My view as I worked this morning. Just a dusting on the trees.

Bookstore, that is. In the urban area where I live, you have to drive a far ways to find a bookstore any more. One More Page is a great store where book clubs gather. Here is the upcoming book club schedule. I wish I could make it for the Ruth Rendell book, in particular. She is a writer much missed.
 
FICTION: The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda - Tues, Feb 7 @7PM
 
NON-FICTION: The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America by D. Watkins - 
Mon, Feb 13 @7PM
 
DAYTIME: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra - Fri, Feb 10 @11PM
  
BOOK WORMS (Ages 9-13): The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin - Sun, Feb 12 @ 1PM - NOTE EARLIER START TIME

TEEN (Ages 14 - 18): 
Anything Could Happen by Will Walton - Sat, Feb 18 @ 2PM

MYSTERY: Road Rage by Ruth Rendell - Tues, Feb 21 @7PM

Reviews for DEVIL'S BREATH (Max 6) are starting to come in. This is always "breath-holding" time for an author; no matter how long he or she may have been at this game, it is nice to emerge from isolation to hear a little applause. The reviewer seems honestly to have enjoyed the read, for which I am so grateful.  (Exhale.)

"It's great to see the return of Malliet’s wit in a high-seas whodunit that deftly skewers the Hollywood high life."

Many thanks to Kirkus for this review:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/gm-malliet/devils-breath/

MWA MID-ATLANTIC CHAPTER & SINC CHESAPEAKE CHAPTER

Do you need to put in some quality writing time on your latest story or
book? Looking for a chance to start something new? Interested in trying
out this writing thing? Then join your fellow SinC and MWA members and
start typing away.

And if you've never been to a writing marathon, just bring your laptop
or your yellow legal pad and your muse. We'll provide tables, chairs,
and a quiet space for you to work. We're also planning a few optional
breakout sessions for those who are interested.

The whole idea of a writing marathon is for a group of writers to gather
together to write--independently, but encouraged by each other. We'll
provide writing prompts for anyone who wants to try them, but they're
optional. If you already have something to work on, then bring that and
all of your ideas.

*And the best part--*IT'S FREE*! (*Though you'll have to provide your
own snacks and beverages*.)*

Chapter member Josh Pachter has arranged to host this writing marathon
at NOVA's Loudoun Campus. The address is:

*NOVA-Loudoun**
*21200 Campus Drive*
*HEC Building, Room 204*
*Sterling, VA 20164*
*
*(Older GPS units may not show Campus Drive. If you have that problem,
use 1000 Harry Flood Byrd Highway. See more detailed directions below.)*

The marathon room will be open from 9 am to 5 pm, and you're welcome to
come for the whole day or just a few hours. It has a number of power
outlets, but we'd love for as many people as possible to bring power
strips, to make sure we can all plug in. And there is free wifi on
campus. It’s okay to eat and drink in the room, but please be prepared
to clean up after yourself. Josh will provide a hot water heater and a
coffee maker, *but it's BYO mug, teabag, ground coffee and any snacks
you need to feed the muse*. In addition to the big room, there are two
smaller conference rooms for people who want more quiet--or for a small
group that might want to help each other brainstorm.

When lunchtime comes, you can try the campus cafeteria or one of the
many nearby off-campus options. The wide variety of lunch options are
right across Rt. 7 (Panera, 5 Guys, a Mexican restaurant, Wendy’s, a
Mongolian BBQ place, a steakhouse chain, Friendly’s), and within a
two-minute drive there are dozens of other options (Santini’s deli,
Chinese, Irish pub, Lebanese, Wing Stop, pizza, Dunkin’ Donuts, and the
hits just keep on coming.)

We have space for a large number of writers, but if we get an
overwhelming response, participation will be first come/first served. So
to make sure we have a place for you, please RSVP to our secretary,
Becky Hutchison: *bookgaia [at] comcast [dot] net *and indicate whether
you plan to come for the morning, the afternoon, or both. If you'd like
to volunteer to help with setup or cleanup, please notify Becky.

Sisters in Crime (@SinCNational) is pleased to announce the 2017 winner of the Dorothy Cannell “Guppy” Scholarship, Micki Browning.

The FBI National Academy graduate and award-winning author worked in law enforcement for more than two decades and retired as a division commander. Her debut mystery, Adrift, set in the Florida Keys, was published by Alibi-Random House in January 2017. It won both the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence and the Royal Palm Literary Award. 

Browning resides in Southern Florida with her partner in crime and a vast array of scuba equipment. She’s currently working on Beached, the second in the Mer Cavallo Mysteries. Learn more at www.MickiBrowning.com.

Some of my favorite reading comes into my email from DelancyPlace.com. Today's sample was taken from a book about Bill Murray (The Tao of Bill Murray by Gavin Edwards) and his unusual childhood. Born in Evanston, Illinois, he grew up in nearby Wilmette. Both Evanston and Wilmette are pretty ritzy neighborhoods, but Bill grew up in a family of nine children, which may account for the fact that the Murrays don't seem to have had a lot of money. Then, Bill's father died while Bill was just seventeen. The book records Bill's desperate attempts to be noticed among such a large tribe, and in particular, to get a laugh out of his father. It is kind of heart-breaking, but I do think this is how performers--and artists, and writers--are born.