Thursday, September 12, 2019

Big D, Little a, Double L - A - S!

The winner of Edith Maxwell's JUDGE THEE NOT is Mary D! Mary, please contact Edith at edithmax at Google mail.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Howdy, pards. We're not fixin' to brag, but we've got news. You're going to want to mosey on up to the bar and make your reservations right away, because the Jungle Reds are coming to Dallas!

That's right: not two, not four, but all seven Reds will be boot scootin' and line dancin'- okay, my Texas lingo has just shorted out picturing Rhys boot scootin'.  The whole lot of us will be at Bouchercon in Dallas, this year, and it will be the first time since 2012 you've been able to see the whole crew together. Here to help get out the details is my Imaginary Friend!

Imaginary Friend: Julia, I'm so excited about the chance to meet all the Reds in person! Are you going to have one of your wildly popular, hysterically funny game show panels? 

Julia: Yes, we are, Imaginary Friend! This year, we're playing "Who Wants to be a Mysteryaire?" Everyone in the audience will have a chance to be part of the lifeline team for each of the Reds, as we pit two teams against one another, competing to see who knows the most mystery book, movie, and author-related trivia. We'll have categories like "Which Red?" and "Pets in Mysteries" and "Where's the Body?" among others.

Imaginary Friend: That sounds like a blast. Can I do anything to help?

Julia: I'm glad you asked that, Imaginary Friend. We'd love all our Red friends and family to email - don't put them in the comments! - possible questions to me at juliaspencerfleming at Google mail.

Imaginary Friend: Why to you?

Julia: Because I'm the moderator.

Imaginary Friend: Is that an important position?

Julia: Very.

Imaginary Friend: I'm sold! When and where will you be presenting "Who Wants to be a Mysteryaire?"

Julia: We don't have a location yet, but it will be Thursday, October  31, at 2:30.

Imaginary Friend: Thursday?

Julia: Yes, at 2:30. It's Halloween, so please feel free to come in costume!

Imaginary Friend: Is the con even open Thursday afternoon?

Julia: YES IT IS, IMAGINARY FRIEND.

Imaginary Friend: Yeah, okay, if you say so. I may need a little incentive to get there that early. Are you giving away prizes or some such?

Julia: We are giving away an AWESOME prize for one lucky attendee: a Jungle Reds Gift Basket and an invitation to be a "Red for a Day" - an appearance on our blog, with all the bells and whistles!

Imaginary Friend: Wow, I could promote my book big time.

Julia: You mean your imaginary book?

Imaginary Friend: That's harsh. 

Julia: You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just a little touchy about the Thursday time slot.

Imaginary Friend: Better give everyone the details again, so they won't forget.

Come see the Jungle Red Writers in "Who Wants to be a Mysteryaire" at the Dallas Bouchercon, Thursday, October 31 (Halloween!) at 2:30!

Please send in your mystery-related trivia questions to Juliaspencerfleming at Google mail! 

One lucky attendee will win a big, bursting Jungle Reds basket and be selected as "Red for a Day!"

Dear readers, are you planning to come to Bouchercon? Do you have fond memories of past cons? Do you think my Imaginary Friend and I are spending too much time alone in the house? Hop on the comments and discuss!
 

93 comments:

  1. Well, this is exciting news . . . I daresay this is going to be the best Halloween ever!
    I’m putting on my thinking cap to see if I can come up with a question . . . .

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  2. I will be there with bells on! Imaginary bells. Unless I can find some real ones for sale near the hotel. Will try to think of a question or two for you, Julia.

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    1. Yay! We'll have a chance to update our photo from last year!

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    2. Absolutely! I love that photo!

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  3. Oh thanks, Julia! Now I'm really depressed!! Bouchercon is going to be fabulous!!!! Wish I could be there--your panel will be a hoot and the prizes are spectacular! And though that Thursday time-slot is a bit of an ouch, what a way to kick off the conference for the Reds and your readers/fans/groupies! :-)

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  4. Oh, and I don't know, but I can totally see Rhys boot-scootin' and sashaying down a line dance!

