Welcome to TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com

updated 11/16/11

Two years ago I attended Founder's Day with my friend, author Mary Stella, who’s also head of marketing and media for Dolphin Research Center, down on Grassy Key, in the Marathon, the Florida Keys. I love the place. I love the affection they have for their animals, I love the research they do--and I love the way they do their research. . . and so, I wound up bidding on (and winning) the "Dream Date," not really sure what a "dream date" might be.

Well, life has a tendency to intrude on . . . life. The DRC pinned me down to a date, and so I put aside work and headed off to the Keys with friend (and author) Kathy Pickering. 

I am not a Pisces for nothing--I dive, I swim, I love boats, reefs, sea creatures, and, most of all, sea mammals. I love the feeling I get when we start on the eighteen mile "stretch" that crosses Lake Surprise (seriously, I don't know why they were surprised there was lake) and the signs that warn you of Gator Crossings and the feel of breeze and the beauty of the water, just as you drive down. I love reaching Key Largo, which is built up, has lots of boating and diving opportunities and is the opiate of choice for many Floridians--you can be there from central Miami-Dade in an hour. I love the more lonely middle Keys, and the total insanity and history of Key West.

I may never love anything as much as the Dolphin Research Center.

I'd never imagined how wonderful our day would be. On a standard dolphin swim, you learn about dolphins and you share your experience with other people--most swims accommodate six. You get your chance to touch, and dance with or perhaps hug or kiss a dolphin, 30 to 45 minutes in the water. 

But a whole day . . . 

We worked first with Linda Erb, VP of Animal Care and Training. We learned the dolphins are given water, because the fish they’re fed don't contain the amount of water found in live fish. (They do catch fish themselves, but their diet comes mostly from their trainers.) We saw how willing they were to accept their water tubes, and also how they seemed to appreciate the care they received for cuts they received from just swimming around or rough-housing with each other. 

We started with the babies. We learned how the mothers watch over their young ones, swimming by to check us out. At any time, the dolphins are free to swim away from their trainers. Yes, they work for fish -- but for attention and affection from their trainers as well. Linda has been there 27 years, and they greet her as warmly as my pups greet me when I come into the house. With Linda giving us instructions, we learned the signals the "babies," Flagler and Gambit, are learning at the same time. 

Next, we worked with slightly older "children," Delta and Luna, who are almost two. Kathy and I got to be the first non-real trainers the "children" have ever taken on dorsal tows, and there were false starts, but we all learned together, and it was amazing. 

We exited the water, and I was sad, thinking my time was over . . .

But, then--there's more!

Next we worked with the "boys," Kibby and Tanner. I'm particularly fond of Tanner. I was there right after he was born several years ago. Tanner pretends that he remembers me, and we work on signals, and feed them fish and ice (they love ice!) and I'm thinking once again, this has been wonderful . . .

But it's only beginning. Mandy Rodriguez, co-founder and COO, is there to work with us, too. The dolphins are his children; long ago, the place had been Flipper's school; several of the dolphins today are movie stars as well. Mandy wanted to learn about dolphins and teach the world. He didn't want circus tricks; he wanted a real research center, where, yes, they entertain guests, but so much more. There’s an autistic boy there on our dream date day, as the dolphins work with those who need their therapeutic presence. Soldiers, back from trauma, swim with the dolphins, along with other special needs individuals. They've published their findings, and done some of the first "recognition" research, and proven numerous theories regarding the remarkable intelligence of the animals. 

This is a most unusual place; many of the trainers stay forever. It's a family, dolphins included. They are never sold; Mandy would not split up old friends. Dolphins come and dolphins stay. I asked Mandy about hurricanes. When storms come, all the gates are open. The dolphins are free to protect themselves at sea. Every single dolphin has always returned to the center when the danger has passed.

Santini is an extraordinary dolphin. She enjoys people as much as people enjoy her. As a group, Kathy, Mandy, Linda, and I went in with Santini. A dream date? I definitely fell in love. Santini was happy to play, do dorsal tows, backward tows, foot-push tows. She loved to hang around for kisses, and she was even fond of hugs. She's ticklish, and loved to be scratched right on the upper chest. When Kathy and I made mistakes, Santini was training us how to train. 

Dolphin Research Center takes in dolphins and other creatures that can no longer be kept at their original homes, or have been so injured that they can’t return to the wild. Louis breaks my heart, rescued from New Orleans, a victim of the oil spill. Only the diligent care and patience of those who helped in the crisis saved Louis's life. If you've seen what the spill did to birds, fish, and sea mammals, you can well imagine.

Ajax . . . Ajax will never really be whole. He was bitten several times by a bull shark. Students at a Florida University research center studied his injuries along with the jaws and bite precision of many sharks to make that determination. He was young when he was rescued, and they believe his mother was killed in her attempts to save him--a mother dolphin is an excellent mom.

