karen Dionne (The Marsh King’s  Primary methods used at crime scenes Daughter) will help writers figure out which backstory elements are essential, and which should be left out.  Fundamental terminology to bring in the authenticity Continued on next page First Draft Page 5

Upcoming Guppy Classes, continued Your Book, Your Brand with Dana Kaye gins with a look at the seven fear-fighting techniques. Next April 8-May 5 comes the pitch itself, with hands-on work to prepare what you’ll Student Cost: $80 tell the agent or editor during a formal appointment or an elevator meeting. Finally, we’ll cover the tricks for improving your presen- You’ve finished your book. That’s step one. Book publicist Dana tation and following up for the best chances of success. If you’re Kaye now takes you through step two: getting your book into the not planning to pitch anytime soon, you’ll get to choose an edi- hands of legions of readers. This four-week course will guide au- tor / agent’s role and play it for all it’s worth! thors through each step of a book campaign, empowering them to promote their work strategically and with confidence. Promoting a Improving Pacing and Plotting: Intensive Class! book can sometimes feel like feeling your way through a dark with Alicia Rasley cave; Dana Kaye is here to give you a flashlight. July 1-28 Student Cost: $60 Crafting Dramatic Tension: Bringing Emotional and Physical Conflict to a Satisfying Climax with Linda Rodriguez Pacing is, at base, the speed at May 6-June 2 which important events happen in Student Cost: $80 (25 student maximum) your story. While many writers think fast is the only pace, in fact, your How do you build tension and book will be improved if you deter- conflict in the early chapters, re- mine what pace is appropriate: sulting in physical, mental, and Fast, measured, or leisurely. And emotional turmoil for the main the pace can be varied to increase characters during the denoue- the reader’s interest and under- ment? How do you infuse conflict standing of particular parts of the and tension into plot points that story. (We usually don’t want a fast- emotionally impact the denoue- paced love scene!) In this interac- ment and character(s) arc(s)? tive workshop with bestselling au- thor and writing teacher Alicia Ras- Building the connections to keep ley, we’ll work on identifying the this seesaw going involves learn- pace that’s best for your story and achieving that through plot ing to balance emotional conflict and physical threat in order to devices and scene design. Note: This is an intensive class, with build continuing reader involvement and suspense. Every writer a lot of material and optional assignments. You can interact as knows she must put her characters in conflict and under tension, little or as much as you like; but if you do participate, Alicia will but the end results of such challenges must be carefully crafted review the assignment and give you feedback. also. The impact on the protagonist must contribute to the charac- ter arc and to the development of any further books in a series. Research for Writers with Linda Rodriguez July 29-August 11 Necessary Parts and PR (Query, Jacket Cover Blurb and Student Cost: $50 Synopsis Writing) with Ramona Long June 3-16 Historical novels are not the only ones that need research. Most Student Cost: $60 (15-student maximum) novels will need some background research, and some will need a great deal of research into an industry or organization or coun- Necessary Parts and PR is designed to help authors create nec- try or culture. Even a novel set in contemporary times in a place essary marketing, promotion, and pitch tools as they try to have a you know or have visited will need some spot research. Where manuscript accepted for publication. You will write a log line, a are the one-way streets in downtown Kansas City? What would paragraph for a query, a one-page book jacket blurb, and a 3- to have been on the news in December of 2013? 4-page synopsis. Research is not something to intimidate you, nor is it something Perfecting the Pitch with Laurie Schnebly to wallow in. The two problems with research for the novelist are June 17-30 writing books with not nearly enough research to make the char- Student Cost: $40 acters and background credible or absolutely way too much for the reader to wade through. This course is designed to help you Part of your job is overcoming the fear most writers feel when it navigate to a well-designed, well-researched, and well-written comes to selling themselves and their work. (If we were the natu- book. rally outgoing type, we wouldn’t be writers!) So this session be- Continued on next page First Draft Page 6

Upcoming Guppy Classes, continued Plot Thickeners with Simon Wood to supercharge the thrill. August 12-September 1  Research: how real does your novel need to be? Student Cost: $40  Writing an outline that works for you.

 Sing loud and proud: turning up the volume on your writing Plotting shouldn’t be viewed as a passion killer that destroys any voice. chance of spontaneity and creativity. Plotting is a very creative process. You’re creating the whole story in short form, providing a  Writing that first page: where to start your story. skeleton framework that will have the flesh put on during the writ-  Outline and first five-page critique for all participants. ing. What can be more motivating than when you have a complete outline for your novel to guide you from “once upon a time…” to Writing Is Revision: Boosting Structure, Character, Compli- “…and they lived happily ever after”? And what can be more de- cation, and Artistry with Linda Rodriguez motivating than coming to a grinding halt on a manuscript 30,000 September 30-October 13 words shy of your target with nothing left to say? With this work- Student Cost: $50 shop, students will develop the skills for producing well-thought out plotlines and use Simon’s outlining style sheet for creating The best writing is rewriting. Many famous writers have said in simple “at a glance” outlines. one way or another that “rewriting is writing” and “you can rewrite a bad page and make it better, but you can’t rewrite a blank The Author’s Arsenal: Writing, Weapons, and Wounds page.” The importance of revision is a given in professional writ- with Geoff Symon ing circles, but how do you go about the actual practice of rewrit- September 2-15 ing a novel to strengthen and solve its problems and weaknesses Student Cost: $40 of structure and character? How do you create more complica- tion within the plot and develop more artistry in the style and lan- Hurting your characters shouldn’t be a pain. This course covers guage you use? In this workshop, you will receive samples of the different weapons and the wounds they inflict. We’ll discuss instructor’s own revision notes and examples of before and after blunts, sharps, and projectiles, and walk through the injuries and revision work. risks possible with each. We’ll consider their impact on your scenes and plot so you can make certain they do the right kind of Editing Dialogue for Snap, Crackle, and Punch! damage. with Christine Fairchild October 14-27 Writing Thrillers and Other Dangerous Novels From the Student Cost: $40 Outline Up with Julie Rowe September 16-29 Make your words pop on the page! Dialogue is one of the most Student Cost: $40 important elements of any work of fiction. It’s equal to action, because, when written well, dialogue is action. So if you want Whether it’s a romantic suspense, readers to salivate for your character’s every word, then you thriller, or crime novel, writing books must know how to: with a dangerous edge have their  Make the story move own pros and pitfalls. Julie Rowe, through speech. author of the military thriller Biological Response Team series and Outbreak  Build tension on every page Task Force series, will explore with using dialogue. participants the following topics:  Throw curve balls in conver- sations.  Basic elements of a dangerous  Reveal your characters novel: what makes them different hopes, needs and fears through from other genres for good or ill. what they say and don’t say.  Finding your focus: narrowing down your subgenre of danger- This class is geared toward fic- ous story to give you a solid base to build your novel. tion writers who want to use in-  Who’s driving this runaway train? Plot driven, character driv- teresting, compelling dialogue to en, or event driven: Options for how you develop your novel. reveal their characters and their  Character archetypes: the good, the bad, and the ugly, and story. why you need all three. We’ll examine the micro to macro issues, as well as internal ver-  How did we get here? Using setting to its fullest. sus external communications.  Wars, disasters, and other bad luck: using traumatic events First Draft Page 7

Boas and Kick Lines by Elaine Will Sparber

Releases and Contracts published by Short Fiction Break (http://shortfictionbreak.com/the- red-herring-league/) after winning Honorable Mention in its 2017 Pigface and the Perfect Dog by Judy Alter was published in Spring Writing Contest. September by Alter Ego Press. The second book in the Oak Grove Mystery series, it’s available as a trade paperback and “All That Sparkles,” a short story by Linda Leszczuk writing as LD an e-book. Susan Hogan, English prof, thinks she’s about to Masterson, will be included in Snowbound: The Best New England meet her maker when she confronts a rifle-carrying man, who Crime Stories 2017, slated for launch at New England Crime Bake looks like a pig, in a grocery store. Jake, chief of campus secu- in November. rity, investigates the body of a young college student, shot in “The Perfect Patsy,” a short story by Bern Sy Moss, was published the back and found in an empty pasture. Susan and Jake find in the summer issue of Mysterical-E. themselves in the midst of a tangled web of breaking and enter- ing, threats and an attempted kidnapping, a clandestine trip to Mama’s Secret, the second book in the Enid Gilchrist cozy series the woods late at night, events which test their ties to each oth- by Sylvia A. Nash, was published in October as an e-book and is er, and Susan’s instinct for danger—or self-preservation. available through Amazon. Genealogist Enid Gilchrist plans to help patron Maude Everly uncover a family secret. Instead, they discov- On Jan. 1, 2018, Dorothy Bodoin’s Foxglove Corners cozy er several troubling secrets from the Civil War years that someone mystery The Dark Beyond the Bridge will be released by Wings is desperate to keep buried. ePress. Rita A. Popp’s short story “Stiletto Heels” was published in the A Cajun Christmas Killing, the third book in Ellen Byron’s best- Summer issue of Mysterical-E. Her flash fiction piece “A Dish of selling Cajun Country Mystery series, was released in October Dates” was published recently in Postcard Shorts. Both stories are to critical acclaim. The series is published by Crooked Lane still available to read in the online magazines, which archive their Books. content. Sandra Carey Cody’s An Uncertain Path, the second book in Keenan Powell has signed a three-book deal with Level Best her Peace Morrow series, was published in August in paper Books. Her debut, Deadly Solutions, will be published in January and digital formats. A tragic accident links the lives of two 2018. She also has a short story in New England Crime Bake’s young women, unrelated and unknown to one another, causing Snowbound, which will be released Nov. 10. each to question things she thought were certain, and sets them on a path neither could have imagined. Steve Shrott has sold two short stories, one to Mystery Weekly Magazine and the other to Black Cat Mystery Magazine. The publi- Lesley A. Diehl’s Thanksgiving short story “A Season to cation dates haven’t been set yet. Worry,” featuring those crazy ladies Aunt Nozzie and the grand- mothers (Leslie says they’re probably her relatives!) has been Jonette Stabbert had a micro-flash piece, “G Is For . . .,” pub- included in the fifth Thanksgiving anthology from Untreed lished in the September issue of Mslexia, a woman’s writing maga- Reads, The Killer Wore Cranberry: A Fifth Course of Chaos. zine from the UK. The anthology is currently available as an e-book and will ap- Nupur Tustin’s Aria to Death, the second in her Joseph Haydn pear shortly in print format. This is the fifth year Leslie has had Mystery series, is slated for release Dec. 1. The book delivers a a story included. double dose of history, with Haydn on the track of Monteverdi’s lost Barb Goffman’s “Crazy Cat Lady” was included in the first operas and a killer who will stop at nothing to get his hands on issue of Black Cat Mystery Magazine, published by Wildside them. Press in September. Continued on next page Margaret S. Hamilton’s Halloween short story “Taste Before Kings River Life You Buy” was published in the Oct. 14 issue of . Elaine Will Sparber is a freelance writer Bradley Harper has signed a two-book deal with Seventh and editor from Long Island, New York. Street Books. In his first novel, A Knife in the Fog, scheduled Her short story “Cover Story” was includ- for release in October 2018, a young Arthur Conan Doyle and ed in Fish Nets: The Second Guppy An- Professor Joseph Bell (Doyle’s real-life inspiration for Sherlock thology. She has also co-authored a trav- Holmes) enter the hunt for Jack the Ripper. Joined by Margaret el book and ghostwritten two health Harkness, a feminist author living in the East End (and a real books. You can visit her website at person), they stalk the darkened alleys and courtyards of www.elainewillsparber.com. Whitechapel as they hunt the man who wields a knife in the fog. In April, Bradley’s short story “The Red Herring League” was First Draft Page 8

