Is it Wednesday already? I suppose that's what happens when you're a day behind from the beginning of the week!

Three writers came out of the hat today, and I'm delighted to bring you mystery, history, crime and romance in the form of three wonderful women this Welcome Wednesday. A warm wave (sorry, is the alliteration driving you crazy? I can't seem to help myself...) to Anne Perry, Susanna Kearsley, and Elizabeth Boyle.

New York Times Bestseller Anne Perry's publishing career began with The Cater Street Hangman. Published in 1979, this was the first book in the series to feature the Victorian policeman Thomas Pitt and his well-born wife Charlotte. This is arguably the longest sustained crime series by a living writer.

In 1990, Anne started a second series of detective novels with The Face of a Stranger. These are set about 35 years before and features the private detective William Monk and volatile nurse Hester Latterly.

None of her books has ever been out of print, and they have received critical acclaim and huge popular success: over 20 million books are in print world-wide. Her books have appeared on bestseller lists in a number of foreign countries, where she has also had excellent reviews. The Times selected her as one of the "100 Masters of Crime".

In 2010, she published a standalone novel, The Sheen on the Silk, set in the Byzantine Empire, and she is at work on more Pitt and Monk novels. Welcome, Anne!

Susanna Kearsley’s modern gothic novels blend adventure, history, romance and suspense.

As usual, my buddy Michael Slade is up to No Good. 

This time, he's planning a Most Eventful evening for all Night Owls  after 9 pm on the Friday night of the conference. He's recruited some pretty amazing cast members to help him stage two very special...very creepy radio plays.

 The cast?

Slade himself, along with fellow best-selling authors

Diana Gabaldon

Jack Whyte, and

Anne Perry

Using all his devilish charm and wit, he's also managed to wrangle myself and his daughter (and go-writer) Rebecca Clarke to act as sound effects personnel.

The production?

THREE SKELETON KEY and THE THING ON THE FOURBLE BOARD.

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled!

~kc

also blogging as leftwriter

Carmen Merrells, one of our long-time dedicated Board members, recently found this post on Anne Perry's website. Anne is one of our conference favourites -- it's hard to imagine the conference without her!

First I went to Guildford, near Vancouver, for the Surrey International Writers Convention, which I do every year.  It really is superb, the best learning experience I have had in all aspects of the craft of writing.  It is also enormously enjoyable, even if it rains solidly all the time, which this year it did.  It is extremely well organised and it is another where many of the same people come each year, and another chance to meet friends.  But this is in a hotel, and far larger.  I believe there were over 850 this year.  Writers of all genres: history, romance, western, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, biography, self-help and anything else:  also editors and agents.  There are workshops in all aspects of writing and publishing, panels and plenty of general socialising.  I would hate ever to miss it.

  Anne has accepted our invitation again this year, and in addition to the usual workshops, panels and fun, I have it on Very Good Authority that she will be up to some serious hi-jinks, being led astray by the most notorious Michael Slade. More on that soon...