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alfreda89 ([personal profile] alfreda89) wrote2006-07-17 12:04 am
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Convention Report -- Conmisterio II

Conmisterio II turned out very well. I met several interesting mystery writers, including Karen McInerney, who is local, Leann Sweeney and her friend Laura Elvebak from the Houston area, Susan Smily and Honora Finkelstein, who have co-written a mystery and are working on a collection of true ghost stories (at least the tellers believe they really happened!)as well as Pari Noskin Taichert from New Mexico and Julie Wray Herman, also from the Houston area and she left too soon! I was delighted and privileged to share several meals with Margaret Maron, the Guest of Honor, who turned out to be a sweet and very interesting woman as well as a huge talent. I hope to meet her again sometime. Maybe if that mystery will sell -- I think it's time to write the one thing it currently needs -- an explanation of why there are no cell phones!

I enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with Sara Weiss, fan extraordinaire, and writers Kaye George, who has lived almost everywhere and has great stories about all her moves, and Jan Grape, who shares an RV with cats named Nick and Nora!

Conmisterio was low key, rich in characters and lovely in its setting. The panels were interesting, the writers taking the time to discuss things ahead of time. (I know this because Meschke kindly used me on three panels, thank you very much!) The convention had lovely food set out for members at various times of the day, and a banquet that was excellent the second night. I could even eat most of it, and that doesn't happen that often! I took a small group to Artz Friday night to try BBQ someplace that didn't require a lot of explaining (County Line, from Doubletree I-35, would take a lot of explaining!) We all had Baby Back ribs and they were excellent.

I even met another author dealing with health issues similar to mine -- we are on the opposite ends of symptoms, interestingly enough.

We're hoping that there will be a Conmisterio 3. Recommended!

Tired now, though -- I wasn't interested in dinner, after a huge chef salad for lunch, so we went to check out a new deli/Italian family restaurant (family style, not serving up families . . . ) They had tons of different meats and cheeses, lots of fresh breads and pastas. They carry a lot of staples from Italy, like a variety of oils and vinegars. A few interesting-sounding salads (they looked big), and an antipasto tray for 2-4. But I wasn't that hungry. Whit tried a pasta dish, and we got buffalo mozzarella for me and some inexpensive house balsamic vinegar the owner suggested. Then we buzzed Teo's and had gelato/sorbetto. We can't keep that up -- I will turn into a balloon. But it was tasty, and cheered Whit a little bit. {He's down that his father-in-law's kids have swooped down and are relocating Max from Oklahoma to Ohio. This is definitely more than a day's drive away. Me, I am a creature of the Internet, and am already scheming about more ways for us to communicate! We'll have to hook his stepdaughter up, too. Or get her a 1-800 number!}

Once home I sliced up some of the cheese, with tomatoes (two tiny ones from our garden, a Jaune Flamee and a Snow White [actually pale yellow] and one from Costco -- a vine ripe Campari, very nice flavor) and balsamic vinegar -- excellent. Then dozed over my book until Maisie decided I needed to get up. I'm feeling better, and a jump into the pool was like silk (and our pool has a real deep end, which tells you how hot it's getting down here. I swam two laps with my fish board -- didn't feel like a totally wet head tonight -- but my endurance sucks rocks. I can do width-wise, with that little pause, so will be grateful for what I can do.

And now, bed sounds good. Webbing once again tomorrow!

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