Murder in the Grove

Yup, Murder in the Grove is a fabulous conference for several reasons. First, it's short and sweet (one Saturday with an optional Friday workshop) but jam-packed with something for everyone. It's a small enough conference that you actually get to meet people, often well-known writers, agents and editors. I've attended every Murder in the Grove conference and I've chatted with Martha Grimes, Philip Margolin, Anne Perry, Carolyn Hart, Joanne Pence and many others. That's right, chatted, casual and fun. This year, Robert Crais is being honored at the conference, another opportunity for me to talk with an author whose work I admire.

The panels are varied and over a wide range of fascinating subjects. Every time I've gone I've had to struggle with the question: this panel or this panel or this panel? I've always been pleased with my choice but regretted not being able to be in two/three places at once!

And this conference is inexpensive--and you don't have to take a whole week off of work to go.

Now, granted, I live in Boise and belong to the group who puts on Murder in the Grove and will be sitting on a panel this time around. But I've been to other conferences and this one's a keeper. Plus, if you've never been to Boise let me tell you what the agent Meredith Bernstein said last year at the conference (I'm paraphrasing): "When I decided to go, I thought Boise, Idaho? What's in Boise, Idaho? Now I wished I'd come several days early to get see everything that's here. I need to come back." That from a New Yorker.

And of course, you already know somebody who is going to be at the conference: me!