Boas and Kick Lines, continued

Scrapbook of Murder, the sixth book in Lois Winston’s Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, was published in October. Sus- “Boas and Kick Lines” is a regular column in First Draft. To pense Magazine calls it “a perfect example of what mysteries are submit a piece of good news, send it off-list to Elaine Will all about—deft plotting, believable characters, well-written dia- Sparber at [email protected]. The deadline for logue, and a satisfying, logical ending.” In addition, Sleuthing items is the 15th of the month before publication. Women II: 10 Mystery Novellas, edited by Lois, launched in Sep- tember. Each of the 10 stories in the e-book box set is connected to an existing mystery series. The authors include Lois, Allison Brennan & Laura Griffin, Maggie Toussaint, Jonnie Jacobs, Ca- Marilyn Levinson’s cozy mystery Death Overdue, the first in her mille Minichino, Heather Haven, Vinnie Hansen, Mary Kennedy, Haunted Library Mystery series written as Allison Brook, received Judy Alter, and Rita Lakin. a starred review and was named a Pick of the Month by Library Journal. The book was published by Crooked Lane Books in Octo- Awards and Recognitions ber, with an audio version coming soon from Blackstone. Mary Feliz’s first book, Address to Die For, was named a Best Terrie Farley Moran won the Derringer Award for Best Novel- Book of 2017 by Kirkus Reviews. Silicon Valley professional or- ette for “Inquiry and Assistance,” published in the January/ ganizer Maggie McDonald has a penchant for order that extends February 2016 issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. The beyond her clients’ closets and sock drawers. When murder Derringers were handed out in October at Bouchercon. comes to Orchard View, Maggie must set things right. “Parallel Play” by Art Taylor won the Macavity Award for Best Christina Hoag’s noir thriller Skin of Tattoos was a finalist for Short Story. The Macavity Awards were handed out in October at the 2017 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for suspense. Bouchercon.

Fishy Business: An Upcoming Guppy Anthology

he Steering Committee has tract with Linda Rodriguez to edit T approved a fifth Guppy anthol- this anthology. The Steering Com- ogy, to be titled Fishy Business. mittee is in the process of recruit- ing three judges from outside the The call for submissions opens Guppy Chapter. We are also ne- on November 15 and runs gotiating with Wildside Press, through February 15, 2018. The which has published the last four theme for this year is the caper: a of our anthologies. story involving one or more crimes (especially thefts, swindles, or kid- Complete submission details will nappings) perpetrated by the main be emailed to all Guppies in mid- characters in full view of the read- November and added to the Files er. Stories that the three independ- section of the Yahoo Guppies- ent judges determine do not meet SinC group. This early announce- the theme will not be eligible for ment will let you get started writing inclusion. Stories must be between your original caper stories right 1,500 and 5,000 words long. away. Eligibility: All Guppies who are For any further information, email members in good standing of both Anna Castle at anthology@sinc- the Guppy Chapter and the nation- guppies.com. al Sisters in Crime organization as of November 15, 2017 may submit. Past Guppy anthologies: Fish Anna Castle will be the anthology Tales, Fish Nets, Fish or Cut coordinator. We are hoping to con- Bait, Fish Out of Water. First Draft Page 9

Agent Insight: Who Will Be Accepted? by Carol Newhouse

he Association of Canadian Jill Marsal says her acceptance T Publishers states that liter- rate is much higher than a few ary agents are selective about clients each year. She has whom they will represent and signed three new authors in a that typically agents only accept week and says the number can a few clients in each year. This vary quite a lot month to number seemed low. De- month. pressingly low. It flew in the face In contrast, Joyce Hart states, of my observation that plenty of “Agents only take a few clients agents eagerly participate in each year.” pitch-fests and attend confer- ences in search of new clients. Deborah Schneider concurs Surely they wouldn’t go to all with Joyce Hart. “I think the that effort if they only planned to characterization is generally sign two or three new authors true, especially for established annually. William Iven Photo agents.” I contacted Janet Reid, of New “You don’t want just any agent for your book. Dawn Dowdle agrees that Leaf Literary and Media Inc., Jill agents are selective about who Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary You want the right agent. One who works with they represent, but turns that Agency, Dawn Dowdle of Blue your genre and subgenre, if applicable, and al- on its head when she notes, Ridge Literary Agency, Joyce so who you feel you can talk to and work with.” “You don’t want just any agent Hart of Hartline Literary Agency, for your book. You want the —Literary agent Dawn Dowdle Deborah Schneider of Gelfman right agent. One who works Schneider/ICM Partners, and with your genre and subgenre, Doug Grad of Doug Grad Literary Agency Inc., and asked them if applicable, and also who you feel you can talk to and work what they thought of the association’s statement. with. Just like you wouldn’t marry the first man or woman you meet, you should make sure the agent is a good fit for you and Janet Reid was blunt. “Those kind of stats do only one thing, give your book.” However, she does believe that many agents have a authors the heebie-jeebies. Yes, it’s hard to secure an agent. Yes, set number of clients. the odds are long. You already knew that.” But she is quick to say that the stats don’t tell us that “at least half the queries I get are for What draws an agent to accept a client? work that isn’t publishable. Another big chunk is for books that aren’t my cup of tea. Those odds got a lot shorter in two sentenc- “For novels: Voice primarily,” says Janet Reid, who adds that es, didn’t they?” That said, Janet continues, “Last year I signed she wants the book to surprise her in some way. She rejects one new client. This year I’ve already signed four (as of August).” books that “seem like a rehash of tired old tropes, or even books that don’t seem new or fresh in any way. I look for books that Doug Grad called the statement “rather broad … true for some add to the canon, not ones that repeat what we’ve already agents and not so for others.” He says “it’s not a one-size-fits-all seen.” However, when it comes to nonfiction, her own interests business.” Doug differentiates between “long-established agents exert an influence. “I will leap tall buildings for some things … with a list of bestselling authors, [who] typically don’t accept many but equally strong projects for a topic I’m not interested in are (or any) new clients” and “young agents at a large agency often less likely to get a look.” looking to grow their lists.” This is good news for authors. Continued on next page He also pointed out that “an agent who handles nonfiction writers realizes that they’re not writing series fiction, that there’s no guar- antee of a second or follow-up book deal, and since nonfiction can Carol Newhouse is a member of several take longer to write, there is often room for more authors on an writing organizations, including Sisters in agent’s client list.” Crime Toronto and the Toronto Romance Writers. She is hard at work on her first Doug suggests that the agent’s current list can affect how many book in the Zookeeper Mystery series. new clients he/she is willing to accept. “After all, if an agent needs When not working as a legal assistant or to make sales to stay in business and an author’s work isn’t sell- dreaming of dead bodies, she is walking ing, or if contracts have been cancelled for nondelivery, or if an her dogs, chilling in yoga classes, or hang- author is resistant to coaching from an agent, then it’s probably ing out at the Toronto Zoo. time to part ways with that author.” In that case, one author’s loss could be another’s gain. First Draft Page 10

Agent Insight, continued Jill Marsal, like Janet, is also drawn to stories with a strong voice. into small bits with a baseball bat … although talking writers off If a new author’s work also includes a good hook or high concept, the ledge and back into their chairs is pretty high priority.” compelling atmosphere or setting, and interesting characters, she Doug Grad agrees with Janet Reid, but adds, “A first-timer may will consider representation. need a lot of handholding—this is an arcane, confusing business, Doug Grad is attracted to “great writing, first and foremost.” He and I generally tell my authors not to try to understand the busi- asks himself a lot of questions, though. “Is the author writing a ness, that’s my job! He tries to look at new material continuously, genre I know and can sell? Is the author writing something new “but it can be hard to find the time. Depending on what else I have and different from others in the same genre? Is the author writing on my plate, I can go for months without reading new material. It’s to his or her strength? If the author is already published, what’s fun to discover a new author, however. It reaffirms the reason for the author’s sales history? Will we have to overcome a negative being in this business.” He estimates two-thirds of his list is sales history? Is this author a first- formed by established authors and one timer? Does this author have any sort -third is new authors. of media platform—print, broadcast? Is Joyce Hart estimates her mix between this author a major presence on social “Publishers won’t look at an author old and new clients is 60 percent to 40 media? Is the author willing to work his who does not have a good platform. percent, but adds, “that’s just a guess.” or her tail off to hustle and sell books? Sometimes we see proposals we Is the author someone I can get along love and publishers won’t take them Jill Marsal tries to spend time daily with, or is the author going to be a because of platform.” “going through queries from new au- handful? And do I have the time and thors and/or reading new author sub- space available to devote to a new —Literary agent Joyce Hart missions because I think discovering author? I need most of those questions new voices is an exciting part of the answered before I can even consider business, in addition to working with the writing—the writing is what can cinch the deal, however.” terrific established authors.” Joyce Hart says platform is a huge reason agents don’t take on an Dawn Dowdle splits her time between working with established author. “Publishers won’t look at an author who does not have a and newer clients and strives for balance but spends less time good platform. Sometimes we see proposals we love and publish- discovering new clients. “Having some who write multiple books a ers won’t take them because of platform.” She also believes au- year and some who write one a year is a good mix as well.” thors must learn to prepare proposals. “Our guidelines are on our Referrals versus unsolicited website.” Deborah Schneider gets the majority of her new manuscripts Dawn Dowdle wants the story and characters to draw her in within through referrals from other authors or colleagues. Unsolicited the first page or two. But the story has to fit the marketplace. She manuscripts are read by staff, who will flag something that shows advises the composition of an agent’s list can impact on how promise. many new authors are accepted. “Since most of my authors are in different stages of the process, before I offer to a new client, I look She suggests the balance between old and new clients differs if at whether I have time to edit, etc., instead of looking at how many the agent is younger and building a client list. However, “young or I represent.” old, new or seasoned, we all work for the same goal of launching a good book and successful career into the literary marketplace.” Deborah Schneider echoed Dawn Dowdle. “Every new author requires a commitment of time, focus, and effort, not just for one At the end of the day, I think it is fair to say that agents do not take book and one deal, but for the duration of that book’s lifetime, and on dozens of new clients each year, but I think Janet Reid hit the not just for all of its attendant licences or subsidiary rights, royalty target when she wrote, “You have no control over how many or payments, and permissions, but also for the author’s ongoing ca- how few clients any agent signs. You have control over one thing, reer. Taking on a new client means taking on the responsibility for the caliber of your work. Invest your time in fretting about plot shaping and managing that career.” holes, not the difficulty of snagging one of those mysterious agent types.” How then do agents allot time? And, she continues, “Being part of Sisters in Crime is also a good Janet Reid doesn’t differentiate clients on the basis of old or new investment of your time. The published authors there can help you but on what stage they are at in the process—“on submission; in with perspective on the agent search. It’s not impossible, but it’s development; at the bar; in despair … A client in submission hears not slam dunk. Like a lot of things, some luck is involved. But as from me a lot more often than one who is beating their typewriter my favorite pool shark says, ‘The harder I work, the luckier I get.’” First Draft Page 11

