by Julie, figuring out time zones in Seattle
I have mentioned my rediscovery of Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series several times ever since I reread The Beekeeper’s Apprentice last fall, followed by the rest of the series. I read them/listened to them first as a reader. Then I relistened to them as a writer. I even bought a copy of Beekeeper’s so that I could mark it up. As a reader, it’s a wonderful series. As a writer, I want to figure out how Laurie pulls it off.
When I saw that she was celebrating 30 years of The Beekeeper’s Apprentice being in print with events this year, I was intrigued. First of all, hat tip. 30 years is a long time to be in print. Secondly, I decided to give into being a fan and attend the event in Seattle.
The master of ceremonies for the day was Laurie R. King herself. She started the day talking about Mary Russell, and ended the day with a conversation between herself, SJ Rozan and Barbara Peters. All wonderful. (SJ Rozan has a new book out, The Murder of Mr. Ma, which I’ve started listening to. She writes it with John Shen Yen Nee, and I’m loving it so far.)
Here are some other highlights:
Eli Ocheltree, beekeeper, is part of the SnoKing Beekeepers Association. She is the sort of magical person who is a font of knowledge in addition to being in love with her subject. Her enthusiasm for bees, and why Sherlock Holmes would find them fascination, was contagious. She brought in closed hive, and we all got to take a close up look. The queen was marked with a red dot, and I found her!
We also got to taste different types of honey, another wonderful experience. I bought a jar–wish me luck packing it for the plane ride back.
After lunch, Matt Burrough, a red team security expert (!), gave us a lesson in lockpicking. He co-leads the Seattle Locksport group. They get together and pick locks. I may need to find the Boston version.
Like most mystery writers, I like to try things out, and have wanted to know how to pick a lock forever. Friends, I picked mine four times! (And won a poster of The Pirate King as a prize!) I bought Locksport for research purposes. He’s one of the co-authors. I’m noodling a new character, and this book may be the key. (Get it, key? Insert sound of a rim shot here. Remember, time zone issues.) Seriously, it was a fascinating hour.
Then there was Beekeeper’s Bingo.
Aren’t these cards wonderful? Lines from the book, and a chance to talk about them, hear LRK’s thoughts on different books, and on how her creative process works.
All in all, a lovely day spent with other Mary Russell fans. LRK will be hosting two more of these days. One the day before Malice Domestic starts, and another at Bouchercon. There will be knife thrower at Malice. And there won’t be lockpicking demonstration at Bouchercon because it isn’t legal in Tennessee. Another fun fact to add to your knowledge base.
Readers, would you like to spend a day celebrating a book series? If so, which one?
LOL! The “In Death” series by J.D. Robb
That would be an interesting day! I wonder what experts would come in.
Definitely the “In Death” series by J.D. Robb
Sounds like this may need to happen…
What an absolutely grand time it sounds to have been! Both educational and fun – my kind of thing. I would definitely love to attend such an event.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Good for you, Julie! Celebrating fandom is fun! It’s hard for me to pick kust one series that I’d want to celebrate. I think I’ll go with Dame Agatha’s Poirot novels. I think I’d be a decent Hastings.
We could all dress up. Have someone come in to talk about the Orient Express, or archeology. This must already happen, don’t you think? Maybe we need to do it here…
It was really fun. And a wonderful way to gather fans in a unique way.
If I had my druthers (is that word even real?), I’d love to spend a day in Deep Dish Mystery land by Mindy Quigley. Something about Lake Geneva and that pizza shop….
Isn’t that a fun world to visit? And feels like there are a lot of activities adjacent to the books that would be a blast.
This sounds like a lot of fun. I’m glad you got to go.
I’m sort of done this with the Trixie Belden series. In the early years of the internet, a couple of message boards were formed by fans, and we started having conventions. The authors haven’t been involved, and we haven’t had lectures. But we did go to sights based on the books. (Although that’s gotten loser over the years.)
