Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Rhys is Not Writing

RHYS BOWEN:  I have had to take a break from serious writing this week, dear readers, for a very good reason--or rather two very good reasons. Over the weekend I was at Malice Domestic convention, where I was guest of honor. (along with fellow Jungle Red Julia, who was GOH for the year before. (Both of us a year late as the pandemic put the convention on hiatus for 2 years. And now we willingly shared the spotlight!)

 I hope Julia had as fabulous a time as I did. It was utterly amazing, surreal. My GOH interview was with my dear friend Louise Penny. We had a packed house and at the end I got the longest standing ovation, during which I had to fight back tears. 


Then I had to give a speech at the banquet . In spite of the food being well.. you know, banquet food at its worst, including a steak I simply couldn't cut and instead Louise fed me half her ravioli, it was such a wonderful event. It's always moving and inspiring to see first time Agatha winners overcome with emotion.


I also would have been presented with my Agatha tea pot for last year's win but alas due to pandemic supply chain issues there were no teapots to be had, nor was there my guest-of-honor tea cup.  They will arrive in due time, I'm sure.  The organizers did their best against all odds. Well done.

The convention ended with the Agathas tea party--my favorite as I love tea parties.  And the best thing about the weekend, apart from seeing old and dear friends, was that my daughter and new co-writer Clare was with me to experience it all and be introduced to the mystery community. She commented that she has found her tribe and will be attending every convention from now on!





Then on Monday it was on to the next amazing event: train from DC to New York where I am staying until the Edgars banquet on Thursday (where I am nominated for best novel!!!!!  Amazing)

I'll update you if I win. Not holding my breath.

And next week I have to get back to serious revisions on my new work in progress, called ISLAND OF LOST BOYS. It takes place in Paris in the thirties, London and France in WWII and then Australia after the war. And its more harrowing and dark than anything I have written. But I hope it's good stuff.


55 comments:

  1. It sounds as if you had a wonderful time at the Malice Domestic convention, Rhys . . . and congratulations, being Guest of Honor must be simply amazing. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you for the Edgars on Thursday . . . .

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  2. Sounds like a fabulous weekend. I do wish I could have been there. Just too much to do here at home.

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  3. Congratulations on all of your honorings! Well deserved. And Wow: I'm looking forward to reading the Island of Lost Boys when it comes out.

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  4. Thank you for sharing the great photos of Malice. Clare is just beaming in every shot! Congratulations on being Guest of Honor. I would have loved to have seen your banquet speech and your interview with Louise Penny. Are the Edgar Awards always in NY and held around the same time of year as Malice? It was neat that you could hop on a train between the two.

    Congratulations on your nomination for best novel. Any and every award and recognition you receive is well deserved. Your stories are magic!

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  5. It was a lovely, glorious Malice, and you were brilliant and gracious, as always, Rhys. I loved meeting Clare! Fingers crossed for the Edgar. I just hope you didn't also leave with COVID, as an increasing number of us did (it's no fun, but thanks to vaccinations and boosters, mine is like an asthmatic bad cold, not the life threat it would have been).

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    1. OMG, Edith, feel better quickly! That is terrifying!

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    2. I got the email about infections, and wondered if anyone I know was among the sick. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery, Edith.

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    3. Still masking in public and at work--two unvaccinated in my household still--the risk is wearing me down! Feel better, Edith, glad to hear your case is mild.

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    4. Oh Edith, I am so sorry to hear this. Take care, rest up and feel better soon.Thank goodness for vaccinations and boosters.

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    5. Oh Edith, so sorry that you got the plague at Malice. I suppose sooner or later we all will though. Get plenty of rest and pay attention to your O2 sats. xo

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    6. Edith,
      So sorry to hear about the COVID 19. I was concerned when I saw so many people Not wearing masks. I scrapped my plans to attend the Malice Domestic this year because the pandemic is Not over! Loved your photos at Malice. Hope that you feel better soon!
      Diana

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    7. Edith, I wish you a speedy recovery. Thank goodness for vaccines and boosters.

      DebRo

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    8. Edith, wishing you a speedy recovery! Please keep us posted!!

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    9. Edith, Hope you feel better soon

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    10. I'm so sorry to hear this, Edith. I've been holding my breath and have the rapid tests sitting there ready but so far, so good. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

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    11. Thanks so much, Rhys. Fingers crossed for you staying healthy.

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  6. RHYS: Congratulations on being GOH at Malice and having Clare with you that weekend. And now in New York for the Edgar Awards, wow! As well as being at ABQ LCC earlier this month, I can understand why you are not writing. Just enjoy!

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  7. Enjoy every blessed minute!

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  8. Congratulations on the well-deserved honors, Rhys!

    Your last sentence made me giggle: "But I hope it's good stuff." If you wrote it, then the rest of us have no doubt!

