Crime Bake 2013!

Crime Bake 2013 is over. We were all there, and we had a blast. We were very excited Edith won one of four Honorable Mentions for the Al Blanchard Crime Fiction Contest (out of over 130 stories submitted) with her story “Breaking  the Silence.” The story is published in Level Best Books newest anthology Stone Cold. [Edith says: thank you!]

Liz: Crime Bake is my favorite conference. Period. I’ve been going for 10 years, and this year was extra special – I was on my first Crime Bake panel with three of my fellow Wickeds – Jessie, Edith, and the fabulous Barb Ross as moderator. Joined by the lovely Katherine Hall Page, we talked food and cozies and had a great time. It was also so great that ALL the Wickeds were there. We had the best time and caught up with so many other friends (including Barb Goffman on a stick), met new people and came away refreshed and ready to hit the keyboard.

Julie: Barb was the co-chair this year, and I was on the committee for Crime Bake. Now, I’m going to admit, being on the committee is a lot to think about, and this year was no exception. But, that said, I think it went really well. The banquet (which is planned by Sharon Daynard) was a lot of fun. The panel I moderated (on YA Fiction) went well (and most of my Wickeds were in the audience giving me support). And it was so great to see everyone. I started this journey ten years ago, and this was my 11th Crime Bake. Every year I feel forward momentum, and most of it comes from the friendship and support of the people I’ve met in the past ten years.

Jessie: This was my seventh Crime Bake and every year I come away feeling refreshed about writing and about the crime writing community in New England. This year, I had the pleasure of being on a panel at the conference for the first time and what a pleasure it was to do so with all of the Wickeds in the room. Barb masterfully moderated, Edith and Liz charmed the audience with wit and wisdom, Julie beamed encouragement from the front row and Sherry enthusiastically documented the event for us all on film.Who could ask for a more supportive environment than that? Which really is a what Crime Bake is all about on a larger scale. People with a common passion, all chiming in with their own special voices and talents to support each other and to have fun while doing it.

Sherry: This was my 11th Crime Bake. I always leave thinking it can’t get any better but it always does. So many great people. I met two women who were new to the conference. They are romance writers who flew over from Italy. Great panels and taking Barb Goffman on a stick was so much fun. Although I’m not sure why, when the other Wickeds yelled that Barb G. needed to do the limbo, I jumped up and did it. That was one fun banquet! And as usual I bought a lot of books!

Edith: I’m another Crime Bake fan girl. I loved hearing Meg Gardiner’s path to publication. I learned about a couple of new historical mystery authors I want to get to know better. I danced my, um, knee off at the Trouble in Paradise banquet. After I asked, Julie Spencer-Fleming willingly agreed to do a guest post here. Perhaps most important, I was able to advise and guide a few aspiring authors, provide them with several networking contacts, and let them know that those of us who are a little further ahead on the path support them as our mentors have supported us.