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    1. Confession: I have no idea what boot scootin' is. The name merged with the term "bootie" in my head and I got all sorts of weird images.

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    2. Boot-scootin' is part of line dancing--you sort of scoot yer boots along, like a shuffle or a shallow kick,I believe.

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    3. But there is definitely a "bootie shakin'" element to boot scootin'. I can imagine Rhys doing both in a completely ladylike way.

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  5. Hey, they're putting you on Thursday to kick off the conference with a blast! I, alas, will not be there this year (sniff). Your imaginary friend and I are going to want pictures. Lots of pictures.

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    1. The Monday after B'con is the start of my week, Edith, so expect a whole run-down, pics included.

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    2. Yay! I can't be there, so a report is the best I can hope for.

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  6. Julia,

    Sadly, I am not going to be a Bouchercon. I keep hoping they'll announce Bouchercon Boston some year because I'd love to go to such a big convention that draws so many authors and fans in one place. I'll get to a book convention someday.

    Since I've never been to a book convention so I don't have any fond memories from any of them. I've been to a few comic conventions over the years and have plenty of memories from those.

    The notion of the game show panel being held on Halloween is cool, though here at my house I'll be too busy passing out candy and comic books to all the visitors to my door.

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    1. One thing I don't have to worry about, Jay - being absent from home on Halloween. There are only a few houses on my country road, and for the past few years I've gotten no more than two visitors the entire evening!

      BTW, my kids would have been ecstatic if they had gotten comic books in their haul. You must be the most popular destination in your neighborhood.

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    2. Julia, I have kids who have referred to me as "The Comic Book House", including one little girl who every year walks out of her house on Halloween and asks her mom, "When are we going to the Comic Book House?"

      And I give out other stuff too. Kids walk away with brand new action figures sometimes. This year I've got Star Wars stuff and for the girls I have a few DC Super Hero Girls figures too.

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  7. Julia, I will be at Bouchercon and you bet I'll be there on Thursday to participate. I'll try to think up some questions for you.

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  8. Dang it! I was not planning to go. But now I'm thinking...

    All seven Reds in the house!

    I'll try to come up with a question, maybe two.

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    1. You know you want to come, Karen...

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    2. Karen, please come!! It's going to be a terrific conference! And Dallas at the end of October should be lovely.

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  9. Yes ! My plane lands in the morning. I'll be there.
    My last and only Bouchercon was in Toronto where I helped Hallie and Debs to hand out signed books. I also met Hank to get a signed book, and also Edith .
    When playing at The Reds " Do you want to know a secret ?" I won a book from Ingrid Thoft.
    I attended lots of panels, met many loved authors. Everybody was so kind. All in all, a very good experience.
    Looking forward to meet you in Dallas Julia.
    What I would like is being able to meet most of the readers and commenters of this blog that will be there. Have a chance to say Hi and put a face on the names I see everyday.

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    1. I look forward to putting a face to your name as well, Danielle! Maybe we can have a special button or sticker for members of the Red community to recognize one another - there are many people here I "talk" to more often than I talk to friends who live right here in Maine!

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    2. Yes Julia, the special button or sticker for the members of the Reds is a good idea

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    3. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone too.
      I don’t comment much because I’m working or sleeping when most of you are commenting.
      Three hours behind here in California, with a lot of early client meetings.

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  10. Wish I was going to be there this year, but at least I will see many of you at New England Crime Bake the following weekend.

    As for Thursday panels, they are quite well attended and you will certainly have many fans in the audience. It's mostly authors who don't attend for the entire convention. Fans that sign up tend to go for the whole thing Thurs-Sunday.

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    1. Kristopher, that's something I hadn't heard, and it's good to know.

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    2. My daughter and I are attending for the first time this year. We fly in Wednesday night from the SF Bay Area. We are making it a mini vacation and are staying until Sunday.
      We will definitely attend your event on Thursday. It’s great that all the Jungle Reds are attending,

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  11. Why so glum about Thursday? Most of the readers arrive on Thursday looking to get a head start, so there will be plenty in the audience. 2:30 is also perfect as it is right after lunch and we're ready to have more fun.

