Edward S. Gilbreth has passed away

June 21st, 2009

Via the Chicago Trribune story: Gilbreth was a retired Chicago newspaperman and mystery reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times.

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Visitor from Florida

June 17th, 2009

Deborah Sharp,  MWA-Fla. board member, will sign the latest in her funny, Southern-flavored mystery series on Tuesday, July 14 at 7 pm at the Borders in La Grange. MAMA RIDES SHOTGUN (Midnight Ink, July 1, $14.95) is the follow-up to her nationally acclaimed debut, MAMA DOES TIME.
Deborah says she and ”Mama” are a bit nervous about being in the Big City, so she’s hoping to see some friendly faces from MWA-Midwest.
Details:
Deborah Sharp Signs MAMA RIDES SHOTGUN
Tues, July 14, 7 pm
Borders
1 N La Grange Rd
La Grange, IL 60525
(708) 579-9660

For more info, please see www.DeborahSharp.com

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Printer’s Row report

June 14th, 2009

For the second year, the Midwest Chapter had a presence at Chicago’s Printers Row Lit Festival. This time, we were joined by MWA’s Margery Flax who “enjoyed” the French folk music from a nearby stage. For two days. MWMWA president Julie Hyzy has a report with photos up at her blog.

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May meeting report

June 14th, 2009

Via Michael Dymmoch

The meeting on Sunday, May 17, was small—attended by MWA members Raymond Benson, Tim Broderick, Luisa Buehler, Michael Dymmoch, Julie Hyzy, Helen Osterman, Irene Pederson, Tom Surdenik, host Augie Aleksy, and reader/fan Dick Waterbury—but we had a great conversation on topics ranging from identity theft to what makes mystery conventions great.
Julie Hyzy announced that MWA’s Midwest Chapter would have a booth at the Printers Row Book Fair, June 6 and 7. (We’ll have a festival report up soon!). Julie also announced that MWA will have a presence at Bouchercon in Indianapolis. A number of best-selling authors have been recruited for a special program. Ten fans will get tickets for a private forty-five minute visit with a big-name author hosted by lesser-known MWA writers. Only one ticket for one event will be issued to Bouchercon attendees. (Further details as they become available.)
Julie Hyzy announced that she has started a new series featuring Grace, the curator/manager of a great estate.
Graphic novelist Tim Broderick will join Crimespree Magazine’s Jon Jordan at Wizard World, the Chicago Comic Con, August 6-9, 2009 at the Rosemont Convention Center. Raymond Benson, Sean Chercover and other local authors may join Tim at the convention’s Crimespree Table.
Raymond Benson has renewed his contract for Dann & Raymond’s Movie Club—free, “lively film genre discussions” presented this fall “by Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire and awardwinning author Raymond Benson” at the Schaumburg Township District Library and the Arlington Heights Library.
Luisa Buehler announced that there will be a Love Is Murder planning meeting at the Schaumburg
Library, time TBA, August 20. Those interested in adding their input into this popular local conference are urged to attend.
Which led to a discussion of what makes a great conference. The recent Malice Domestic’s Author’s-go-round, was cited as a popular innovation. Other much-appreciated event/panels: How to look for/set up a writer’s group; endless conversations (informal discussions with authors rotating in and out at scheduled times); Beer and Wine panels; How to use Twitter, Face-book, blogs, etc., to market your work; and Time management for writers. Luisa also lobbied for time between panels to
catch your breath or continue discussions with panelists.

