The trip to Monterey is over, but the memories (and the photographs) remain.
On Friday morning, I joined a lineup of 44 debut authors to introduce ourselves and our novels to a lovely crowd at the debut author breakfast. While there, I met August McLaughlin, whose debut thriller also came out this past year. Our actual meeting was funny: I recognized August in the buffet line, because we’d just become Facebook friends the night before – thanks to mutual friend Jenny Hansen, who introduced us in the virtual realm.
August is every bit as lovely in person as she is in the photo, and I’m delighted to have her as a friend.
After breakfast, I went to a panel called, “Deadly New Voices,” where debut authors talked about first sales. The panel was moderated by Debutante Ball blogger Lori Rader-Day, whose debut mystery, THE BLACK HOUR, releases a week before BLADE OF THE SAMURAI. I know Lori though the Debutante Ball (I was a part of last year’s Class of 2013, which selected the 2014 group), and it was exciting to meet her in person too! Lori, fellow Debutante Ball blogger Lisa Alber (who signed a copy of her debut, KILMOON, for me the day before) and I took a group photo after the panel:
A few minutes later, I ran into one of my favorite people, fellow Minotaur author Annamaria Alfieri. Annamaria and I share an editor, Toni Kirkpatrick, as well as an imprint, and I absolutely adore her novels–BLOOD TANGO was one of my favorite books of 2013, and I’m eagerly anticipating STRANGE GODS, which releases in June.
Annamaria moderated a panel called “Murder Across the Pond,” which featured authors and mysteries set in Britain. Her questions prompted a lively conversation (and much laughter, on the panel and in the audience).
After all that excitement … I needed a nap.
The afternoon panels were equally fun, and that evening I attended an impromptu “Noir in the Bar” hosted by the talented and funny Lisa Brackmann.
(The photo is dark, but then again, so is noir.)
I’ll be back on Thursday with part 3, covering Saturday and Sunday (including a photo of Lisa that doesn’t look like a shadow). Come back for more!