    I'm so looking forward to seeing all of you on Thursday and I love your "game" shows. I recall helping at one of the Jungle Red "game" panel before. It was fun.

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    1. I think Thursday will be fine! We will be the kick-off--and maybe even encourage people to come in early!

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    2. Dru, Kristopher put his finger on it above - most authors arrive in time for the big opening or for their panels. I'm not sure I've ever been on a Thursday panel before! But I'm going to choose to think, as Edith said, they want us to kick off the con with a big blast!

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    3. See my comment above, we are coming on Wednesday and leaving Sunday. Some of that was for flight scheduling, but we are making it a mini vacation. My daughter has not been to Dallas before, except to change planes.

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    4. I believe you were on a Thursday panel in Baltimore at 8:30 AM. Robin Burcell was the moderator. Standing room only.

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  12. I will certainly be there, Julie too. And in costume. I have a question, not for the panel, but for here. Even though all the Reds are going (so excited to meet Julia), I've noticed that many of my other favorites will not be there, most pointedly Ann Cleeves and Louise Penny, but many more too. Mind you, I lived in Texas for many years, have a degree from UT, and all my children and 2/3 of my grandchildren live in the DFW area. Still and all, I hesitate to go to an open carry state, and I wonder if that has anything to do with so many authors skipping Bouchercon this year. I probably am making all this up, but I'm allowed to do that in this company, right?

    I'll get a couple of panel questions off to you, Julia, sometime today.

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    1. Ann and Louise are not regulars at these conferences. I've only seen Ann once, and Louise twice, in the nine or ten conferences I've attended. It's pretty expensive to attend, especially if you're traveling overseas, as Ann would be.

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    2. This will be the first one not seeing Ann or Louise, plus quite a few more. I do think the reason both of them are skipping Dallas is partly due to the New England Crime Bake being the next week. Maybe I'm just projecting. If I could airlift all my children out of Texas I would. It's frightening to see people carrying guns in the grocery store.

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    3. Ann, in the time since Texas enacted open carry, we have seen ONE person carrying a gun, and that was at a neighbor's birthday party, rather than in a public place. Please do not worry! And as far as Ann and Louise, Ann has not been a regular at B'con. She did want to come this year but she is doing Crime Bake and it was too long for her to be away from home. And I think Louise's schedule is such that she only does conferences if she is GOH.

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    4. The only guy I've ever seen openly carrying in a public place was a Texas Ranger.

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    5. You’re both right. I was thinking of the concealed weapons.

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    6. Ann, you raised the question that I was thinking about too. I’m in California, and an open carry law can be scary if you haven’t been in the area and do not know what exactly the reality is in a particular geographic area.
      My Mom’s family is from Missouri, also an open carry state. In the rural areas you see guns much more frequently than in the cities and their suburbs.
      I’m not concerned about it in Dallas. Looking forward to meeting all of you at the conference.

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    7. Don't worry about it! Most businesses,churches, and public places have signs up forbidding guns on the premises. The majority of us Texans are completely sane.

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    8. In this company, I have no problem admitting that the gun laws (and even more for me personally, some of the LGBTQ restrictions) of Texas certainly played a part in my decision not to attend. Likely I would have found ways to combat this (probably by making charitable donations to related causes) if it wasn't for the fact that Crime Bake is the following weekend and I have been wanting to try that conference for a few years now anyway. So, I elected to do that instead. But I do know that others have had similar concerns - though I certainly can't speak for Ann or Louise. I am sure their reasons are more in line with those discussed above.

      Ann has always been more frequent at Malice Domestic than Bouchercon and no doubt Louise is just overwhelmed with commitments.

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  13. Someone forgot to lock the gate.

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  14. Replies
    1. Keeping up our tradition of only ever seeing each other in states we don't live in!

