Mystery conference inspires thought

I returned last night from a wonderful mystery conference: Mayhem in the Midlands. What a fantastic way to spend the weekend!

As a new author, I spoke on two panels.

The first was "Putting the SUPER in Supernatural." It was wonderful to hear author Lee Killough's thoughts on the supernatural, since her works are so different than mine. If you haven't had the chance to pick up one of her books, do it! She has a fresh take on vampires and werewolves. I have added her Killer Karma book to my "to be read" pile -- though that pile has suffered a population explosion in the past week.

The second panel made me much more nervous, since it covered religion in mysteries. I really wasn't comfortable with the topic, nor was I overly familiar with the other authors on the panel. Sharan Newman writes both historical mysteries which take place in the middle ages and non-fiction titles dealing with some pretty controversial topics. Marilyn Meredith has thirty published titles, including one series featuring a Native American deputy sheriff and her pastor husband. Shannon Baker's debut novel covers the three "big religions": Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. And the entire panel was moderated by David J. Walker, a former priest turned author. No pressure, right?

(By the way, they were all super nice people, and each of their books are now gracing my "to be read" stack.)

I think a good part of my nervousness can be attributed to the fact I don't see Ghost Mountain as being a religious book. There is some spirituality there, of course, but I don't think there's much religion. To me, religion is the big umbrella. It's the rules we, as lowly humans, are supposed to follow. It's the list of d0s and don'ts and cans and can'ts. Spirituality, however, is the way we follow those rules. It's the feeling we get when we know we're on the right path, or when we witness a beautiful sunset. The experience works best when a person is both religious and spiritual, but I've know religious people who weren't very spiritual and some deeply spiritual people who avoided religion like the plague.

That sort of leads me to the question I have: Are you religious or spiritual? How do you combine the two?

Blessings!

Nichole

P.S. I think I'm more spiritual then religious, for those who are wondering.

Mayhem Recap

First, let me wish a happy Memorial Day to all of you in the States.  

Second, please forgive me for not delving into the paranormal this week.  

I was lucky enough to attend this year's Mayhem in the Midlands.  The guest of honor was Dana Stabenow and the toastmaster was Jan Burke.  In addition, they had an international guest of honor, Zoe Sharp.  Mayhem is a small conference (only 200 are even allowed to register), so I actually got to meet these incredible authors.  Talk about stoked!  (Oh, and Zoe and her husband ride motorcycles.  I've offered to send them Sturgis Rally shirts.  OK, so maybe I was sucking up a little!)

During the conference there were panels on everything from s

elf-defense (by Zoe and Dana) to DNA (no, I can't remember who was on that one...  Zoe, I think) to forensic artists (with Sue Senden) to writing strong characters and locations (multiple panels there, sorry!).  It was amazing.

One panel was on short story writing.  That was the one I was asked to participate in.  I can't begin to tell you how honored I was to be there.  I tried to back out, but one of the organizers of Mayhem is a bulldog!  She just wouldn't let me.  And I'm glad.  The panel was moderated by Beth Groundwater and also included Kaye George and Pat Dennis.  These were some fantastic women!

When I was in the military, we knew that every so often the "powers that be" would send people off to a school.  There you learned your job a little better, learned the ins and outs of supervising others, got a little more excited about the Air Force.  We called it getting "re-blued."  That's what Mayhem in the Midlands did for me.  I'm excited about writing (not that I wasn't before, but I have a new appreciation).  I'm excited about the people I met there and wish each of them all the best in their own writing careers.

It doesn't get better then that!

Blessings!

Nichole

Nichole's Ramblings

We don't have a topic this week and I'll take full responsibility for that.  Oh well, we can use this week for personal ramblings or whatever may be on our minds.

My mind this week is blank.  I have a serious case of the "blahs."  I'm ready for Spring to spring.  I'm ready for green grass and blue skies and chirping birds.  I want 70 degree days and to wear flip-flops without freezing my toes off.

