And what a pleasurable experience it was! Finally, I had the opportunity to match faces with names, hug my agent, and shake hands with one of my editors. The two highlights were seeing the other Cozy Chicks in person and talking to readers over dinner and after my panel. This seems cheesy, but mystery writers and mystery readers are the NICEST and most approachable people one could ever hope to meet!

When I left on Friday for D.C., I have to admit that I was in a bit of a funk. I’ve been writing non-stop for months and was chaffing at the reins. Malice reaffirmed why I love my job and how much I want to be known as a mystery writer for the rest of my days. For those of you who think about taking up the pen (or the word processor) yourself, Malice is a great place to soak up some atmosphere and ask writers honest questions. For those who have already been published, it’s a fabulous place to cheer on your fellow writers, to complain to one another about industry issues, and to brainstorm about promotion and the future of our careers. Add a bunch a food, a few glasses of wine, and a pile of free books to the mix, and you’ve got a fabulous weekend!

It was great to see Heather, Maggie, Diane, Karen, and Laura Durham in the flesh. You are all beautiful ladies and terrific writers and I am so proud to be among your number. I hope everyone had a safe trip back home.

I also wanted to announce the release of Book Two in my supper club series, FIT TO DIE. I love writing abvout James Henry and The Flab Five. They are such warm, fun, and genuuine characters that I enjoy hanging out with them in my imagination.

Here’s the blurb: Welcome back to Quincy’s Gap, Virginia, where James Henry and his dieting group contend with dangerous secrets, dark intrigue, and delicious praline sundaes. Six months after starting their low-carb diet, the Flab Five are feeling motivationally-challenged. A new ice cream shophas come to town, but so has the Witness to Fitness weight loss center, run by the fanatical Veronica Levitt. Maybe Veronica’s “take-no-prisoners” approach is just what the group needs.

Between dieting, caring for his cranky father, and struggling with his growing affection for Lucy, James has his plate full. But when he and his fellow dieters poke around in an arson case that turns into a murder investigation, the Flab Five discover that they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

A cozy “village” mystery, Fit to Die is the second book in the warm and wonderful Supper Club Mystery series.