NEWS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO MYSTERY FANS

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(11 June, 2008)
• THE LAUGHTER OF DEAD KINGS

  THE LAUGHTER OF DEAD KINGS by Elizabeth Peters is the conclusion
  of the Vicky Bliss suspense series. The publication date has changed.
  The book will now go on sale August 26, 2008.

  MIDSOMER MURDERS

  Good news from ITV (the channel that airs the Midsomer series in the UK) regarding the

  fate of the series. Rumor had it that the new executive chairman had plans to cancel

  the series because it was too old fashioned. The word out now is that not only is the show

  not ending, it's being extended. Filming is scheduled to continue until April, 2009. The first

  new episode in series 11 (for the UK) is said to feature two weddings, one of which is

  Barnaby's screen daughter Cully. There is also a second Christmas special planned, to be

  broadcast in 2008. Again, in the UK only. That's the good news. The bad news is that there

  still hasn't been any sign of Midsomer Murders in the States since The Biography Channel lost

  the broadcast rights. I do hope the rumor that another channel has expressed interest in picking

  up the series is true.

  Book Passage Annouces the 15th Annual MYSTERY WRITERS CONFERENCE.

  (Corte Madera, California)

  June 26-29. The four-day conference is very popular. Students work with mystery writers,

  agents, editors, and publishers, as well as crime-fighting professionals. The conference

  covers practically everything mystery writers need to know from how to develop ideas and

  writing skills to how to find a publisher.

  The conference is co-chaired by mystery writers Sheldon Siegel and Jacqueline Winspear.

  The "2008 faculty" includes Cara Black, Tony Broadbent, David Corbett, Hallie Ephron,

  George Fong, Kenneth Freeman, Michelle Gagnon, David Hewson, Craig Johnson,

  John Lescroart, D.P. Lyle, Dylan Schaffer, Lloyd Silverman, Tim Maleeny, Neil McMahon,

  Cornelia Read, Gillian Roberts, and Louise Ure.

  Conference topics include Developing Character, Constructing a Plot, Germinating the Seed:

  Taking an Idea to Story, Deconstructing Dialogue, The Short Story, Screenwriting, Articles,

  and Essays, Scene of the Crime, The Role of the Detective and much, much more.

  For a complete listing, check out their website online at www.bookpassage.com

  [click on Classes & Conferences and then Mystery Writers Conference]

  or contact Karen West at bpconferences@bookpassage.com to enroll.

  The cost of the four-day conference is $540. There are two pre-conference workshops on

  Thursday June 26, 1-3:30 p.m. $125 ($90 for conference participants). "Great Starts, Great

  Finishes" with Hallie Ephron or "Research & Tools of the Trade" with David Hewson.

(29 January, 2008)

• Say Aloha to Murder...

  For the latest information on the upcoming Left Coast Crime 2009
  
  on the Big Island of Hawaii please click here.

  
  

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