We launched SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT last week as planned. It was an excellent party.
It was a truly dark and stormy night, but that didn’t deter nearly thirty guests from coming along to Waterstones in York to share my celebration.
Among them were two people from Head of Zeus, the publishers hosting the party, an assortment of other mystery enthusiasts…and as I promised, two real-live Roman soldiers. They were brilliant…good company, very knowledgeable about their period and their armour and equipment, and of course by far the best-looking men in the room – well I’ve said before I’m a sucker for guys in military uniforms! Victor and Germanus belong to the Comitatus Late Roman History e-enactment group. Check out their website at www.comitatus.net. Next year I hope Aurelia the innkeeper will be joining in some of their events.
But till then, I shan’t be resting on my laurels. Apart from having my next book to write – Aurelia number 5, which still hasn’t even a working title – I hope to be busy with a new project, the Mystery Makers. I’ve got together with two other authors who have published historical whodunits, and we’ve formed a triple-act, and aim to strut our stuff around the north of England. We sing, we dance, we…OK, you don’t believe me, so I’ll be serious. We all love writing mysteries, and discussing our own and other writers’ work, and we are available to give talks, panels, and workshops to writers’ and readers’ groups, and in libraries, in bookshops, at conferences, in fact anywhere where mystery lovers meet. The pub? Well, why not?
The other Mystery Makers are two very good friends of mine, Dolores Gordon-Smith and Rebecca Jenkins. Our books cover a wide spectrum of history: I’m earliest with the Romans, then comes Rebecca in the Regency period, and Dolores is the most modern, if you can use that word to describe her chosen time, the 1920s.
I’ll post more about us soon, but meanwhile take a look at our new website, www.mysterymakers.co.uk. And get in contact if you’d enjoy hearing three hist-myst enthusiasts talking the hind legs off several donkeys.
Knowing your past, Jane I was almost persuaded to believe the “Singing and Dancing” bit. Well, is this your Dream No. 3 come early? Look forward to the forthcoming whisking and zooming! Good luck with your new venture….M xx
Margaret, your mention of our old concert party takes me back to some very pleasant evenings…but even there I don’t think I got round to dancing! (or are those just the evenings I can’t remember?) Anyhow although one can never say “never”, I’ve no plans to inflict my singing on the mystery lovers of the UK; strictly talk. One bit of good news: it looks as if the op I’ve recently had on my arm has freed it up so I’ll be able to get back to playing the guitar again. I’ve missed it over this past year, when playing was too painful to give me any pleasure.
It was a lovely evening, Jane, even if the weather was horrible. Fingers crossed for Mystery Makers, eh? I’m raring to go!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Dolores. Yes, I’m looking forward to some Mystery Makers action next year. I’m trying to figure out a way to bring some Roman soldiers along to our gigs! I haven’t worked out a way yet…but I am going to get myself a Roman innkeeper’s outfit for next year. I told the soldiers that I hoped to come to some of their displays dressed as Aurelia the innkeeper, and they said, “An innkeeper will be very welcome, as long as you bring some wine!”