When It’s Time to Pull the Plug by Beth Green and Christina Lorenzen n this column, we’ve ical map. Mentally zoom in I talked a lot about what and out (or actually draw it to post on social media out on paper!) to see what and when to do it. But tasks are pressing and what about the times where you are in relation when you shouldn’t be to your goals. This helps posting? When you’re you put the time you stuck, bored, or just plain spend on social media tired? and the tasks you assign yourself into perspective Just like time away from a and can help you deter- writing project can help mine if or when to pull the you infuse fresh insight plug. and energy in your manu- script, knowing when to It’s stressing you out step away from your social We know: you’ve got a media—or stop it altogeth- million things to do. We all er—is part of being a sav- do. From managing your vy manager for your online family and home life, to brand as a writer. remembering to go to the This month, we’re discuss- Photo by Aaron Burden / Unsplash dentist, to keeping man- ing when it’s time to pull Remember that, while social media can be rewarding and agement happy at your the plug on your social day job and arguing with media habits. helpful, it is also OK to say if you’ve had enough. the utility company about your last bill, you’re al- Pull the plug when: ready full up on things to do even before you get to crack a laptop You start to dread logging in and get back to perfecting the next exciting chapter in your Work in Progress. When day-to-day life stress levels start to peak, it Writers get a lot of advice—hey, we’re giving you some here!— may be time for a media break. Using an aggregator or scheduling and it can become overwhelming trying to follow all the recom- tool such as Hootsuite or Buffer can allow you to have a presence mendations. Remember that, while social media can be rewarding on social media without adding to your stress levels and can mind and helpful, it is also OK to say if you’ve had enough. If you don't the shop for you while you’re away, so to speak. enjoy Facebook or Twitter but you do enjoy Tumblr or Instagram, then by all means, stick to the ones you actually enjoy. You'll offer Continued on next page your followers more quality content in the long run, and life’s too short to commit to doing things you hate every day when they’re Beth Green is a freelance writer, lan- not life-or-death. guage coach, and social media manag- er. A longtime expat, she lives in Pra- You’re not seeing the point gue and reviews books for The Dis- placed Nation website. In her free time, Social media should form a part of your overall strategies for Beth is working on a series of (yet un- building your platform, networking, and marketing your work. But it published) international crime novels. may be that, at certain points in time, your social media activities She’s been a member of SinC and the aren’t contributing to your main focus. You may need distance Guppies since 2012. from your online work as well, to reassess how it can fit in your plan. When Christina notices this happening, she cuts back on the Christina Lorenzen is an award-winning time she spends on Facebook and Twitter, just posting once or journalist who jumped ship from the twice a week until it’s time for a new campaign or until she has world of journalism to pursue her life- renewed energy. long dream of becoming a novelist. She’s the author of four sweet romance In a recent interview with Jessica Abel, the Creative Penn podcast novels and at work on her first cozy offered an interesting idea for navigating complex time manage- mystery. She loves nothing more than ment that also applies to how you use social media: try to view the to spend her days writing with her three time you spend on tasks from different “altitudes.” With this ap- cats at her feet. proach, you think of your social media strategies like a topograph- First Draft Page 12

Social Media, continued

Social media can also be stressful purely from an emotional standpoint. Constant mentions of tragedies and scandal can wear away at your good humor and creativity. If you sense that happen- ing, pull the plug for a day or two. And though it’s generally a good idea to think of your social media presence as a representation of your brand, and thus, to stay away from arguments online, de- pending on your interests and who you follow, it’s not hard to find divisive topics on social media. Some people enjoy and are ener- gized by online discussions, while others are simply drained by them. If you’re in the latter category, pull the plug on that kind of interactions. Using lists within the platforms or changing your noti- fication settings can also help with this.

You’re Facebooking instead of writing Photo by Rami-al-Zayat/Unsplash

Social media is certainly Beth’s favorite way of procrastinating, and it might be yours too! But if you find yourself short on time to Tips for forward movement get your writing projects done, it may help to evaluate how much unnecessary time you’re spending on social media. Keeping a  Maintain a bird’s eye view of your social media strate- record of your time online (either in a notebook or by using a time- gy. tracker app) can help you figure out how much time you’re actual- ly spending on social media—and further, how much of that time  Keep an eye on current events (for trends and ideas) actually gets you closer to your goals. If you (like Beth) hate being so you can plan ahead. given limits but don't mind quotas, you can also frame this in the  Schedule your social media time so it doesn’t creep reverse—spend as much time as you want on social media after up on bigger tasks. you’ve met or exceeded your word count goal for the day.  Use schedulers when possible. You’re online instead of caring for yourself and your relationships  Remember it’s OK to say no to new responsibilities, even the ones you want to assign to yourself. This may seem obvious, but it needs to be said. Writers are self- driven creatures and that means we sometimes drive ourselves a  Tweak the Marie Kondo method of decluttering for bit too fast. Blocking off time to be with family or friends keeps you your online work—keep the activities that bring you healthy. If you feel like your well is running dry, don’t hesitate to joy and discard the rest. pull the plug on social media, and even screen time in general.

Dorothy Cannell Guppy Scholarship o honor one of the most enduring author/agent partnerships in was for Dorothy, as for many other crime writers, a wonderful in- T mystery publishing, Sisters in Crime is administering the an- troduction to the community of mystery readers and writers. This nual Dorothy Cannell “Guppy” Scholarship, offered by an anony- scholarship will allow another new writer (published yet or not) the mous donor. opportunity. The $1,000 scholarship is offered each year to an aspiring or pub- To apply, a member of the Guppy Chapter should send a state- lished mystery author who is a member of the online Guppies ment, no more than 200 words, about how attending the Malice Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Domestic conference will support her writing goals, to Sisters in Crime at [email protected], RE: Dorothy Cannell Scholar- Although the majority of the members start out as unpublished, ship. Applicants will receive confirmation of entry via email. many change that status by using the support and resources of the Guppies to assist them in honing their craft and finding their All entries must be received by Dec. 26, 2017. The winner will be path to publication. The Dorothy Cannell Scholarship subsidizes selected from the entrants and announced early in 2018. attendance at the Malice Domestic conference. The award will be for attendance at the Malice Domestic confer- Malice Domestic honors the traditional mystery and awards the ence in Bethesda, Maryland, to be held April 27–April 29, 2018. prestigious Agatha, named for Agatha Christie. Attending Malice First Draft Page 13

Diverse Voices: What We Have in Common by Vinnie Hansen

ultural appropriation is a hot The Diverse Voices series, which has C topic in the literary world. If I run all this year, was an idea spun off were to start my Carol Sabala se- from Sisters in Crime’s Report for ries now, I would not have the au- Change: The 2016 Publishing Sum- dacity to create a half Mexican- mit Report on Diversity, Equity and American protagonist. Except for a Inclusion in the Mystery Community, pinch of Algonquin, I’m as Anglo as available on the SinC website. See they come. past issues of First Draft for other Cultural appropriation is the use of articles in the series. one culture—usually a traditionally family of fair-headed Hankemeiers who oppressed one—by another, usual- were half Mexican-American. I didn’t ly dominant, culture. It can include know Amber Sabala, who supplied Car- the appropriation of traditions, food, ol’s surname, was half-Mexican until I fashion, symbols, language, met her father. Many of my half Mexi- songs—just about anything— can-American students didn’t even without permission. Members of the speak Spanish. While assimilation is a originating cultures sometimes view natural process, these students’ cultural the practice as disrespectful, espe- loss saddened me. However, as a writer cially when the appropriating cul- I saw it as a rich vein to mine: What ture reduces sacred elements to does it feel like when half of one’s iden- fashions or toys. tity is invisible? In the early ’90s, when I started my I hadn’t experienced ethnic invisibility, mystery series, I was unaware of but I did know how it felt to be invisible the idea of culture appropriation, or in other ways. My students’ remarks misappropriation. I innocently revealed that they viewed me as a stepped into creating Carol Sabala. white, educated person of privilege with I had some credentials for under- no comprehension of their hardships. standing a half Mexican-American protagonist. I was well into my They had no conception that I grew up in poverty, that at age ten I teaching career at Watsonville High School, where I served a hand-cleared a field of sage brush in the rain. They didn’t imagine largely Mexican-American community. I spoke passable Spanish my childhood home as a place with no bathroom. They had no and was invited to attend quinceañeras and traditional Mexican idea that during my entire youth, I never saw a doctor, even when weddings. I ate birria, prepared from a goat slaughtered in a I was bucked off a cow and ripped my leg on barbed wire or when back yard. But even given my closeness to the Mexican- a German shepherd bit me and the wound became infected. Such American community, I emphasized Carol Sabala’s other half. details shocked them. Her Mexican half was, for all intents and purposes, invisible. The Golden Rule is to write what you know. While I didn’t know Sabala, a corruption of the fairly common Zavala, is a surname exactly how it felt to be half Mexican-American, I did know how it that many do not identify as Hispanic. And Carol has no memory felt to have a part of my identity go unseen. We all do. This of her father, the man who gave her this name. To top it off, Car- shared, universal experience is the reason the hero’s journey and ol looks like her mother, with “colored” eyes and wiry auburn hair. identity quests are archetypal storylines. To create Carol Sabala’s People see her and peg her as non-Hispanic white. unseen heritage, I drew on this emotional truth, which transcends cultural boundaries. My intuitive choices in the creation of Carol proved fortuitous. The emphasis on Carol’s Anglo half set up an internal conflict Vinnie Hansen is the author of the Carol that runs through the series. Carol struggles with her identity, the Sabala Mystery Series, the novel Lostart fact that no one sees or recognizes her Mexican heritage. Even Street, and many short stories. Her latest her own mother will not discuss her father, the mysterious Geral- story, “Miscalculation,” is due out in San- do Sabala. Carol’s quest to complete her identity arcs through ta Cruz Noir (Akashic Books) in the sum- the series, peaking in book five, Death with Dessert, when she mer of 2018. Vinnie lives in Santa Cruz sets off to track down her father. with her husband and the requisite cat. The creation of Carol’s dilemma was not completely uncon- scious. When I began the series with Murder, Honey, more and more of my students were products of the melting pot. I taught a First Draft Page 14

