Bloody Words – RIP

Wasn’t that a party!  This past weekend saw the swan song of Bloody Words, the Canadian mystery convention.

Yes, sad to say, Bloody Words is finished. For the simple reason that the long-time organizers felt that they’d had enough (and who can blame them) and no one else stepped up to the plate. Oh, there were plenty of people saying that ‘someone’ should continue it. But no one volunteering to be that ‘someone’.

At the Banquet

Although rumours were swirling that a few people had their heads together. We live in hope.

It was, however, a wonderful send-off.

Speechifying 

My mother was my guest at the AE gala

Looking rather silly at Books with Legs

I had the honour of being the Canadian guest of honour but for me the excitement began the night before the convention itself with the annual Arthur Ellis gala at which the awards for the best in Canadian crime writing were handed out.  I was the host this year. We had a great dinner, a wonderful venue at the Arts and Letters Club, and about a hundred very interesting guests.  At dinner, I sat next to Michael Jecks, who was the international guest of honour for Bloody Words, and I enjoyed getting to know him. 

My stint at being the host passed with no calamities, the awards were handed out, nice speeches made, and everyone went off happily into the night.

Bloody Words began on Friday and it was just a whirwind of fun and activity.  I went to lunch with my publisher for Orca, Ruth Linka; met up with people I hadn’t seen in a while such as Alex Brett and Michael Blair; and chatted with people I never tire of seeing such as Linda Wiken and Mary Jane Maffini.  

At the Orca Lunch with fellow Rapid Reads Writers

The panels were all very interesting. I was on one called 50 Shades of Cop, all about writing police novels, with John McFetridge and Martin Walker, moderated by J.A. Menzies.

As Canadian guest of Honor, I was in the mystery café with David Cole to talk about writing women in crime novels where Cathy Astolfo did a great job of moderating.  Also, Cheryl Freedman interviewed me at length about my books and my writing career.

Gold Web: A Klondike Mystery, was up for a Bony Pete award for best light mystery. It didn't win, but heck it's an honour to be nominated. Right? 

Michael Jecks, Cheryl Freedman, and Vicki Delany

For pure fun, nothing beat Caro Soles’ Books with Legs or the Saturday evening banquet at which we were asked to dress as a historical mystery character.  I sorta outdid myself costume wise.  As you can from the attached pictures.