C is for Crimebake

So, I mut be the only person at the the entire New England Crimebake who did not get her photo taken with Sue Grafton this weekend. The shy little skinny kid who hung back from the swings in first grade is still someone who does not feel comfortable intruding herself into photos, conversations and stalking literary agents thru the hotel trying to pitch her novels to them. Nope! Would rather bathe in hot pitch. You can give countless Toastmaster's speeches, stand up in crowds, yada-yada but the shy person always remains, at heart, a shy person.

I remember a conversation with my mom in the early days of high school. I had a girls get-together at our house, and afterward, my mom analyzed the girls and their behaviors. C was too forward, and J was just about right. In my mom's book, a "too forward" woman was not a good thing. Since my mom was always a forward person, this was sort of interesting. She obviously did not consider herself so. Hanging back (like moi) was not good either. Striking a balance was right. Hey, how does one do that? I am still hanging back. Not that a photo with Sue actually means anything. But it would have been sort of nice. Because Sue is very nice and I try to be nice, too. Nicely nicely, thank you.

The conference was great, and there were a few little SNAFUs that went unnoticed and of course always undercurrents of competition and "stuff" that we writer's like to write about.

Once I sort through the last pile of paperwork and get food in the house, we're good to go. I can think about Thanksgiving and Christmas. Is one permitted to hide until the holidays are ove? Please? It's too late to start Nanowrimo. Best get on the stick and make a little plan, and keep writing. Keep things sane. Keep things simple. Make soup.

I missed all my HBO programs and Mad Men last night to watch the blankety-blank Pats game. The horror!

For a good overview of the Crimebake, read this blog: http://patremick.blogspot.com/

Significant Other did the moody, atmospheric cover of the 2009 Crimebake program. Cool, yes?

Grapeshot