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  9. Rhys it was wonderful to see you - and to meet Clare! Good luck at the Edgars!

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  10. Also, am I the only one who sadly misses the Preview function in Blogger? I often caught typos or simply bad writing on my part when I reviewed my comment in that window.

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    1. Definitely not the only one, Susan. Why did it have to change?!?!?!?!

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    2. We have no idea!! Blogger is a mystery...

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  11. Oh I am SO sorry I missed all this! Rhys, you are amazing! Such fun for you and Clare to share this supreme high together.

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  12. All else aside, what a nice break for you, Rhys. Getting to spend time with your "people", both writers and readers, is the best. Hoping for a big win on Thursday.

    And you got to spend time with Kathy Orton! As happy as I am that you and Teresa and Kathy were together, I'm sad to have missed the Italy group reunion. Teresa, our big success story! SO happy for her, too.

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  13. Rhys, such great photos--and how wonderful to share Malice with Clare--the smiles on her face say it all! Now on to the Edgars--and then back to the grind :-) Your standalones are worth the nerves and the work--we are waiting patiently because we know what we'll be getting in the end--another great story!

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  14. I thoroughly enjoyed my first Malice, and your interview and Julia’s interview were highlights, as well as meeting Clare. Who knew murder could be so funny?

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  15. Paris in the 30s -- I am IN!! Hope you get some good, well-deserved rest.

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  16. What a lot of wonderful reasons not to be writing, Rhys. Congratulations! Your WIP sounds terrific.

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  17. RHYS:
    It looks like you and Clare had a wonderful time at Malice. I learned not to order Beef when buying Banquet tickets. Usually I order the Vegetarian. And Congratulations on the Edgar nomination! Whether or not you win, it is still a honour to be nominated, right?

    ISLAND OF LOST BOYS sounds very mysterious. Will it be a suspense or more like a thriller type of novel?

    Diana

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    1. Big historical novel with some suspense but mainly following two characters through harrowing times.

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  18. Such fun to celebrate you and Julia last weekend! After hearing you and Clare talk at Left Coast Crime about the process of co-writing the Molly books, I can picture you prowling the blocks around Mulberry and Old St. Patrick's (where my Irish great-great grandparents were married!) and other neighborhoods, scouting locations! Good luck at the Edgars -- it will be a fabulous party regardless of the outcome.

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    1. I've had a good time taking pictures but it's freezing cold here! Luckily my agent just brought me a sweater.

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  19. Congratulations, Rhys! Teapot shortage. Oh, my. Sounds like a wonderful two weeks.

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  20. Rhys, you have the best excuse for not writing this week! What a wonderful time, and to be sharing it with Clare, must be so rewarding. And to think you “created” your co-writer! Wow!

    DebRo

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  21. Rhys, so wonderful to see the photos (and so jealous that you got to spend time with Louise!) And wonderful that Clare had such a lovely introduction to the mystery world! Have fun at the Edgars. Crossing fingers and toes for you!!! (P.S. I always order vegetarian at banquets--it's usually the only thing that's edible.)

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    1. You're so right. Louise had the vegetarian pasta and let me eat half of it

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  22. Congratulations and thanks for sharing your experience and photos!

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  23. You were wonderful at Malice, such a great interview with Louise Penny! Love hearing all your stories. That standing ovation was well deserved. Good luck at the Edgars!

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  24. Rhys, I love these pictures! Yes, I had a wonderful time as your co-GoH - but I found the best part of all was just seeing so many old friends in person after so long an absence. And I loved getting to meet Clare in person and discover what a smart, funny storyteller she is.

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  25. I've never attended Malice, but I would have loved to be at this one with you, Rhys, and Julia being co-GOHs. And, to meet Clare. I hope to get to Malice one day. You were talking about the banquet, and I was wondering about the dessert. It seems I remember pictures in the past of amazing desserts. Did they not have that this year? I know you must be having a great time in NYC, too. Again, not having been to the Edgar Awards, I can only imagine how exciting it must be. I have in my mind an event of exquisite details. Your next book, Island of Lost Boys, sounds so good. When will it be out?

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    1. Kathy, I hope we get you to Malice! This year my chicken dinner was excellent, but the dessert was too sweet and uninspired. Plus - no chocolate...

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    2. Edith, I kept up with your pics from Malice, and you look like you had a blast. Attending Malice is definitely on my agenda. Too bad about the dessert, especially the no chocolate part. There should always be chocolate.

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    3. Bland dessert. No chocolate tea cups with ganache in them this year.

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    4. Island of Lost Boys will be out some time next summer. Not sure when yet. I'll let you know when I find out

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  26. Thank you Rhys for sharing with us your Malice weekend and your pictures

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    1. WOW, I was able to go through with this new way to comment. I’ll feel less isolated.
      Danielle-momo

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