Mystery fans, please come to ALBANY, NY, in 2013!
http://www.bouchercon.info/
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Bouchercon XLIV (2013) – Albany, NY September 19 – 22 |
Chair: Al Abramson
Lifetime Achievement: Sue Grafton
International Guest of Honor: P.C. Doherty
American Guest of Honor: Tess Gerritsen
Toastmaster: Steve Hamilton
Fan Guests of Honor: Chris Aldrich & Lynn Kaczmarek
A while back there was a TV movie, “Murder in 3 Acts” shown on ABC in Oz. It concerned the murders committed by Snowy Rowles around 1930. The disposal of the bodies was accomplished by the method discussed by Arthur Upfield & mates over coffee. Upfield has just sold his first BONY novel and was looking for a plot device for his 2nd. The main thing was to dispose of the body completely and, hence, pose a nasty problem for BONY.
Rowles was there with them. However, he was careless and was caught & hanged. Upfield’s book came out & was serialixed during the trial.
If you can obtain the film, it is a good view.
Saturday, 6 June 2009. Over the continental breakfast in the lobby I had a lovely chat with the young couple from Italy. They were heading for the Grand Canyon, and I suggested, they drive route 66 all the way to Williams before heading up to the Grand Canyon.
Taking Route 66 I wended my way through Needles, up I-40 for short while, then off onto the old road. It was warm but not hot under a mostly sunny skies. I turned off US 95 and headed down Goffs Road. While this was not quite as lonely as I expected, it was pretty empty. Nothing but desert for miles in all direction.
I stopped in Goffs to take a couple photos of the restored schoolhouse which was built in the mid teens. I believe the town has 13 people living in. From there I drove to Fenner where I got some gas, a full tank is a good thing in the desert, and had a nice chat with a couple from just outside of Sydney, Australia. The wife enjoyed not only The Lord Of The Rings but the Upfield novels as well. Obviously, they’re very nice people. The husband had to take a picture of me with my car and license plate.
I pressed on to Essex for a few photographs but along the way I did stop and if not smell the flowers at least photographed them. Haven’t the faintest idea of what they are but they’re quite pretty. Maybe somebody can take a look at my picture and tell me what the flower is other then some flowering weed along the road.
From Essex it was a long slow drive over a low pass and then a straight shot into Amboy. I did get a nice photo of the road stretching off into the far distance as they came around the bend down from the pass. There is a lot of lot of nothing out there. However, it is still very pretty in a desolate way.
I stopped that Ray’s in Amboy for a snack. I learned that it was open seven days a week and I could’ve gotten gas there rather than in Fenner. However, I spent a delightful period there chatting with the various people who had also stop there. There was a couple from France, a number of people from within 100 miles who decided to drive or bike out, and an American taking a couple friends from Germany out to see the desert and Roy’s in Amboy. This was topped off when about 25 biker showed up in the were doing a bike tour from LA to the Grand Canyon and back. Members of the tour were from all over Europe and the UK. I gave the tour leader the e-group card and mentioned this company should take an advert in the Route 66 Pulse.
I had decided to make this a short day and headed back around 1:30. Back at the motel I watched the Belmont, to some e-mail and relaxed. I eventually wandered over to the adjacent Denny’s for dinner. My motel key got me 10% off the price. After dinner I puttered on the computer for a while and made a couple phone calls. I was able to contact my friend Kim in Mira Loma and arranged to crash there on Tuesday night. From there I could backtrack and finish off a portion of 66 I still needed to cover. This also means that the meeting of the “Tasty Mongols’ Horde” would be on Thursday evening, 11 June.
True to my intent I actually not only got into bed but turned off the light well before midnight. Tomorrow more desert, the Bagdad Café and Barstow, California.
Friday, 8 May 2009. For I don’t do getting up at 6 a.m. very well. It was sunny, but chilly. As I headed west is clouded over a little bit more but no rain. The only slow this on the drive to Fargo was around Minneapolis-St. Paul where the bypass interstate is about one or two lanes too narrow. Once you free of the Twin Cities I was able to pick up the pace and keep one truck and to the west. I stopped once for gas and let Lee Troutman and Thema and Chandice Johnson know that I was closing in on the great city of Fargo.
We met over it at the Saturn dealer in Fargo where was taking in my car for the 25,000 miles service. It was great to meet Thema and Chandice. I had been corresponding with Thema for the past 15 years concerning Arthur Upfield. After I dropped my car off, we headed over to a nearby Denny’s for breakfast. I was in need of coffee. The Doritos and Pepsi I noshed gone during my drive to Fargo had not been enough.
After filling breakfast and very good conversation we headed over to the Fargo which was a cinema. There we were to watch the documentary film In Search Of Bony. A few folk associated with the Fargo over Festival were interested in seeing the documentary. I gave a brief introduction and after the documentary I made some additional comments and answered questions. It was neat to see the documentary film on the big screen again. It is quite possible they will show the documentary at the upcoming Fargo Film Festival. I later suggested to Thema on the possibility of a panel on Upfield and his books if she could find a few more knowledgeable people in the area.
After the showing we headed back to Grand Forks and to Johnson’s and I headed back to their place to continue our discussion on Upfield. Early in the evening we headed out for dinner as the Fargo Marathon was being run the next day. We finally found a place that they had not yet before and for which turned out to be a very nice find and excellent restaurant. As the weather had turned quite chilly, about 41 Fahrenheit/5 Celsius, I happily dug out my parka and put it on. Such is spring in North Dakota. There’s a good chance of frost over the next couple of nights. While it is only May 8th.