Another creature that needed a bit of saving? Karen, the blind sea lion. I'm in awe as I watch the way Mandy’s daughter Kelly works with Karen. Her voice is soft and filled with humor and affection. Karen came from a facility where she had outgrown her usefulness, but she had been trained for many tricks. Re-training her so that she doesn't perform at the slightest touch has kept Kelly busy. Karen has received surgery on their eyes, and they believe they can restore some of her sight. She is fun--and obviously loves Karen so much that she's even happy to have Kathy and me.

If you're ever in the Florida Keys, come by. You don't have to swim; you can watch, you can learn. There are beautiful birds here, friendly neighborhood cats, a "splash" zone for children. It's totally nonprofit--you can also find the little square memorials or honorary plaques in the trail that I have there for my mom, dad, stepfather, brother-in-law, and sister. 

Most of all, you'll find an experience with dolphins that's amazingly human. 

I want to do it all again, and again, and again . . . . 

If only all dream dates could be so wonderful!

 

updated 10/15/11

I’m recently back from a crazy business-family trip. It started out with Necon—Northeastern Writer’s Conference, in Bristol, Rhode Island, and ended in Salem, Mass.

First off, Necon is belovedly crazy. Where else can you enroll in the Fussball or Dart Olympics? Beyond the Saugie Roast and Author Roast and zany fun stuff, there are fantastic opportunities, like watching comic and book cover artists work (Matthew Dow Smith, now working on Dr. Who, created a likeness of me as a superhero!) If you’ve a mind to go, write to papanecon@gmail.com.

There’s an added benefit—it’s just a twenty minute drive to the Lizzie Borden house. A group of us—Brent Chapman, Lisa Morton, Dennis Cummins, my Dennis and myself—met Corrine De Winter and four of my five offspring at Lizzie’s. Lee Ann, the charming owner, has restored the house to its 1890s appearance, down to a replica of the couch where Andrew Borden lay when he took his “twenty-one whacks.” In reality, a hatchet was the suspected murder weapon, and Andrew Borden received eleven whacks (one so violent it knocked his eyes from its socket) and Lizzie’s step-mother received eighteen or nineteen (hard to tell when inspecting a crushed skull).

The house is beautiful, and beautifully kept. An exceptional guide, Will, took us through, and a medium was called in. I’m not at all sure about the medium; a table rocks beneath your fingers (a little table!) and she’s convinced that Andrew was pedophile. Most of this was contrary to what the guide had told us. (He gave us facts, just facts; we had to plague him to give us his opinions)

It’s fun, and, unless you have true strength of heart, spooky. I don’t believe that Lizzie is haunting that house. She hated it. If she’s a ghost, she wouldn’t be haunting a place she loathed in life. But, hey, Mr. and Mrs. Borden could be hanging around. God knows, they fit the criteria for violent deaths.
We’re up late, of course. And it’s a strange house. The front staircase leads to the girls’ side, and the back staircase leads to Mr. and Mrs. Borden’s rooms. (And to the attic, where we stuck Brent, and my sons Derek and Shayne) While Dennis and I had the “murder” room again, my daughter Chynna wanted me with her and her sister Bryee—on the other side of the house. By 4 AM, I knew I wasn’t going to make it any longer and went up to bed--on the other side of the house.

The place was dark, with only Dennis Cummins still awake, in the front parlor, watching DVDs. I went down the back stairs, through the kitchen and murder parlor, and up the front stairs to the murder bedroom for my computer. Did Mr. Borden reach out and grab me? No. But my footsteps were moving pretty darned fast. Among the perfect Victorian décor, Lee Ann has a number of headless dressmaker dummies in period clothing—a few with actual Borden garments. There is nothing in that house that scares me like those mannequins! I ran by them—moving like a bat out of hell.

Then, on to Worcester, where we had a great time visiting family and playing candlepin bowling, heading off to Higgins Armory, and visiting O’Connor’s, a super Irish pub where they make the best shalalie sticks known to man.

Then, Salem. I have a book coming out on August 30th that brings the Krewe of Hunters to Salem when a boy is accused of having—you guessed it—axed his family to death. I’ve always loved Salem. There were a few new museums since I was there last, many seeking to explain the truth behind the witchcraft craze, a few dedicated to pure horror fun and fest, a terrific pirate museum, the House of the Seven Gables (by the way, the gables were gone for a while and then put back!) Ghost tours, witch tours, and vampire tours. What’s not to like? This year, my daughter got it into her head that we had to do the Segway tour, and so we did. Not without misgiving—I was sure I would end the day as road kill. But it turned out to be a lot of fun—and we had a cool, knowledgeable guide.

And now . . . a few of my old favorite shops have started adding steampunk pieces! Go figure—the wiccans of Salem getting into steampunk. (Population 40,000, and about 4,000 practicing wiccans.) Laurie Cabot—official witch of Salem since the seventies—has added pieces by her daughter to her wares, and she had me at the first hat. I bought it, of course, and some jewelry. At the Fool’s Mansion on Essex Street they’ve got some nice pieces too. Right when I’m heading into a series called Steampunk Annie. Hey, convenient, or what? Anyway, I’ll be heading back again next year. I get to be a special guest at Necon, the family’s in the Worcester area, and I’ll always love Salem. (Years ago, did a Séance at the House of the Seven Gables for a book called The Séance. Okay, so the book took place in Florida! Have to admit, it was super cool doing a promo piece at the House of the Seven Gables. I don’t think that Nathaniel Hawthorne was hanging around—he hated his association with the “hanging” witch judge!)

