No, we’re not looking forward to wreaking malice on unsuspecting readers. Or maybe we are! All the Wickeds are heading to the Malice Domestic conference in Bethesda, Maryland tomorrow. Here’s what we’re looking forward to, along with bringing Reine Harrington on a stick.
Edith: I always look forward to seeing author friends from around the country, like the Detective’s Daughter, Kim Gray (Maryland), James Montgomery Jackson (Michigan), and Kaye George (Tennessee). I also really enjoy sitting in
panels next to fans I don’t know and talking with them, since Malice is primarily a conference for readers who love the traditional mystery. This year Jessie and I are a pair for the Author Speed Dating event, in which we have five minutes at twenty different tables of eight to talk about our books. It’s noisy and fast and should be a lot of fun (at least when it’s over…).
Liz: I’ve never been to Malice and I’m so excited! This is going to be an amazing conference – seeing old friends, meeting new ones, hanging with the Wickeds. We’re all going to be there this year. And Kneading to Die is an Agatha nominee for Best First, so the banquet will be quite an experience! And being on a panel with my other Best First noms should be a trip. It’s going to be a great conference.
Barb: This is my fourth Malice and I am thrilled to be going. I’m looking forward to seeing so many writer and reader friends who I track (stalk?) via listservs and Facebook through the year but rarely get to chat with in person. I’m on Simply the Best: The Agatha Best Contemporary Nominees panel on Friday at 3:00 and Make It Snappy: The Agatha Best Short Story Nominees panel on Saturday at 9:00. I “speed dated” last year, Edith. You and Jessie will have a blast!
Jessie: I’ll be attending Malice for the third time but this is the first time I’ll be a panelist. As Edith and Barb have mentioned I’ll be at Malice-Go- Round on Friday morning at 10:00. And I’m thrilled to be participating in a panel on Sunday morning at 9:00 called Cooking Up Murder with Kaye Barley, Connie Archer, Daryl Wood Gerber and Mary Ellen Hughes. I love Malice because the attendees are so passionate about traditional mysteries. Everyone you run into feels like an old friend. Attending is one of the high points of my year!
Sherry: This will be my sixth Malice. I’m really excited this year because my two writing worlds will collide and I’ll get to introduce the Wickeds to the awesome members of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime. I’m moderating a panel Saturday morning at 9:00. It’s called Here Comes the Corpse (Barb Goffman comes up with such great panels). I’ll be chatting with Beverly Allen aka Barbara Early, Clare O’Donohue, Nancy J Parra aka Nancy Coco, and Ilene Schneider. Their books are fabulous.
Edith: Oh, damn. Sheila Connolly’s panel is ALSO Saturday at 9. Three conflicting panels! Will have to run back and forth to catch bits of all. Hope they are all in the same area.
Julie: Malice Domestic was my first mystery conference, back in 2003 I think? Maybe 2002? What an interesting journey it has been for me as a writer. As a reader, it has always been a perfect fit. I love the traditional mystery. And the bag of books you get when you sign in? First thing I do is unpack it, and see what’s what. And then create piles for my sisters and my mother, so we can switch it up. Thanks to Barb, I have a good grasp on where I am going to be when to support my fellow Wickeds. I am working a shift at the Sisters in Crime table (Saturday from 10-noon, stop by and say hi!) I have a couple of conflicts, but will try and make it all happen. REALLY looking forward to it!
Readers: Have you been to Malice? Do you follow the proceedings from afar? Who do you wish you could see, chat with, hoist a glass with?
I’ve been going to Malice every year since 2002. Always look forward to it. And this year I’ll get to meet the Wickeds!
We look forward to meeting you too! If you spot us be sure to say hello!
My first Malice was in 2010 and I can’t wait to see new and old friends.
See you Friday!
That was my first one, too!
I have been attending Malice since 1999.It doesn’t seem that long ago! Malice holds a special place in my heart. It is where I won my grant, became friends with the fabulous Harriette Sackler, and met my crush Dorothy Cannell. I am looking forward to hanging out with my Wicked Cozy girls (and am very happy no one needs to attend on a stick this year!). Best of luck to our very own Barb and Liz at the Aggies. I believe this is your year for the tea pot!
We’ve got our fingers crossed, Kim. See you tomorrow afternoon!
See you tomorrow, Kim!
I already feel like I know Barb, I’m getting to know Edith, and Sherry, who like me, is also a Chessie–don’t let me walk passed you! I pay more attention to words on the page than I do faces. I guess it goes with the territory. I’ll “woman” the SinC booth with Polly Iyer on Saturday morning from 10-12. See you there!
I’ll stop by and see you both there!
Looking forward to seeing you!
Can’t wait to meet in person!
I’ll be at the SinC table with you!
I think that should have been “past” you, but since it’s still in the furture, I get confused!
I am thrilled to be going to my first Malice on a stick! It’ll be wicked awesome. Thanks! xoxoxoxo
Jessie has you all set up. In duplicate, in case one gets damaged!
We’re thrilled to be bringing you!
Since the last Malice convention, I’ve gotten to know Sherry. I’m looking forward to talking again with the Wickeds I remember from other conferences and to becoming acquainted with the ones I haven’t yet met. I’ve attended many Malices and moderated panels for the last five years–doing it again this year. Good luck to the Wicked nominees!
It is so fun to have friends from two different chapters to introduce to each other!
Some year, I will make it. Some year. But it’s a very, very, very long way from Southern California. And since I don’t have a job right now, I also don’t have the money…
Some year.
Have a fabulous time, and I’m looking forward to reading all about it.
It is a long way, Mark!
Enjoy the conference–sounds wonderful! I’ve never attended, but I’ll be at the annual NESCBWI spring conference this weekend (along with about 650 other writers and illustrators for children).
Oh, that sounds exciting, Marcia!