Malice Domestic 2011 - Report One

I finally have a day without an event (just driving) in my east coast book tour, so I'm posting my impressions and photos from the 2011 Malice Domestic conference in Bethesda, Maryland. Friday morning, I took the Metro from Alexandria, Virginia, where I'd spent Thursday night with friends, and arrived at the Hyatt about an hour before Malice-Go-Round. I stowed my luggage, registered, and met up with my pitching partner, Five Star author friend Michael Allan Mallory. I gave a glowing blurb to his wonderful second book with co-author Marilyn Victor, Killer Instinct. He's with me in the photo below, and was a great pitching partner.


Worn out after Malice-Go-Round, I forgot to take the camera out for the rest of the day. I heard Louise Penny's delightful interview of Janet Rudolph and Dan Stashower's of Donna Andrews, and attended the Opening Ceremony and Reception. After dinner with some fellow Five Star author pals, I listened to the Best Novel panel, then collapsed in bed after chatting with my roommate, fellow Midnight Ink author Vicki Doudera.

Saturday began with the New Authors Breakfast, then I schmoozed until my morning panel, "Shot At, Robbed, Hypothermic and More: Travails Authors Endure to Get it Right." The photo below is from that panel, which included moderator Toni L.P. Kelner, Sandi Ault, Joanna Carl, Vicki Delany, and me. I decided I wanted Joanna's research gig--chocolate! The second photo shows me at work in the signing area, courtesy of Michael Allen Mallory.



Then came lunch with the Sisters in Crime Guppies chapter, and the remaining photos are from that. What a fun time that was!

Two More Blurbs for Deadly Currents and Two More Authors to Thank

Two wonderful mystery/suspense authors whose writing I admire have graciously come through with blurbs for my upcoming March, 2011 release, Deadly Currents. Deadly Currents is the first book in my RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. You can find out more about it at my website.

The first blurb is from Nancy Pickard, national bestselling author of The Scent of Rain and Lightning and The Virgin of Small Plains as well as many other award winning books. She said about Deadly Currents:

"An exciting ride from the very first chapter, with a courageous heroine in a fascinating line of work."

The second blurb is from Sandi Ault, award winning author of the Wild Mystery Series, including Wild Indigo, Wild Inferno, Wild Sorrow, and Wild Penance. She said about Deadly Currents:

"Beth Groundwater's Deadly Currents comes rushing at you from the first page like roiling whitewater, and culminates in a riveting climax that lives up to this book's name. If you like outdoor adventure and gripping characters, this one's a must-read."

I can't thank these two special women enough, and I hope my blog readers will check out their websites and read their books. You are in for quite a treat! Their blurbs are now posted on the home page of my website along with two from Margaret Coel and William Kent Krueger, two more of my favorite authors.