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Meeting in Milwaukee

May 3rd, 2009

April meeting report by Michael Black:

Our April meeting was held at the Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jerry Peterson arranged for this special tour of the airport and it turned out to be a fascinating evening for all in attendance. Members met at the Mitchell Air Museum inside the terminal and were ushered into a meeting room by Mitchell Airport PR Director Ryan McAdams and Airport Security Director Mike Keegan.
After a brief overview of the airport and its various areas, members were shown a large photographic map of the facility and each location was explained. The Mitchell International Airport has two major runways servicing commercial aircraft as well as subsidiary runways for smaller aircraft. The airport also has its own fire department and a contingent of Milwaukee County Sheriffs who handle law enforcement duties on the facility and grounds. Mike Keegan says during a typical week they arrest five or six people for various offenses. The electric bill alone for the airport is about $12 million a year, and there are over 2200 acres that must be secured and patrolled constantly.
The Mitchell International Airport contributes 8.2 billion dollars to the local economy and provides over 18,000 jobs.
The members were then escorted through the TSA Security Checkpoint and into the main terminal for dinner at Nonna’s restaurant. At dinner, chapter President Julie Hyzy thanked the airport representatives for their hospitality and Jerry Peterson for his work in arranging this event. The customary member introductions and news items were reviewed. Julie mentioned the continuing plans for Printer’s Row in Chicago in June. Ted Hertel talked about his participation in an Elderhostel writing seminar in Green Lake, Wisconsin, June 7 through 12. This event will include MWA members Jerry Healy, Sandy Balzo, and Gary Niebuhr, among others. For more information go to www.elderhostel.org
After dinner the perambulation began with a presentation by the TSA supervisor regarding procedures and safeguards taken by the organization. The tour continued through the baggage claim areas, and the members got a bird’s eye view of how luggage is dealt with once it’s been checked in at the counter.
After a fascinating walk through what was termed “the bowels of the airport,” the tour was completed with a trip up to the observation deck. This deck is the highest point of the airport excluding the control tower. The view was magnificent and the stalwart members who made the trek up the tower stairs were treated to the sights of the lighted airport and several planes taking off and landing.
The enormous responsibility and Herculean tasks became evident as Ryan McAdams explained the amount of maintenance work required for such things as snow removal, grass cutting, perimeter security, animal control issues, and continuous training of personnel. At the conclusion of the evening the members had a better understanding of how a major airport works and got to glimpse some fascinating behind- the-scenes areas that are normally off-limits to the general public. Everyone raved about how informative the tour had been and there is little doubt that the writers in the group were given many new ideas and details for their future writing projects.

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Printers Row

April 21st, 2009

Printers Row is Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th this year. MWMWA has applied for a spot at the festival but as of this writing, we do not know if we have been approved. We won’t get confirmation until next month sometime.

But…
Lynda from Centuries & Sleuths has been experiencing delays from publishers lately and she would like a list of authors interested in signing at Printers Row so she can start ordering books.

To sign up for a signing time you must be an MWA Active member with a new book out since January, 2008.

If you are an Active MWA member with a new book out since January, 2008 and you are interested in signing at Printers Row this year (times/days to be assigned later), please email Julie Hyzy ASAP

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John Green interviewed by Amy Alessio

March 28th, 2009

John Green won the Michael L. Printz medal for his first novel Looking for Alaska. With his second novel, he won a Printz Honor title for An Abundance of Katherines. With his third novel, Paper Towns, he is nominated for an Edgar in the young adult category. Paper Towns is a thoughtful mystery surrounding the disappearance of Margo Roth Spiegelman, written by the young man living next door who loves her.

To young fans, John is perhaps best known for his year long video blog he and his brother Hank Green ran called Brotherhood 2.0 in 2006. They started a term called nerdfighters, for young people fighting against the nerd image.

I had the pleasure of getting to know John when he visited the Schaumburg Township District Library in October 2006, and also visited the high school where my sister teaches in the city. His generosity, humor, and respect for young people are evident in his every action and I will not forget that visit. Several nerdfighters from towns all over came to the library to see him, too, and it is clear that young people everywhere are finding a friend in John’s excellent books.

All the young adult mystery nominations are not to be missed. I asked John to answer some questions over email for this blog in particular as he lives in the Midwest. I also knew he was particularly excited about going to the Edgars…

Enjoy meeting John Green.

AA: What was different about writing a mystery than Katherines and Alaska? Was the fan reaction any different?