The Editor’s POV: Formatting for Self-Publishing by Lourdes Venard This is the final in a yearlong As Joel Friedlander writes, “Word series. processors that are designed for letters, memos, business reports f you are an indie writer then and the like are simply not up to you are also your own publish- I the task of creating beautiful and er, and one of your responsibili- pro-level book typography …. If ties is having your book format- you expect buyers, reviewers, ted—for ebook, print, or both. and award judges to respond Below are some of the factors favorably to your book when com- you will want to consider. I’ve paring it to books that may have inserted links throughout, be- come from traditional publishers cause there is more information or from authors who have put than I have room to cover in one together a team of professionals article! to create their books, it’s simply My first suggestion is to hire a not good enough.” professional interior formatter. It Photo by Amador Loureiro via Unsplash Even if you are not formatting will take you far longer to format yourself, it's good to dip your toe your own book, time you can into the world of fonts and trim sizes, so you can know what you spend doing marketing and other writing tasks. want and don’t want. Formatting books Amazon’s CreateSpace (print on demand platform) and Kindle A badly formatted book can immediately throw a reader out of Direct Publishing (for ebooks) has resources and reading material the story. While you need to know certain formatting to submit to for self-publishers, of course. Amazon this year also launched an agent (see May issue), that’s only a small part of what is in- KDP Print (more on that here). volved in formatting for publication. I haven’t dwelled on other retailers because Amazon is the big- For print, you need to consider not only trim size (more on that gest player, especially in the United States. According to a report later), but also font and size for a print book. Most new authors this year from Michael Cader of Publishers Marketplace, Amazon worry about font and size for an ebook, but you don’t need to— accounts for 71 percent of the ebook sales, followed by iBooks for the most part, the reader selects the font and type size. (14 percent) and Nook (9 percent). But you may certainly want to investigate other retailers. Ebooks are easier to format than print books, and you can use a service such as Draft2Digital, which converts your Word docu- Trim size ment and easily lets you upload to various vendors (except to Whether you are DIY formatting or hiring someone, the choice will Amazon’s KDP program). Smashwords also lets you upload to be yours on the book’s trim size (trim size is the print book’s size). various vendors, but their requirements for formatting are much Generally, trade paperbacks are less expensive and are common more extensive and hard to follow. Both provide free ISBNs and among crime fiction. The most popular sizes among self- you don’t pay upfront for their services (they do take a commis- publishers are 5.5″ x 8.5″ and 6″ x 9″. (You can publish a hard- sion from your royalties). Because Draft2Digital will do the for- back, but this is expensive and probably won’t sell as well unless matting for you, this service is quickly winning over authors. you’re already a well-known author.) Not only are these two sizes Another way to format books yourself is to use book templates. the ones most used, but they also have another advantage: any- Joel Friedlander, the book designer guru, has inexpensive tem- thing larger than 6″ x 9″ may not fit on a retailer’s fiction book- plates at his website. Essentially, you are copying and pasting shelves. Those larger sizes are reserved for art books, cook- your Word documents into these templates, available for both books, workbooks, etc. ebooks and print. The templates start as low as $29 for a single Continued on next page book license. These, however, work best for very simple books with no extras. Lourdes Venard had a 30-year career in Friedlander also has an extensive library of articles on format- journalism, working at The Miami Herald, ting. There’s often more to formatting than meets the eye—for Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal News, example, you may want to learn about widows and orphans, Newsday, and other publications. She is page bleeds, paragraphing, typefaces, nonbreaking spaces and now a college instructor and independent hyphens, drop caps, running heads, and much more. editor working with individual authors, magazines, and other clients. You can visit The problem with attempting to format yourself is that you may her website at www.commasense.net. miss some of these intricacies of formatting, unless you have a design or publishing background. First Draft Page 15

The Editor’s POV, continued How do you choose which of the two sizes you want? You may want to look at published books to see if you have a size that ap- peals to you the most. Cost may also be a factor. Deborah Brad- seth of Tugboat Design explains this best. With her permission, I’m running part of her blog post, which breaks down the two pop- ular trim sizes for trade paperbacks: To keep things easy, let’s say your word count is 70,000 and you plan to publish through CreateSpace. Now that will put a 5″ x 8″ book around 275 pages, and a 5.5″ x 8.5″ book around 250 pag- es. If we go check out CreateSpace’s Royalty calculator, you can figure out how much you’ll make off of each book. Let’s set the price at $9.99. Below are the results: 5″ x 8″, 275 pages at $9.99 = You will make $1.83 per every sale on Amazon. 5.5″ x 8.5″, 250 pages at $9.99 = You will make $2.14 per every sale on Amazon. At this point, you’d judge for yourself whether you’d rather have the extra .31¢ per each sale, or if you’d be happier missing out on Formatting examples courtesy of Deborah Bradseth, Tugboat Design. that and having the smaller trim size. Find past columns in this series on our website: Where this really comes into play is if you have a small or high January: Writing the query letter word count. For example, a word count of 110,000 will be 450 March: Writing the synopsis pages at a 5″ x 8″ trim size, but only 334 pages at the 6″ x 9″ trim size. Assuming you list the book at $12.99, you would make an May: Formatting manuscripts extra $1.40 per book sale if you went with the 6″ x 9″ trim size. At July: Writing for the web that point, I’d say it’s a no-brainer and go with the larger trim size. September: Writing book blurbs and bios Other pages Another concern for self-publishers is what pages to include in often located in the back for ebooks, since you want a reader to your book—other than the story, of course. There are several be able, in an Amazon preview, to read most of that early chapter moving parts to a book, divided into front matter and back matter. or couple of chapters. If that preview is cluttered with a Character They are what they sound like: front matter are those pages be- List, blurbs, and an author’s note, the reader will see less of the fore the story; back matter is what comes after. actual story. In fiction, these pages can include: Also be mindful that some of these front and back matter pages require special formatting, such as the Table of Contents.  Copyright page (for ideas and samples of what to include on Harry Potter territory this page, see tugboatdesign.wordpress.com/2015/11/05/ copyright-page) If your head isn’t spinning yet, let’s take a peek into the future. If  Table of Contents you’ve watched the Harry Potter movies, you’ll surely remember the photographs that moved.  Acknowledgments Page A new Amazon technology, Kindle in Motion, is bringing that wiz-  Dedication Page ardry to today’s books. The new technology was quietly unveiled  Author Bio in 2016, and is only available for a few hundred Amazon press  Glossary or Character List titles. It brings art, animation, and video to covers and interiors. Take a look at this Jodi Picoult cover and the others examples  Blurbs about the current book or past books below.  A note from the author asking readers to leave a review on Responding to my inquiry, KDP told me they were still testing this Amazon, Goodreads, etc. feature on select titles, adding, “We’re currently evaluating the  All permissions, in writing, that may be required to reproduce best way to make it available for individual publishers.” illustrations or previously published material. Crime fiction authors Patricia Cornwell, Barry Eisler, William Lash- ner, and Harry Hunsicker have had Kindle in Motion books pub- Pages that are usually found in the front matter in print books are lished. Will you be next? First Draft Page 16

Make Time for Your Writing by Cori Lynn Arnold

hether you are participating in National Novel Writing cember. Month (NaNoWriMo) or not, we should all make time for W Reward the successes, move past the failures. Two years ago our writing this November. Most of us have lives outside of writ- I hit the 10,000-word mark on my second day of NaNoWriMo. I ing: full-time jobs, was thrilled. My mind was school, activities, friends. like mashed potatoes, so I I have all of these as made a big batch of well, so let me tell you mashed potatoes and gra- about some ways I make vy to celebrate. Two time for writing in No- weeks later I got a cold vember. and didn’t want to get out Get up earlier. During of bed. I didn’t make my NaNoWriMo I set my daily quota for two days. I alarm an hour earlier and didn’t dwell on it. I made the coffeepot to brew myself some tea and automatically. That extra pushed ahead. hour is just for writing. I Write everywhere. Write like to freewrite (or writ- at work during your coffee ing without care for plot, breaks and lunch hour. characters, or sentence Again, skip the social structure), so this early lunch. Find somewhere to morning session is for write that’s quick to get to freewriting, or if I’m and where you can be ready to push forward on Photo by Cliff Johnson / Unsplash alone. Maybe that’s the the novel I will head copy room. Maybe it’s the free cubicle or office where no one will straight to that. If I get stuck, I go back to freewriting. find you to strike up a conversation. Don’t worry, your lunch bud- Do chores and family responsibilities two at a time. My job dies will be there after your month. around the house is mostly to make meals, so during November I Go to a write-in. I am, like some of you, someone who needs tend to make two, or three, or four, at a time. If I’m making pot time around people. OK, I’ll admit it, I’m an extrovert. I get inspired pies, I’ll make two and freeze one. If I’m making meatballs, I’ll by the conversations in write-ins. I work them right into my novel. I make a double batch and have meatball sandwiches one night. was at a late night write-in when a woman talked about her gam- Driving those kids to practice? Make sure to bring your novel bling career in Las Vegas. I worked that right in as a backstory for along in whatever form you can. You could always write out your my character’s mother. I love the speed drills, though I never win. scenes and dialogue on the back of receipts from your wallet. Is I’m more of a slow-and-steady writer, like the tortoise in “The Tor- laundry your chore? Make sure everyone has clean underpants, toise and the Hare” story. Are you more of an introvert? Create and tell them to dig harder into their closet for lesser worn outfits. your own write-in at a coffee shop, the library, or your laundry Let some of the chores go, or delegate where you can. Maybe room. Do your own speed drills. Maybe set yourself an hire a professional cleaner for the month. “impossible” goal and try to reach that. No TV or smartphone apps. During November I swear off tele- This November, whether you are participating in NaNoWriMo or vision and uninstall all social media and games from my phone. not, set aside some time for writing. Make writing your focus for I once determined from my iPhone that I spent seven hours play- the month and see how that turns out. ing one of my games on the phone over the course of a week. If you have an iPhone, you can go to Settings>Battery and then scroll down to see how much time in the last 24 hours and the Cori Lynn Arnold is the author of Thin last seven days you’ve been using those apps. Don’t worry, you Luck, created during her first mad rush can reinstall that game in December. And you can catch up to of NaNoWriMo, as well as Frigid Deceit, those television shows through DVR or streaming. Or maybe Scalding Deceit, and Northern Deceit. you’ll realize you didn’t miss that much. She grew up in the kitschy town of North Pole, Alaska. She is currently studying to Skip the social events. Maybe not Thanksgiving, but definitely be a badass librarian. the family Black Friday shopping. Tell them you are writing. In fact, tell every single person who starts up a conversation that you are writing and writing something awesome, and then go back to writing. Tell your friends you’ll make it up to them in De- First Draft Page 17

