Iceland!

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Jessie: Back in New Hampshire where there is a light blanket of snow all round the yard.

First off, the Grateful for Our Readers Giveaway continues! I have a copy of Whispers Beyond the Veil for one commenter so please drop by and add to the conversation by midnight tonight to be eligible for the drawing!

This post is a brief one. I confess I’m suffering from a bit of jet lag and have a looming deadline and a houseful of guests arriving any minute. But I did want to share why I’ve been missing from the blog for several days. I’ve been having all kinds of fun in Iceland!

For years I’ve been a fan of Nordic crime novels. So when I discovered there was a crime writing conference named Iceland Noir I joyfully began to plan to attend. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. I met writers and readers from Finland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Hungary, Brazil, Sweden, Norway, The U.K., Poland and even other Americans.

In a world where so much seems divided at present it was such a joy to be in the midst of so much variety bound together by a common interest. The accents, the clothing, the perspectives were made up of all sorts but the mutual love of crime fiction was passionately shared.

Not only was the conference a delight, so was the city of Reykjavik where it was held. My husband and I had such fun walking the windy streets and seeing the sights in between conference panels.

From the art deco hotel in which we stayed, to the  views out across the stark countryside we enjoyed every minute of the journey!

 

Readers, is there anywhere you’ve always wanted to visit? Writers, have you attended a writing conference far from home?

Published by Jessie Crockett

Jessie Crockett wears a lot of hats, both literally and literarily. As Jessie Crockett she is the Daphne Award winning author of Live Free or Die and the nationally bestselling Sugar Grove series. As Jessica Ellicott she has received starred reivews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal for her historical mystery Murder in an English Village. As Jessica Estevao she writes the Agatha Award nominated Change of Fortune Mysteries. She loves the beach, fountain pens, Mini Coopers and throwing parties. She lives in northern New England where she obsessively knits wool socks and enthusiastically speaks Portuguese with a shocking disregard for the rules of grammar.

61 Thoughts

  1. I enjoyed your pictures. I am beyond thrilled that you got to make this trip. I think that one of those gloves in the last image looks familiar. Can we expect a Nordic novel in the future?
    As for a place that I have always wanted to visit, Tuscany and the Carribean are tied for first place. Enjoy your holidays Jessie!

  2. I’ve always wanted to visit Prince Edward Island, the setting of the Anne of Green Gables books!
    Your Iceland trip sounds amazing!

  3. Thanks for taking the time to share with us today even though you are jet lagged, entertaining, on deadline, and exhausted!! That my friends is called dedication to the readers! The Wickeds are simply the best! I do not need to be entered in today’s contest, however some lucky fan is in for a treat! I’m anxiously awaiting the next book in this fantastic series! I could ask you a million questions about your trip, but they can wait until you are recovered. Please post again about the conference as I’m sure there are others who would love to hear and see more! I love the fact that you discovered something you wanted to do and you figured out how to make it work. It’s nice that you were able to enjoy it with your husband. Good for you! 👍🏻 You said there were fellow Americans at Iceland Noir. Authors or fans? I fell in love with Central America on a trip many years ago, but I didn’t really venture outside of the touristy areas. I would love to go back and visit the more rural and natural sections. Thanks again Jessie! I can’t believe you have snow! ☃️☃️☃️

    1. Awww, thanks, Bec! It was a great trip adn one I would highly recommend! The Americans were both authors and fans. It was all remarkable. I think a second trip to Central America sounds like a delightful idea!

  4. Thanks for sharing your trip, Jessie! I still haven’t explored Australia and New Zealand, nor China, Tuscany, Argentina, or the Grand Canyon. But I have lived in several unusual countries and visited many more. Glad I have some time left to visit even more – including Iceland, where I’ve only ever been in the airport.

  5. Sounds like a great trip. My dream trip is Prince Edward Island also. I’m really anxious to read Whispers Beyond the Veil; it sounds fascinating.

    1. PEI is a popular one with so many people. I’m sure you would have a wonderful time if you visited! I hope you do! It would be easy to visit Old orchard Beach, Maine, where my book is set on the way!

  6. Beautiful pics, Iceland is definitely on my bucket list! Plus, I’d love to see puffins in the wild. Thanks!

  7. Wow, how nice to have visited a crime writing conference in Iceland!! I love your pictures.

    I’ve always wanted to visit the U.K. and Germany.

  8. I have Ireland on my list and would also like to go back to Alaska as we only saw a small part of that very large state when we were there before.

