Political Christians

I’m dismayed at the mean-spirited politicians who claim to be Christians. They certainly aren’t following the teachings of Jesus who advocated inclusiveness, forgiveness, compassion and love. His message was one of including others whether of different backgrounds or occupations. He reached out to people in need rather than advocating sending them back where they came from. He taught love your neighbor and enemy not berating them at every chance. It’s too bad these teachings from two-thousand years ago have been lost in political rhetoric.

Meet the New Authors Breakfast at LCC2016

I have the honor to host the Meet the New Authors Breakfast at the Left Coast Crime Conference in Phoenix on Friday morning, February 26 at 7:30. This will be the ninth year of the breakfast event featuring authors who have a first mystery/crime/thriller novel published between January 1, 2015 and the end of February, 2016. When we first held the event in 2008, there were fifteen new authors. As of right now, we have thirty-seven new authors for this year’s event. Each of the new authors will have one minute to tell the audience the most important thing to know about their debut novel. Our illustrious time keeper is Rochelle Staab, author of the Mind for Murder Mystery Series. Rochelle has a stop sign that she waves when the one minute is up. Stay tuned for further reports after the conference.

Left Coast Crime Conference

One of my favorite events is the Left Coast Crime Conference, which takes place in Feb or March in the western part of the country. This year it’s Feb. 25-28 in Phoenix. I’ll be moderating the Meet the New Authors Breakfast Friday morning at 7:30. Right now we have 37 new authors with a first mystery published between Jan. 1, 2015, and the end of Feb. 2016. They will each give a one minute presentation on the most important thing readers should know about their debut novel.

I’ll also be on a panel Sunday morning at 9:30, titled Murder on the Go —Mysteries with Travel and Transportation Themes, with authors Stacy Allen, Janet Dawson, Patricia Gulley, Nancy G. West and Philip Reed.

Phoenix here we come.

Watching Myself

Do you ever find that you’re watching yourself?

I’ve had this experience.  I’ll be in a meeting or writing event and suddenly, I find I’m observing myself and what I’m saying as if I were an impartial third party.  I wonder what he’s going to say.  Oh, that’s how he sounds.  He’s making a good point.  How will the others respond?  That’s a stupid thing to say.  Will others catch it?

Or when playing sports, I’ve found myself “watching” my pickleball strokes or the way I hit a golf ball.

Or at a party I suddenly am observing myself and listening to what I’m saying.

It’s like a mini-out-of-body experience, watching myself as an independent observer.

And what do I discover?  I’m just like everyone else, no better, no worse.

No brilliant repartee--just making my fair share of comments, some on track and some not.