Fantasy Agent Insights compiled by Nancy L. Eady he Fantasy Agent project is analyzing them, trying to un- T an annual Guppy project derstand what made them giving unpublished authors the work (or not) made me a bet- chance to submit the first 30 ter writer. So, all in all, it was pages of their work-in-progress win/win. In exchange for a bit and a synopsis to anonymous of my time, I was given the published Guppy authors who opportunity of seeing the birth read the submission and cri- of a new book and I was ex- tique it as if they were an posed to new writing, different agent. styles of expression, and that will, inevitably, make me a The Fantasy Agent project for better writer. 2017 finished in July, but the 2018 Fantasy Agent project will Debra Goldstein take place in the late spring/ I didn’t want to be a fantasy early summer of 2018. agent. Even though I’d had As you can see from the para- several short stories and two graphs below, both agents and novels traditionally published, submitters found the experi- Photo by Juliette Leufke / Unsplash been on numerous panels, ence worthwhile. and was part of a short story “Being a fantasy agent also taught me while revi- teaching team, I wasn’t sure I The Agents sion is important, there is a time to let a piece go. could offer anything benefi- The Fantasy Agent Project If the work isn’t accepted, evaluate the criticism, cial. I only agreed to be an could not exist without its vol- revise, and submit again.” agent because my arm was unteer reviewers. Requests for twisted. It proved to be such a volunteers will be going out —Debra Goldstein, Fantasy Agent worthwhile experience, I’ve soon. Please consider saying now participated each time “yes” when you are asked. If Guppies have offered it. you need reasons to do so, consider the following perspectives. Not only have I been able to read another’s work with a critical Sandra Cody eye—offering suggestions on plot holes, perhaps too many char- acters in the opening pages, poor word choices, or stilted dia- I’ve participated as a Fantasy Agent twice now. Both times I al- logue, I’ve also praised sharp writing, clever execution of con- most didn’t respond to the call for various reasons. It didn’t take cepts, and good plotting. I’ve been told some of my comments long for me to push the reasons aside. I remembered how often helped the writers I’ve worked with get on track, given them a tool other writers have shared their valuable time with me and how for solving a problem, or allowed them to feel confident enough to much it has helped me grow as a writer. The other, more serious submit, but it has worked in reverse, too. Reading the submitted questions concerning whether my critique would be helpful, I sat- manuscripts has made me more critical of my own writing and isfied by determining to read the submissions not as a critic, but helped me recognize my patterns of similar errors. Being a fanta- as a reader. I approached each one the same way I approach sy agent also taught me while revision is important, there is a every new book I pick up. I did it with the intention of enjoying the time to let a piece go. If the work isn’t accepted, evaluate the story—and I did. criticism, revise, and submit again. The stories I read were good. They were fresh and original. Continued on next page There’s an amazing amount of talent in this group and I feel privi- leged to have seen some of it in its emerging state. I’m betting I’ll Nancy Eady is a writer and lawyer be reading some of these early chapters in published books living in small-town central Alabama (soon, I hope). When I do, I’ll remember reading an earlier version with her husband, daughter, and two and feel like a proud mother. I hope I conveyed that admiration to dogs. She is the author of the blog the authors. On the other hand, I probably made some sugges- “Tales from the Mom-Side: My Adven- tions that the writer may not have welcomed and I hope she/he tures as a Working Mom,” located at understands that they were made in the spirit of camaraderie— www.workingmomadventures.com. peer to peer—and throws away anything that doesn’t work for the She is seeking an agent for her first story she (he) wants to tell. We are all in this together; we’re all novel, Sleight of Hand. learning. I don’t know if any of the suggestions I made were help- ful to the writer, but I do know that reading the stories I was given, First Draft Page 18

Fantasy Agent Insights, continued Cheryl Hollon Terri Benson I have volunteered to I participated in the be a Fantasy Agent Fantasy Agent pro- every time I am asked gram for the first time and I will keep saying in 2017 (I’ve only yes. Even though cri- been a Guppy mem- tiquing is hard. Even ber since late 2016). though it takes up a lot The submission pro- of time. Even though cess was easy and the timing is always the coordinator(s) bad. were great to work with. I do this for three rea- sons. The first is pay- The feedback I got back for all the help I was priceless. I was received from the Gup- trying to hone my pies in getting to my manuscript for a pitch dream job—a published and talks with agents author. The second is Photo by Dan Dimmock / Unsplash at a conference, and I to make a difference in was able to make one author’s journey in “The feedback I got was priceless. I was trying to hone my some really great getting that manuscript manuscript for a pitch and talks with agents at a conference, revisions based on polished to the point of and I was able to make some really great revisions based on the Fantasy Agent’s blinding shine. The the Fantasy Agent’s comments.” comments. third is that I always I would recommend learn something about —Terri Benson it for ANYONE who is my own writing flaws serious about produc- when I critique for oth- ing the best work ers. possible, especially those who find it hard to get into a critique So the next time the opportunity comes around to participate in group or who just want a fresh pair of (experienced!) eyes to look the Fantasy Agent project, volunteer to send your manuscript or at your work. volunteer to critique a manuscript. You’ll be grateful. I am. Thanks so much to the Guppies for offering it—and especially to The Submitters the volunteer FAs who are so generous to give their time to help us become better writers! The project also could not exist without writers brave enough to expose their work to another’s criticism. As the co-chair of the Anita Joy project this year, I was privileged to receive the submissions and I was a participant in the Guppy’s Fantasy Agent scheme—a forward the critiques to the writers. All the critiques were impres- process I found to be positive and encouraging. The submission sive. They were thorough, thoughtful, and thought-provoking. To process was easy and the feedback I received was thoughtful see exactly how helpful the critiques can be, here are the experi- and constructive. I’ve had critique partners read my work, but to ences of three of this year’s participants. have authors in the genre pass their experienced eye over my Andrea Adair-Tippin writing was invaluable. The Fantasy Agent pitch provided a wonderful opportunity for me I certainly learned some important lessons about the minutiae of to find out why agents didn’t want to see past my first three chap- the cozy genre from the process and developed a better under- ters. Boy, did I find out! The comments were plentiful and con- standing of what does and doesn’t work in my opening pages. I’m structive. To be honest, I felt a little discouraged but I signed up so grateful to the wonderful members who volunteered their time for the Guppy class, The First Fifty Pages, and discovered not to help those of us swimming in unpublished waters. Based on only that the Fantasy Agent comments were accurate but also my experience, I would urge any members who are still aiming how to correct them. I’m extremely grateful I participated in the for publication to submit their work to the scheme next time it pitch. Had I not, I would have kept submitting never knowing what runs. needed to be fixed or how to do it. First Draft Page 19

Ipso Facto: My Cousin Vinny by Keenan Powell Spoiler alert: Spoilers dis- closed herein. See the mov- ie anyway. It’s really funny. Joe Pesci plays a umber three on the N American Bar Associa- lawyer defending a tion’s list of 25 Greatest Le- young relative on a gal Movies is My Cousin murder charge in My Vinny (20th Century Fox, Cousin Vinny. 1992). We don’t think of this comedy as a mystery but indeed it is. Who killed the clerk? College students Bill Gambi- ni and Stan Rothenstein are driving through Alabama on their way from New York City to UCLA when they stop at a roadside convenience store for Department of Corrections claimed, they needed to put the de- more junk food. Because Bill’s arms are full when he stops to grab fendants in a different institution than the snitches who are testify- a can of tuna fish, he slips it into his pocket to take to the register. ing against them; however, I suspected the real reason for moving them was to inhibit attorney visits. About the time Bill realizes he forgot to pay for the tuna, a sheriff pulls them over. They are arrested and identified in a lineup, mys- When the attorney visits their clients, it is not in an open cell. They tified why the authorities treat a can of tuna so seriously. Unbe- are put into a closed interview room so their meeting is private. knownst to them, shortly after they left the convenience store, it You never, ever tip the guard. was robbed and the clerk was killed by two young men driving a similar vehicle. *** Bill, having been advised of his rights, gladly admits he did it, in- Vinny is then interviewed by the judge (Fred Gwynne) for his ap- tending to confess to inadvertently shoplifting the tuna. However, plication pro hac vice. The judge grants Vinny’s application, toss- the sheriff thinks Bill confessed to murder. With a policewoman for es a book of criminal procedure at him, and warns him that infrac- a witness, the sheriff questions Bill a second time: tions will not be tolerated. Sheriff: When did you shoot the clerk? Observation: When an attorney is not licensed in a particular juris- diction but is elsewhere, he can request admission for the purpos- Bill: I shot the clerk? es of one case. The judge reviews the application and grants or Sheriff: You shot the clerk. denies it. Often the attorney is required to co-counsel with a local attorney who promises to make sure that local procedures are Bill: I shot the clerk! observed. That’s when Bill realizes there’s a big misunderstanding. He Continued on next page doesn’t know an attorney, so he calls his mom back in New York, who reminds him that cousin Vinny just passed the bar. Keenan Powell is an attorney practic- Vinny (Joe Pesci) and fiancée Mona Lisa Vito (Marisi Tomei) pull ing in Anchorage, Alaska. She recently into town driving a block-long red Cadillac, both emerging from it signed a three-book deal with Level covered head-to-toe in black. After looking around the town, Mona Best Books and her debut, Deadly Lisa observes the Chinese food there will probably be terrible. Solution, will be published in January Vinny admonishes her not to stick out too much, to which she of 2018. Her short story, “The Ban- responds, “Oh, yeah, you blend.” shee of Adams, Massachusetts,” will appear in Crime Bake’s 2017 anthol- When Vinny goes to visit Bill and Stan in prison, he tips the jailer. ogy, Snowbound, to be released this Observations: Inmates who are not convicted are generally sepa- month. Her hobbies include oil paint- rated from inmates who are. Usually, they are not sent to prisons ing, classical harp, and walking her in the early stages of the prosecution. I have had clients who, be- Irish Wolfhounds. She blogs regularly fore conviction, were sent to prisons fifty miles away because, the for Mysteristas. First Draft Page 20

Ipso Facto, continued At the arraignment, the judge asks Vinny him back to jail. how his clients plead and Vinny launches Trials, especially murder trials, Observations: The purpose of a prelimi- into “this is a big mistake” defense. are not set for the week after the nary hearing is to determine if there is Wrong answer. The right answer is sufficient evidence to go to trial. Most of “guilty” or “not guilty.” After quite a bit of preliminary hearing. Murder tri- the time, the judge determines that there back-and-forth, Vinny finally pleads not als often take place months or is. The strategic advantage to the prose- guilty and is cited for contempt of court years after the event as the de- cution is that it shows the strength of their for arguing with the judge. He is also fense attorney needs time to case to the defendant, hoping to pressure instructed to wear appropriate attire, evaluate the prosecution’s case, him into a plea deal. The advantage to the which will be made of cloth, not leather. defendant is that he gets to see the pros- The judge sends him to jail and Mona prepare, and is hoping pretrial ecution’s evidence. Lisa bails him out. publicity, which could influence Trials, especially murder trials, are not set Observations: Generally, the two co- the verdict, will die off. for the week after the preliminary hearing. defendants would have different counsel, Murder trials often take place months or especially when they have inconsistent years after the event as the defense attorney needs time to evalu- defenses. “He did it, not me” is one such defense. However, the ate the prosecution’s case, prepare, and is hoping pretrial publici- co-defendants can waive their right to separate counsel. ty, which could influence the verdict, will die off. When I was a baby lawyer, there were written rules about appro- *** priate attire for court: a suit and tie for men, a knee-length skirt and blouse for women. In the ’70s, a female attorney I knew Stan is having a crisis of faith and talks Bill into accepting a public showed up in court wearing a tasteful pantsuit. The judge, an old defender. Vinny then talks Bill into letting him cross-examine the guy from Alabama, sent her home during the lunch break to first witness and promises, if Bill still wants the PD, Vinny will step change into something more appropriate for an attorney of her aside. Vinny explains that a prosecution’s case is like a house gender. She came back wearing a ball gown. One did not tell Ma- built of bricks. It looks sturdy at first glance, but if you look closely, hala Ashley Dickerson what to do and emerge unscathed. She the bricks could be as thin as playing cards; ergo, it is a house of was a formidable woman. You can look her up on Wikipedia. cards. When an attorney is cited for contempt, s/he is entitled to a hear- Observations: That is a great explanation of circumstantial evi- ing in front of another judge before sentence is imposed. S/he dence. would not be hauled off to jail without said hearing. I’ve never If the judge believes that Vinny is incompetent, as he clearly does, heard of an attorney going to jail for contempt but I have heard of he would probably allow the PD to take over both defendants them being fined. since the PD was in the trial from the beginning. I’ve only heard of I did once see a judge put a father in jail because he had hidden a midtrial substitution of counsel once and that was when the at- his son, of whom he did not have custody, and refused to say torney had a mental breakdown—and that was a civil trial. In a where the child was. After a couple of hours in the cell, the man criminal trial, it is more likely that a mistrial would be declared and changed his mind. the trial would be started over. Arguing with the judge is a bad idea. One gets around that by *** respectfully asking for the opportunity to make his or her record Vinny doesn’t know he’s entitled to the prosecution’s evidence fully, which is a big hint to the judge that the case will be ap- and thinks he’s sweet-talked the DA into giving him the file. Mona pealed, so he’d better stick to the rules if he doesn’t want to be Lisa, who has been reading the criminal procedure book when embarrassed. she’s sitting around bored in the hotel room, tells him that not only *** is he entitled to the file, he is entitled to talk to the state’s witness- es. Vinny goes out and interviews each of the three eyewitnesses At the preliminary hearing, Vinny shows up wearing his black in their homes from where they observed the robbery. leather jacket and a tie. Three eyewitnesses testify to seeing Bill and Stan going into the store, hearing shots, then seeing their car Observation: Mona Lisa is right. The defense is entitled to the speed away. The sheriff testifies about Bill’s confession. state’s evidence and to interview the witnesses before trial. The witnesses don’t have to cooperate with the defense attorney, but if The judge finds there is sufficient evidence to go to trial and sets they don’t, the first question to them on cross will be “Please admit the trial for the following Monday. He doesn’t say anything about you refused to talk to me when I called a few days ago.” Vinnie’s attire until the conclusion of the hearing, at which time he cites Vinny for contempt because he isn’t wearing cloth and sends Continued on next page First Draft Page 21

