One Deep Breath Before There's More

I have time for one deep breath between events before I charge on for more.

Last week, I had the pleasure of sharing the Seminar Stage at Equine Affaire held at the Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts with author Laura Moore. If you're not a horse person, I won't blame you for not knowing that Equine Affaire is the country's largest horse-centric conference that draws over 100,000 people over a four-day period. If you're a reader, shame on you for not knowing who Laura Moore is.

Combining horses and books? Oh, yes!

Laura and I spoke on, "Writing a Horse Book: How to Bring a Love of the Horse to Life in a Fiction or Non-fiction Book." Our audience was filled with folks ranging from published authors, to those with completed manuscripts looking for a few more pointers, to folks with an idea for a story who needed a few "how tos" to get them going in the right direction. There was even a mom who brought her ten-year-old-book (and horse!)-loving-aspiring-author daughter.

Authors Laura Moore and Connie Johnson Hambley
on panel at Equine Affaire. Photo courtesy of Rhonda Lane

Laura and I spoke about the writing process, research, and the all-important "getting it right for the touch the horse world but don't inhabit it. This puts pressure on me to get my details dead straight or my horse-loving audience will kill me. Laura elaborated how the structure of good story mimics a Grand Prix course...successfully landing a climactic story requires knowing where your story is headed, making sure the approach is sound, and knowing how to overcome obstacles. 

Before and after the panel, Taborton Books held a signing for us where we were able to talk with readers more directly. For me, this is always a blast. My hard-core fans make the pilgrimage to EA each year and I'm thrilled to be on their "Gotta Get To" list and they were thrilled that the third book in The Jessica Trilogy, THE WAKE, is out. Their wait is over! I'm still new enough at this author stuff that I'm tickled when fans stop people in the aisles telling them my books are "the best books EVAH!" and that they have to read them. No, I do not pay them a commission, but I do give them extra hugs and kisses. These memories will keep me smiling and glued to my keyboard during the many long, lonely writing hours ahead.

I would have spent all four days at EA, but the other best event of the year beckoned. Crime Bake was on! This is one of the best conferences for mystery and thriller authors and fans put on by the New England chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. This year's honored guest was Lisa Gardner. Do I have to say how amazing her master class was or how terrific her keynote speech was? 

My focus this year was on finding an agent and publisher for my new WIP. Yes, I work-shopped the query letter and first page, and practiced my pitch. Yes. I pitched. Yes, I received multiple requests for the MS from agents and direct from a publisher. Yes, I'm freaked out that now I have time pressure to finish writing the damned thing!

BLACK ICE wine by
Candia Vineyard of NH

Oh, and my short story, Black Ice, released with the launch of Best New England Crime Stories: SNOWBOUND published by Level Best Books. If you know me even a little bit, you know I LOVE having marketing fun, so, guess what? I discovered my story has a name-sake wine  and the vineyard sponsored me with a bottle for the launch. I'm going to share bottle with a lucky person to comment on this post, so comment! 

Okay, that's it folks. I'm taking a deep breath. Think about it...All that happened in just four days! I'll keep the comments open for a week or so since I'll be traveling again to NYC and the EQUUS Film Festival. THE WAKE is up for an award! Yippee! THE TROUBLES won last year, so my fingers are crossed THE WAKE can follow in her big sister's footsteps! (Oh, and click through the link, find THE WAKE, and "like" it. Every bit of author love helps!) Last year's event was terrific. I met Debbie Loucks, Monty Roberts' (the real Horse Whisperer) daughter who interviewed me for an upcoming podcast. Stay tuned for more.

Debbie Loucks and Connie Johnson Hambley at
the EQUUS Film Festival in NYC 2017.

Oh, and NaNoWriMo? All of my promises to myself have gone out the window. I'm lucky to get 1000 words a week rather than a day.