Gearing for Malice

[Laine]

I'm so excited. I'm attending Malice Domestic for the first time this year. Until last year, I didn't even know it existed and now just the thought of being in the same room with some of my favorite authors has me goosebumpy and giggling like a school girl. Amazing to me!

Hopefully, while I'm in the room with the likes of Margaret Maron, Carolyn Hart, Cathy Pickens and so many others, their muses will shake an accusatory finger at mine and asked about that sorry work ethic of hers. She really does need to stop with the mind games and get her timing a bit better than when I'm driving down the road at 65 MPH or when I'm in the shower with a head full of shampoo bubbles. Of course, if that actually DOES happen, then it will erase my favorite excuse for not writing more--haven't decided yet if that's a bad thing or not. Time will tell, I guess--as it always does.

I was given homework by my pal Sunny Frazier who will be helping me stay focused during the event. She's also promised to try to stop me from making a complete fool of myself when I'm stammering trying to speak if I get close enough to one of my idols to actually say something (girl's got her work cut out for her! LOL). But Sunny suggested I learn as much about those authors as I could--read books by some I hadn't read before, take notes on questions I might like to ask, that sort of thing. So I've been trying to do just that. I've found some really great authors that way--so THANK YOU SUNNY!

Now there's nothing left to do for the trip but buy some new clothes. Normally that wouldn't be such a hassle, but it's hard to try on clothes and read at the same time. Right now, all I want to do is finish up the five books I got from the libray last week and worry about what to wear later. I'm no clothes horse and hubby is proud for that fact. But I'm down to the wire now--wonder what I'll be able to find. Guess time will reveal that as well. It is a known fact that I won't find anything unless I get off my butt and go shopping. It's on the list, and if it'll stop nagging at me to "Git 'er Done," I might not move it down a notch or two. Yeah Yeah, I hear ya! Hush up now! Gotta go, the natives are restless and I got shopping to do.

[Laine]

Marian,
I am right there with you and I'm just a fan at this point. Aspiring to be an author and actually being one are two different things. So I'm told I'm allowed to just have fun at this Malice--no pressure on me. I think it's going to be so overwhelmingly wonderful that any flubs will be forgotten!! That's my plan anyway! LOL..

Hope to see you there! :)

Laine

[Evelyn David]

Hi Laine, This is my first Malice too! It's also my first mystery convention of any kind (actually Murder Off the Books is my first mystery - so it's firsts all around). The Southern half of Evelyn David (Rhonda) went to Love is Murder - and I was exhausted just hearing about all the events. So when I looked at the Malice program, and had circled at least four events for every hour of the convention - I moved into serious panic!

I've been practising my 90-second synopsis of Murder Off the Books - and am debating writing little cues on my hand in case I get rattled when trying to summarize the book.
And when I'm not being worried or panicked - I'm giddy because Malice sounds awesome!! See you there!
Marian aka Evelyn David