The first series that popped into my mind when you asked the question is Mrs. Pollifax. Not quite sure how we’d make that work. And, sadly, we can’t get Dorothy Gilman involved.
The Trixie Beldon events sound fun. And a Mrs. Pollfax day does sound like a complete blast. SO many events could happen. As you know, one of my favorite series.
What a fabulous day, Julie! I’m sitting here, pondering what author I’d choose. If Maud Hart Lovelace were alive it would definitely be her. Oh, and Sara Paratesky!
Sara would be interesting, wouldn’t she? Mary Hart Lovelace day sounds like fun–is there one?
Such an interesting blog, Julie! Thank you for sharing. Of the many options to select from, I would love to spend a day in Carsley, in the Cotswolds, trotting along Agatha Raisin and celebrating this cozy series, which endures even after beloved M.C. Beaton’s passing! Luis at ole dot travel
I would love to visit the Cotswolds, due in no small part to my love for that series. I agree, the new books hold up. I’m also a Hamish Macbeth fan, so Scotland could be part of the package.
How fun, Julie! Like you, I’ve been involved in organizing events and I’ve been to conferences where my primary goal was to market my own books. But the most fun I’ve had has been conferences I’ve gone to where I was just a fan. No working, no feeling any pressure to do anything but enjoy. Because all writers are also fans. There are so many writers I’d like to celebrate with a day. And like Mark, I was involved with a Ruth Rendell group in the early years of the internet. But today I am thinking I would love to spend the day studying and talking about the work of Ann Cleeves.
Wouldn’t that be an amazing trip and event? She’s another author I read as a fan, then I reread as a writer and marvel.
Go, SinC podcast leader Julie Hennrikus! What a fun and inspiring post. Your enthusiasm BUZZED right off the page and into me. Loved this. My fandom is for Deanna Raybourn and her Veronica Speedwell Mysteries. The events could center around butterflies as Veronica is a late 1800s lepidopterist.
I share that fandom. Wouldn’t that be a great day? I adore that series.
This sounds like a blast, Julie. I need to learn how to pick a lock. But I’d love to spend a day immersed in the world of Agatha Christie – either Poirot or Marple. I would imagine the events associated with either would be amazing.
I agree Liz. Re the lock. I could bring my kit to Malice. Just saying.
What a great day, Julie. If you find the lockpickers in Boston, let me know!
I think I’ll go to the Ann Cleeves day with Barb, or maybe a Louise Penny day.
I will, Edith!
Ooo wonderful. I would love to do an Inspector Morse day, or Clare Ferguson. What fun
Both great choices.
I’m not sure if there is one particular series that I would be interested in celebrating since I can’t imagine exactly what I would want to do by way of doing the celebration. Unless maybe someday going to England and getting to go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Sherlock Holmes Pub.
I do love that you got to go to the Beekeeper’s Apprentice / Mary Russell celebration. As your blog post suggests there was a lot of fun to be had. Plus it would be great to meet Laurie R. King. I’ve read the series since the beginning and for the May meeting of the Mystery Book Club that I help run, we are actually reading The Beekeeper’s Apprentice so this is a nice coincidence.a
But I do know that I’ll be able to celebrate cozy mysteries as a whole come May 18th when I go to the Kensington Cozy Con East in Groveland. That’s going to be fun. I’ve already pulled all the books featuring authors who will be in attendance that I haven’t had signed and made notes of what books might interest me in purchasing while I’m there.
Maybe Julie Henrikus could teach us how to pick locks in Massachusetts, if there isn’t a Locksport group here?
That would be either a Korina Moss Cheese Shop Day or a Maddie Day comprised of breakfast at the Country Store, renting a bike from Mac’s bike shop and dinner with Cece Barton. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
Julie, it was so great to see you in the audience–and yes, even writers have fun fan-girling our favorite authors!
Laurie
Wonderful to be there!