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  15. Julia, I want you to know that I can do Cotton eyed Joe with the best of them! I lived in Houston for three years

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    1. Okay, folks, you heard it here first - Rhys will give us a brief dance demonstration to kick off the conference!

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  16. Ah, lovely Julia, your Texas vernacular is a little on the way-out-there side, even for West Texas, which Dallas is not. All is forgiven, though, because of the Flatlanders video. Love me some Flatlanders! I mean, who doesn't love Buddhist country rock? Dallas' sister city to the west has long proclaimed that Fort Worth is where the west begins. That means Dallas is where the east peters out. If you come expecting cowboys, you'll be disappointed, but it's still a fine city. I'll see you all there!

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    1. But, Gigi, I'm determined to wear those cowboy boots I bought at Roundtop last year!!

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    2. Gigi, I do have one authentic Texas cred: I am a huge fan of the Robert Earl Keen Band.

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    3. Is there any local vernacular left? Or do you sound like Californians with a slight twang?
      My Mom’s relatives in Missouri have no accent at all. Other relatives, who live further south in Missouri have strong accents. I have always wondered why there is such a difference between them.

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    4. There are a variety of Texas accents, but they fade out in the cities. When I first moved here, more than 30 years ago, I still heard older people pronounce Elm as Ell-um, for instance. Also, further west, you hear a lot about people "fixin' to" do something or go somewhere. But remember, more people move to Texas each year than move to any other state. Every accent known to humankind is likely represented in Dallas.

      And, Julia, Texas music rocks. Robert Earl Keen is a great place to start, but be brave and branch out. Try Guy Clark's album, "Dublin Blues," or the Flatlander's "Now Again." So much good music out there!

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    5. Halloween birthday girl here, so, I won't go off on my own that weekend, but it sounds like you are all going to have a blast!! Hey, Debs, I wear my cowboy boots in CT and no one even blinks! Wish I could see you all together, what fun.

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  17. Sounds like fun. I just checked flights out of STS and SFO to Dallas, I'd have to leave in the 30th to be at "Who Wants to be a Mysteryiare" .... oh.... well....sigh ...... Maybe you would all like to come to Sacramento next year, I can drive there! If I come up with a brilliant question I'll send it your way. In the meantime, say hello to your imaginary friend, Julia, and remind her not let the screen door slam when she comes in from the yard. She is a she isn't she?

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    1. I haven't asked, Deana. I didn't want to be rude. :-)

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    2. I don’t where you are located in California, but did you check flights into Love Field rather than the Dallas International airport?
      I am flying from San Jose to Love Field, the smaller airport. Southwest,?Alaska and United all have multiple flights available.

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  18. That sounds like so much fun. I would love to go. Sadly, I will be in Southern CA working that day. :( But if I were going to Bouchercon, I would definitely be there.

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    1. Oh, well, if you're going to let a little thing like making a living get in the way of your mystery fandom, Mark...

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    2. I have to have some way to pay for the place where I store my books.

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  19. I will be there. Arriving Tuesday for the SINC workshop Wednesday. Will definitely be at the Reds game show. Wouldn't miss it! And to say hello to the Reds IRL. Can't wait,y'all! (Sorry. Just had to write it)

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  20. Woo hoo! DALLAS was just named Bon Appetit's Restaurant City of the Year!!!!!
    https://www.bonappetit.com/story/dallas-texas-city-of-the-year-2019

    Check this out if you are come to Bouchercon--and if not, maybe you will change your mind!

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    1. We will definitely be interested in finding some great food. What is the weather like in late October? I’m coming from central California where it is still in the low eighties but cools off at night. Trying to figure out the clothing I issue.

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    2. Probably about the same, Susan. At least we HOPE it will be like that by the end of October.

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  21. Julia you are fabulous! And as moderator you will be superb and we will all bow down to your awesomeness! I can't wait to hear what questions people come up with. In the meanwhile I'm studying up. And ironing my red-leopard pashmina.

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  22. I cannot even type, I am laughing so hard.

