Jean Marie Ward

The Library of Congress, signing with Nora, and DragonCon–oh my!

RavenCon isn’t the only thing on my calendar this month. Monday, April 12, barely hours after I return from Richmond, I’ll be reading at the Library of Congress in downtown Washington, D.C. The Library of Congress! You can’t see it, but I’m grinning so hard my cheeks are aching.

The reading resulted from a collaboration between the library’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Forum and Broad Universe, an international organization dedicated to exploring and promoting the work of women writers in science fiction, fantasy and horror. It will take the form of a four-person Rapid Fire Reading featuring Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Sarah Avery, fellow BtV blogger Christine Norris and me. You’ve already seen the poster I prepped when the reading was announced. Now you can read the bios, too, in the hand-out I’ll be using as our program.

But that’s not the only reason I may expire of excitement. I’ve been added to the roster of major authors (like Charlaine Harris!) signing with Nora Roberts at Turn the Page Bookstore Café in Boonsboro, Maryland, on Friday, April 16. My name and web site link seem to wander around the page, but the confirmation of my presence is right there at the bottom of the page: the buy link for Fantasy Art Templates.

I signed With Nine You Get Vanyr at the Turn the Page spring mega-signing in 2007. Nora and the top names sell hundreds of books, and even small fry like me sell in the dozens. This time, there are some new rules. For example, the writers can only sign books purchased at the event. Trust me, that’s a relief. Yes, you sign that much.

Finally, it’s official. I’m on the guest list at DragonCon. Atlanta, here I come. I can’t wait.

The Good Stuff–Writing Edition

Last week, my friend Ellen Byerrum (center) celebrated the broadcast of Killer Hair, the first of two Crime of Fashion movies on the Lifetime Movie Network. Ellen’s written six mysteries featuring vintage design-loving fashion sleuth Lacey Smithsonian and several plays, not to mention a career full of articles for daily newspapers, magazines and industry journals. Even so, there’s something very special about seeing a movie made of something you wrote.

To mark the occasion, Ellen held a party June 21 at Generous George’s Positive Pizza, a funky Alexandria VA landmark which features the kind of retro chic Lacey revels in. My photos don’t do either the event or the place justice, but at least I captured the big smile on Ellen’s face as the credits faded to black following Killer Hair. The movie and its sequel, Hostile Makeover, are very good introductions to the books. They’re bright, funny and feature lots of great clothes—three of my favorite things. Here’s hoping Lifetime feels the same and picks up Crime of Fashion as a weekly series.

Yesterday it was my turn—well, mine and three good buds from the DC Area Storytellers. Here you see Anthony Stevens (left), me, D. Renee Bagby and Stephanie Burke (right) at our book signing the Parkside in Baltimore MD. The venue and its art were stellar and the company couldn’t be beat. Aren’t Renee and Stephanie gorgeous? Anthony and I…well, we’re good writers too.