A Week Away!

[Love Is Murder Conference]

Are you ready for Love is Murder?

If you are traveling, prepare for cold. Chicago + Jan/Feb = extreme cold. Possibly snow as an added treat.

Is this your first time? Prepare to have fun, but you may want to bring: -notebook to jot down book titles, names, websites to check out at home

-business cards or a handout about your writing

-Printed out schedule marked with things you want to do. You'll get an updated version there, but be thinking ahead, as there are lots of good panels to choose.

-Build in quiet time or some sort of down time. After being 'on' talking to people all day, it's good to take a few minutes to rest, or write!

-$$ for book shopping - the signings are amazing. Don't miss this chance for excellent gifts.

Not your first time? Then you know what to bring. But what are you hoping to get out of this?

What makes a conference good for you? In my case I like to hear about at least 5 authors I did not know about before. I like to leave with 3 ideas for programs I can bring back to my library. I like to enlighten at least 10 people who didn't previously know about how great YA literature and mysteries are, but my friends know I never stop talking about that subject anyway!

I'd like to not blunder on my 4 panels. I hate public speaking, and vastly prefer to moderate when I have to do it. If anyone laughs at my librarian humor, I'll feel my talk has been a success...

As a writer, I would like to have ideas for a couple projects. I'm hoping to learn something about dialogs in books, as all my male characters make me work too hard. It makes me think about going sci fi and having all creatures.

Always, I like to connect with some friends who love the same authors I do.

I want to have fun - but honestly Hanley, Sylvia, Julie and the LIM Board do such a great job this is pretty much guaranteed for everyone.

See you all next week!

-Amy Alessio, Teen Coordinator, Schaumburg Twp. Dist. Library

Author, "Treasure" , Heat of the Moment, Echelon Press

[Love Is Murder Conference]

Hi Rosemary! I did indeed laugh at your jokes during the Mysterious Hobbies panel, and I can't wait to read your book. You count for sure as one of my five new authors.

[Rosemary Harris]

I'll laugh at your jokes if you laugh at mine.