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  23. And Debs and I are guests of honor! So you can tell us by our, um, well, you'll recognize us. xoxo

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    1. Hank, we need to get you some cowboy boots:-)

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    2. Classic Lucheses for Hank, I think?

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    3. I have them! And you can betcher whatever I will wear them! (I mean, seriously, should I?)

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    4. And aw, Gigi, thank you for the vote of confidence!

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    5. Hank, Boston Girl, wear the boots!!

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  24. Okay, now I'm freaking out and off to read every mystery trivia book that's ever been written. Also, can I have Barbara Peters from the Poisoned Pen on speed dial or is that a no-no? Side note: I have navy blue cowboy boots with embroidered flowers and I'm gonna wear them!

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  25. Julia & Imaginary friend -- oh that I could be there. I am sure most of you have forgotten my sad tale of a flat tire that prevented my meeting y'all last year in St. Pete.
    so... if I sell enough cross stitch I could make it. but only want to see the Reds. Let's get hypothetical.. let's assume I invited Imaginary Friend to lunch at 12 noon on 31Oct in Dallas. and then Friend said c'mom meet the Reds.. let's assume I became a 'mystery guest w/o pay!. Let's further assume I did not get to be the subject of a very fun mug shot courtesy of The Dallas Police.
    If all assumptions were came true I would be there. If not.. then look for my questions for the group. Geez I will miss seeing you.

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  26. I'll be there! So looking forward to meeting the Reds, and that includes all you commenters too. I think Danielle in particular gave me a needed boost to register when I was waffling. I think we need a Reds meet and greet. Boots optional, although I will wear a pair for the dance. Hope they're going to give us remedial dance lessons because it's been a long time since I danced the schottische, cotton-eye joe, or the two step. I take it Thursday afternoon is not considered prime time? Phooey on that. Works for me! We're driving up from Houston on Wednesday so I don't miss a thing. One question to those who know: are those Sunday morning panels well attended or are people checking out and leaving by then?

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  27. Oh how I wish I was going, but Dallas is a few piece from Portland, OR and I don't fly. I'm sure you'll all have a BLAST! I'll be thinking of you all and keeping an eye on the 'con via internet.

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  28. Sounds like great fun. I'm looking forward to your reports.

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  29. Sounds like you all are going to have a wonderful time in Dallas. Safe travels! Sorry I am Not going to Dallas this year.

    Hope to see all of you at Bouchercon next year in Sacramento. Saving my pennies for Sacramento.

    Diana

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  30. Everyone who is going to Dallas - please share your photos on Facebook and Instagram :-)

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  31. wish I could be there. Wear the boots!

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  32. Oh, my wonderful, beautiful, brilliant Reds. I was looking forward to seeing you all in Dallas so much. The Jungle Reds' panel is always the most fun. But, I've recently decided that I won't be at this year's Bouchercon. I'm so sad that I won't see all the amazing mystery/crime friends whom I love, and missing Debs' and Hank both being honored is going to kill me. However, this year has been challenging, and while, it pales in comparison to so many of those whose sadness has touched me, I'm needing a quiet space of time the rest of the year. I'm thinking of taking a short trip with a friend to enjoy the leaves changing colors. Bouchercon is an event I dearly love, but it takes a bit more out of me than I can give this year. I am going to recharge and be ready for Sacramento next year and maybe a trip to England. So, I can't wait to see all the fun everyone has in Dallas, all the great pictures, and I wish you all the best of times.

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    1. Send us pictures of the fall color, Kathy. That doesn't happen much here, and I miss it. Take care of yourself, and restore your health/peace of mind/soul as needed.

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    2. Gigi, you are so sweet. Thank you. I will post some pics of the lovely leaves.

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  33. I didn’t really understand what Bouchercon was. I thought it was for writers only. Now I am totally geeking out on the thought of actually attending. My hubby is even on board...

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  34. Just saw this. I'll definitely be there. This will be my first time to Bouchercon. Look forward to meeting those Jungle Reds who I've not yet met. Fun!!

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