September 23-25, I’ll head back p to see blog sisters—Brunonia has created a TLC panel and I’m delighted to be part of it. A few TLC bloggers are special guests, so it'll be wonderful. Yeah, Salem! Go, Steampunk wiccans!

updated 08/16/11

"Home Improvement Undead Edition" is a great collection of stories from many familiar names in the urban fantasy genre. This anthology deals with the paranormal occurrences that happen while performing home repairs that can be both humorous and terrifying. All of these stories are entertaining but there are two that stood out for me. One is "Gray" by Patricia Briggs, about a vampire that finds that it is difficult to return home again. The second is "Blood on the Wall" by Heather Graham, which finds a police detective in the middle of a murder investigation that starts with finding blood on a family crypt in the cemetery. This was a wonderful treat to read and after I finished this anthology, I wanted to go pick up more books by these authors.

updated 07/20/11

Time flies . . . .!

Seriously, I think it does. It's always so strange when you turn a book in, because, in print, it's going to be some time before it comes out. The time is here for Phantom Evil.

Phantom Evil is the first book in a new series with an old twist--the books are all linked together by Adam Harrison. In this round, he's finally been asked by the government to put together a team--one that knows how to handle the unusual. They're discreet, they're efficient, and they know how to investigate. They've also been gathered for their special talents, and that include debunking ghost stories . . . and finding out what's true.

>

In Phantom Evil, Jackson Crow, long-time behavioral expert, recently on leave because of the deaths of previous team members, takes the helm. He's distressed to find the first of his new team, Angela Hawkins, tearing up the basement floor of the house on Dauphine Street in the French Quarter they're to investigate because of the "accidental" death of the wife of the senator who owns the house. The police called it suicide. The senator said it wasn't so. The house has a long and blood history, and people in the Quarter are whispering that its the ghosts who are guilty.

In come the Krewe of Hunters.

To that end, a group of family members and friends traveled with me to the beautiful Myrtles plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana. (Go! Spend a night if you can; it's a charming bed and breakfast.) Our group had the entire plantation, necessary for filming. It was a wild night; we filmed the trailer, and my friends, The Peace River Ghost Trackers, arrived to do an expedition at night. Our group was a little crazy; I wasn't sure if any self-respecting ghosts would really pop out, but we had a fascinating night. Our guide was wonderful; Moses, our breakfast cook and the caretaker was wonderful, and we couldn't have had a lovelier experience. The trailers will be up soon. And Phantom Evil, to be followed by Heart of Evil, Sacred Evil, and The Evil Inside, come June, July, and August, will arrive soon. The true history I studied for the books is probably more intriguing and often heart-breaking than any I could imagine, but it leant well for the Krewe of Hunters. Hope you'll join me in these!

I'm getting ready to head back to Louisiana, Houma, this time, for the Jambalaya Jubilee, a wonderful celebration of the written word, theater, art, and music, which takes place on March 26th. Soon after, RT in Los Angeles, April 3rd through the 7th. Soon after . . . hm, I think that Book Expo of the Americas, Horror Writers Association, Thrillerfest, and RWA. But this year for me, well! Definitely the Krewe of Hunters!

updated 03/21/11

from 01/03/11

2011

So, here we are heading into 2011 New Year’s is a time that is always double-edged for me, and, I believe, for many people. We can’t help but look back at what we’ve lost, but it’s also nice to see some things in the past, and look forward to a new beginning.

Also, as long as it’s still December, the next year seems to be far away. But here it is, the new year, and it’s time to move into 2011.

That said . . . .

I’m looking forward to our Cruise With Your Muse group setting out on the great blue water come January 20th. Anyone who wants to get away, check it all out at FRW. I belong to about ten writing groups and I love them all, but our local RWA chapter, FRW, is filled with industry and energy—and a lot of people I just really like! We sail out of Miami on the 20th (sail? It’s a huge ship, powered by motors, but I like the word sail!) On board, an amazing crew of editors and book people who also love playing at our different ports of call, hanging at the shows and karaoke, and communicating in warm and wonderful ways. Join us if you can!

Soon after, I’m off on an adventure that really excites me. The Peace River Ghost Trackers are joining me and some family and friends as we take over the Myrtles Plantation for a night. We’ll be filming promo for a group of books coming out in April (Phantom Evil,) July (Heart of Evil,) August (Sacred Evil,) and September (The Evil Within.) Adam Harrison has taken his relationship with the Feds to a higher level and put together an official team to investigate unusual happenings and evil doings that might have to do with the paranormal. The first takes place in the French Quarter, the second at a—gasp, yes! Plantation, the third in the old Five Points region of contemporary New York City, and the last takes place in Salem, Massachusetts. Have team, will travel!

After Louisiana, I’m back in my home state for MWA’s Florida chapter con called “Sleuthfest” at the beginning of March. We’ll be at the Hyatt, Deerfield Beach.

