Literary Paris....  I'm off to Paris for a few months, and have been invited to attend the Paris Writer's Workshop at the end of June.  We continue to explore new publishing ventures and have been making lots of deals for our clients.  April was a sad month, personally, as my son's best friend was killed in a sailboat racing accident.  She was a wonderful young woman in her twenties, with the future in front of her.  Life is short, tenuous and precious, and we must remind ourselves to value those we love everyday. If I missed your emails, please resend, as this tragedy delayed my response for a few weeks.  Be well, enjoy the sunshine, and keep believing in yourself and your writing.  We will encourage and help you as much as possible.  I'll be up and running in Paris over the summer!

A bientôt,

Kimberley

Penguin/St.Martin's Interview on RadioBoise.org

As part of the Idaho Writers & Readers Rendezvous, a conference in Boise that I'll be heading to tomorrow, editors Michelle Richter (St. Martin's) and Meghan Stevenson (Penguin) will be doing a live interview on RadioBoise.org from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. MT.  Tune in if you get the opportunity.

If you miss the interview, it will be posted here after the show.

I'm looking forward to seeing Michelle and Meghan, and meeting with the many writers in attendance!

Writing About The FBI & CIA

My client, Arthur Kerns, whose book THE RIVIERA CONTRACT I am currently shopping, will be a guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the Society of Southwestern Authors on May 5th at 10:30 a.m.  The meeting will be held at 207 W. Clarendon Avenue, in Phoenix.

Arthur's talk will focus on how to write about the FBI, CIA and State Department with accuracy. The corporate cultures of these agencies can be very different.  Kerns will offer examples through personal experience and historical reference to help writers of suspense thrillers craft believable characters and dynamics between agencies.

On May 9th at 11:30 a.m. Arthur will offer a talk in Scottsdale, AZ at the McCormick Ranch Golf Course titled "The FBI's Foreign Intelligence Operations During WWII."  To reserve a spot for this talk, email simone@afioaz.org.

Arthur will also be speaking at this year's Book Passage Mystery Writers Conference in Corte Madera.  We will keep you posted on the details for this event.

Arthur's career in the FBI included counterintelligence and terrorism.  After he retired from the FBI, he became a consultant with the Director of Central Intelligence and the Department of State.  Arthur reviews books for The Washington Independent Review of Books and is currently working on the sequel to THE RIVIERA CONTRACT.

Never underestimate the intelligence of your audience!  Do your homework and make sure you are writing with authenticity and accuracy, regardless of subject.  

For more information on Arthur Kerns, click here.  

PNWA Conference & Heidi Cave Memoir

The PNWA Conference website shared that Lynn at Behler Publications acquired my client Heidi Cave's memoir FANCY FEET. Lynn met Heidi at the PNWA Conference, but I met her a few months later at the Surrey International Writers' Conference.

There is a little blurb on the website from Lynn, but take a look at the video as well. The video shows how supportive these conferences are to writers.

Click here to see Lynn's blurb and the PNWA video.

I'll be attending the PNWA Conference again this year, held in Seattle. I signed three clients from the conference last year, and I'm hoping to find more great talent this year.

THE BIG NIGHT

BONJOUR MES AMIES... I was honored to be with several clients at the Left Coast Crime Mystery Conference in Sacramento, California a few weekends ago. I've always liked this conference, as it is smaller and more intimate than the very large ones. I spent time with old and new clients, and was pleased to have made a 3 book deal for a debut author by the name of Terri Nolan the week before - we celebrated big time! Kelli Stanley was nominated for the Golden Nugget Award, given to the author of The Best Mystery set in California. We were thrilled that she was nominated for her 2nd Miranda Corbie series, CITY OF SECRETS, but knew she was up against some formidable talent such as Sue Grafton and Michael Connelly. When her name was read as the winner, we were astounded and ecstatic. She deserves it more than ever, especially at this time in her life, and I could not have been more proud of her - congratulations Kelli! Your light is shining!!!!

Truckee Meadows Community College Writers' Conference

I'm looking forward to the Truckee Meadows Community College Writers' Conference on April 14th. My BFF is visiting from London and we plan to make a trip of it, stopping in Tahoe for a couple days before the business of writing commences.

To check out the conference schedule and website, click here.

Heidi Cave's Memoir FANCY FEET Sold to Behler

It's official.

My client Heidi Cave's memoir FANCY FEET: HOW I LOST MY LIMBS AND GAINED A LIFE has been sold to Lynn at Behler Publications. We are very excited to be working with Lynn at Behler.

Heidi suffered a horrible car accident in 1998 when her car was struck by a reckless driver traveling at high speeds. She spent two weeks in a coma, seven months in the hospital burn unit and five months in rehabilitation. Heidi endured countless surgeries. She also lost her best friend in the accident.

Today Heidi is a wife, the mother of two children, and a motivational speaker. She says "the tragedy of the accident has been turned into a life message of hope" and that she knows how to impart the power of love and courage to other survivors and their loved ones.

I was fortunate to meet Heidi in person at the Surrey International Writers Conference. Her positive spirit made a lasting impression on me. It wasn't long before her prose did the same.

I'm very much looking forward to many happy years with Heidi, and to working toward publication with both Heidi and Lynn at Behler.

To visit Heidi's website and blog, click here. Her story is a true inspiration.