Inkspot News - June 26, 2010

Alan Orloff will be appearing at the American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, DC, signing today in the Midnight Ink booth from 1:30 - 2:30.

Joanna Campbell Slan will be at the conference on Sunday, signing in the Midnight Ink booth on June 27 from 10 - 11 am, and at the Sisters in Crime booth from 11 am - 1 pm.

G.M. Malliet will also be appearing at ALA on Sunday, June 27. Her book signings will take place following the "Red Herrings" panel with fellow mystery writers Jane Cleland (Silent Auction), Sheila Connolly (Red Delicious Death), and Daniel Stashower (Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters) at 10 am; at the Midnight Ink booth at 1 pm, and at the Sisters in Crime booth at 2:30 pm.

The full signing schedule starting today for authors at the ALA Sisters in Crime booth is as follows:

Saturday 6/26
9 –11:
Maria Lima
10 –12:
Elizabeth Zelvin
Alexandra Sokoloff
11- 1:
Meredith Cole
12:30 – 2: 30:
Nancy Martin
1- 3:
Rebecca York
2:30 – 3:30:
Jane Cleland
Rosemary Harris
3 –5:
John Willis
Pat Summers
 
Sunday 6/27
9 – 11
Ellen Crosby
Sandra Parshalll
Alex Sokoloff
10 – 11:30
Hank Phillippi Ryan
11- 1
Joanna Campbell Slan
Libby Hellman
Peter Abresch
1 – 3
Sheila York
James Hayman
Donna Andrews
2:30 – 3:30
GM Malliet
3 – 5
Tom Kaufman
Cara Black
Monica Faeth Myers
Monday, 6/28
11 – 1
Debbi Mack
1 – 3
Marcia Talley
3 – 5
Pamela Samuels

Inkspot News - June 19, 2010

G.M. Malliet will be appearing at the American Library Association 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on Sunday, June 27. Her book signings will take place following the "Red Herrings" panel with fellow mystery writers Jane Cleland (Silent Auction), Sheila Connolly (Red Delicious Death), and Daniel Stashower (Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters) at 10 am; at the Midnight Ink booth at 1pm, and at the Sisters in Crime booth at 2:30 pm.

Alan Orloff will also be at the conference, signing in the Midnight Ink booth on Saturday, June 26 from 1:30 - 2:30.

Joanna Campbell Slan will be at the conference, too, signing in the Midnight Ink booth on Sunday, June 27 from 10 - 11 am, and at the Sisters in Crime booth 11 am - 1 pm.

Beth Groundwater won't be at the conference, but she'll be discussing and signing her books Saturday, June 26 at The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Embassy Suites Denver Southeast, 7525 East Hampden Avenue, Denver, CO from 6 pm on.

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The full signing schedule for authors at the ALA Sisters in Crime booth is as follows:

Friday 6/25
5:30 – 7:30:
Ellen Byerrum
Becky Hutchison
Alex Sokolofff (tentative)
 
Saturday 6/26
9 –11:
Maria Lima
10 –12:
Elizabeth Zelvin
Alexandra Sokoloff
11- 1:
Meredith Cole
12:30 – 2: 30:
Nancy Martin
1- 3:
Rebecca York
2:30 – 3:30:
Jane Cleland
Rosemary Harris
3 –5:
John Willis
Pat Summers
 
Sunday 6/27
9 – 11
Ellen Crosby
Sandra Parshalll
Alex Sokoloff
10 – 11:30
Hank Phillippi Ryan
11- 1
Joanna Campbell Slan
Libby Hellman
Peter Abresch
1 – 3
Sheila York
James Hayman
Donna Andrews
2:30 – 3:30
GM Malliet
3 – 5
Tom Kaufman
Cara Black
Monica Faeth Myers
Monday, 6/28
11 – 1
Debbi Mack
1 – 3
Marcia Talley
3 – 5
Pamela Samuels

Oooh ....those librarians...

Tom Schreck, author of "On The Ropes, A Duffy Dombrowski Mystery"

In On The Ropes Duffy has a minor obsession with librarian Debra Speakwell.

Her shoulder length red hair, her constant need to moisturize her page-worn fingers and that confident mastery of the Dewey Decimal system...

Man, talk about hot.

I love librarians.

I love the glasses they wear and the way their eyes search behind them finding exactly what you want, what you're looking for. Those eyes, those glasses looking out and gathering what you need.

Oh my...

It's not just the glasses or the hair tied neatly in a bun --man, that smoldering look, that control, that, that, that....that way they hold a single finger to their pursed lips and exhale "Shhhh..."


I think it's their total sense of control that gets to me. Their books, on their shelves in that special order that only they really understand.

They have the information you want. They know how to get it and if you ask in the right way--they'll help you.

But it's the way they lend a hand. Quietly, never rushed--librarians take their time, they do it right, they do it thoroughly and when they're done, well, perhaps a half smile, a nod and that knowing look letting you understand that they are the only ones for this kind of work.

I spent last weekend at the New York Library Association Convention and in two weeks I'm hosting a panel at Murder and Mayhem in Muskego--a library sponsored event.

I also found out this morning that some library way out in Portland, Oregon just ordered six copies of On The Ropes.

It's not just the glasses.

Speaking Out, Keeping Mum? How My Upbringing is Detrimental to My Book Sales

by Julia Buckley

Today I took two of my classes to the library so that our "cybrarian" could show them all of the latest miraculous research tools, most of which, of course, are online. (Not that they dismiss print sources, which are still very much available and attractively displayed).

While demonstrating to the students how to find the copyright and publisher information inside a book, she said, "And did you know we had a published author in the room?" My students stared at her blankly. They did not know. The librarian took the copy of my book, which they loyally display on the counter, and held it up for the girls, and they regarded me for a time as though I were a new zoo animal.

"I can't believe you haven't told your students!" our librarians enthused.

But of course I would never tell my students that I've written a book. It feels, to me, like a conflict of interest--like I'm abusing my educator's podium to try to rack up some sales, and so I've never done it. Some people say that this is ridiculous--that I can always just mention it in passing--and they are probably right. But I know I never will.

The last time I had an eye doctor appointment and he stood over me, breathing into my face and examining my pupils right up close with a blinding light, he talked about how much he loved reading--especially mysteries. There would be, I knew, no better opportunity to hop right in there and say, "What I coincidence! I write mysteries! Here's one that I happen to have in my purse."

But I didn't. And the moment passed. And I lost my opportunity. The reasons for this are rooted in my upbringing: in the strict Catholic world of my childhood, you did not talk about yourself (vanity), and you certainly did not brag about your achievements (pride). And even though I have my fair share of both vanity and pride, the reticence of those years is permanently ingrained upon me. I don't speak up. I am NOT a good saleswoman. I doubt I will ever be. I cannot change my nature. My only chance is to try to write books so good that people will hear about them through word of mouth. (Someone else's mouth, of course).

Even that is sort of a vain thought. See? Sister Theodora would be proud of my humility, but I'm sure she'd wince at my book sales. :)

Photo link here