Love Is Murder Conference

[Charles Clemens]

It's a blustry winter evening, here in northern Michigan, and I'm looking forward to the steamy heat of Chicago next month, when I plan to attend my first Love Is Murder conference. I've never been to one & I'm hoping other contributors to CrimeSpace will post replies to this and tell me what I can expect.

[Margot Justes]

Charles,
Not so warm here in Chicago-we're expecting the temperatue to drop to 10 below this week-not counting wind chillm-so be prepared, but you'll love LIM. it is a great conference.
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris

[Mary Welk]

I think you'll enjoy the conference, Charles. The four headliner authors will be giving special presentations and/or classes to interested attendees on Friday and Saturday. Other events include panel discussions featuring attending authors, demonstrations by crime experts, a Friday evening program on Sherlock Holmes presented by Holmes expert Augie Aleksy, a mystery jeopardy game on Saturday evening featuring trivia expert Jim Dougherty, a Holmes vs House debate led by Jim Strauss and CJ Lyons, three pitch sessions with editors and agents, a Saturday afternoon tea, a mass signing by all attending authors, and the Lovey Awards banquet Saturday evening. New and used booksellers will be present in the vendor room. All in all, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

Mary Welk
author of the 'Rhodes to Murder' mystery series

[John Desjarlais]

You can expect to mingle with wonderful, supportive people who love this genre and are willing to help others. Everyone is such a sweetheart - you'd never know they killed people for a living! You can sit at a table with a major name in the biz and they'll chat with you as an equal. The seminars are all practical and I've never been disappointed. I was helped a great deal by the critique-giver last year, and that manuscript was accepted for publication just last week (you can see what it is at www.johndesjarlais.com). It's rather tiring, if only because there's so much to do and so many interesting people you want to talk with. Come prepared to learn A LOT and have tremendous fun doing so.

[Rodney Wiethop]

Charles, I attended LIM as a reader & fan last year and had a wonderful time. It was so open & you couldnt help but feel welcome. The panel discussions are really interesting & knowledgeable. It was great meeting & spending time with authors such as Lee Child, Tess Geritsen, Marcus Sakey, Barry Eisler, William Kent Krueger & many others to numerous to mention. Enjoy...you will. Rod

[Charles Clemens]

Congratulations on your successful manuscript.
I just got home from LIM and had a great time. I see what you mean about its being tiring... but my wife and I also took a time-out to learn the Virginia Reel with the re-enactors. And I am still taking water therapy post-backsurgery and shoulder surgery.
Everyone was so nice and my only disappointment was learning that it will not be held next year.
The Q & A on Fight Scenes with Jamie Freveletti and Tom Schreck was my favorite workshop - but all of them were wonderful. It was so exciting to be surrounded by writers and to meet so many interesting and verbal folks. I hope to return in 2011!