  9. I loved Iceland so much I’ve put a few scenes of book two inReykjavik and Vik. STUCK will be out this spring. The conference sounds wonderful! Is it annual?? –kate

  10. Jessie, if this is the conference I think it is, your readers should know that it holds an annual writing contest, the prize for which is free attendance at the next conference! A great opportunity to practice your Noir and maybe get a free vacation.

  12. I’m so jealous of your wonderful trip. I used to travel for work and really enjoyed adding another day to trips just for sightseeing. Now I’m retired and my hubby is not interested in traveling at all—and I don’t really want to travel alone. I do my traveling through reading now.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

    1. I love armchair traveling sometimes as much as racing round the globe! Especially if I am doing the traveling through the pages of fiction set in a far off land!

  13. I have a long list of places I want to travel that it could take all day to name off. My most recent trip idea is an Alskian tour by land and cruise. Glad you had fun on your trip. I still never have been to a book convention- it’s also on my list of things to do.

    1. Book conferences are such fun! I highly recommend Malice Domestic if you like traditional mysteries. It is aimed at readers and attracts a lot of writers too.

  14. There are always more places I want to visit. Now I want to go to Iceland in 2018 for the crime conference. It was already on my list for a knitting tour, but now books and crime, too! Thanks for the post.

  15. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. There are so many place I want to visit in this big old world.

  16. It’s so nice that you could combine work with pleasure. I love to travel but have never been able to find a way to get work to pay for it! I had a dream since fourth grade to see Peru. When I was 37 I finally got to go. I fell in love with the country and the people. I have returned most years for the last 29 years. I’ve done other traveling, too, but would still love to see the pyramids and other sights in Egypt, and visit New Zealand. What is it about NZ that attracts us all? I have to say your enthusiasm about Iceland has intrigued me! I already have your great book, so unless you want to substitute a different one (!), I’ll skip the contest today.

    1. What a lovely story about Peru! Isn’t it amazing what will attract us? Thanks for your kind words about Whispers Beyond the Veil. If yours is the random draw I’d be happy to substitute the book for another!

  17. I’m not so sure I’m jealous of you going this time of year, but I’m certainly jealous of you getting to go. Glad you had such a great time.

  19. Betty Webb also writes about Iceland, it must be a wonderful place.. I’m not a world traveler and yet I’ve traveled the world by reading books. I must say if I could I’d love to go to Maine .

  21. What was the weather like while you were there? Loved the pictures you posted, would love to see more.

    1. It was in the mid thirties and very windy. The hours of daylight are from around 10 am -4 pm which was a bit daunting but mostly it was fine for a northern New Englander. I would not advise hats with brims. They simply blow off the head! Infinity scarves work a treat and high leather boots made for additional comfort.

  22. Thanks for the snaps! This one’s on my bucket list ever since Sarah Ward talked about it so highly. I try to get to Oxford to St Hilda’s conference every other year . . . good luck getting over jet lag!

      1. Jessie, it’s the longest running crime conference in the UK and highly civilized! Talks center around a theme, broken up by tea breaks–gerat fun for an author who writes a series set in England.

  23. I have always wanted to visit England & Australia! Thanks for the chance to win the first book in your new series.

  24. Wow I bet that was amazing. I am not entering the contest as I have read, loved and reviewed your fabulous book. I would love to go back to Germany since it has been too long since I have been. Always wanted to live in Washington State and would love to visit that whole area. I have some friends that are nuns in Northern CA and their property is a wildlife, woodland paradise so that is one trip on my bucket list. I have a question, are there going to be more books coming (and when) in the cozy series you write. (sorry cant remember the proper name and want to call it Sugar Maple, lol). It is one of my favorites! Hope you get rested up from your amazing trip. Wishing all the amazing authors and readers a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

    1. Thanks for your kind words, Kay! Washington state is just beautiful! I appreciate your enthusiasm for the Sugar Grove books. There will not be any more of them, however, as the series is complete at three books. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!

      1. Oh I am so sad the Sugar Grove books are gone. It was truly one of my favorites. I hope you will be writing another cozy series so full of laughter and intrigue. I do love Whispers Beyond the Veil too and cant wait for the next in that series. Have a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend!! I love your writing by the way

    1. There is nothing like one’s own bed no matter how nice the hotel. Although, I have to say the bed at the Hotel Borg in Reykjavik was amongst the best I’ve tried!

  27. Oh congratulations on your trip. Iceland seems like it would be a nice place to visit. Enjoy your guests and good luck with your deadline!

  29. I have always wanted to visit Maine and Vermont and New Hampshire. That part of the U.S. looks so beautiful and it’s on my list of places to visit.

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