Ipso Facto, continued After the jury is picked, the prosecutor makes his opening statement laying Marisa Tomei, as Mona out the evidence. Vinny, Lisa, testifies on the who has fallen asleep stand. after days of not being able to, is woken up by Bill. He stands in front of the jury and says, “Everything that guy just said is bullshit.” (The ABA’s list got a big kick out of that.) Vinny is not cited for con- tempt but is admonished. Observation: I once saw an old attorney say “bullshit” in front of an old judge. I was sitting in the gallery and I’m something important (we don’t know what). Vinny demands a re- pretty sure my heart stopped beating. The attorney and judge had cess to prepare and is only given the lunch hour. He slips a note both practiced in Alaska from the time when the entire legal pro- to the sheriff and begs for help. fession was one small frontier community. The old judge said, Vinny goes into the hall and drags in Mona Lisa, who is mad at “Now, Ed!” and Ed waved a hand in response. That was the end him because of a fight they had, and puts her on the stand. Mona of it. If it had been any other judge or lawyer, the lawyer would Lisa, who grew up in an auto mechanic shop and worked as a have been cited for contempt. mechanic, has an encyclopedic knowledge of cars. *** The prosecutor voir dires Mona Lisa (asks her questions about Each of the three witnesses testifies and Vinny handily takes them her qualifications) and she blows him out of the water with her apart on cross-examination, having interviewed them earlier. He response to his trick question. He agrees she is qualified. gets each of them to admit they could have been mistaken. Then Mona Lisa explains that the vehicle driven by Bill, a ’64 Observation: This was an example of good lawyering and good Buick Skylark, could not have left the getaway tread marks be- cross-examination. cause it does not have a slip differential. She also testifies that a ’63 Pontiac Tempest, which does have slip differential, could be *** confused for the Skylark as they look the same. That night the prosecutor calls Vinny to tell him he has a surprise The sheriff, having followed up on Vinny’s request, testifies that witness. Vinny demands the information. The prosecutor tells him two young men driving a ’63 Pontiac Tempest were recently ar- he’ll get it in the morning. rested in neighboring Georgia and were in possession of a .357, The next morning, the prosecutor calls an FBI automotive expert. the caliber of weapon that killed the store clerk. Vinny objects, cogently arguing he should be entitled to a recess Vinny rests. The prosecutor dismisses the case. Stan apologizes so he can review the veracity of the report and get his own expert to Vinny for having doubted him. Bill is speechless. on line. The judge compliments his argument and denies the con- tinuance. Observation: In informal courtroom vernacular, “voir dires” is a verb. Observation: In the real world, Vinny would have gotten a continu- ance. It’s rare, but a prosecutor can dismiss the case at any time during the trial. Because the jury was empaneled before the dismissal, *** double jeopardy attached and it is debatable whether the defend- The expert testifies that the tire tread of Bill’s vehicle is identical to ants could be made to stand trial again on the same charges. the tread marks left by the suspects at the scene and that the rub- ber from Bill’s vehicle is identical. Vinny gets the expert to admit Bill and Stan’s reactions are authentic. After a win, there are a lot that the tire on Bill’s vehicle is the most common tire sold. of awkward thank-yous, hugs and kisses. Tears. Flowers. Winning When Vinny is staring at the crime scene photographs, he realizes is good. First Draft Page 22

Author Interview by Ramona Gault f you’re like me, you have a process) and links to something I shelf (or two) stuffed with every in our life in the real world that we writing guide you can lay hands can shift so writing flows. Or in on. Most of mine are excellent and the least, see what flows as inspiring, and I refer to them con- something we can value. We can stantly. So, do we need another even step away for a while, with- book about writing? Or should all out guilt. It’s not about doing, as of us sometimes-stuck writers just much as about perspective.” sit the heck down and write? If you read this book section by Yes and no. section, you flow with Heloise’s process for resetting your writing Heloise Jones’ book, The Writer’s life. Short exercises reinforce the Block Myth: A Guide to Get Past book’s concepts. My favorite is Stuck & Experience Lasting Crea- the Evidence Journal. What is it tive Freedom, really is different. and how can keeping one help And forcing yourself to write ground your creative life? doesn’t work for every writer, be- cause writers are all different, Hel- The Evidence Journal is a place oise told me in a recent interview. to “note and notice” what’s going You need to find the way that on in your life, such as “the pages works for you. or sentences you wrote and the minutes you spent thinking or “Writer’s block is real,” says Hel- writing on your project … what oise, “but it’s not what we think it you particularly noticed that day, is. And that’s where the myth lies. such as the color of a child’s T- It is not a pathology.” shirt, or the way the sunlight fell To back up this premise, Heloise across the table, or an overheard draws on her “listening skills and conversation, or the items in a experience” from nearly 20 years shopping cart in front of you at as a writer and mentor. the grocery store … research you’ve done, including quotes you saw on Facebook, articles, or a “It’s what I’ve gleaned from hundreds of hours of conversations at novel you read that informs your craft or your project.” conferences, workshops, one-on-one, and in my work with writers and artists,” she says. “As well as my experience being a writer. The Evidence Journal serves to counteract the stories we tell our- Including going through every challenge, block, and need for per- selves that “aren’t necessarily true,” Heloise says. “We tend to missions I write about ... and finding my way back up.” focus on what’s not there versus what is there. And dismiss any- thing that contradicts the stories we hold. This distortion is a pit on Her approach isn’t about fast writing. It’s about shifting your per- many levels and arenas for writers. The Evidence Journal is a tool spectives for the long haul. that helps us see tangibly, in real terms, what’s present in our “My goal is in sustaining the creative life once we lay down the lives—time, actions, achievements, etc.—so we can see clearly, words. Of taking our craft to the best we’re able to, and continuing and make adjustments that serve our goals and sense of well- to grow as an artist and writer. Feeling joy in the process. To em- being. It can be a piece of paper, notebook, or small book.” body the freedom of knowing we’re writers, and letting go of guilt, Continued on next page shame, and all the things our minds do to us when we’re chal- lenged.” Ramona Gault is the author of The Dry What about the typical advice to just sit down and write when Line: A Novel, a New Mexico story with a you’re stuck? Heloise maintains that may not work because being cast of characters you’ll want to know as stuck is “a symptom of what’s going on in your life.” So in a friend- friends. Where She Shouldn’t Be, her ly tone, like you’d want your ideal writing partner to use, she mystery-in-progress, is about a music guides you into allowing yourself enough space in your life to teacher who sets out to solve the murder write. of her duet partner and ends up exposing the secrets of her small Southern town. “What happens on the page is tied to what’s inside us (how we assign value and give meaning to our work, ourselves, and our First Draft Page 23

Author Interview, continued The first chapter, “The Inner Game,” gives her seven keys to set you free to write: “My goal is in sustaining the 1. Pay attention to the Evidence Journal. See creative life once we lay down what’s there versus what’s not. Shift focus. the words. Of taking our craft to the best we’re able to, and 2. Release control and expectations. Trust the process. Open to what shows up versus what continuing to grow as an artist you think it ought to be. Dance with creativity. and writer. Feeling joy in the process.” 3. Let go of distractions. Do what answers Yes. Feel yourself expand with the Yes. —Heloise Jones 4. See writing as connection. See end prod- ucts as goals. View each step toward your goals as a triumph, and see triumphs every- where. 5. Cheer triumphs. Change the word sacrifice to choice. Take inspiration from everything you and other writers do. 6. Define success for yourself. Think it. Feel it. Dream it. Remember comparison is deadly. Comparisons are simply benchmarks for where you are now and where you aspire to be. because big, open-ended questions like “where do you want to go in your life?” tend to freeze me. When I finished my first read of 7. We’re all WIP (works in progress), authors writing our stories in The Writer’s Block Myth, I felt like I could build myself a cozy life and on paper. (virtual) writer’s cabin to inhabit more productively. Next come “The Outer Game: 7 Greenlights for Success,” “Your That was her intention, Heloise says. “You end up with a different Best Creative Life,” “Your Creative Writer’s Life Worksheet Guide,” relationship with your writing, your creative life, and yourself as a and more. I especially liked the fill-in-the-blank worksheet items, writer.”

SinC Celebrates 30

isters in Crime and its chapters have been worldwide. The many initiatives SinC has im- S celebrating the organization’s 30th anniver- plemented since 1987 to further its mission sary all year. include the Review Monitoring Project, an ongoing effort since the organization’s incep- SinC recently came out with its 2017 Publishing tion to track percentages of reviews devoted Summit Report, titled “Raising Women’s Voices to works by women authors in a variety of for Thirty Years.” It highlights the work of Sisters outlets; the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for in Crime over the past 30 years. writers of color; the Dorothy Cannell Scholar- “Sisters in Crime has been a voice for change ship for unpublished writers; grants for aca- for women crime writers for the last 30 years,” demic research into the roles of women and said Leslie Budewitz, past president and leader underserved voices in crime fiction; cash of the Summit team. “As our members develop awards to libraries and bookstores that sup- their craft and careers, they need a smart, savvy port SinC authors; publications of books that organization behind them, one that understands offer professional guidance to aspiring and where it’s been, and where it can go.” established writers; SinC Links, a monthly e- blast with links to industry articles that help The organization was founded in 1987 to create solutions for is- women writers negotiate for parity; low-cost SinC Into Great Writ- sues of concern affecting the crime fiction community, including ing craft and technique workshops; and additional surveys and visibility for women crime fiction authors, and held its first formal monitoring projects that determine visibility and representation of meeting at the 1987 Bouchercon conference. women and diverse voices in the genre and across the market- Today, the organization boasts 3,600 members and 50 chapters place. First Draft Page 24