I’m afraid to think ahead more than that! As I write this, it’s just January 1, so . . . I’m still mentally back in 2010!

Please look for the Shannon Drake vampire books which will be going up over the next few weeks for Kindle and other readers. I was really rather fond of those books, and I hope you’ll enjoy them too. If, of course, you have a reader. Actually, I don’t . . . but, it’s a New Year! I may have to break down and buy one. I’m waiting on that new IPad!

Happy New Year, and please check back in. Join me at Facebook, or contact me through eheathergraham.com. Thanks so much!

from 12/14/10

Happy Holidays!

Whatever your form of celebration may be, I wish you the best of the season! Somehow as usual, I’m living by my mom’s old adage—a day late and a dollar short. But, still, this is one of my favorite seasons of the year. I’m not sure whether to organize, and find our decorations, or find the decorations, figure out where they’ll go, and then clean and organize to fit. Hm. Organization of any kind is not my forte, but still, the colored lights! Trees and reindeer! All manner of wonderful things.

Most importantly, it’s family and friends. I’m thrilled because our celebrations include a large extended family. My children and my daughter-in-law will all be here. On Christmas Eve, we’ll all join my nephew-in-law-in-law (my sister’s sister-in-law’s son!) and his wife, and we’ll have little children and a group of about thirty, composed of combined families, all related by blood, or through blood, or by a whole lot of really caring. And Christmas, though I’m the Irish one, I’ll be baking lasagna and roasting a turkey for the day, and we’ll all be at my nephew’s to enjoy carols, little ones, and table games (and, if I know the guys, a football game,) which wind up hysterical as we form teams, take sides, and try to keep one another from cheating. Because we’re from Miami where everything is a mishmash, we’ll be Irish, Scottish, Italian, French, good-old-mixed-up-Southern, Chilean, Cuban, Ukrainian, Christian, Jewish, and we’re not even sure what else.

Doesn’t matter what anyone is—the message of the season, in any nationality, in any belief, is that of love! So, I wish you all good things, and lots of love for the holidays.

This year, if you’re looking for fun holiday books, I’d appreciate it if you’d take a look at a paperback, Home in Time for Christmas, or available on Amazon, There Be Dragons—a fractured, illustrated fairy tale about good things for Christmas. It includes the CD of Slushpile songs—There Be Christmas Dragons (writers and family band!) The CD itself is available on ITunes or Amazon. Of course, I somehow wound up having a historical vampire novel with nothing to do with Christmas out for Christmas—Night of the Vampires. For a really beautiful book, please order “Snowflakes!”—I didn’t write it, but my daughter-in-law, Yevgeniya Yerekskaya did the art and mechanics, and it’s an outstandingly beautiful book! (Check it out on Amazon! Sold out almost immediately, so you may need to order it!)

And then . . . lordy, lordy! New Years will be here. 2011! The Presence (early ghost book, takes place in a Scottish castle!) will be available in late December, early January, and Dell is republishing a few traditional historical novels. More to come. I’m excited about a new series which will begin with a hardcover in late March/early April—Phantom Evil. Think Ghost-busters meet Criminal Minds. Three paperbacks will follow back to back in the summer, Heart of Evil, Sacred Evil, and the Evil Within. It all started in my mind after a night in the “murder room” at the Lizzie Burdon house . . . .
But right now, it’s the holiday season! Enjoy—the blessings of your faith upon you, and the love of all those around you!

from 10/22/10

It’s unbelievable, but the year is coming to an end!

Okay, it’s not over yet, but once you reach October, the days rush by. Halloween is on the Verizon, then Thanksgiving, and then the holiday season, and before you know it, it’s New Years!

I’m at Bouchercon as I write this—one of the most amazing conferences for mystery writers and readers, publishers, editors, and affecionados in all and every way. It’s smorgasbord for book lovers, and brings in writers from across the globe; none more popular than Lee Childs—everyone will probably be dragging up a bit later today because he hosted his annual “Reacher” party last night, with the finals in a contest for a Jack Reacher lookalike. Ever gracious and courteous, Lee isn’t just a favorite author among readers and other authors; he’s everyone’s favorite person.

Heading home from here, I’ll be getting ready to head off to New Orleans and the Undead Con. The remarkable Susie Q is adding some workshops to her annual ball, and the Slushpile band will be playing at the Memnoch the Devil ball, so we’re all very excited. Halloween in New Orleans, yeah!

I love every workshop and con I go to—authors are like a pack of puppies, and they’re usually delighted to learn from and support one another. But Thanksgiving will mean some special time with my family—another pack of puppies altogether at rare times! And, then, of course, we’ll be moving on to Christmas.

Christmas! My amazingly talented daughter-in-law, Yevgeniya Yeretskaya, has out the book “Snowflakes!” This is one of the most beautiful “pop-up” books you will ever see, and yes, all about snowflakes. Take a look in Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, or other retailers. Written by Jennifer Preston Chushcoff with stunning art and engineering by Yevgeniya Yeretskaya, it had sold out immediately, but it’s back in stock now. If you’re looking for a lovely gift book for a special friend on your list, child or adult, look no further.

