On Saturday, October 28th, a few hundred longtime attendees of Farpoint and Shore Leave SF conventions descended on the Marriott Delta in Hunt Valley, MD to bid the hotel goodbye. After 40+ years of hosting genre conventions, the hotel will close on October 31. According to the rumor mill, the building will be demolished and replaced by a Tesla dealership or condos or both.
My wife and I spent part of the day wandering the hotel and taking final pictures all while a dog show was in progress. Adorable pooches everywhere, which added an element of fun to an otherwise bittersweet occasion.
It was wonderful to spend time with so many old friends including Sharon VanBlarcom, Steve and Renee Wilson, June Swords, Daniel Patrick Corcoran, Cindy Shockey, Bob Greenberger, Royce Essig, Sashi German, Susanna Reilly, Rhonda Greene, Diane Baron, Blair Learn, Paul Balze, Lance and Cindy Woods, Inge Heyer, Jay and Pam Smith, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Mike McPhail, Ann Hande, Susan Staneslow Olesen, and more. Apologies if I’m forgetting anyone.
While at the farewell party, Farpoint announced their new home at the Hilton Doubletree in Pikesville, MD. Shore Leave will make a similar announcement in the coming weeks.
The weekend of October 21-22 was a hectic one with back to back book events. On Saturday the 21st, I had an author table at a local family Halloween event called Witches Day Out.
This event was founded about a decade ago by a friend and former co-worker who has since passed down the torch to her daughters. I had a table at their very first show held in a small bed and breakfast in Allentown, PA. Back then, it was a one-day event. Now, it’s three Saturdays in October at the Tri-Boro Sportsmen Club in Northampton, PA.
There were vendors both inside and out selling jewelry, crafts, candles, holiday decor, baked goods, tattoos, and of course, books. I only sold about six, but catching up with my co-worker and her daughters made the day wonderful in addition to the beautiful location on the Lehigh Canal, of course!
Deep gratitude to Lynn Murphy and her daughter Megan Schroy for inviting me back. Already looking forward to next year!
Sunday saw me participating in the final day of the 5th annual Easton Book Festival and for me, it was the best one yet as I reunited with old friends, made new ones, and sold a few books.
At 11AM, I moderated a wonderful panel called “Grit & Crime: The Art of Writing Noir” with Dianna Sinovic, Suzanne Mattaboni, and Albert Tucher. All of us have stories in Hard-Boiled and Loaded with Sin, the latest crime fiction anthology by Hawkshaw Press. The panel was held at Book & Puppet Company on Centre Square, one of the hubs of the festival.
Throughout the day, I dashed to and from my table at the Easton Public Market to participate in other events including “Dark & Stormy Night” book reading competition at 2PM in Book & Puppet. This is always a fun event with my fellow members of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group. This time around, participants included Dianna Sinovic as scorekeeper, Charles Kiernan as timekeeper and quizmaster, John Evans as our host and inventor of the competition, and my fellow readers Michael Daigle and Suzanne Mattaboni.
All told, it was a magical weekend of fun and camaraderie. Hats off to EBF President Lynn Alexander, Vice President Darrell Parry, Festival Director Andy Laties, Secretary John Evans, and the entire committee and staff. Looking forward to next October!
Photo credit: Andy Laties, festival director and owner of Book & Puppet Co.Photo credit: Joseph MalhamPhoto credit: Lynn Alexander, president of Easton Book FestivalPhoto credit: Lynn Alexander, president of Easton Book Festival
This month, writer pal Kathryn Craft shows us how to use weddings and funerals in our stories to explore characters and heighten emotions. Over at Mythcreants, Oren Ashkenazi examines the ever-popular literary device known as unreliable narrator.
Kristen Overman offers advice on self-editing and developing strong characters while Meredith Lyons talks about keepin’ it real in paranormal fiction. Do you feel pressured to sacrifice your social time for your writing? John Gilstrap reminds us not to feel guilty for living our lives.
Kelsey McConnell discusses the need for trigger warnings in horror novels. This is a timely topic given that I just released the second edition of Testing the Prisoner, my first paranormal mystery novel from 2009 that deals with child abuse and domestic violence.
If you’re a LibraryThing member, I’m running a giveaway for Testing the Prisoner! Six winners will receive a signed copy. Check it out here. Ends October 25th.
A few weeks ago, lovely and perspicacious writer pal Sara Karnish threw some questions at me about novels, novellas, and short stories and from my addled, sleep-deprived brain, I conjured up some reasonably cogent replies (or a reasonable facsimile thereof).
The second edition of my first paranormal mystery novel, Testing the Prisoner, is out now in ebook and paperback!
And if you’re in the Lehigh Valley this coming weekend, October 19-22, come on out to the Easton Book Festival for a dazzling array of writers and poets offering readings, panel discussions, presentations, and more!
On Saturday, September 30, I attended the third annual FrightReads Book Festival in Millersville, MD as an author guest. It was my first time there and will certainly not be my last.
It was a magical weekend of hanging out with old friends, making new ones, and putting faces to names I’d only known through Discord or social media.
I managed to sell 14 books (not bad for my first time at this event) and as a bonus, my hotel was directly across the street from the Bass Pro Shops in Arundel Mills and I had a $50 gift card to burn, which meant a new winter jacket!
Many thanks to showrunner Harry Carpenter and his wonderful staff. Check out these pics from the show. I look forward to next year!
Photo credit: Jay Smith
Always great to see Farpoint friends! Sharon Van Blarcom and Laura Inglis on Sunday. Not pictured: Cindy Shockey held down the Farpoint fort on Saturday.Run, Sawney, run!
Wonderful chatting with Pam and Jay Smith. Despite the humidity, Pam braved it out in costume until 4PM on Saturday. It was definitely a shorts and T-shirt weekend.