After delightful dinner the Johnson’s took me back to my car, we made our goodbyes, and I headed north to Grand Forks. Mean maps and my GPS systems I had very little problem in finding Lee’s place.
We got me stashed away in the basement into my delight her wireless worked fine for my computer once on a typed in the password. Between checking e-mail and news and chatting with her while watching some TV the evening passed quickly. I read some and then tried to fall asleep.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009. The day dawned partly sunny. It was cool and going to be a great day. It felt good to put on the top part of my Cubs uniform. The Cubs camp was one heck of a week.
I may use of the 24 hours I had to use the computer online and cleared up my e-mail and caught up little bit on the diary.
Oh yes, my diary entries may sound a little funny as I am dictating them using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. If I really used it a lot, would probably work even better. I tend to use it only on trips. However it is a neat gadget.
I got underway under partly sunny skies and got over to Bev Friend’s place a little after 10. The drive is slowing there is a slight detour because a train was blocking the road. We gathered up our stuff and headed out.
The drive down was easy enough and when we got to the ballpark there were people already lining up and we found a parking lot adjacent to Wrigley Field. Of course, this cost a small fortune. Bev had suggested that she drive and would pay for parking. I don’t think either she nor I expected the costs be quite the size was, $50. I did chip in, of course.
We took some photos while waiting outside as the gates open at 11 o’clock. There was quite a large number of fans we begin in when the gates opened. We found our seats with no problem and they were quite good. They were in the fifth row just to the outfield side of the Cubs dugout. I try to get an autograph or two but they weren’t signing when they went out to practice. By the time they got back and were signing autographs the mob scene was little bit too much to fight. One of the Andy Frain[sic] ushers had also been at the 45 World Series. His dad took him when he was eight. I guess there are at least two of us alive who were there.
The weather was quite nice it was overcast and there is a light wind blowing in from the lake but it was not chilly. Unfortunately, the Cubs lost 6 to 2. The game was well played but disappointing. One factor that may have been involved was the fact that a number of the starters had been benched and many of the players were the backups.
Disappointed we headed back to the car and drove back to Beverly’s place for a snack though we did stop for tea along the way. While at Bev’s she was kind enough to write a check for me so I could pay for my tiny share of the two racehorses. The check went out in the mail as we left.
We headed over to a nearby Chinese restaurant for an absolutely smashing dinner. Joining us for dinner were Bev’s friend Irv, Nancy Goodman, Phyllis and Alex Eisenstein, Diane and Bob Blackwood, and Neil Rest. Needless to say we had a rather excellent conversation ranging over a wide variety of topics.
I stopped for some very needed gas on the way back to the motel, showered, read and tried to get a good night’s sleep.
G’day, — Yesterday I received my proof copy of the paperback version of THE BEACH OF ATONEMENT. — It was good so I released the paperback edition for your purchase. 🙂 You can find is on www.lulu.com or go directly to http://www.lulu.com/content/944065 . — I’m really excited about this. — I hope to release the hardback version within 2-3 weeks. I haven’t received my proof copy yet. — Oh yes, I’m really excited about this if you haven’t guessed. 🙂
G’day! — Today I uploaded the corrected text, I think, of “The Beach Of Atonment.” — I ordered my proof copies as well which should get here in 2-3 weeks. If the books are fine, then I shall be able to release them for sale. — It is a good thing, I’m not adding in all the time I’ve spent with the book. 🙂 — I’ll be posting the good news, once it is good news, here, on Famous Folk & to those of you who have emailed me on the book. — the prices will be: $40 for the hardback; $25 for the paperback & $15 to download it. — Buy earliy & often- lots! Tell your friends!
Wednesday, 29 August. — My first stop on a beautiful morning Blue Hole. This is an 80 foot deep sinkhole of the very clear water that has a distinct clue color to it. On the way out of town the short old alignment of 66 before joining I-40 — Then up US84 to Romeoville where 66 takes a sharp turn to the west. — I followed 66 through very lovely countryside and where possible took the older alignments. The side trip through San Jose took me to the 1921 bridge and the chance to photograph an 1826 Church. — The rest of the drive into Santa Fe was pleasant with a couple stops to photograph the scenery and the towering clouds. — At Lowe’s, with the help a very competent salesperson, I got to plug on my computer’s power cord repaired. — Then on to the home of Steve & Jan Stirling where I verified the power cable is now working. Steve and Jan are good friends I know through science fiction. — Mark Martinez joined us for dinner. I know Mark through our joint interest in Arthur Upfield. He is also a science fiction reader and has read a number of Steve’s books. It was an excellent evening with good food and outstanding conversation.
I met Kevin Doyle for dinner at the Chicken Basket on Sunday, 8 July 07. Kevin is a fan of Arthur Upfield. We’ve been in touch over “The Beach of Atonement.” He has read most of the Upfield novels is looking forward to my publishing “The Beach of Atonement.” He wants to read a NEW Upfield. Beach has been out of print for 77 years & is almost impossible to find. It was grand to meet up with him. In addition to Upfield we chatted about SF. — I get to see what the books look like in about 2 weeks! I’m excited!
G’day!
It is finally done. Well, I think, it is done. Two days of work, the hardest part being done by Chuck Rothman who prepared the covers for me.
THE BEACH OF ATONEMENT is up at Lulu’s. I’ve ordered a copy of the paperback & hardback versions to check on how it came out. I’ll actually see them when I get to my friend’s home in St. Louis. I sent the books there.
I’m out of here on 1 July for to Travel The Mother Road!
It is super neat to bring back into print a novel which was last and only published in 1930.
I’ll let y’all know when it will be for sale to the general public. Then you can rush to Lulu’s web site and buy our very own copy!
It Comes From Albany 