June 1st, 2010
As president, I was privileged to represent the Midwest chapter at the 2010 Edgar Awards held April 29. But it wasn’t just the Thursday ceremony that was amazing. I arrived on Tuesday and, as chairman of the PR committee, had the opportunity to hang out with a group of Edgar nominees and Executive Vice President Larry Light at Sirius Radio Headquarters, where the others (not me) were interviewed on the show Cover to Cover. Here are Stefanie Pintoff, Megan Abbott, and Larry Light at the microphones. Later, those three plus Peter Abrahams, who was also interviewed, posed for my camera.
After that it was off to the Mysterious Bookshop for the book launch for Crimes by Moonlight, the new MWA anthology edited by Charlaine Harris. The event was pretty crowded.
The next day (Wednesday) was the Edgar Symposium, where a lot more of the Edgar nominees shared their expertise with the attendees. The Symposium was recorded and copies of the DVD are available, so I’m not going to spend too much time talking about it. All I can say is that I learned a lot. Here are some selected photos from the Symposium.
Superagent Donald Maass presented a one-hour version of his “Writing the Breakout Novel.”
Hank Philippi Ryan moderated a panel on ‘Falling in Love with your Research.’
SJ Rozan moderated a panel on short stories versus novels.
The Agents and Editors party followed the Symposium. The event was free to all MWA members. Over 100 agents and editors attend the reception. Members had the opportunity to network with this group of the publishing elite and make new connections.
The highlight of Thursday was the Edgar Awards ceremonies. I hung out with the other MWA Board members, like Simon Wood, the Northern California chapter president, and Margaret McLean, the New England chapter president.
Current MWA President Laura Lippmann and outgoing president Lee Child did a great job of keeping the ceremony moving on stage, and Margery Flax (MWA’s Executive Assistant) and the Danielides Agency kept thing moving off-stage. A great ceremony that left me wanting to read nearly every book that was nominated! It was a terrific time. If you are able to swing it, you should take in the Edgars at least once!
Categories: From our MWMWA president, Uncategorized |
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February 2nd, 2010
Hey, Tony Perona here. I just wanted to let everyone know that the reason I missed the January meeting in Chicago was because I was at the MWA Board meeting in NYC., which proved to be an incredible experience. Those of us new to the Board received excellent training from national, and it’s going to be a big help knowing the presidents in the other chapters. Already we’ve traded ideas on how to approach certain situations. MWA is a great organization, and everyone on the Board wants to make it even stronger.
We’ve got some very cool things going on right here in the Midwest chapter: Tim Broderick’s got the February meeting scheduled with a panel discussion on writers’ groups and how to get the most out of them; Board member Claire Applewhite and I are working on an outreach meeting in St. Louis for April with a panel discussion on “Ten Things Mystery Writers Should Know about Publishing in the Marketplace Today.” And Ted Hertel is working on another outreach meeting in Milwaukee for May, with Ben LeRoy and Alison Janssen of Tyrus Books. And Julie Hyzy is working on Printers Row for June. For those of you who don’t know about Printers Row, it’s a book festival in downtown Chicago where people who love books go to buy books from people who write books–people like us! So watch for more on all of these things.
The Midwest Chapter’s Board is meeting this month to talk about our goals for this year and the future, and that means figuring out how to add more value to MWA membership. We’ll be looking for new ideas, so expect to see more from us coming soon!
Categories: From our MWMWA president, Meetings |
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January 29th, 2010
Sunday, February 21
- Location: Centuries & Sleuths, Forest Park, IL
- Time: 1 p.m.
- Panel Discussion: How to Get the Most out of Writers’ Groups
- Panelists: Lee Williams and Helen Macie Osterman and more!
Sunday, March 21
- Location: Centuries & Sleuths, Forest Park, IL
- Time: 1 p.m.
- Topic: To be determined
Friday, April 16 Outreach meeting in St. Louis
- Location: Drury Plaza Hotel, 355 Chesterfield Center East, Chesterfield, MO
- Time: 5:30 Dinner ($25), 6:15 Program
- Program: Panel Discussion: Ten Things Mystery Writers Should Know about Publishing in the Marketplace Today
- Panelists: will be announced soon.
Coming in May: Outreach meeting in Milwaukee
- Details to be announced soon.
Categories: From our MWMWA president, Meetings |
Tags: Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, Mystery Writers of America, Tony Perona | 3 Comments
April 21st, 2009
Printers Row is Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th this year. MWMWA has applied for a spot at the festival but as of this writing, we do not know if we have been approved. We won’t get confirmation until next month sometime.
But…
Lynda from Centuries & Sleuths has been experiencing delays from publishers lately and she would like a list of authors interested in signing at Printers Row so she can start ordering books.
To sign up for a signing time you must be an MWA Active member with a new book out since January, 2008.
If you are an Active MWA member with a new book out since January, 2008 and you are interested in signing at Printers Row this year (times/days to be assigned later), please email Julie Hyzy ASAP
Categories: From our MWMWA president |
Tags: Printers Row | No Comments
January 23rd, 2009
Julie Hyzy reports: I recently returned from MWA Board orientation in New York City. In addition to meeting new national board members and saying farewell to departing ones, I came back bursting with ideas for how to make the Midwest Chapter even better than it is today.
I was thrilled to be able to connect with other chapter presidents. Everyone was open and helpful, discussing what works and what doesn’t in their individual regions and the discourse was invaluable.
Jess Lourey was also there. Jess, formerly a board member of MWMWA is now a National Director-at-Large. I’m looking forward to working with Jess in her new capacity and also looking forward to working with the rest of the 2009 board.
Categories: From our MWMWA president |
Tags: Jess Lourey, Julie Hyzy, Mystery Writers of America, New York | No Comments
