I’ll spend this weekend at the South Carolina Book Festival.  This free event in the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center features award-winning authors discussing their work and lots of book autographing.  The festival presents a diversified group of authors, poets, and scholars.  The Festival offers panel discussions and presentations on a variety of popular genres and literary topics, from the latest trends in new fiction to regional favorites to outstanding poetry performances. 

During the festival, the Exhibit Hall will be packed with exhibitors representing the very best of local, regional, and national book dealers, antiquarians, publishers, independent presses, writers collectives, educational groups, individual writers, and non-profit organizations.  Treats for Book lovers will be everywhere, from your favorite author’s new book to that special and rare literary find.

My publisher, Echelon Press, will be among the more than 100 exhibitors who have booths in the exhibit hall.  I’ll be there with them Saturday from 9 am to 5:30 pm and Sunday from 11:30 am to 5 pm.  If you live near Columbia, SC, I hope you’ll stop by the book festival and say hi.  The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is at 1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC.

In the last 3 weeks I’ve attended my two favorite writers’ conferences.  In that time I made a slew of new friends, got valuable advice from several very successful writers, and spoke to two different agents who expressed interest in representing me.

 It all goes to show that the best advice your mother ever gave you was, “Go! You might meet somebody!”

It seems redundant to say that I had a great time at the Bay to Ocean writer’s conference.  I do every year.  My presentation was well received, I signed a good number of books, and I got to critique four promising future authors.  This is a good place to officially thank all the folks involved with running that super event every year.  It is a winner.

I also had a book signing at the Borders Express in Waldorf, MD.  I’ll be making monthly stops there until June because this is the store that will first introduce the new book, Russian Roulette.  The friendly atmosphere and the people there won me over.

But the big news for me this week is that I appeared on a best seller list… sort of.

Regular readers know that I contributed the lead story to an anthology, “DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND.”  This was the third in a series of holiday crime fiction anthologies and like its predecessors, all the profits from the book went to the Toys for Tots Foundation.  This week, when the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association announced their 2008 bestseller list, the anthology was in the top ten.  I was proud to be part of the project before.  Now I’m downright ecstatic.

I’ll spend tomorrow at ChesapeakeCollege in Wye Mills, MD having more fun than I deserve at the Bay to Ocean writer’s conference. The conference features workshops, speeches, and panel discussions on a wide variety of topics pertaining to the craft of writing, the publishing business, and the intricacies of particular genres. This year’s speakers include Thomas Sawyer, head writer for Murder, She Wrote, internet expert Leslie Walker, my own editor Melanie Rigney, Pulitzer Prize nominated poet Sue Ellen Thompson, essayist George Merrill, and literary agent Laura Strachan.
 
I will give an hour-long presentation on creating memorable characters, in addition to reviewing some manuscripts. If you want to be a better writer and you’re within reach of Wye Mills, join us.

I’ve received a lot of comments on my books lately, so I try to share a different one here each week. Today I’d like to mention Ronald Stutler.
 
Ron is from Ohio and I met him at a book signing. He read Collateral Damage and wrote to me, complimenting me that I managed an urban story without excessive bad language or graphic sex. Then he took the extra step that many readers don’t. He was kind enough to post a review on Amazon.com. I always appreciate it when readers share their opinions with the rest of the world this way. That’s why I posted Ron’s review on my web site as the featured review.

I’m old enough to remember recognizing Both Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays being holidays.  They were merged into President’s Day, which has been expanded to recognie all presidents.  I sometimes wonder if the two men originally hailed would be offended.  Are their static monuments enough?

 But then I consider that maybe those monuments aren’t needed.  Louis Kossuth said, “Let him who looks for a monument to Washington look around the United States.  Your freedom, your independence, your national power, your prosperity, and your prodigious growth are a monument to him.”

And Osborn Oldroyd said that Abraham Lincoln needs no marble shaft to perpetuate his name; his words are the most enduring monument, and will forever live in the hearts of the people.

So let’s take some time today to give them the monument they deserve, by remembering their words and deeds, which really did reshape the world.

I told you that today I have a book signing at Waldenbooks in Landmark Mall, 5801 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA from 1 pm to 5 pm.

Tomorrow I’ll have a second book signing, this time at Books-A-Million in Alexandria, VA. That one is also from 1 pm to 5 pm, but I’ll have discount coupons to hand out. Don’t go to the wrong bookstore. There are two B-A-Ms in Alexandria.  This one is at 6230 N. Kings Hwy.

Before our romantic Valentine’s Day dinner I’ll be romancing the mystery fans at Waldenbooks in Landmark Mall.  I’ll only sign books at the Mall at 5801 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA from 1 pm to 5 pm so I’ll be home in plenty of time to head for the mystery restaurant.

Love is Murder proved to be three days of great fun and great connections.  One of my favorite mystery writers, Jeffery Deaver, delivered an hilarious keynote talk.  One of my favorite thriller authors, Steve Berry, sat on the panel I moderated.  And the audience agreed that I gave the most convincing solution of an invented theft on another panel.

 Aside from the good time I had with 300 other crime fiction fans there was a re-enactors convention in the hotel the same weekend.  Civil War troops, World War II soldiers, pirates and roman legionairres added to the feeling of unreality.

 My publisher, Karen Syed of Echelon Press, blogged about the experience, and her post is well worth reading, especially if you’re a writer or interested in the publishing business.  Check it out!

This weekend I make my annual pilgrimage to Illinois for the three-day Love Is Murder mystery convention.  This mystery, thriller, romantic suspense and dark fiction conference is famous for great panels and great food.  Featuring stars like Jeffery Deaver, Alex Kava, and Steve Berry, it has a lot to offer both writers and readers .

I help to kick off the con Friday at noon as part of a writers panel serving up “A Series of Helpful Hints,” ideas for keeping a series fresh, to attract new readers while keeping the faithful.

 Saturday I get to moderate a panel called “Thrill Ride - A Different Roller Coaster,” So I’ll be talking thrillers with Steve Berry and four other thriller writers.  Later I’m on the “Whose Line is it” panel, where four other mystery authors will join me in solving a mystery while role-playing as our fictional detectives. 

 If you’re a mystery fan anywhere near Chicago you need to join us.  This year the fun is all in the WestinChicagoNorthShore, 601 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Wheeling, IL.