Home in Time for Christmas, a fun tale about Christmas, family, and the “spirit” of the season—though time—is back in paperback, so please, look for it. The Keepers is out, and will soon be followed by my friends’ book in the trilogy, Alexandra Sokoloff’s The Shifters, and Deborah LeBlanc’s The Wolven.

And, hey, just in time Christmas—Night of the Vampires, a sequel to Night of the Wolves. Hey, go figure! Yes, it’s a Civil War vampire tale, and no, really has nothing to do with Christmas, but, hopefully, has lots of great history and of course—vampires.

Also, in the pipeline, some oldie goldies (I like to think of them that way, anyway!) will be popping up on line available for ebooks. First up, Beneath a Blood Red Moon, Shannon Drake’s first vampire book. Please look for it! Cover art by Lynn Sanders, design by Derek Pozzessere.

At this moment, it’s still October, so . . . Happy Halloween!

updated 10/22/10

from 9/24/10

Ah, well, it has come and gone! NOLA, Writers for New Orleans, 2010! It was so crazy and busy, I'm going to go by day after day . . . . !

Tuesday: We arrive! That means, unload the truck and try to do it efficiently while still oohing and aahing over all the incredible decorations Connie has created. After the "unloading," ten people working hard for two hours, we're done, and it's time to find something to eat. Not hard in New Orleans! Next up, there must be a trip to Fifi Mahoney's, the best wig shop anywhere. Of course, we found a few wigs. I was planning on being Cher for Helen's party, and Cher needed dark hair, right? There are a few more items we must pick up and we do so. By night? A quick trip to Harrah's. Okay, not so quick. I did a little donating to the casino. Okay, and I got in a walk down Bourbon Street, where I delighted to hear a true mix of music again. So, all right, I did hear Bon Jovi and Journey pouring from a number of places, but there were jazz and blues mixed in. Love rock--I just love the mix. I'm glad it's back.

Wednesday: open all the boxes, get all the give-away bags ready to be packed by Pat and Patty. We got some work, some printing, some business done, and then again, of course, there's dining in New Orleans. Yum. I'm careful. Never ask a Cajun if something is spicy. It can burn your lips to ash, and still be considered "mild."

Thursday morning is actually quite funny. The TV station is wonderfully kind to us, and I'm a guest on the morning show, where we promote our autographing and explain how the conference was founded to benefit New Orleans. However, a new law had gone into effect regarding the parking situation in front of the station--so our car is towed. Connie made a valiant run down Rampart Street to beg that the car be left, but to no avail. We pop on down to the tow station, pay the fee, and retrieve the car. Well, here's hoping the fine really benefits the city! People begin pouring in, and it's a delight to see old friends and new. Alex arrives, and she and I head out to take pictures in NOLA for a dedicated website for the trilogy she, Deb LeBlanc, and I have coming out, starting in October. The Keepers. Please look for it! We trudged everywhere, from the river to Canal and Esplanade, from famous restaurants to Voodoo shops and beyond. Of course, that included a trip to Fifi Mahoney's once again!

Friday it all begins! Early morning, Alex, my sister-in-law, and I are about to head to the cemetery for a few pictures when Krista Stroever, my editor from Mira arrives, and so we kidnap her to come with us. We spend some time in the ever fascinating St. Louis #1. Then head back. The bult of the day begins--editor panels, musicians in the ballroom playing, and my cast getting together for the first rehearsal in the suite. We send out for pizza. At three, we head down to "Louisianian Idol," unabashedly stolen from "Floridian Idol," and manuscript pages are read for the editors to comment. It's not for the faint-hearted, but several writers tell me that hearing the comments are some of the best "learning" they've received from a conference. Soon after, we all head down Bourbon Street to Krazy Korner where Katy Love and F. Paul Wilson hosted our first event, a wonderful welcome party. When all is cleared away, Kathy and I get together--she is being Sonny to my Cher for the evening. We head on out to Helen Rosburg's Night of the Stars at the World War II museum where she and James are charmingly presented by host Scott Perry. Karaoke, popcorn, corn dogs--it was fantastic! Wearily,we head home. Well, I head home. Oh, wait. We went back out, including me. Car bombs at Erin Rose! It's a tradition, but I head back in something of an orderly manner at a reasonable time--Saturday will be bright and early.

Saturday morning our special guests have the floor. Sarah Wendell, Joe Konrath, Kayla Perrin, and Leslie Banks tell their stories, and they're brilliant. We laugh like crazy! Then, it's to work for the panelists and attendees, and back to rehearsal for us. Masquerade! So much fun--and a true miracle, we go off without many mistakes (we have Mary's character on book all way through!) and our "interactive" dinner theater was truly the most fun imaginable. Each table wrote and delivered one of our "tribute" songs, and once again, it was all hysterical.

