Couldn’t sum it up better.

I’m here in Muskego, Wisconsin, at their beautiful library for the fourth annual Murder and Mayhem in Muskego conference.
There’s about 250 people listening to a panel called Hooking the Reader, and among the panelists is B Clay Moore, author of the comics series Hawain Dick.
And this largley mystery-reading crowd – probably here to see headliner Dennis Lehane – are really interested in hearing about his experiences writing graphic novels. Pretty cool.
I’m up a bit later, moderating a panel on setting.

Back in the green room talking movies and dogs with Dennis Lehane. Mystery writers are the coolest people.

Finally! The kids have been working on seventh-grade science projects, my wife has been working on writing and re-connecting with friends on Facebook. I’ve been swamped at work due to the election and doing a lot of travel. That left me about enough time to do work around the house.
I haven’t even had a chance to get physical therapy on my knee – which I’ll be seeing about tomorrow.
But now, Kathy and the girls are out of the house, I’ve still got things to do around here but I’m caught up enough to sit down at the computer and do a blog post.
But all the things I’ve been thinking and reading about in various places over the past few months seem kind of dated right now. Oh well.
So, let me add to a meme from over at Brian’s: A = American History X and H = Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer.

Paul Pate had to put aside his excellent series, Detective Perez, for a while as life got in the way – as it so often does. But he’s back and I recommend you go back and check this cool cartoon out.
And if you’re looking for a good book to read, author Michael Black will be debuting his new book, “Windy City Knights,” this weekend at Centuries and Sleuths bookstore. I’m reading his book “Random Victim” right now and it’s great.

Bubs stopped by in the thread below and asked about my knee. Thanks Bubs!
Actually, it’s doing pretty good. Problem is, the same travel and workload that kept me from updating my latest story also kept me from doing something rather important: Physical therapy.
I know, really stupid. Still, I did a lot of walking and stretching and … the doctor told me Monday that I’ll have a bit of a harder time breaking up the scar tissue that’s built up since then.
Oh well, I guess I’ll deserve it. So, I’m going to make the call this week and start getting my range of motion back. Then, back to Hapkido.
Meantime, go see Bubs’ Freak of the week

One thing that drives small-press publishers nuts is when someone asks – derisively – whether they’re a “Print-on-Demand” publisher.
This is ignorant on a number of levels, and it’s usually asked by someone who couldn’t get published if they paid for it.
Every publisher in the business – and that includes big ones like Harper Collins and Scholastic – are either using POD technology or are moving toward it. Remember that word – techonology. That’s all it is, folks, and it’s crazy to somehow think the product is somehow unworthy due to the printing technology used.
The future that is being worked toward is this, and the original vision behind it goes like this:
Imagine you’re in a relatively poor, remote country. You don’t have a computer, you barely have a roof over your head. But within a day’s walk, you can get to a place that has a perfect book machine – likely a non-profit – and they can print out a book for you at extremely low or no cost.
Scale that up to a modern city and you get a small bookstore that has several shelves of books you can browse, or if you know what you want and they don’t have it, you can buy it right there – hot off the perfect book machine.
No printing, warehousing, shipping, returns cost for the publisher. Far less waste too.
That’s POD technology.
That has nothing to do with what the original questioner asked. That person actually wants to know whether you are self-published or the product of a vanity press. In other words, did you pay to have your book published in some way?
If you did, that’s fine. I’m not. I’m “traditionally published,” I was paid for the right to have my books published.
It’s just that “traditional publishing” has nothing to do with how it’s printed – or let’s get really science-fictiony – in what form it’s delivered.
More on that in a future post.

So it’s been a while since we’ve had one of these. Usually, when Mom is at bookclub or something, we go out and get films that are – shall we say – less than beautiful.
But this time, she’ll be with us so it looks like she’s going to sit through either “The Mummy” or “Hellboy.”

Echelon Press is having a bit of a sale – a chance for a free gift card if you buy a book before December 19. So if you’ve been holding back, now is a good time to buy Cash & Carry!

Just heard about a New Jersey Wal-Mart temp worker who was trampled to death when they openned the doors this morning.
I just don’t get it. Here’s an alternative to the madness – go to a bookstore ( preferrably an independant one) and do some shopping there. These stores can really use the help, and it’s unlikely you’ll be in physical danger.