Bouchercon2013 in Albany, NY
This year has included a lot of firsts for me. One of them was attending the writer’s conference, Bouchercon , in Albany, NY. They hold this event every year, in different locations. What had started off as uncertainty--I was going with an author friend I hardly knew, and leaving my husband (and dogs) for five days--quickly transformed into what was the next logical step for my growth as a professional author. As authors, one of our strengths is observation and I learned a lot just through listening and studying other people. I took “notes” from other authors who have met great success in the publishing industry. I was able to meet and interact with avid readers, in person, and get feedback as to what they look for in a book. I had discussions with corporate chain book buyers and independent bookstore owners. These perspectives have melded to provide an overall solid picture of the business. I brought home with me all of this and more. (I’m not even going to get in...