TOP TEN REASONS TO JOIN SISTERS IN CRIME

[Sisters In Crime]

Have you been thinking about joining Sisters in Crime or just curious about what your dues provide? Here are a few of the high points of the past yearand some things to look forward to as well!

1. Review monitoring project--this is the backbone of the organization and it's aimed directly at the mission statement. Judy Clemens has been heading it up and you can read about it here: http://www.sistersincrime.org/monitor/.

2. SinC sponsored and supported booths at trade shows, book fairs, library conventions--these are staffed and run by volunteers and chapters. Doris Ann Norris has been spearheading the library booths. They are terrific opportunities to spread the word about the organization as well as for individual authors to meet librarians and booksellers.

3. Obviously, you know about our Crimespace website and blog, because you're reading this! Both our Crimespace and Myspace presence is organized by Lorraine Bartlett. Sinc has over 190 Crimespace friends, and over 850 friends and weekly blog entries on MySpace. What a great way to spread the word about women in the mystery field!

4. Lorraine is also organizing our new book club project (go Lorraine!) We are accumulating contact information about book clubs that are interested in hearing from our members. Would your book club like to be involved? http://www.sistersincrime.org/bookclubform.shtml

5. If you're a member, you can join our Sinc listserv--moderated by Sandy Parshall. We talk about mysteries, writing, the business of publishing, and all things SinC.

6. Looking back: to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we had packets developed including posters, crime scene tape, pencils, bookmarks, "authors by location" brochures and more. Borders books, many independent bookstores, and over 2000 libraries received these packets and used them to set up displays highlighting the organization and our authors. You can peruse the library displays here: http://www.sistersincrime.org/news/library.html

7. One of our special projects last year was called "Sinc goes to Hollywood." But don't despair, another Sinc-sponsored event, FORENSICS UNIVERSTIY, is coming up in November, headed by Joanna Slan and Michelle Becker, with SJ Rozan as board liaison. This will be an amazing opportunity open to all Sinc members: http://www.sistersincrime.org/news/ForensicU

8. A potpourri of other activities goes on behind the curtain--Donna Andrews working to support chapters, Victoria Houston working on PR (see press room on website), Kathy Wall setting up an entirely new and modern way to keep our books, Vicki Cameron working on the web-based books in print, Rochelle Krich steering the whole ship, Bonnie Cardone's newsletters. And our amazing Beth Wasson, keeping us all glued together!

9. Coming this fall as the last hurrah of our 20th anniversary, you won't want to miss the chance to purchase a SinC anthology, including stories from all our past presidents. The anthology, called SISTERS ON THE CASE: CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF SISTERS IN CRIME, will be published by NAL and celebrated with book launch parties across the country on October 7.

10. Finally, your SinC publishing summit team will be meeting with publishers, publicists, and other industry professionals in September to talk about working together for the benefit of our members. Stay tuned for more!

Apologies in advance for anything I forgot to mention! But as you can see, your leaders have been very, very busy. We are always happy to get your input (and put volunteers to work.)

Roberta Isleib is the vice president of Sisters in Crime and the author of the Rebecca Butterman advice column mysteries.