Beats Working For a Living

Jeff Cohen

I spent Friday night and Saturday at Murder 203, the newly minted mystery book convention in Connecticut, and got a lesson in how a small convention should be run. A great big shout-out to the whole crew in Easton, Westport and all points in between for getting a great show together in record time (this began, as far as I know, within the last six months).

I'll be doing a bit of traveling the next few weeks. Tonight, a short trip to Manalapan, NJ for a talk on Asperger's and parenting with ASPEN NJ--hope to see some pals out there--and then beginning May 1, a few miles will be put on the Prius.

First, it's Malice Domestic in Arlington, VA, for a return appearance (I didn't go last year for scheduling and financial reasons). Over 100 authors who have at least walked by a traditional mystery in the bookstore will be on hand, and many are pals I'll be glad to see (others will be pals I haven't met yet). Two panels await (more info on all this at my web site).

About fifteen minutes after Malice is over, I'll be back in the Prius heading for Oakmont, PA (about four hours as the MapQuest flies) for the Festival of Mystery, run by the Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont. It'll be my first visit, but every author I know who's been there promises a stupendous event run by people who really and truly care about books and authors. Who can argue with that?

(The day after that is the drive from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, where my regular teaching gig will be waiting, and I'll get to see my son.)

Let's be honest, here: There is a certain amount of ego involved in being an author. If not, we'd write our little stories, show them to our friends, maybe put them in a drawer, tinker with them when we had some spare time, and the more financially needy among us (which counts as 95 percent of all authors) would try to sell the works to publishers in hopes of paying for better insulation for the refrigerator cartons we're living in. But we don't do that--we all badger agents and publishers endlessly to recognize our talent, respond to our message, and more than anything else, to help us find more readers.

We don't stay up nights worrying about story points or the perfect phrase; we pace the floor at three in the morning trying to come up with a form of self-promotion that hasn't been done before, or has been done before, but which would work. We want everyone on the planet, literally (except that one guy) to read our books. And we want everyone on the planet (even him) to love them.

Why? Because we have egos, and that's the area in which they manifest. Otherwise, we'd be successful mechanics, upholsterers, bartenders and other useful workers. 

So a convention like Murder 203 is especially sweet, because for a few hours or a couple of days, an author is treated like someone really special. And if you think we don't like that, you've never actually met an author.

The organizers had actually READ our books, and could discuss them. They placed us on panels that actually fitted our work and our personalities. They cared whether we were finding new readers and if our books were selling. And the fact that the convention was run in and by libraries added to the pleasure--who likes books better than librarians?

Naturally, it's also a blast to see pals along the way, and there were a bunch at the Connecticut con. But the real adrenaline comes with meeting new readers, and there were plenty of those, as well. I'd be happy to attend again next year (I'm told the second annual is already in the planning stages), and I hope I'm invited.

But if you happen to be in Arlington, VA from May 1-3 or in Oakmont, PA on May 4, I do hope you'll walk up and say hello. 

There really and truly isn't anything we authors like more. Well, maybe one thing, but it's best not to discuss that at conventions.

Comments

[Jersey Jack]

It won't be as much fun for an old pro like yourself, but signing my name in the bathroom of Mystery Lovers Bookshop, with all those other authors, was a major highlight of my book touring. Oh, and you'll sell a lot of books, too. Enjoy!

[Lorraine Bartlett]

Hey, I'm leaving Malice 15 minutes after it ends, too! Maybe we can race to Oakmont!

[Jeff Cohen]

I own a Prius, Lorraine. You win.

[Rachel Brady]

Hi Jeff,

We haven't met yet but I'll look for you at Malice. I've been lurking on Dead Guy for a long time and it'll be fun to meet you and put a face with the name. This will be my first trip to Malice and I'm getting excited. See you in Arlington. :-)