The interim officers continued working toward the goal of affiliating with Sisters in Crime. But then we looked at the annual survey responses. And we considered some other issues…
Meanwhile, here’s what happened during the first several months:
Level up, authorpreneur
Laurie Buchanan showed us how to level up the business side of writing for our January meeting. Become a serious contender; avoid burnout and overwhelm; determine when to take risks. Attendees were treated to a firehose of useful information.
It all starts here
February’s guided open discussion recognized that it all starts with relationships. Why is that? One reason is that relationships mean conflict. And conflict is the red blood coursing through the body of any good crime fiction.
Research historical crime
Writers learned from Patricia Marcantonio how choosing the right time in history can enhance the conflict. They also learned how to conduct effective and efficient research, consider out-of-the-box places to research, and when to stop researching and get to work writing.
Book Fair: March 16
We sponsored a book fair — the first of a planned annual event — at a local library (Cole & Ustick in Boise).
A dozen authors were on hand with their books and merch. A steady flow of shoppers and the curious made for many ‘new-to-me’ author discoveries and a decent number of sales.
Murder methods
Another well-attended Zoom meeting for April: What are some of your favorite methods? Ones that struck you with their creativity and surprise factor? What methods are most fun to write, or effective to deploy?
Gunsmith tour
May brought an on-site tour of a local longtime professional’s gun-smithing shop: Dean Barton, an Idaho native, obtained a Federal Firearm License 30 years ago. This enabled him to begin his custom gun-smithing business.