John Green: The writing wasn’t that different, although I did try to pay more about to plot when writing “Paper Towns.” I also wanted to play with pacing a lot more than I did in my previous novels–I wanted everything to feel fast and then infuriatingly slow and then fast again, which is how I think mysteries often play out in our lives.
The fan reaction hasn’t been that different (although Paper Towns has sold better), at least so far as I can tell, but that says more about my readers than it says about me. They’re more interested in the quality of the book than its genre, which is something I admire greatly about teenagers. (And they’ve taught me the value of reading more widely.)

AA: What mysteries do you like to read?

John Green: Too many to list. I love everything from Christie to Crumley. I read everything I can get my hands on by Henning Mankell, Michael Connolly, and Sara Paretsky. I also reread a novel called “The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon” pretty much every year.

AA: Do you have ideas for more suspense books like Paper Towns?

John Green: The book that I’m starting to work on now is kind of a thriller I guess. It’s very hard to say with YA novels what is a mystery and what isn’t (and with adult novels, too, I know, but then at least one has a section of the bookstore to do part of the work). I just want to use everything available to me as a writer to write stories that matter to the kids I’m writing them for–and I’ll use anything in the arsenal I think might accomplish that goal. (But I want to make clear that I’m not saying that I want to “transcend the genre.” I don’t think the genre needs any transcending.)

AA: I read on your blog that your mother is excited about your Edgar nomination. I think the ceremony will may be unlike librarian and publishing children and YA events. What are you looking forward to?

John Green: Well, it’s black tie, which is exciting–although it makes me wish I had bought a tuxedo for my wedding instead of renting one. Also, a lot of writers I admire will be at the ceremony–I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to talk to many of them, but that’s something I really enjoy. (Also, I dork out a little.)

And yes, Mom was very excited to hear about it. I’d never before been a finalist for an award she’d heard of, so for once she could be happy for me without my having to explain to her what she was happy about.

AA: Are you going to post anything online that fans can see from the Edgars?

John Green: For sure! Videos and blog entries and tweets. By April someone will probably have invented some new and absolutely essential new kind of Internet communication. I’ll use that, too.

Amy Alessio is the Teen Coordinator at the Schaumburg Twp. Dist. Library in IL. She reviews teen mysteries and fiction for Teenreads.com and Crimespree Magazine.

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February 8th meeting report

February 19th, 2009

Started with announcements:
- The next MW MWA meeting will be at Aunt Agatha’s Bookstore in Ann Arbor, MI, Feb 25.
- The April meeting will be a tour of the Airport in Milwaukee, WI

Then, announcements from members in attendance:
- John Desjarlais announced the publication of his first book, Bleeder.
- Nancy Sweetland announced a new book,  Light House.
- Luisa Buhler has negotiated a contract with Harlequin
- Kathleen Earnst‘s latest Molly Mystery is Clues in the Shadows.
- Michael Black will have a short story in the MWA anthology.
- Centuries & Sleuths, 7419 W Madison St, Forest Park, will have a program to honor the late Hugh Holton on Sunday, March 15, 2009 2:00 p.m. 