The Flip Side: Can I Quote You? by Nancy L. Eady icture the internal writing process as a study paneled with rich People having been taught since grammar school, at least when P oak bookcases from floor to ceiling, accompanied by over- cursive was being taught, that quote marks must be curved, the stuffed red leather armchairs arranged in a semicircle in front of straight quote marks were not favored. Thus, the users forced an antique mahogany desk with matching credenza. later software engineers to add an additional two computer codes that allowed quotation marks to be displayed in the manner God The inhabitants of my study include my Inner Critic (nicknamed intended, with curves—“Open Quote/End Quote.” (We know this I.C.), as well as Creativity, Hope, and Reason. The last few weeks is what God intended because He used curly quote marks on the have seen I.C. sitting in pride stone tablets bearing the Ten of place at the mahogany desk, Commandments.) since I’m in the final stages of editing a manuscript. I’ve de- The plot thickens. As word clared it finished twice, only to processing programs evolved, have I.C. override me because yet another group of computer her perfectionist soul spots programmers decided to im- “just one more” correction. prove the lives of writers every- where by choosing default set- Creativity has been standing in tings rather than allowing the front of the desk, her foot tap- typist/writer to format her own ping in an ever-faster rhythm document. the longer I.C. keeps at it. By now, Creativity is ready to Unfortunately, whoever decid- knock I.C. out with a good right ed what the defaults would be hook, tie her up, and lock her in had no interest in what would the closet so all of us can start be best for typography, crea- something new. Reason has tive writing, or typists. (Don’t been holding her back, but even get me started on what it after this final edit, I suspect takes to figure out how to do I.C. will have a black eye and a Unfortunately, whoever decided what the defaults dot leaders or underline spac- monthlong vacation in the coat would be had no interest in what would be best es!) closet. for typography, creative writing, or typists. So, my mixed straight quotes As critical as she is, though, and curly quotes were the re- even I.C. was stymied by the sult of diametrically opposed editorial comment we received when I ran a small sample of my default settings on the two different computers used while working manuscript through an online editing program. The program an- on my manuscript. One computer uses straight quotes instead of nounced that my sample had “Straight quotes mixed with curly curly quotes, and the other likes curly quotes, not straight quotes. quotes.” And while most other formatting changes transferred easily be- tween the two computers, the quotes did not. Say what? Hence the criticism of my mixed quotes and the subsequent be- Since the sentence the editing program was referring to was a fuddlement of myself, I.C., Creativity, and Reason. question, I wondered if the grammar powers-that-be had changed the rules about the way a quote ending with a question mark is Now to correct the problem… punctuated. After all, “?” contains curves in it, and the “two spaces after a sentence” rule changed without my knowledge or consent sometime after I taught myself to type in 1990 on one of the very Nancy Eady is a writer and lawyer first home word processors. After a consultation with the personal- living in small-town central Alabama ities in my mind yielded nothing, I resorted to strenuous re- with her husband, daughter, and two search—I googled it. dogs. She is the author of the blog “Tales from the Mom-Side: My Adven- Google came through yet again. Apparently, some computer engi- tures as a Working Mom,” located at neer way back in the infancy of word processing programs www.workingmomadventures.com. streamlined the program by using quote marks that are two She is seeking an agent for her first straight little lines—"—the advantage being that you only need novel, Sleight of Hand. one computer code for quote marks. First Draft Page 25

The Routine of Writing by Patricia Bowen am a brand new Many replied with: Guppy and I accepted I “When I can.” Or Lourdes’ invitation to “When I feel like it.” jump headfirst, right into the pond, with an article Then I went to my for First Draft. She gave first large writers’ me a deadline, and conference in Au- WOW, that put me right gust, Killer Nash- in my sweet spot. ville, with some new friends from Sisters When I was a copywrit- in Crime. I asked the er and freelancer I al- successfully pub- ways had a deadline. I lished writers I met wrote copiously, every there what their writ- day (and got paid for it ing schedules were every week or billing and they ALL said: cycle). Speeches, ad copy, training materials, “Every day for X contracts—you name it, hours.” Or “Every if it was nonfiction I Photo by Dan Gold day X words.” wrote it. Someone I was inspired and needed those words on I asked the successfully published writers I met there what their motivated. So, time, right away, and writing schedules were and they ALL said: “Every day for X since the confer- my goal was to come hours.” Or “Every day X words.” ence I’ve divided my through for them. writing life into two I’m retired now from the corporate world, and almost every retiree stages: I meet reflects, “How did I find time to work?” We fill our days with BKN (Before Killer Nashville) See my personal writing history all the things we had to neglect when we were juggling jobs and above. mates and kids and parents and laundry and on and on. and When I joined their ranks I still kept writing, out of habit, and for love of the power of the word. I write as a volunteer for various AKN (After Killer Nashville) Now, writing is the first priority of my causes, and thank goodness they have their deadlines too for day. I used to get up at 4:30 and go to the gym or walk or do yo- newsletter and newspaper articles, funding grants, and more. But ga; now, I get up at 4:30, put on the coffee, turn on the computer, when I decided I wanted to write fiction, it was a whole different and write. Then I go to the gym, or walk or do yoga. It still feels game. awkward to break decades of habit, but it also feels right. For me. And, so far, the writing just flows. Can publication be far behind? It took me a while to figure out that I have to prioritize the things that are important to me (duh), and I had to move writing higher up my list. Patricia Bowen has a short atten- I have some habitual daily routines that evolved over decades, tion span, so she writes novellas and I just had to make this nonfiction writing without deadlines fit and short stories, mostly about in somewhere. I’ve started my day by walking three miles a day women with complicated lives. for over 30 years, every day, rain or shine, no matter where I am, She’s been a copywriter, business all over the world, and I miss less than 10 days a year. I’ve gone owner, international coach, and to the gym three days a week for the last 10 years and done yoga marketing manager, among other twice a week for 20. All this at the start of my day. And then some- things. She lives in the woods of where during each day I tried to find time to write. It didn’t work rural Georgia with her two cats, too well. But I wanted it to, badly wanted it to. I wanted to write whose job it is to keep the other fiction. critters outdoors. She’s a certified master gardener and she writes I became obsessed with asking every writer I met in writing clubs grants to support her local library. At last count, she had seven and critique groups what their writing schedules were. I was dis- grandchildren in five cities and three countries. Her website, a couraged by their responses. work in progress, is www.PatriciaBowen.com. First Draft Page 26

A Brief History of Forensics by Bradley Harper ristotle once said there are only The first recorded case of a murderer A three arguments: Blame, Values, being convicted based upon them was and Choice. in Argentina, also in 1892. Blame is concerned with assigning In 1899, Sir Edward Henry devised a blame (or guilt) to past circumstances. classification system that is still in use These arguments are in the past tense. today. Finally, in 1910, an American Values concern present circumstances. criminal in Chicago was convicted for Do they meet our values or not? Ar- murder on the basis of his fingerprints. gued in present tense. Choices, of Fingerprints have been accepted into course, concern future actions, and— legal use in North America ever since. you guessed it, use future tense. If you As I did research for my novel, I stum- hear an unhappy couple argue and you bled across the name of Alphonse Bertil- note one using one tense as opposed lion. to the other, part of their problem is that they are not having the same argument! Crime-scene photography So, forensics is concerned with deter- Monsieur Bertillion was a French pho- mining guilt. tographer who had a significant impact on crime-scene photography, which had The oldest instance of forensics I could initially been merely a sideline for com- find referred to an incident in China mercial photographers. Since there was over 3,000 years ago. A magistrate no standardization of lighting, angle, or found the body of a woman hacked to scale, the usefulness of such images death. The pattern of the wounds sug- Photo from designobserver.com was highly variable. gested the implements used by rice harvesters working in a field nearby. A 1910 crime scene photo, “The Murder of In 1890, Bertillon developed strict proto- The magistrate summoned the workers Monsieur Andre,” shot by Alphonse Bertillion. cols, insisting on a “God’s eye view” of and had each man lay his knife on a Below, drawings from the first forensic artist the scene. He applied the discipline of long table before him, then they waited. sketch kit. anthropometry or the rigorous measure- After a few minutes, flies began to ap- ment of individuals to the classification pear, and land on one knife, and one and identification of criminals, and his knife only. standardization of photographs of crimi- nals led to the now familiar “Rogues You crime and mystery writers should Gallery.” have figured it out already. The dried blood on his knife, invisible to the naked His “Portrait Parle,” or “Speaking Pic- eye, drew the flies to the murderer’s tures,” derived from his photographs of knife and declared his guilt. thousands of criminals, was the first forensic artist sketch kit in existence, Fingerprints as a tool and the algorithms he utilized are still in Fingerprints have been known to be effect today in computerized facial unique for thousands of years. In pre- recognition systems. historic times, ancient Chinese pots Photos from scholarworks.gsu.edu Continued on next page were signed by the fingerprint of the potter who made them. Ap- proximately the same time as our bloody knife incident in China, criminal confessions were signed by fingerprints. Dr. Bradley Harper is a retired army pathologist who began Despite that early start, fingerprints were not seriously studied in writing four years ago. His first the West until 1685 by the famous Italian anatomist Marcello Mal- novel, A Knife in the Fog, is pighi, who was the first to describe “loops” and “whorls.” scheduled for release in Octo- ber of 2018 by Seventh Street It wasn’t until 1880 that an English physician working in Tokyo, Books. In his story, a young Henry Faulds, suggested using fingerprints to identify criminals. In Conan Doyle and Professor 1892, Sir Francis Galton published the first book on the subject, Joseph Bell, the inspiration for entitled imaginatively enough as Finger Prints, in which he offers Sherlock Holmes, join the hunt convincing proof that no two individuals have the same pattern. for Jack the Ripper. First Draft Page 27

Forensics, continued

Autopsies Tussauds Wax Museum displayed a likeness of Monson at the en- The German pathologist Rudolf Vir- trance to its Chamber of Horrors, chow did much to advance the science with no information other than of autopsy, including forensic exami- Monson’s name. Monson took ex- nation, and his students coined the ception and sued. The museum term “autopsy” to describe postmortem argued that nothing specified Mon- examinations. The word autopsy liter- son was a murderer, but Monson’s ally means “to see for oneself.” lawyer was able to get the case The first autopsy involving ballistics I accepted by stating his client was could discover, however, was per- being slandered by innuendo. formed by none other than Professor Monson’s expectation of a rich Joseph Bell of Edinburgh. The Sher- payout was foiled, however, with lockians among you should recognize Bell’s examination used as sup- him as the man who inspired Arthur porting evidence. The judge was Conan Doyle to create the character of forced to award for the plaintiff on Sherlock Holmes. Professor Bell was the basis of his criminal trial ver- involved in several real-life death in- dict, but awarded him only one vestigations, including performing farthing in damages without recom- handwriting analysis for the London pensing him for court costs. Metropolitan Police on the notes signed Jack the Ripper in 1888. The scandal and resultant publicity of the trial, meanwhile, ensured The autopsy in question involved the long lines to Madame Tussauds for death of a young Scottish noble during many months to come. a hunt on his estate in the infamous Ardlamont murder, or the Monson Photo from conandoyleinfo.com First lab case of 1893. The deceased was 20- Professor Joseph Bell of Edinburgh may have Lovers of CSI will be surprised to year-old Cecil Hambrough, the heir to performed the first autopsy involving ballistics. learn it wasn’t until 1919 that the the estate. Accompanying him that world’s first forensics laboratory day was his tutor, Alfred J. Monson, as was established. Dr. Edward Lo- well as Monson’s recently arrived friend, Edward Scott. Scott and card, citing Holmes as his inspiration, persuaded the police de- Monson were seen vigorously cleaning their fowling pieces at partment of Lyon, France, to give him a couple of attic rooms for day’s end, and when the butler asked where the young lord was, his lab. they answered he had been fatally wounded by an accidental dis- charge of his fowling piece while crossing a fence. Called the “Sherlock Holmes of France,” he formulated the basic principle of forensic science that “every contact leaves a trace,” or Monson was soon placed under suspicion after he submitted two whenever two solid objects come into contact, each will leave life insurance claims on Hambrough made out two weeks before some mark upon the other. This principle is now known as Lo- his death, naming Monson’s wife as the beneficiary. Then, his card’s Exchange Principle, and is the basis for ballistics examina- friend Scott disappeared and Bell was brought in to investigate. tion of bullets. He examined all three fowling pieces used that day, and found that any discharge within eight feet left a residue of unexpended The incidence of autopsy examination has been waning for sever- gunpowder on the target. None was found on the clothing or al years in hospital practice as the abilities of imaging devices wounds of the deceased, and Bell concluded the findings did not improves, and clinicians increasingly fear litigation. We in the pro- match the accused’s version of events. fession joke that it is becoming a “dying” art. The case went to trial, but Monson was blessed with a skillful bar- Now the majority of autopsies are performed by medical examin- rister who was able to cast enough doubt in the minds of the jury ers, or not at all. And while I understand the forces that limit the that they returned a verdict of “Not Proven.” examination of the deceased these days, I still believe there is much to be gained when one “sees for oneself.” Justice has a way of exerting herself, however. In 1894, Madame First Draft Page 28

Bouchercon 2017: A Glimpse

Guppies were out in force at the Bouchercon 2017 conference, held Oct. 12-15 in Toronto, Canada.

