Toronto - Bloody Words with a Montreal post script

The next day, I exchanged the excitement of the Arthur Ellis awards for the frenetic pace of Bloody Words, Canada's premier mystery conference. This was the sixth time for the annual conference and the fifth time it was held in Toronto. In 2003, a score of us took on the onerous task of organizing it for an Ottawa venue. We're still recovering. So full marks to Caro Soles, Cheryl Freedman and a cast of others in Toronto for sticking with it over the years. I don't know where they get the energy. Muchos accolades to Cheryl and Caro and everyone else for putting on yet again one heck of a good conference.

Writing is a very solitary profession. We hide away in a place where interruptions are few and immerse ourselves into the worlds we are creating. Most of us have little opportunity for contacts with other authors or fans. So a conference like Bloody Words provides the perfect venue for catching up with the happenings of our fellow crime writers and to meet with those whom we are writing for, the mystery reading fans.

This year's BW was no less fulfilling. I had a chance to renew my friendship with Californian writer Taylor Smith after a break of almost 15 years, when she and her family left Ottawa. Amazingly both of us, despite our very different career backgrounds, have ended up writing mysteries. It was great to see Lou Allin looking in the peak of health, despite her recent health problems, which unfortunatley delayed the publishing until 2006 of her 4th Bella Palmer mystery, 'Murder, Eh?' I also met up with a couple of 4MA'ers, Tina Hutchinson and Jan Long. And for those of you not familiar with 4 Mystery Addicts, it is one of the best mystery readers forums on the Internet at groups.yahoo.com/group/4_Mystery_Addicts. I must admit though, that I have been a rather recalcitrant member lately. I unfortunatley found the endless messages too addictive, which in turn intruded on my writing time, so I am now just a lurker.

This year's BW's panels were no less exciting, particularly, if I say so myself, the one I was on, Shamans and Shamus; natives as sleuths. Very ably moderated by short story writer, Jane Burfield, she lead David Cole, Lorna Schultz Nicholson, --- and myself through a very lively discussion about the various native characters we have in our respective mystery series. Needless to say I talked about Eric Odjick, Marie Whiteduck and other members of the Migiskan Algonquin and my desire to bring alive to my readers not only the challenges facing the Algonquin today but also the traditional ways that they are slowly reclaiming.

For me, though, the highlight of the conference was 'Books with Legs', a Caro Soles inspiration. It was a hoot watching the different authors, some more reluctant than others, strut down the runway sporting a fitting head apparel and the cover of their latest book. This was the only BW event I took pictures of, so please check out the album. For a more comprehensive album of the conference check out Tania's blog.

The banquet was no less exciting, for I'd ended up sitting at the same table as the three Boney Pete winners, Coleen Smith(1st), Jane Burfield(2nd) and Sheila Gallant-Halloran(3rd). Needless to say our table was quite jubilant as each in turn went up to receive their award. It was also a fitting end to a super conference.

But my busy travelling June didn't end with Toronto. I had one more trip back to Montreal, where I had a terrific signing the following Saturday, June 18, at the Chapters in Pointe-Claire and where I also met 11 year old Sarah, who dreams of someday becoming a writer.