Love is Murder

I attended Love Is Murder this weekend, a mystery and romantic suspense writers and readers conference in Chicago.

Some of the highlights included a seminar presented by a graphoanalyst (one who analyzes handwriting), a demonstration and explanation of a polygraph machine and how a polygraph examiner does her job, and meeting my new publisher!

It was so cool, you guys! Echelon Press sponsored the lunch on Saturday, which was for like 200 people, and my publisher, Karen, got up and introduced the EP authors who were there, including me. So exciting!

I also got to meet Nancy Pickard, a mystery author whose books I've loved for years. I started reading her Jenny Cain series back in high school or even before. She was a marvelous speaker and very laid-back. Charlaine Harris was also there and she's always a hoot!

I also got to see Nancy and Luisa Buehler (another awesome mystery author who is with Echelon) and a bunch of other authors doing the Super Bowl Shuffle, of all things, after dinner on Saturday. This was, of course, before the Bears didn't quite make it on Sunday.

As always, the best part of going to these conferences is just getting to hang out with other writers. I always learn something new, and it just feels good to talk with other people who go through all the ups and downs of writing too.