Below are the winners of the 2017 Anthony Awards, voted on by attendees:

Best Novel: A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny Best First Novel: IQ by Joe Ide Best Paperback: Heart of Stone by James W. Ziskin Best Children’s/YA Novel: The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry Best Novella: The Last Blue Glass by B.K. Stevens Best Anthology: Blood on the Bayou: Bouchercon Antholo- gy 2016, edited by Greg Herren Best Short Story: “Oxford Girl” by Megan Ab- bott, Mississippi Noir Photo courtesy of Art Taylor Best Critical Nonfiction Work: Shirley Jackson: A Rather Macavity award winners James Ziskin, Louise Penny, and Guppy Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin Art Taylor (for Best Mystery Short Story).

Photo courtesy of Edith Maxwell Photo courtesy of Mary Feliz The Cultural Immersion panel, with (from left) Juliet Grames, Shannon Above, the “Need for Speed” panel with (from left) Sasscer Baker, R.J. Harlick, Lisa Liebernan, Gigi Pandian, and Susan Spann. Hill, Katherine M. Nohr, Mary Feliz, and Linda Sands. First Draft Page 29

Colorado Gold Conference by Sue Hinkin very year, Rocky ing her Outlander nov- E Mountain Fiction els as examples. In Writers is pleased to visual art, underpainting present the Colorado is an initial layer of paint Gold Conference, applied to a ground, where hundreds of writ- which serves as a base ers from all over the for subsequent layers of United States and be- paint. This technique, yond gather for a full when applied to writing, weekend of writerly anchors and enriches camaraderie, exciting through flickers of ac- programming, and op- tion and small bits of portunities to pitch pro- information or pictorial jects to the industry’s detail. top agents and editors. To build a sense of Programming focuses immersion, Gabaldon Photo by Mark Stevens on craft improvement, says paragraphs should Mystery writer Lori Rader-Day presents her keynote speech. genre knowledge, ca- be kept short with at reer management, in- least one sentence in- dustry savvy, and continuing education and professional develop- volving an action. Less is more—practice restraint and engage ment for published authors. small details, not heavy-handed descriptions. Whether you’re new to the idea of becoming a writer or you’re a This subtlety works particularly well in sex scenes. The Outlander veteran published author, whether you hope to pursue a tradition- protagonists, Jamie and Claire, are among the most sensual of al publishing contract with a big New York publishing house or literary lovers. launch a self-publishing venture, you’re sure to find the skills, Following is an example she used to illustrate the underpainting knowledge, inspiration, motivation, and support you need at Colo- technique. She discusses this further on her Facebook page. rado Gold. (Claire’s POV) Although Colorado Gold is not specifically a mystery writer’s He made no noise, but I felt him at once; a warmth, a thickening, event, there is significant coverage of the genre that make it well in the cool air of the room. worthwhile. Members of Sisters in Crime and the Mystery Writers of America are well represented as presenters, authors, and at- “Are ye well, Sassenach?” he asked softly from the doorway. tendees. Gabaldon pointed out that, technically, she is invoking the sense No writer/prospector leaves without a handful of nuggets in the of touch, even though no one is actually touching. Contrasting form of relationships, craft, marketing, or personal career develop- “warmth” and “cool” enhances the impression of touch, and meta- ment gold. The 2017 conference featured keynote speakers Diana phorically equating Jamie’s presence to “warmth” and “thickening” Gabaldon, Sherry Thomas, and Lori Rader-Day. establishes his presence as immediately attractive. At this year’s conference, which was held Sept. 8-10 in Denver, Continued on next page master classes included writing fiction with the Book Architecture method, deep character building, deep revision, writing a series Sue Hinkin is a former college ad- that sells, MFA in half a day, and self-publishing like a pro. ministrator, television news photog- There were more than 75 workshops on craft, marketing, and ca- rapher, and NBC-TV art department staffer. With a bachelor’s from St. reer development, touching on topics such as creating book trail- Olaf College, she completed gradu- ers; sex, gender, and sexuality; avoiding bad publishing contracts; ate work at the University of Michi- creating unreliable and unlikable characters that people still want gan and was a cinematography fel- to read; networking for introverted writers; writing YA; and using low at the American Film Institute. Facebook ads. Her first mystery/thriller, Deadly Focus, featuring a female photojour- Gabaldon on immersion nalist and her reporter partner, comes out April 1, 2018, from Liter- In Diana Gabaldon’s seminar on immersion, she discussed the ary Wanderlust Publishing. Hinkin importance of underpainting in the creation of story structure, us- lives with her family in Denver, Colorado. First Draft Page 30

Colorado Gold Conference, continued

Photos by Mark Stevens Diana Gabaldon, one of the keynote speakers, talks about the underpainting technique.

Layering upon the larger background also helps build what Gabaldon refers to as micro-tensions. The author wants the reader to constantly be pricked by questions to create a feeling that something is about to happen. As part of underpainting, Gabaldon suggests adding backstory a snippet at a time, and using at least three senses in every scene to add dimension and connection to the characters and their environment. When asked why she thinks more writers don’t em- ploy underpainting effectively, she chuckled and commented how much time it takes to create an immersive story. The payoff for Gabaldon, however, has been that millions of readers are begging for more. Next year’s conference Book signing, above, and a workshop partici- The 2018 keynoters have been announced, and two pant, at left. of them are bestselling crime fiction authors: James Scott Bell, also an acclaimed writer’s coach, and Kate Moretti. Award-winning YA fantasy author Christopher Paolini is the third keynote speaker.

Find more information on the conference at rmfw.org/conference. First Draft Page 31

Calendar of Events: Conferences and Workshops Nov. 4-5 May 17-20 Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX CrimeFest International Crime Fiction Convention, Bristol, UK This is one of the largest and most prestigious literary festivals in Featured guest authors: Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver. the country. The Sisters in Crime: Heart of Texas chapter usually www.crimefest.com has an exhibit table. www.texasbookfestival.org May 29 Nov. 5 Novel in a Week, Tuscany, Italy Murder and Mayhem, Milwaukee, WI Author Rhys Bowen will lead a weeklong hands-on workshop. One-day conference includes author panels and interviews. Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of the Royal www.murdermayhemmilwaukee.com Spyness, Molly Murphy Mysteries, and Constable Evans series. www.minervaeducation.net Nov. 10-12 New England Crime Bake, Woburn, MA July 10-14 Conference for writers and fans. Registration is limited to 250 ThrillerFest XIII, New York City, NY participants. The conference is jointly sponsored by the New Annual conference of the International Thriller Writers, featuring England chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of ATF workshop, Master CraftFest, CraftFest, PitchFest, and more. America. Guest of honor: Lisa Gardner. http://crimebake.org Lineup includes 2018 ThrillerMaster George R.R. Martin; 2017 ThrillerMaster Lee Child; 2017 Silver Bullet Award recipient Lisa 2018 Gardner, and more. http://thrillerfest.com January 13-20 Writers in Paradise, St. Petersburg, FL July 12-15 Co-founded by Dennis Lehane and Sterling Watson, and co- Public Safety Writers Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV directed by Les Standiford, this conference includes workshop Conference open to anyone writing crime and mystery fiction or classes, roundtables, and more. www.writersinparadise.com nonfiction, technical writing for public safety magazines, or any- one interested in writing. http://policewriter.com/wordpress/ March 1-4 conference Sleuthfest, Boca Raton, FL

Panels, craft sessions, and pitch sessions. Keynote: Andrew Sept. 6-9 Gross; forensic guest of honor: Katherine Ramsland; guest au- Bouchercon, St. Petersburg, FL thors: Hallie Ephron, Kristy Montee (PJ Parrish), Hank Phillippi American guest of honor: Karin Slaughter and Sean Chercover; Ryan, James R. Benn. http://sleuthfest.com international guests of honor: Sara Blaedel and Mark Billingham; toastmaster: Lisa Unger; Florida guest of honor: Tim Dorsey; March 10-11 lifetime achievement: Ian Rankin; fan guests of honor: Judy Tucson Festival of Books, Tucson, AZ Bobalik and Ayo Onatade, Ghost of honor: John D. MacDonald. Author panels and workshops for writers. Sisters in Crime chap- www.Bouchercon2018.com ters participate with booths. tucsonfestivalofbooks.org

2019 March 22-25 March 28-31 Left Coast Crime, Reno, NV Left Coast Crime 2019, Vancouver, Canada Guest of honor: Naomi Hirahara and William Kent Krueger; toast- American guest of honor: C.J. Box; Canadian guest of honor: master: Todd Borg; ghost of honor: Mark Twain (McAvoy Layne). Maureen Jennings; toastmaster: Cathy Ace; fan guests of honor: http://www.leftcoastcrime.org/2018 Don and Jen Longmuir. www.leftcoastcrime.org/2019

April 27-28 Oct. 31-Nov. 3 Malice Domestic, Bethesda, MD Bouchercon, Dallas, TX Guest of honor: Louise Penny; toastmaster: Catriona McPher- Distinguished contribution to the genre award: James Patterson; son; lifetime achievement: Nancy Pickard; Amelia Award: David lifetime achievement: Peter Lovesey; American guest of honor: Suchet; fan guest of honor: Janet Blizard; Malice Remembers: Hank Phillippi Ryan; local guest of honor: Deborah Crombie; fan Robin Hathaway. malicedomestic.org guest of honor: McKenna Jordan; toastmaster: Harry Hunsicker.

http://bouchercon2019.com May 4-5

CrimeCon, Nashville, TN If you have any information on upcoming conventions, please let CrimeCon transports fans from the couch to the crime scene and Lourdes Venard know at [email protected]. into the courtroom through immersive experiences and work- shops. www.crimecon.com