Monday, October 17, 2016

CrimeCONN 2016

Annamaria on Monday

CrimeCONN is a one-day a mystery-writing conference, jointly sponsored by the Westport, Connecticut Public Library and the New York Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.  (MWA's New York Chapter territory includes all of Connecticut, New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,  Delaware, and West Virginia.  Don't ask me why.  I have no idea)



The purpose of the conference is to showcase our Connecticut mystery/thriller authors, of which there are many illustrious novelists and television and screen writers.  

My well-used copy of the program

The MWA Coordinator of the conference is Chris Knopf,
author of 14 mystery/thrillers.  His works have received stars from
Publishers' Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. His Dead Anyway
won the 2013 Nero Award.

Books of the panelists were on offer.  Sales were brisk.

Panels concentrated on the theme of The Mind of  the Criminal.  First up was
a discussion of What Motivates Bad Guys.  Left to right: Michael Ledwidge,
Rosemary Harris, Liz Mugavero, and moderator John Valeri.


Lunchtime chat with John Roche, Karen E. Olson, Joe Meyers,
and David Rich
Lots of great conversation over lunch.

My lunch companions included Tom Straw, Writers Guild nominee for his TV
writing and producing.
The sold-out crowd reconvened after lunch.

My friend Paula Lanier and I sang the praises of our tribe--MWA-NY and made
a pitch to the emerging writers and fans to join up.

Post-lunch interview by Chris Knopf of Andrew Gross, author of NYT
bestselling thrillers, who (I am thrilled to say) has written his first historical
thriller, The One Man, set during WWII and featuring his own family's exploits.

Last chance pose with my friend John Roche, author of
Bronx Bound.

En route home, passing trough Grand Central Station, always busy, even
late on a Saturday night.  
Oh, how hanging with my tribal brothers and sisters feeds my spirit!

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great time, AmA. Glad to hear the hunger of your spirit is sated. (Hmmm... not sure if that's the conclusion of a horror novel or the opening of a New Age self-help book...)

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    Replies
    1. EvKa, my spirit needs frequent feeding. Fortunately, it gets frequent treats, daily here on MIE, for instance.

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  2. Some might even say life is all just one big CONN.

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    1. I can't say that about my life, Bro--not as a CONNer, nor as a CONNee. Which are you?

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  3. Replies
    1. It was my pleasure! The level of discourse was extremely high, even for those of us used to very stimulating meetings of this sort. Congratulations to all involved in the planning.

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  4. It is such a great conference! I had a fabulous time there last year. So sorry I had to miss it--and seeing you-- this year!

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  5. What a great-looking conference!! I confess, I sometimes wish I lived closer to New England - you guys have SO many opportunities to get together and support one another there!!

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