YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE.
Can’t get enough of the photos from the Malice Domestic Agatha Awards banquet? We have more to share!
Author Vicki Delany referred to the banquet table pictured below as “The Power Table”. Quite a few award-winners here.
Below is the Sherlock Holmes panel at Malice Domestic.
Quite an awards ceremony and weekend at Malice Domestic!
Robyn Carr will be at The Poisoned Pen on Thursday, May 5 at 2 PM to discuss and sign her new book, What We Find. Because Robyn might be new to some readers, I put her in the hot seat to ask some questions.
Robyn, you may be new to some of our Poisoned Pen blog readers. Please tell us about yourself.
I’ve written 54 novels, most of them contemporary romance and women’s fiction and have been writing for 40 years. I started my career as a young woman writing historical novels—before ebooks and Google and, yes, before computers.
Why did you turn to writing?
I was a young military wife with two small children, held captive in a small apartment while my husband went off to fly helicopters and jets in the Air Force. I was reading romances by the stack and wondered if I could write one. With kids in diapers, I tried it and found that making up a story was nearly as consuming and entertaining as reading one. While the kids literally played at my feet I turned my dining room table into an office. From the time I got up until I had to put dinner on the table, I was at it. Three years and three complete novels later, I sold a book and that was it—I was in for the long haul.
You’re kicking off a new series with What We Find, the Sullivan’s Crossing series. Would you introduce readers to Sullivan’s Crossing?
Sullivan’s Crossing is a general store surrounded by a campground. It sits on a lake at the base of some of Colorado’s most beautiful mountains. Campers escape to Sullivan’s Crossing for weekends and vacations—it’s a getaway, a place to play and enjoy nature. Specific to this little hideaway are the thru-hikers, those hardy souls who have taken on the Continental Divide Trail—3100 miles of hiking trail that stretches from Mexico to Canada. Long distance hikers have to plan very carefully—they have to know where they can find water, rest, clean up and restock their packs. They frequently mail themselves packages to be opened at stopping points—dry socks, clean t-shirts, supplies from water purifiers to first aid supplies. Sully, the owner and proprietor of Sullivan’s Crossing, also runs a post office. And he welcomes the hikers as well as groups and families who vacation there, whether for a weekend or longer. And in his general store he carries everything hikers or rock climbers might need as well as groceries.
Tell us about What We Find, without spoilers.
WHAT WE FIND centers on Maggie Sullivan, a talented neurosurgeon whose life is falling apart. The defendant in the wrongful death suit and on the verge of losing her practice, she decides to take a much-needed break and recharge at the campground and country store that have been owned and operated by her father’s family for generations. But things at Sullivan’s Crossing aren’t as simple as she had hoped. Her father has a heart attack and a brief affair with a hiker on the property suddenly has strings attached. And even though she’s only hours away from her practice, the lawsuit and her professional troubles are still looming. With her life and relationships shifting around her, Maggie finds herself at a crossroads—can she hold onto the life she’s fought so hard to build or is it worth the risk of changing course and possibly losing everything?
You wrote for 30 years before landing on the New York Times Bestseller List, and eventually you had eleven #1 bestsellers. What do you remember about the first time you learned one of your novels hit number one?
Well, I was completely stunned! But even more significant in my memory was the very first time I landed on the New York Times list. It was A Virgin River Christmas and I think it came in at #32. When I heard, I couldn’t breathe for a moment. And then I thought, “Now I can die a happy woman!” I had no idea there was more to come!
Can you give us a hint as to the next book in this series, or the next book to be released?
The next Sullivan’s Crossing book will be out in about a year and I’m not giving anything away. Not yet, anyway. But the next book I’m releasing is titled The Life She Wants. It’s women’s fiction and revolves around Emma Shay, a young woman who goes home to rebuild her life after scandal and loss has left her broke, alone and emotionally whipped. There she encounters her ex best friend, the only person willing to give her a job—cleaning houses. Emma, who not long before employed a housekeeping staff is now doing the cleaning. It’s been called a rags to riches to rags story as Emma is in search of the life she wants.
You were named the winner of the 2016 Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. What authors have influenced you?
When you get down to it, every author influences me. Reading is not only my passion but my job. Early in my career I was greatly influenced by Rosamund Pilcher, Pat Conroy, John Irving, LaVyrle Spencer, Anya Seton.
You and your husband have certainly traveled. What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited?
We thoroughly enjoyed Scotland. I personally love England and we’re very smitten with Maui, especially when the whales are there!
If friends come to visit, where’s your favorite place to take them?
We live in a suburb of Las Vegas and a mile from our home is a great shopping and dining district—where we’re known to meet friends and our grown kids. We usually take visitors to see Hoover Dam and then a bite to eat at one of our favorite local restaurants. If they want to go to the casinos, we loan them a car!
What were the last books you recommended?
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, The Rosie Project by Graham Simseon, If You Only Knew and The Best Man by Kristan Higgins and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
Thank you, Robyn, for taking time for the interview.
Interested in Hollywood fashion history and Edith Head? Join The Poisoned Pen staff when we host Renee Patrick, authors of Design for Dying, a new mystery set in Los Angeles in 1937, featuring Edith Head. The program is Tues., May 3 at 7 PM.
