Mavens Meeting
April 9, 2016
Bethlehem Public Library – Board Room
10:30
Because of space issues at the Library, this month’s meeting will take place one week early.
Steering Committee: there will be a meeting at the Village Butchers at 9:30 am.
libraries
February Meeting
Sisters in Crime, Upper Hudson Chapter
Mavens Meeting
February 20, 2016
Bethlehem Public Library – Community Room
10:30am
Join us for networking and discussion.
Mavens Report
By Carol Pouliot:
The Mavens began the new year by welcoming back novelist K.A. Mitchell to our January 16th meeting. Mitchell presented a 2½ hour workshop packed with information on character creation and enrichment. She showed us how to use enneagrams to create believable and familiar, yet unique, types of people in our stories. Many thanks to Ms. Mitchell for the wealth of information she shared with us. We wish her great success with her latest novel Risk Everything On It.
Our next meeting is February 20th — be there!
Mavens in Schenectady This Weekend!
Saturday, April 11th at 11AM, local author Frankie Bailey will be at the Schenectady County Public Library to discuss her latest crime novel “What the Fly Saw”, which is set in Albany! Frankie is a professor at the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany, and is the author of the mystery “The Red Queen Dies”.
And just across town, K. A. Laity talks about another Schenectady-based writer, Kurt Vonnegut at the Schenectady County Historical Society‘s Mabee Farm Location.
And don’t forget! Our Mavens meeting on April.18,2015 will be having a guest speaker:
Bob Krug is a retired Colonie Police Officer who has worked for The Colonie Police Force for 26 years. He will be discussing some of the cases he has worked. Also comparing real life Police work to what we see on television. Q&A will follow.
Susan Sundwall & Donna Lagone: March 7 at 4pm
Join us at Kinderhook Library Saturday March 7th at 4pm to listen to Mavens Susan Sundwall and Donna Lagone read from their work. Directions:
From the south
Take Route 9 north to the center of Kinderhook Village. Just before the main intersection, bear right at the village green onto Hudson Street (County Route 21). The library is on the right at the corner of Hudson and Sylvester Streets.
Alternatively, take Route 9H north. At the Elks Lodge, exit 9H to County Route 21. Take a right onto County Route 21 which becomes Hudson Street as you cross the bridge over Kinderhook Creek and enter the village. The library is on the left at the corner of Hudson and Syvester Streets.
From the north
Take Route 9 south the the center of Kinderhook Village. Turn left at the main intersection onto Hudson Street (County Route 21). The library is on the right at the corner of Hudson and Sylvester Streets.
Alternatively, take Route 9H south and exit at the County Route 21 exit. Take a right onto County Route 21 which becomes Hudson Street as you enter the village. The library is on the left at the corner of Hudson and Sylvester Streets.
Mavens in the Library by Carol Derfner
An enthusiastic audience of crime and mystery writers and readers in the Capital Region braved frigid temperatures to gather in the Greenbush Community Library on January 31st to listen to six longtime Mavens members share their personal experiences and insights into what it takes to successfully become a published author in the genre. The afternoon’s panelists included:
- Frankie Bailey, a professor of criminal justice at the University of New York at Albany and the author of 7 mystery novels (the newest, “What The Fly Saw” comes out next month) encouraged aspiring writers to join organizations like Sisters In Crime and Mystery Writers of America and to attend conference and workshops to be inspired and learn from the efforts of other writers;
- Robert Knightly, former LAPD police officer and lawyer for the New York City Legal Aid Society, is the author of two police procedurals, “Bodies In Winter” and a sequel, “The Cold Room” spoke of the need to have confidence in your story and to persevere in spite of receiving rejections by potential publishers;
- Eleanor Kuhns spoke of winning the coveted MinotaurBooks/MWA First Crime Novel Competition in 2011 for her Shaker-inspired “A Simple Murder” and outlined how she uses research in her writing;
- Donna Lagone, current President and author of the recently published novel “Reflections” advised using the services of an agent as well an attorney to assist with the contractual matters required when working with publishers;
- Susan Sundwall, gave the audience an overview of how she has handled the publication and sales of her Minnie Markwood comic-cozy series without using an agent; and,
- Kate Laity, Associate Professor of English at the College of St. Rose, the author of “White Rabbit” and the Chastity Flame series, described how she writes and publishes in a number of different genres and admonished the audience to finish one’s writing projects!
Moderated by Jeanette Whitbeck and organized by June Kosier, the event was lively and engaging as well informative. And June’s exhibit highlighting the chapter’s authors was well worth taking a trip to the library in East Greenbush!