Sunday morning--tea! Once again, our four guests amused, entertained--and enlightened. And we came to one of the most important aspects of our conference--The Duffy or "Duffee." The award is named for the late Kate Duffy, one of the finest, most giving, and brilliant editors ever to touch a manuscript, and also the first editor to stand behind the effort for New Orleans. We are truly blessed, because Kate's inimitable mom, Alice Duffy (an actress who just made her first Broadway appearance in January!) was there to present the award. Alice was also at our first conference, and we couldn't have been more privileged than to have her back!

Sunday night--a vampire walk! Oh, a wine tasting and vampire walk through the Vampire Boutique. The walk included a stop at Lafitte's blacksmith shop--now a tavern, of course!--and then we walked on. No night would have been complete without a stop at Erin Rose, and then . . . .

Monday. Exhaustion. And reloading the truck! Connie Perry, looking tiny in the giant truck, waved goodbye to head home to spend some time with her sons before they had to head back to California.

Tuesday--Some of my family head home, while Dennis and I board a plane for California via Texas; it's time for Chynna to head back to school.

And so, here I am now, in California, with it all a wonderful memory. Thanks! Thanks so much to everyone who comes, to the musicians, actors, writers . . . and to everyone dragged along by someone else! Yeah, NOLA.

And now . . . . The events coming up . . . The Florida Heritage Festival, Ninc, Bouchercon, and . . . back to NOLA for Undead Con and the Memnoch the Devil ball! The Slushpile will be playing!

from 8/20/10

A Note on the upcoming Writers for New Orleans Workshop

Hi everyone,

Wow—time flies! At the beginning of summer, I’m so excited. Chynna is home for three months, it’s summer, and no matter what is going on, I believe that it’s ingrained in us that fall months mean school and work and summer is just—more relaxed.

Well, of course, it’s not. I attended wonderful conferences, saw friends, made new ones, and thoroughly enjoyed it all. But, it was crazy busy.

But, first! NOLA—and Writers for New Orleans.

And, now—summer begins its demise, and it’s almost Labor Day. Oh, it’s coming here close. I leave in less than two weeks for New Orleans and the final preparations for Writers for New Orleans. And, then, sadly, since I am a mom, it’s taking Chynna back to California for her junior year in college. (Junior year! Egads!)

Some exciting additions since I’ve written. Krista Stroever, senior editor for Mira books, will be attending. She’ll be on panels, and she’ll take pitches. Krista is my editor, and I adore her. Since editors don’t work with just one author and nothing I can do can change that, I’m delighted to share her with my folks at Writers. She wonderful; a slender bundle of energy and so much publishing knowledge and editorial savvy, her presence is a true gift. Of course, we’ve also got Eric Raab from Tor, who has also blown me away with his insight during our conversations, Adam Wilson—without whose easy competence and extreme talent I might have long ago truly banged my head against a wall, and another very guest—Tom Colgan, from Berkley, a gentleman—and mega editor—I find to be one of the most intuitive men in publishing today. I am thrilled. Quite frankly, I’d be delighted to keep them all to myself, but . . . damn. It doesn’t work that way.

And some of my HWA and Lizzie Borden group are joining me, too. Bram Stoker winners Lisa Manetti and Corrine Concotilli, and Brent Chapman. Cousin Kim is going to make it this year, so we’re really excited.

So, a recap!
There are panels on Friday, and a fun and enlightening experience I stole from FRW. Of course, for us way down south, it’s called Floridian Idol. For our purposes in NOLA, it’s Louisianian Idol! Pages of work are read and critiqued. Two pages, tops, and anyone can send them now to Connie, or bring them with you. Please state genre or subgenre, so we have a sense of where they’re going.

Then, the networking starts right off with fun. You can combine business with pleasure, because writing will always be a people business, and the people we meet in the business, no matter whether they’re writers, agents, editors, or readers, often turn into the amazing friends who send us off in the right direction, commiserate over a cover that doesn’t thrill, or help us over hard spots in writing and life.

First up!
Friday night starts off with Kathy Love and F. Paul Wilson’s Welcome Party. We had so much fun at the Krazy Korner last year that Kathy and Paul decided to do it there again!!! There will be lots to nibble on and beads to throw off the balcony. And time to visit with friends and just enjoy the music and cameraderie. (Erin McCarthy has hosted with Kathy the last several years, but is a bridesmaid in a wedding this Labor Day. We’ll miss her terribly, and we’re grateful as hall hell that the inimitable F. Paul Wilson has stepped in. We have tried to get him to wear a long dark wig on one side of his head so we can be grateful to him while we’re missing Erin, but I’m not sure this idea is taking hold with Mr. Wilson!)

After the welcome party you have an hour to get ready for Helen Rosburg’s “A Night with the Stars”.It will take place at the amazing World War II Museum, and Connie has done her customary amazing job setting it all up. I was there for the venue search, and immediately fell in love with the setting. The Stage Canteen is brand new and we have a delicious array of food that everyone will enjoy. You will also get two drink tickets to start the evening with the beverage of your choice. We invite everyone to dress up as the movie star of their choice or a movie character. You might just want to come in a beautiful evening gown, or just your jeans. Doesn’t matter just be prepared to walk the red carpet and join in on a night filled with fun and excitement!

