The 2009 Colorado Gold conference is history. For you Biting-Edgers, you know I was voted RMFW's Writer of the Year, aka the WOTY.
The crown Jeanne gave me, while magnificent, lacked two attributes. First, it didn't come with minions, which left me as king of a kingdom of one. Second, the crown was awesome yet too small to express my pride as being honored as this year's WOTY. So I handcrafted the giant WOTY fez.
Our fabulous conference speakers, (left to right), New York Times Bestseller and smart guy Joseph Finder (keynote speaker), acclaimed (?) Florida mystery author James O. Born (farewell address), and fantasy novelist and screenwriter überman Eldon Thompson (kickoff speaker).
All three charmed us with their wit and delivery (Born at least tried). He rides the little bus in a blog of really cool mystery writers at Naked Authors.
The conference was a great opportunity to catch up with friends and share news. We had five PEN awards for first novels. Lots of food, fun, and adult beverages. Too many excellent workshops. I played bartender in the hospitality room and was responsible for punishing many livers with Margaritas, Screwdrivers, and the retro yet popular Tequila Sunrises.
Writer pal Lynda Sandoval acting a little dweebish during the Saturday banquet. (Check out her cheater glasses.)
After dinner, we had to snuggle. Relive the action at Facebook.
Jeanne and Warren Hammond trying to stay awake while Born was gassing on about nothing. A heroic effort on their part.
From Publishers Lunch.
Good news about a fellow mystery writer:
Neil Plakcy's MAHU BLOOD, a Hawaiian detective series starring a gay police detective, to Don Weise of Alyson Books, by Richard Curtis of Richard Curtis Associates (world).
Every once in a while Born manages to squeeze out a bit of entertainment such as on his video, Literature and Lead, where he takes loads of cheap shots at the deserving Jeff Shelby and Joe Konrath.
PS The WOTY fez isn't my only prop. I first made the infamous gun bra for Jeanne which is modeled here by
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