Lost--Deeply Lost!--in Translation

HANK: I just had to share this with you. And apologies, up front, I have no idea who wrote this (I'll show you in a minute) or where it came from. I got it as a Google Alert, and I read it, as we all do, to see how and where we're being mentioned.

Let's just look at this sign first. You're baffled, right? What on earth are you supposed to do?

Now, back to the Google Alert.

So I'm reading along in this Google Alert, I'll show you in a minute, and it--kind of--makes sense. Kind of. But you know, not really. It's clearly about Bouchercon, the world mystery convention. And it's clearly from someone who attended, and had a great time, and met a lot of authors, as we all did. So that was great, and I was delighted, but I was still kind of--baffled.

Because although it was in English, there was just something a bit--off. And then I remembered I'd recently gotten one of those emails that you can't help but laugh about--about translated signs. And what happens between the reality and the dictionary. Like this one. (I hope this is real. Forgive me if it isn't.)

And then I realized--maybe the Google Alert article had been written in another language, and put through an on-line translation. So it was--kind of right. But kind of--hilarious. See what you think. And whoever wrote this? Thank you! I was in nirvana, too.

Everybody Holds a Fan at Bouchercon

In 1985, a supergroup of players named US for Africa got together to enter the vocal `` We Are the Macrocosm, '' which was sold to raise humanist help for Africa. And by supergroup, I intend people like Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonderment, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, Kim Carnes, Cyndi Lauper, and Bruce Springsteen.

That Holds what Bouchercon is like for secret authors.

This yr 's Bouchercon was kept in Indianapolis this past weekend. The hotel was a great selection, the outside locales playfulness and easy to get to, and the country was saturated with good eatery. The panels were great merriment, you bet can you reason with honorees like Michael Connelly, S.J. Rozan, Wendelin Vanguard Draanen, Aluminium Hubin, and Kathryn Kennison? The convention commission maked a terrific line.

Naturally, the style I near Bouchercon is not the same as that of the average fan. I verbalize on a panel, moved for drinks with an editor, attended my publisher 's cocktail party, ate tiffin with two other editors, subscribed books, attended awarding observances for the Macavity and the Antonius, entered a podcast, seed with a book packager, and discourse a outgoing anthology. The other authors were merely co-workers, so naturally I maked n't take any particular notice of them.

And if you believe that, I 've got some swamp in Florida au courant eBay...

My gosh, make you cognise was there? If the honorees were n't impressive plenty, there wasC.J. Box, JoAnna Carl, Carolyn Hart, Lee Fry, Charlaine Harris, Harlan Coben, Scoop Allan Collins, Broom Graham, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Loren Estleman, Danu Cameron, Peter Lovesey, Mary Saums... And that Holds but a start. Make you seriously conceive I could vagabond through a hotel filled with gifted authors like that without desiring to twitch myself? I was in nirvana.

The fact is, I was a secret fan long before I was a secret author. And one of the best parts about being a professional is the interminable chances it supplies for being a fan, for seing these people at conventions and cocktail parties and panels. So you can wager that I took place a loading of autographed books, only like any other fan.

Seed to consider of it, I understand the players of America for Africa subscribed autographs for one another, excessively...

*************I think "I was a secret fan before I was a secret author" should be "I was a mystery fan..." and maybe Broom Graham is Heather Graham? What else do you see?

Happy Friday! Tomorrow...all about endings!