Of course, I get none of that today.  I have a sky the color of used BBQ charcoal, sleet, and winds that could pick up a woman on a bicycle (that would be a Wizard of Oz reference to those who are lost and confused).  There's a blizzard warning in effect for the next 18+ hours and they've even closed the interstate and schools.

So I sit here.  Wanting the warmth and feeling the cold.  It doesn't put me much in a state of mind to get writing done.  It doesn't put me in a state of mind to do much of anything, to be honest.

But I did get an interesting request this week.  I was asked to be on a short-story panel for Mayhem in the Midlands.   That makes me nervous.  I mean, I'm excited about going to the conference, but I'm not sure that I'm qualified to speak on a panel.  I only have one short story published.  Is that enough to put me on a panel?  The organizers at Mayhem seem to think so.  I'm not so sure.

In a fit of indecision, I sought advice from my writer-pal Lori Armstrong who told me to go for it.  (And in big, all-capital letters with a few exclamation points, even!)  I think I will.  But I still don't feel qualified.  I guess I'm afraid that I'll get up there and either have nothing to say or will say something that will forever label me an impostor.  Maybe I would feel differently with more than one story published.  Maybe not.

For those of you who have "been there, done that," how did you handle it?  Is this first-time-on-a-panel jitters?  Or am I truly not qualified?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings!

Nichole

Conferences: best way to get "re-blued"

I love conferences.  Conferences of any kind get me excited.  In my mind, I think of it as "re-blueing" -- a hold-over term from my years in the U.S. Air Force.  

I've been to my share of conferences.  I went to editors conferences each year I was active-duty as a "DINFOS-trained killer."  I'm not sure how much of those I remember (and I'll blame the passage of time, as opposed to the hours in the bars, on my faulty memory) but I kept the information passed out and refer to the handouts even now when I'm no longer associated with the newspaper business.  I've been to conferences for philanthropic organizations my family is active in.

Writing conferences, though, I've been to very few.  My local writer's club, the Black Hills Writers Group, has hosted a few that I've attended -- once with William Kent Krueger and one with Bonnie Ramthun.  I've also been fortunate enough to attend some on-line classes (one taught by Mary O'Gara and one by Emily Brightwell)

The only other real-life conference I've attended is Mayhem in the Midlands, a mystery conference held annually in Omaha, Nebraska.  I've only been to this one once, but LOVED it.  It's among the closest to the Black Hills -- less than 500 miles away -- and that is a big factor.  Plus, not only is it in my hometown, so I get to see my parents and sister and brother-in-law, but it's an amazing opportunity for me to meet other authors and get "re-blued" about my writing.  

I'm going to Mayhem this year.  I've paid my registration fee, but still need to book the hotel room.  I'm looking forward to renewing friendships I made last time I went, as well as making some new ones.  I want to hear how other authors have struggled with getting characters out of certain situations -- like how Lori G. Armstrong had PI Julie Collins at a stop sign on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for days before realizing Julie wasn't supposed to be there at all!  I want to know that the frustrations I'm going through aren't some clue from the Universe that I shouldn't be writing.  

Conferences are also an opportunity to find my writer's voice.  Maybe that's just something I do, I don't know.  But in addition to reminding me that I can accomplish this goal of having a published novel, I'm more excited about writing after a conference.

The one and only downside to a conference is the cost.  And I'm not talking about the registration fee or the travel costs or even the hotel bill.  The cost that kicks me in the butt is in the vendor room.  Like most writers I know, I'm a reader.  A ferocious reader.  After the last Mayhem, my TBR pile doubled in size because I purchased books from almost every speaker I heard.  And, after two years, I've finished most of them.  I'm not sure where I'll PUT any new books I get at the next Mayhem in the Midlands, but I've already budgeted to bring another ton home.

If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times.  Writing is a solitary profession.  The opportunity to mix and mingle with other writers is important.  Writers need to vent.  We need to understand that the struggles we face aren't unique to us alone.  We need to know that the obstacles blocking us are something we can overcome.  And those published authors give us some hope -- hope that we will succeed and prosper in a difficult career.

Blessings,

Nichole