Book Launch A Death in Lionel's Woods at Buffalo Books and Coffee

I first met Christine Husom at a library event I hosted in 2011.  She drew a nice crowd and they loved her and she loved them, so it seemed. She definitely had that gift of back and forth with the audience.  A former policewoman, she seemed exactly like her heroine Corinne Aleckson to me though she said no, she didn't see that she was her character.

I hadn't seen her since then but wanted to be at the launch of this next book in the Winnebago County mysteries: A Death in Lionel's Woods.  Off I went on a rainy November day to Buffalo Minnesota.  What a nice little town, full of fun shops. 

The bookstore was hopping, Christine was right up front beaming away and signing books.  I think I looked familiar to her but she couldn't place me until I asked her to sign the book to Librariandoa, then she recognized me.  :)    The bookstore was too busy to really chat, but it was nice to see her and I boldly asked if I could have my picture with her.

A Death in Lionel's Woods starts with a woman's body being found in a woods by a hunter.  She is wearing an unusual homespun dress and beneath her body is a garden trowel which looks to have been used to bury stacks of money before the woman died.  (I am assuming!)  The Winnebago County Mysteries used to be based somewhat on real life cases, as I recall, and I wonder if this one is as well.

Visit Christine Husom's web site for more information and the other titles in this series.

Traveling Librarian: Erin and Paddy in Cambridge MN

I love seeing my favorite authors in person.  One of the very best is mystery author Erin Hart.

 

I traveled north last night to see her and her husband Paddy in Cambridge Minnesota.  There was this long thin packed-with-books store called Scout & Morgan. 

Chairs were set up at front near a fireplace.  Somehow they managed to fit in a projection screen and ran pictures from Paddy's book The Road from Castlebarnagh and then settings and objects from Erin's book The Book of Killowen.

That little store was just packed with people.  The store owner was just this lovely lady who handed out a glass of Guiness at the door. 

You can imagine the audience was relaxed and happy.  Afterwards there was a concert with Paddy and his button accordion and I'm sure Erin sang with that heavenly voice of hers.  I wasn't able to stay, and a look into the cafe next door where the concert would be let me know there really was no room for me and my big coat.  It was just packed like sardines in there.

I came away just smiling dreamily and thinking for the first time in my life how nice it would be to own a wondrous little bookstore and have authors and musicians in, plying the crowd with goodies and refreshments :)

If you are in this area, you should make an effort to see Erin and Paddy and snap up their new books.  I read a chapter or so of The Road from Castlebarnagh when I got home.  It is a memoir of his early days and musical roots.  It is written in a lovely conversational style as if he is sitting with you and telling you stories.

Where to see Erin and Paddy  Erin Hart Events

Walk n' Talk in the Park with Erin Hart Thursday May 12, 2011

I'm really excited to have the opportunity to work on this event at Thompson Park Activity Center in West St Paul.

You not only have the opportunity to talk with Erin about her books (False Mermaid being the latest) but you can take a walk around the beautiful lake at the park with her and a parks department representative. What a neat way to collaborate with the Parks department.

Erin will also be showing people an authentic Irish craft.

This will be a wonderfully refreshing couple of hours after the long long winter.

Visit Erin's site for more about her and her books.

The Minnesota Crime Wave

Minnesota Crime Wave authors Carl Brookins, William Kent Krueger and Ellen Hart appeared at my library last night. They are the coolest group of authors ever. You need to see them in person to appreciate just how wonderful they are.

Despite the unending rain, and a nailbiter Twins game that should have been over by the time of the event, we had a good crowd. Not just numbers wise, but they were very engaged by the authors and they asked alot of questions. It is a tribute to how warm, smart, funny and fascinating these authors are that the audience was very relaxed and they felt comfortable enough to ask all about the authors works and the process of writing. Even after the end of the program people gathered around the Crime Wave asking even more questions.

Often at these events we get people who have never been to an author program before and they are so amazed at how great it is hear them speak, and be able to ask anything at all of their favorite authors. I encourage any reader to find your local author appearance list, check your library, look in the paper, or go a bookstore event. I guarantee you will like your author even more, or find a new author to read, and generally you can buy their books on the spot and go home happy.

Visit the Minnesota Crime Wave web site to find out more about them and to perhaps arrange an author appearance.

The authors also have their own individual sites so you can enjoy reading about them and their works even more:

Ellen Hart

William Kent Krueger

Carl Brookins