Reasons to Be Cheerful

REASON #1: The Project That Dare Not Speak Its Name is almost finished and will be speaking its name by the end of the month.

REASON #2: My issue of the Phantom:Generations mini-series is inching closer to comic book stores, and colorist extraordinaire Renato Guerra has posted some stunning sneak peeks at Scott Brooks's artwork.

REASON #3: My Big Red/Old Red story "The Devil's Acre" appears in the new anthology Between the Dark and the Daylight and 27 More of the Best Crime & Mystery Stories of the Year. Sayeth Publishers Weekly: "Readers familiar with Steve Hockensmith only from his novels will enjoy 'The Devil's Acre,' a typically amusing story featuring the Amlingmeyer brothers, cowboys inspired by Sherlock Holmes."

REASON #4: It's almost Bouchercon time! If any of you make it to Indianapolis for the convention, here's where you can find me:

Thursday, Oct. 15
1:30-2:15
Hyatt Regency F
Roundtable discussion with Jeremiah Healy, Michelle Gagnon, Tracy Kiely and Michael Kurland

Friday, Oct. 16
4-:4:55
The Eiteljorg Museum
"The Art of the Western Mystery"
Panel with C.J. Box, Blake Crouch, Craig Johnson, and Ann Parker

Friday, Oct. 16
5:30-7
Indianapolis Central Library
Indiana Mystery Author Celebration (I grew up in Indiana, y'know)

Friday, Oct. 16
9-until I pass out
The Vogue
Johnny Socko reunion show (Little-known fact: I am a funk-ska-polka-punk band's official mascot)

Saturday, Oct. 17
11-noon
Bouchercon '10/'11 registration tables
Signing, promoting, shooting the s**t with Daniel Judson and these fab folks

Saturday, Oct. 17
3-4 p.m. 
Indiana Convention Center
Giving presentation ("Zoinks! Everything I Know About Mysteries I Learned from Scooby-Doo") as part of Family Day at Bouchercon

REASON #5: After all this, I'll be able to go home and finally get a good night's sleep.

Steve Hockensmith
October 12, 2009

Comments

[Richard Prosch]

Good reasons, indeed. Congrats, and safe travels!

[Steve]

Thanks, Rich! I hate flying, but I'm actually looking forward to the flights to and from Indy. I have five talks to give in the next two weeks, and I've been so hammered by The Project I haven't prepared for *any* of them. So being trapped in an airplane for eight or nine hours is going to come in really handy.

-Steve

[Lee]

I do not see an LA trip anywhere on your "happy" list.

Now I'm not happy...poo.

;-P

[Steve]

Patience, my child, patience. I know I let everyone down in SoCal by not touring there for CRACK, but a trip down L.A. way is a virtual lock for the spring. That's when The Project hits stores, you see. I'm expecting to get out and see a *lot* of folks I haven't visited with in a while after that one comes out....

-Steve

[John Schramm]

As usual, you've got a full load of "things."

Toss back a few brews with the gang for me. I sure wish I could be there.

[Steve]

I shall quaff a cold one in your honor. Hell, several cold ones. *Many* cold ones.....

-Steve

[plastic santa]

Got to meet Steve today at a Bouchercon panel (one on Sherlock Holmes, natch). He would give nothing away about the "project" but I tried, fellow readers, I tried. I love Big Red and Old Red. And Steve's pretty nice too.

plastic santa

[Adam McFarlane]

You are the exemplar of grace and kindness. Thank you so very much for your time this weekend!

And thanks for all your wonderful writing, too!

[Steve]

Hey, P.S.! Nice meeting you in Indy. (Though I don't *remember* shaking hands with a plastic Santa...and that would be pretty memorable.) And my pleasure, Adam. I must beg to differ, however: A true exemplar of grace and kindness probably would have insisted on paying for his own beer....

-Steve