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Friday in the Windy (and Snowy) City
February 2, 2008

Friday could have started off better than the 8 inches of snow we got.  It was still snowing when I left and by the time I stopped at the Oasis for gas, I was ready for my hazelnut coffee and a full tank of gas.  After 10 minutes of futzing with the pump, I went to the building and there was a sign that said they were closed because the system was down.  By the time I got back to my car, there were six other pumpers there scratching their heads.  The good news is that I got my coffee, but then missed my exit at O'Hare and had to loop back.  Finally got to the Love is Murder conference at the hotel, unloaded my car and was told, no valet.  Hopped back in my car and drove into the parking lot (no covered structure here) and drove about 2 football fields to find a parking spot only to have the plow snow me in.  I don't even care since I won't be back to my car until Sunday.



Had lunch in the bar with the entertaining Jana Oliver who's hubby is waiting for her to strike it rich and make him a kept man.  Until then, he's busting his butt helping her out with her writing career (what a sweetie).

I stopped in for the cocktail party, but it was in a stuffy room that smelled like the boy's locker room in junior high (not that I ever was in there to smell it).  Then I ended up meeting Earl (E.L.) Merkel, a former journalist who is now an author.  He had volunteered to interview authors and tape the talk.  Hopefully they will be up on the Love Is Murder website soon.  I'll let you know when I get the link because Earl then interviewed me!  It was great fun and I pretended he was Howard Stern (just kidding).

K. Osborn Sullivan, Annmarie Ortega, and Stacey Klemstein

I went to the author signing and met several new authors.  I have a feeling you will  all know these names before too long.  (Trivia - Sullivan and Ortega are cousins...you may need to know this someday).

L-R:  Morgan Mandel, Margot Justes, Talila Millman, Deb Gross and Laurie DeMarino

Then on to a buffet dinner (yummy) and I even managed to skip dessert (and it was cheesecake!!).  The lovely ladies who shared my table are all members of the Chicago North chapter of the RWA.  They thoughtfully invited me to attend their regional meeting in April, Chicago Spring Fling.  Eloisa James will be the guest speaker and I'm hoping I'll be able to make it.  

Dave Case and Micahel A. Black

Next up was a crime scene seminar put on by 2 Chicago sargents who also happen to be authors.  They even set up a crime scene complete with clues.  Everyone was given the police report and then got to examine the scene to try to figure out whodunit.

For the finale of the evening, the Death by Chocolate group supplied delectable chocolate desserts including chocolate covered strawberries (huge and juicy), chocolate mousse in chocolate candy cups (my mouth is watering just thinking about it) and little chocolate bundt cakes (absolutely decadent).



Bottom Line:   Mystery, mayhem and death in the Windy City...My kind of town, Chicago is. 

                                                                 

Posted by Barbara Vey on February 2, 2008 | Comments (5)