The authors will be bringing paper dolls wearing designs by Edith Head. Sounds fun! Plan to join us. https://bit.ly/1TqJ2DF
How do you roll a dead body in a rug? Find out when MAESTRA presents “How to roll a dead body up in a rug.”
L.S. Hilton, author of the New York Times bestseller and psychological thriller, Maestra, joins Camille Perri, author of The Assistants, here at The Poisoned Pen on Wed. May 4 at 7 PM. Both authors will be discussing and signing their books. Anyone who buys one of the authors’ books will have the chance to win either a $50 gift card or one of two $25 gift cards.
If you can’t make it to the program on Wednesday, you can order signed copies through the online store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Author Vicki Delany was kind enough to share photos from the recent Malice Domestic Awards banquet where Poisoned Pen Bookstore and Poisoned Pen Press owners Barbara Peters and Robert Rosenwald were honored with the Hercule Poirot Award. Of the award, Malice Domestic’s website says,
“The Poirot Award is presented to honor individuals other than writers who have made outstanding contributions to the Malice Domestic genre. The award is bestowed by the Malice Domestic Board of Directors and presented at the Malice Domestic conference. The Poirot Award is not an annual award.”
Congratulations to Barbara and Rob!
Here are the pictures Vicki sent for the blog.
Matt Coyle, author of Yesterday’s Echo, and Andrew Case, author of The Big Fear, recently appeared at The Poisoned Pen.
Patrick Millikin, the Pen’s expert on noir fiction, interviewed the authors.
From the looks of it, a good time was had by all.
You can have a good time as well by ordering one or both books.
In fact, you can order any of your books through The Poisoned Pen’s online store, https://store.poisonedpen.com/.
Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Agatha Awards, presented at the Malice Domestic conference.
Best Children’s/YA – Andi Unstoppable by Amanda Flower
Best Short Story – “A Year Without Santa Claus” by Barb Goffman, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015
Best Non-Fiction – The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards
Best First Novel – On the Road with Del and Louise by Art Taylor
Best Historical Novel – Dreaming Spies by Laurie R. King
Best Contemporary Novel – Long Upon the Land by Margaret Maron
And, for those of us who were not at the Malice Domestic dinner, Vicki Delany shared what she called a photo of “the power table at Malice”.
Today, April 30th, is observed nationwide as Independent Bookstore Day. If you’re here on the blog, we hope you consider The Poisoned Pen to be YOUR independent bookstore.
Just a little information, from the store’s “About Us” page.
“The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, founded in 1989 by Barbara G. Peters, is an independent bookstore specializing in fiction. Discover with us current and classic works of mystery, thrillers, historical and literary fiction, and literature of the American Southwest, much of it offered in autographed first editions and imports. Our book clubs bring exciting new work right to your door.
Located in Old Town Scottsdale’s Art District, The Pen is celebrated for its schedule of author and literary events and its global outreach through webcasts and worldwide shipping. In 1997 Peters and her husband Robert Rosenwald founded Poisoned Pen Press, a separate corporation dedicated to publishing excellence in mystery. The Poisoned Pen hosted the Left Coast Crime Conference in 1995. and most years hosts a themed mystery conference of its own in Scottsdale.
Please sign up for our Enews, read our Booknews, attend our events ““ generally programs of an hour or more with Q&A and book signing ““ at the bookstore or at the Arizona Biltmore Resort or other nearby locations.”
There are so many ways The Poisoned Pen Bookstore serves the needs of readers worldwide. Today, we are giving away items in the store for those shoppers close enough to stop in for Independent Bookstore Day.
But, you help us celebrate every day by buying books, attending events, watching them via Livestream.
Please think of The Poisoned Pen when you think of Independent Bookstore Day, and, if you’re so inclined, purchase a book or two for your own private celebration.
It’s not too early for a heads-up about our Thursday, May 5 evening event at The Poisoned Pen. Diana Gabaldon will host KC Dyer, author of Finding Fraser, a novel inspired by Gabaldon’s Outlander series.
Both authors will sign copies of Finding Fraser. All the details of the 7 PM event on Thursday, May 5 are linked. https://bit.ly/26txNUx
Just a note, though. No outside books will be signed at the event. Only books purchased that day or pre-ordered through the Poisoned Pen will be signed at the event. Thank you for your cooperation. Here’s where you can order your signed copy. https://bit.ly/1VVoWXX
This title’s going to be hot (in more ways than one).
Are you a fan of the mystery awards? The Edgar Awards were announced tonight at the Mystery Writers of America’s annual banquet. The 2016 winners are below. Remember, if you want any of these, we hope you consider ordering them through The Poisoned Pen’s store.
Mary Higgins Clark Award – Little Pretty Things by Lori Rader-Day
Best Juvenile Book – Foster Davis Probably is Crazy by Susan Vaught
Best Young Adult – A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
Best Critical/Biographical – A Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards
Best Fact Crime – Whipping Boy: The Forty-Year Search for My Twelve-Year-Old Bully by Allen Kurzweil
Best Short Story – “Obits” by Stephen King in The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Best Paperback Original – The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney
Best First Novel by an American Author – The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Best Mystery Novel – Let Me Die in His Footsteps by Lori Roy
And, Walter Mosley is this year’s Grand Master.
