The Femmes do Malice

by Donna Andrews

This weekend, Malice Domestic, the annual mystery convention celebrating the traditional mystery, will be held in Bethesda, Maryland--and many of the Femmes will be there, including Dana Cameron, who is serving as toastmaster! If you're there, watch for our fabulous basket, featuring goodies from each of the Femmes, in the Friday night auction.  Don't forget that some of the Femmes are nominated for Agatha awards:

For Best Novel: Donna Andrews, The Real Macaw

For Best Nonfiction: Charlaine Harris, The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

For Best Short Story: Dana Cameron, "Disarming," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Watch for us at the Saturday night Agatha banquet.  In fact, watch for us all weekend long--here's a rundown of what everyone's doing.

Dana Cameron

It's a busy weekend of Toastmastering!  Friday at 1:00, our own Hank will be conducting the Toastmaster Interview with me.  Then at 3:00, "You've Got Fan Mail," is where Jan Burke, Simon Brett, Lee Goldberg, and I will discuss our most enthusiastic, funniest, and craziest comments from our readers.  The Opening Ceremonies begin at 5:00, and I get to officially welcome folks to Malice. 

Saturday is jam-packed, as well, starting off with "Make It Snappy:  Our Agatha Best Short Story Nominees" at 9:40.  The Agatha Awards Banquet starts at 7:00pm, and I'm really looking forward to hearing from the Guests of Honor.  Sunday finishes with the Closing Tea at 2:30, and we look forward to Malice next year. 

Hank Phillippi Ryan

Hank at Malice! Friday afternoon I’m interviewing the fabulous Malice toastmaster—our very own Dana Cameron! (Whoo hoo.) That night, I’ll be auctioneer for the live fundraising auction with Katherine Hall Page—and one of the wonderful items is a basket of goodies from the Femmes! Saturday I’m a panelist "What We Do for Research"-I’ll tell all my secrets. And then Saturday night at the banquet—we’ll see! Sunday: the Sisters in Crime breakfast..hope to see you there! (I’m president of national Sisters in Crime next year—what an honor!)

Toni L.P. Kelner

I'm on a panel at 9:45 on Sunday--Dirty Little Secrets: An Inside Look at the Writer's Life. The moderator is Aimee Hix, and the panelists will be Elizabeth Lynn Casey (aka Laura Bradford), Jeffrey Cohen, Kate Gallison, and Robin Hathaway. And me, of course. This panel will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the authors' life and writing style. Do you have to write with certain music on? Do you have weird deadline rituals? Do you write in your pajamas or, perhaps, in the nude? What's your craziest fan story? This is a chance to let the audience know the real you. I'll be signing after the panel.  And I'll be around all weekend, and will be attending the Agatha banquet to cheer on our Femmes nominees.

Elaine Viets

Final Sail, my May Dead-End Job mystery set aboard a luxury yacht, makes an early debut at the Malice Domestic Convention. I'll be at the banquet, cheering on Toastmaster Dana. I'm hosting a table at the banquet, and hope you'll sign up to sit with me.

My Malice panel is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. It has some of my favorite authors -- Femme Hank Phillippi Ryan, Sophie Littlefield, Sarah R. Shaber, Mary Staunton/Claudia Bishop and me. Molly Weston, the queen of moderators, is sure to deliver some surprises.

If you're in the area Sunday night, I'm signing at the Annapolis Bookstore, 35 Maryland Ave., Annapolis, Md., at 5 PM with mystery authors Marcia Talley, Tracy Kiely and Hallie Ephron. It's part of a Sisters in Crime celebration. Stop by for free champagne and cake. For information call the store at 410-280-2339.

Charlaine Harris

I'll be on the panel called Just The Facts on Saturday at 2:30. The panel also includes my fellow non-fiction Agatha nominees: Leslie Budewitz, John Curran, Michael Dirda, and A.B. Emrys, with Steve Steinbock moderating. I'll be signing at 4:20.

Donna Andrews

I'll be on the Simply the Best panel at 4 p.m. Friday,  with fellow best novel nominees Krista Davis, G.M. Malliet, and Margaret Maron.  (Alas, the lovely Louise Penny was unable to join us, but will be there in spirit.)  Shawn Reilly will be our moderator.  And at 9:45 Sunday morning, I'll be appearing on Occupy Malice: When Money Is the Root of All Murder, with moderator Avery Aames and fellow panelists Mike Befeler, Catriona McPherson, and Elena Santangelo.  And I'll be missing the chance to see fellow Femmes Kris Neri and Mary Saums, who were unable to attend this year.

And now for a contest!

I hope many of you are now kicking yourselves for not coming to Malice Domestic.  Well, there's always next year.  Or do you have a really good excuse for not coming this year?  I'm offering a special prize for the most creative excuse for NOT coming to Malice this year! Post your excuses here or on the Femmes Facebook page, or email them to me.  And what is the prize, you ask?  A copy of the fifth Chesapeake Crimes anthology, This Job Is Murder, signed by me and by Elaine Viets--since her Dead End Job series has given her a unique expertise in murderous jobs, she agreed to provide the anthology with its introduction.  And don't say you already have one--this latest anthology will be on sale at Malice for the very first time, at the Wildside Press booth. And no, you don't have to be absent to win--if you're actually at Malice, you can still make excuses. So put on your thinking caps--and "The dog ate my Malice registration" is NOT available!

Comments

[Sue Gilot]

I will not be able to attend as I will be in VT watching my 14 year old Godson learn how to fly glider planes. When I asked him if I had to go he simply said Yes because I am always there for the important things in his life. Can't say no to that!!

[Linda Osborn]

This isn't creative (I wish it were) but I have to be here for my dad. Since he had a stroke almost 4 years ago I've not been able to go anywhere or do anything. I am his only source for help. I've had to run to the hospital a number of times for emergencies so I couldn't journey away from this locale.

[Debbie Hagedorn]

I have to work this weekend. We are making up weather days from frozen sewer pipes in January and my boss would "kill" me if I wasn't there!

[lil Gluckstern]

Much joy to all of you. I don't travel too much anymore due to poor health, but i'll be thinking of you and rooting for you all-if that's possible.

[Deb Thomas]

I'm stuck out here at the corner of No and Where with a blown Catalyzer, and besides, the wash house doesn't have its roof yet ....

[Mo]

I am at Malice so no real excuse. I am ever so glad I made my reservations many months ago before my broke and I had to pay the dealer $7,041 this week to get it healthy again. If I knew that bill was coming I wouldn't have been able to make the trip.

[kiki]

My son flush Malice registration down the toilet.

[Ginmuse]

I tripped over my crutch and broke the OTHER leg!