Austin S. Camacho’s Author Updates

My latest self-serving blog post is about the latest trend in publishing and how I’m jumping on the bandwagon - http://ascamacho.blogspot.com

I’m recovered from my travels and ready for a great book signing at Borders in the Boulevard at the CapitalCenter. Come by after work - I’ll start signing books at 6 pm.  The store is at 931A Capital Centre Blvd.Largo, MD.

Another reader has sent me some wonderful feedback.  I’d like for you to meet Andre McGuinness.

I met Andre the last time I visited the Capital Centre’s Borders. He picked up a copy of Russian Roulette then, even though he said he wasn’t a mystery fan. He e-mailed me later with many nice things to say about the book which I of course appreciated. At the same time he took me to task for not putting more action into the book. He wanted more shootouts and a few more bloody fistfights. Then he said that the book felt like an old P.I. story, which I took as a compliment.

I hope that Andre reads The Payback Assignment or The Orion Assignment to get more action into his reading diet. Meanwhile I was flattered enough by his note to post much of his e-mail as this week’s featured review on my website. Thank you Andre, for your kind words, and even your criticisms.

Good news for those of you who would like to sample the flavor of Hannibal Jones without investing in an entire novel. Now you can purchase a Hannibal Jones short story, “A Little Wildness,” and download it as an e-book.

Last night I returned home from Bouchercon and my head is still spinning.  I wanted to share the joy before it faded. My plan was to begin a sentence with “The highlight of the conference was…” But the whole thing was one long series of highlights, including:

The panel I moderated Thursday was standing room only and the authors I worked with - Jack Fredrickson, Greg Herren, Adrian Magson and Michael Wiley - were spectacular. Afterward we went to the book sellers’ room and signed a pile of novels.

Bouchercon took over GameWorks, which is basically a huge arcade for grownups. Great food, all the games were free, and a rocking DJ too. We were up too late Thursday night.

Publisher Karen Syed gathered 15 or so Echelon Press authors for a fine lunch! It was great to sit and chat with my fellow authors for a while.

The Private eye Writers of America Banquet was in a left-over prohibition-era saloon called the Slippery Noodle. That was worth two highlights. I was asked to present the award for best short story on stage, and spent the evening having drinks with Sue Grafton!

At the end of Bouchercon I joined what looked like 100 writers at the Author’s Bazaar, handing out free copies of one of my Hannibal Jones mysteries. It was a 2-hour event, but I signed 50 copies of Collateral Damage in 45 minutes! That final ego blast was a great way to end the ultimate mystery weekend.

I think I’ve introduced you to Loretta Craig before, and she’s back with another book review.
 
I first met Loretta in April at a writer’s event. She is an aspiring mystery author although we might not know when she hits the best seller list because there’s already a mystery writer with the same name.
 
To my great joy, Loretta became a fan. She read The Troubleshooter and reviewed it. When Russian Roulette was released she did the same.  And now she’s sent a nice note about Blood and Bone.
 
Because Loretta is a regular reader and Hannibal Jones lover, I’ve made her latest note the featured review on my main web site. Thank you, Loretta, for sticking with us and I can’t wait to see what you have to say about the remaining two novels.
 
Read Loretta Craig’s review of Blood and Bone. 

- http://www.ascamacho.com/

I am loving Bouchercon, THE big event for mystery writers and fans.  My panel this morning was very ut being an unknown author walking among giants today has made me philosophical. Two of the most basic laws of physics apply to human interaction as much as to inanimate objects.

Objects at rest tend to remain at rest due to inertia. Meaning that the universe itself naturally resists forward motion.

But objects in motion tend to stay that way too, thanks to momentum. Meaning that once you get rolling it’s easier to keep going, despite the variety of natural forces trying to stop you.

In human terms, this principle appears to be universal and makes it easy to figure out how far we can get in life.

You can only go as far as you push.

Writers!  Want to know what to do at a networking opportunity like Bouchercon?  Check my main blog -  http://ascamacho.blogspot.com

Since my last blog post I was part of the program on social media for writers that Johns Hopkins University and the American Independent Writers jointly presented.  I learned quite a bit, and did some valuable networking.

Then I did some book signing at Waldenbooks in Virginia Center Commons.  As always, manager Tracy took good care of me and I got to sign several of my titles.

I also held my first book signing at the huge Borders Bookstore in Annapolis.  As often happens on a first visit, I sold out there.

I also received a very nice review on the Acme Authors blog.  The talented DL Larson had some nice things to say about my latest novel, Russian Roulette.  She had told me earlier that she thought my characters believable and that the mystery kept the pages turning.  DL’s opinion is valuable to me as an author because she is also a successful writer of best selling historical novels.  After you read the review, it’s easy to find links to her work on that same page, and you owe it to yourself to do so.  But first, do read what DL Larson has to say about Russian Roulette - http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com/2009/10/russian-roulette-review-by-dl-larson.html .

STARTING TOMORROW my lovely wife Denise will join me for a whirlwind 4-day weekend in Indianapolis at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention.  From Thursday at 9:00 a.m. until Sunday at noon there will be four, five or sometimes six different 55-minute sessions running at a time, followed by 25-minute book signing times, leaving 5 minutes to get to the next presentation. There will also be a few sessions with no conflicts, like the Guest of Honor interview with Michael Connelly.

If you can attend, look for me Thursday at 1:30 pm.  I will moderate a panel on “TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY PRIVATE EYES,” discussing current and future trends in the private eye novel with four of the best practitioners of the art: Jack Fredrickson, Greg Herren, Adrian Magson and Michael Wiley.

I’ll also have lunch with my fellow Echelon Press authors, gather with the other contributors to this year’s Wolfmont Press holiday anthology, “The Gift of Murder,” and attend the Private eye Writers of America Banquet where this year’s Shamus awards will be handed out.

At the end of Bouchercon I’ll be sitting in at the Author’s Bazaar, handing out free copies of one of my Hannibal Jones mysteries.  If you’re a real mystery lover you need to be at Bouchercon. And if you are there, please find me and say hello.

Reminder: today’s writer seminar is “Pushing the Electronic Envelope Even Farther: Using Cyberspace to Advance Your Career” at 9am in the Bernstein-Offit Building at 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 

Then a book signing at Waldenbooks from 1 pm to 5 pm at 10101 Brook Rd, Glen Allen VA.

TOMORROW  it’s north to Annapolis to meet some new friends in a Borders Bookstore I haven’t visited before.  I’ll sign my novels in that store from 2 pm to 6 pm.  If that’s near you, come to 1115 Annapolis Mall, Annapolis, MD and say hi.