Guest speaker:
Jeffrey Deaver is an international best selling author of 23 novels and 2 short story collections. His books are published in 25 languages, sold in 150 countries.  He has been nominated for an Edgar six time and received The Steel and Short Story Dagger Award, an Anthony, a Gumshoe, 3 Ellery Queen Reader’s Awards for Best Short Story, and—just this year—a Lovey.  Two of his novels have been made into movies.  And he’s appeared as a guest on As The World Turns.
Deaver told MWA members that he started writing at eleven.  Even at that early age, he knew books were special, being particularly fond of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.  Deaver’s first novel was a four page James Bond pastiche that took two weeks to write and had two chapters.  Creating the cover art was more fun.
As a boy, Deaver was a nerd, “when nerd meant something—no hundred million dollar stock options.”  He developed his own subgenre about pudgy, clumsy, socially inept boys—wish fulfillment stories in which the nerds got the pom-pom girls.  He became editor of the Bard, Glenbard West’s literary magazine, and developed a love of poetry.  This has helped with his thriller writing because in thrillers, as with poetry, less is more.  Deaver fell for the Poetry.com scam and in his best year lost only six dollars.  He has since become a professional poet, though not a profitable one.
Having failed to make his fortune as a poet, Deaver determined to become a music star.  Singer songwriter, after all, get more pom-pom girls.  In his twenties, he performed in Old Town.  One night, while going over his lead sheet before opening for a well-known rockabilly singer, he was asked by the star to identify a punctuation mark on his sheet.  When he explained that it was a semi-colon, the star told him he was too literary to be a singer-songwriter.
Eventually, Deaver decide he wanted the luxuries of life—food, shelter, etc.  He got a journalism degree and a job in Chicago as a magazine writer and reporter, but discovered that editors wanted facts.  “Where’s the creativity in that?”  So he went to school to study law, where “truth, accuracy, and honesty are not primary considerations.” He went to work at law in New York.
In his first trial as an associate, Deaver represented the defendant, “a large, heartless, running-dog international corporation.”  The plaintiff was a former employee fired for cause.  He was suing for return of his property lost by the corporation after he was fired.  Deaver said that after the plaintiff put on his case, he-Deaver—could say nothing but “This is a gratuitous lawsuit.  We’re not responsible.”  He was amazed when the judge found in favor of the corporation.  When he found out that the lost property included irreplaceable family photos, Deaver felt like writing the man a check himself.  He decided he was not cut out to be a lawyer.
While commuting to work, Deaver had been writing the kind of books he liked to read—thrillers.  When he finished the first, he wrote another.   “Both were egregiously awful.”  One was so bad he shredded it in the document shredder at work.  He decided to give up writing.  Five months later, he finished the next novel.  This was the thriller ever written.  It was rejected by everyone in the publishing business.  “My mother would have rejected it.”  Vanity presses wouldn’t have published it.  He received his manuscript back with the pages out of order.  There was no rejection letter—just the original cover letter with a footprint on the back.  The best rejection Deaver got for that book was a rejection letter actually typed: “Dear Mr. Deaver,  This manuscript is unpublishable…”
Deaver’s next novel got published.  And the next novel got published.
Deaver resolved  to treat writing as a business and create books regularly.   He had a contract for a  third book.  When he knew that the third book wouldn’t be finished to his satisfaction by the deadline, he sent in one of the unpublished manuscripts, hoping that by the time it was rejected, his unfinished work would be complete. To his surprise, the editor loved it.  This was an editor at the same company that had pronounced the manuscript “unpublishable.”
Deaver has produced a book every twelve to eighteen months ever since.
When asked if he had any desire to write for the movies, Deaver quoted, “A wise man knows his limitations.  I have no talent for film….I look at movies as paid advertising.”
Deaver concluded his talk by sharing three tricks of the trade:
- Write what you enjoy reading.
- Treat writing as a business.  Proctor & Gamble doesn’t suffer from toothpaste block or miss deadlines.
- Remember that rejection is a speed bump, not a brick wall.  Never give up.
Reported by Michael Dymmoch

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LIM profile

February 7th, 2009

Author Libby Hellmann is moderating the panel on Writing Sex. She’d like authors not to be afraid to write “scenes that are sensual and reveal how the characters feel about each other.”
Learn more about Libby’s latest, “Easy Innocence,” and the followup novel coming in October, “Double Cross,” at her website.

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LIM profile

February 7th, 2009

Ruth and John Jordan, publishers of Crimespree Magazine, are enjoying a conference that they didn’t have to organize. Ruth just completed putting together the very successful Bouchercon2008, and then helped host Murder in Muskego a few months later.
Jon is involved in the 2011 Bouchercon I’m St. Louis.
At this conference, the two are appearing on a number of panels - one is the sex panel that Ruth is sitting on.
“Written sex is like actual sex. A) You have to feel comfortable, and B) It has to be interesting.

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