Books!

If you happen to be in the Los Angeles area this weekend, be sure to stop by the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. It’s at the UCLA campus, and writers of all genres will be there--from those who write for the youngest kiddies to those who philosophize and write pithy non-fiction, to... well, me.

I’m on the board of the Southern California chapter of the Mystery Writers of America this year, and one of my duties is to make sure that the MWA table at the L.A. Times Festival has someone to greet interested people and potential new members at all times. So, I’m doing exactly that! I have chapter members scheduled to be there for both Saturday and Sunday, and although I’ll be opening and closing, I’ll also sit there now and then. I’m signing at three booths myself: Sisters in Crime, Book ‘Em Mysteries and Mysterious Galaxy. Otherwise, I’ll see what mischief I can get into and panels I can drop in on--although I may not get tickets in advance since I’m not sure of my schedule. YOU, though, can check on-line and see who’ll be there and when, and obtain tickets ahead of time.

There’s an entire mystery track--lots of writers speaking about their craft and their work. These include some big names such as Jan Burke, Michael Connelly, T. Jefferson Parker, Mary Higgins Clark, and more!

And the MWA of SoCal is holding a drawing for new MWA members for a delightful basket that Joanne Fluke and her publisher have put together for the cause.

So... stop by! Say hi. I’m not sure whether pets are welcome, but mine are staying home. I’m sure they’d rather be in the middle of all the activity, but this isn’t an event where I’m inviting them. Hopefully, they’ll welcome me home as always.

--Linda