Exciting Times Ahead!

 RHYS BOWEN: EXCITING times ahead in the Bowen camp!  This time next month I'll be celebrating the release of my new stand alone novel, THE ROSE ARBOR. Lots of good things are planned for that, including a Friends and Fiction interview and ads on everything from Tiktok to AARP (how's that for covering the bases?)

And...This time next week I’ll be chatting with one of my dearest friends, Louise Penny. Unfortunately the chat won’t be in person but via Zoom and it is a prequel to the mystery writers conference at Book Passage bookstore near my home in Corte Madera, California.

 I haven’t seen Louise in person for a year as she lives in Canada (and sometimes in London).  I hope to see her again in September when we’re both in England, but I’m really looking forward to catching up, albeit from long distance. When Louise and I do these chats we never plan anything in advance. They are completely unscripted and yet we always find lots of interesting things to discuss.

 We have chatted in front of an audience at several mystery conferences, mostly with our own dear Deb Crombie. We were billed as a conversation with three goddesses. We liked that description. Definitely suited us! On the first occasion there were just three arm chairs on the stage and we sat and talked. All sorts of interesting and surprising things came out: that Louise and I had both thought we were royal when we were young. ( Louise thought that her royal family had left her with peasants for her own protection until she was old enough to be claimed. She waited but the royals never came! I pretended that I was queen of my village and would ride around on my bike, greeting my subjects. They must have thought I was quite bonkers, waving graciously as I bicycled past). We learned that Deborah had always had a fascination with Britain growing up and gone there as soon as she could. Again no script. The room was packed with people sitting on the floor. I have to say it was one of my favorite conference moments ever.

Obviously the organizers thought so too as we were asked to repeat it on several occasions. Then I was asked to interview Louise when she was guest of honor at Malice Domestic and I asked her to interview me when I was. It’s always such fun. We laugh a lot. The audience laughs too.

 So I’m really looking forward to next week. It is open to attendees at the mystery conference but other people can sign up to join the Zoom online (I believe there is a fee). Bookpassage.com.  Events page.

 I have been on the faculty of the Book Passage Mystery Conference for many years and I always enjoy it, especially because Hallie is also on the faculty so we get a chance to catch up. It is three days of intense workshops with mystery writers, agents, editors and experts like FBI alum George Fong, a San Francisco judge and a forensic examiner. Participants have a chance to meet one on one with a seasoned writer and get feed back on a manuscript in progress. Hallie gives an all morning intensive, and as you know, she is the best teacher you’ll ever come across.

 Over the years the conference has discovered and nurtured several mystery writers who have gone on to stellar careers: Cara Black, Susan Shea, Tony Broadbent, Tim Maleney… and one of the highlights is a party at agent Kimberley Cameron’s stunning house overlooking the San Francisco Bay.  Here are Hallie and I last year.

 I’ll report back this year and try to remember to take pictures!

 And FYI Book Passage is a unique book store. Anybody who has written a book wants to speak there. Sometimes I find my event is sandwiched between Hillary Clinton and John Grisham. Guess who doesn’t get the biggest crowd? It is always sobering.