There will be transportation to the Museum and back to the Hotel Monteleone when the evening is over. It’s a surprise . . . still a surprise guys, even to me.

Saturday night is time for the Slush Pile Players to bring you “Masquerade.”
A bit of a warning; this year, it’s interactive. Be sure to warn us (okay, warn me, so I can warn the group) if you don’t want to be dragged out of your chair. Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnival in many places across the world, it’s a time when people put on costumes and mask, and prepare for the abstinence of Lent. In Rio, it’s sexy, wild and crazy, in Venice, it’s the beauty and splendor of rich historical costume, and in New Orleans . . . well, it can be anything. But do we only wear masks at Mardi Gras, and what do we really hide behind them? Come in your favorite attire, behind whatever mask you choose to wear. Be sexy or splendid, eat, drink, and be merry, and enjoy an evening of fun and mayhem while we seek to look behind those different masks we all so often find ourselves wearing.

This is just the nighttime activities….the panels on Friday and Saturday will be fun, inspiring, and hopefully a great learning experience. For those staying on Sunday, we have a nighttime offering—a wine tasting, and a vampire tour, ala The Vampire Boutique!

Our list of authors, editors, artists, graphic artists, and agents include
• • Cherry Weiner – Literary Agent
• • Tom Colgan - Executive Editor, The Penguin Books
• • Krista Stroever – Executive Editor, Mira Books
• • Helen A. Rosburg, Medallion Press
• • Ali DeGray, Medallion Media
• • Adam Wilson, Mira Books
• • Eric Raab, Tor Books
• • Yevgeniya Yeretskaya-Pozzessere, Up With Paper
• • Heather Graham
• • F. Paul Wilson (Who has won just about everything known to God!)
• • Kathy Love
• • Joe Konrath
• • Kayla Perrin
• • Leslie (L.A.) Banks
• • Sarah Wendell
• • Tina Wainscott
• • Linda Conrad
• • Harley Jane Kozak
• • Alexandra Sokoloff
• • Mary Stella
• • Kathy Pickering
• • Kate Poole
• • Silver James
• • Lisa Manetti (Bram Stoker winner!)
• • Corinne Concotilli (Bram Stoker winner!)

If you have not registered yet, you can get the form by following this link: Registration Form
For questions or easy phone registration, please call Connie at 337 319 5783. (As those who know me are well aware, Connie is ten times more efficient than I, and she’s actually great at answering her phone!)

from 7/26/10

I just spent a few of the most intriguing days at Camp Necon and the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. I've heard about Necon from friends forever, and I'd heard the Lizzie Borden story a zillion times--not to mention the rhyme--Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41. Not at all correct, really, it was about 40 whacks all together, and her step-mother rather than her mother, but . . .

It started out on a Thursday. Headed to Boston and Dennis and I rented a car and drove out to Bristol, Rhode Island, and the Roger Williams College. "Papa" Necon puts on an amazing time. It was actually my first experience at a dorm, since Dennis and I were married when we went to college. But our suite-mates were old hands, and wonderful. They helped us along. First up, a few drinks with friends, and out to dinner with Dave and Trudi and Doug Clegg. Back to the "saugie" roast, and I'm not even sure that's spelled right. The amazing thing about Necon is that there is a "quad" and everyone hangs out there, so there's lots of laughing and talking with friends. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are on a college schedule, and there are lines with lots of very young campers at the college. There were some great panels, and some really fun silly panels, and there's a talent show, a roast, and a few game shows. It's like four days with exactly 200 people who become your 200 best friends. It was hard to leave--though we were certainly exhausted enough to do so!

Okay, so, we didn't exactly leave. We headed 20 miles to Fall River, Massachusetts, where writer Lisa Manetti has become very good friends with Lee-Ann, owner and operator of the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. Lee-Ann has done a remarkable job. Looking at the photos from 1892 and the house today, it is truly the same place--minus the bodies. But do the ghosts remain? Lisa was gracious enough to offer the newbies--comprised of Dennis and myself and Brent, and then Jason and Juan--first dibs. So, we chose the murder room. It seemed fine by daylight. No problem. As night fell, I decided that I wasn't going to bed. I'd felt entirely creepy in the basement--where the bodies had once lain for autopsy--and even in the attic, which is simply . . . creepy. Naturally, we had a seance. Totally intriguing. And the outcome? I still believe Lizzie did it. The crime was filled with personal rage, and she certainly felt that rage. Proof? Ah, well, it's one of those cases we may never really understand.

So . . . as the hours went by, though the house was filled with 11 friends and we spent half the day laughing at various antics, we began to fall out. One by one, up to bed. I was with Dennis 2 (we had two of them!) watching various programs on Lizzie and then I gave up--the sun finally started coming up. I headed up to bed, and was so tired I managed to get a few hours sleep right in the murder room. Morning came and we had breakfast all together, and regretfully, finally had to part. I flew home--and then sat on the runway over an hour while our plane--having taken off late--had to wait for an open gate. Lizzie's was worth it!

Next week, on to RWA.

From 6/29/10

Summer is here. In Miami, and across the country, the heat is on! Summer is always a strange time, kids out of school, many people looking forward to a bit of time off--the beaches get crowded, and we desperately seek shade in which to park out cars. Summertime--a little bit lazy and sluggish, but there's always something interesting out there, too.

Last night I attended the Morales Family Fund Raiser to benefit Autism Research. It's a cause near and dear to my heart, because we have a cousin with autism. We've watched the love in his house, and we've seen the patience required and how heartbreaking it can be for parents to strive to communicate with and create the best lives possible for their children.

This fundraiser is brilliant. Karaoke challenges. Bernie Ravelo volunteers his time and equipment, and you pay to sing, to make someone else sing--and you pay if you don't want to sing. As in, if you want me to pay the big bucks, you put my name down for a rap song--and I pay to get out of it!

As the night wore on, with discounted food and drinks at the Sandbar, more and more people arrived--and the amounts in the envelopes went up and up! Everyone had a great time, and everything went to an amazing cause.

Summer is starting out just fine.

From 6/4/10

I just came back from Deborah LeBlanc's Pen to Press in New OrleansNow, we all know, it's not difficult to get me to New Orleans. I love the city. But as this came closer, I began to panic. I was going to have "students" for four days, and I was supposed to prepare them to submit their material. I wasn't sure that I had four days worth of decent information to give anyone. And still . . . the time came. It was great. Along with Deb, fellow teachers were C.J. Lyons, Cherry Adair, F. Paul Wilson, and Hank Schwaeble, which meant good friend/delightful author Rhodi Hawk would be there, too! By the weekend, friends who were agents and publishers would arrive, as well, along with one of the world's best booksellers, Molly Bolden (Bent Pages, Houma.)

But as to my students, well . . . .

They were wonderful. We got in a circle first and got to know one another. And we learned about each other's dreams and aspirations. Then, we tackled work. The first full day, they learned a Heather Graham lesson; living is as much a part of writing as anything else. And so assignments were given out that had to do with our field trips. Good heavens, Tabitha came all the way from Australia! She had to see something of the French Quarter! So we traipsed around a bit of the city, and they wrote brilliantly about what they had seen.

I figured out I didn't really teach a class. I gained seven new amazing friends--Tabitha, Kerisa, Sharon, Leslie, Jodine and the young 'uns, as we called them, Lynn and Autumn. (They were too cute for words!) And I know that very soon, I'll be reading their work in print, and I'll get to take a tiny bit of pride in helping them find all the genius they have within themselves

The things that scare us are often the best things we do!

From 5/7/10

RT, always one of our biggest bashes for the year, has now come and gone--and, as the saying goes, a great time was had by all. The getting there was a story in itself--fifteen hours from Miami, Florida, to Columbus, Ohio, for Bryee, Jess, Caitlin, and I, due to the storms that would soon tear up the country. But we arrived and it all began.

It was phenomenal fun, and hopefully, good for readers and writers--in all stages of their careers! I was involved in the historical Mad Hatter tea party at midnight on Wednesday night, after enjoying Elora's Cave's red party. Thursday, the "faeries" were adorable, few more so than the Barry Eisler fairy! I loved my panels, especially the "sex" panel with Kathy Love, Erin McCarthy, Barry Eisler, F. Paul Wilson and a jug of "sex on the beach."

Rehearsals for "Spellbinder--Through the Severely Cracked Looking Glass" were almost as fun as the real thing--Chynna made it in plenty of time to play a very tall Sookie Stackhouse and her CalArts classmate, Saxon Jones, amazed us all with show-stealing performance of Lady Gaga! F. Paul Wilson was a dashing Edward Cullin in a very bad wig, while Helen Rosburg made an exquisite White Queen. No one saw Alice--Derek with a full beard--until the end of the show, so it was great! The Pink Flamingos--Beth Ciotta, Harley Jane Kozak, and Alex Sokoloff--were stupendous, and Mary Stella held it all together as the White Rabbit. In our variation, Debbie Richardson and Connie Perry were perfect as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dummer. Caitlin Richardson prowled charmingly as the Cheshire Cat, and Joe Konrath made a most interesting March Hare. Zach Bolden (son of Molly Bolden, Bent Pages, Houma, Louisiana) was a six-foot ten inch leprechaun. Bryee and Jessica Magazine cleverly moved the mushroom around the stage as Hoo and Ka, the caterpillar. Shayne, frighteningly enough, was a perfect Dexter feeling the need, the need for a Beatles tune, that was! James Rosburg, Jason Pozzessere, Juan Roca and Mark Johnston rounded out our cast of "thousands" and Connie Perry made the set a feast for the eyes. It was great! Oh, I was the Mad Hatter, having the marvelous guests for the tea party. And my dauther-in-law, Yevgeniya Yerekskaya-Pozzessere, designed T-shirts that brought in a nice sum for our charity, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation.

We'll have more pictures up soon. The conference ended with the book fair, the model pageant, a prom party by Dorchester, and on Sunday, author speed dating. What fun. Now, home, and back to work. I'll post the newest again next Thursday!