Romance and Mystery, A Readers Dream Come True by Tara Randel


Last month, I found myself in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, FL at the historic Vinoy Renaissance Hotel attending the 49th Annual Bouchercon, or The Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention, 2018. I’ll be honest, for a big reader, I’d never heard of the World Mystery Convention, but since it was close to home, I decided to attend.



I soon learned that Anthony Boucher (1911-1968) was a science fiction editor, author of mystery novels and mystery reviewer. He helped found the Mystery Writers of America in 1946. The conference was named after him, as well as the Anthony Awards for outstanding crime fiction. 

Each year the event is held in a different city. The conference was sold out, writers and fans there to spend four days meeting authors, attending writing panels and listening to popular authors speak about their work. Speakers from here in the U.S. and around the world represented the genre, happy to discuss the craft of writing as well as their books. I discovered new authors as well as getting to see those whose books I already love to read.  The panels featured authors who write PI series, police procedurals, amateur sleuths, and cozy mysteries, to name a few. 

So what did I come away with? 

That I'm an accessory to excessive reading.



Fast forward to this month.

It’s time to visit Christmas Town, Maine again! This year, there are 12 books celebrating a wedding and the restoration of a carousel, leading up to Christmas Eve. My book, Our Christmas Promise, is part of A Christmas Wedding story. 



Melissa Upton and Justin Caswell have been best friends since they were kids. Now, they’re all grown up and things have changed, for Melissa at least. She’s content running the family bridal shop, Candlelight and Lace. Excited about an upcoming wedding. She doesn’t even mind attending weddings with Justin, until he dubs them wedding buddies. And now that he’s back in Christmas Town, Melissa realizes she wants more. If she goes after her heart will she lose her best friend? 

Justin is back home to take care of business for his estranged father while he recovers from a heart attack. He’s launched his own successful career, is happy with his single status. Until he feels the distance Melissa has put between them. What’s up with his best friend? The more time they spend together, involved in Christmas Town holiday preparations, the more he realizes she’s hoping for more in their relationship. Can Justin see that being in love, and remaining best friends, is the best of both worlds?


If you’ve visited Christmas Town before, I hope you return this year for new stories filled with romance and family. Visit www.heartwarmingchristmastown.com for more details.




Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels. Family values, a bit of mystery and, of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her Harlequin Heartwarming romance, THE LAWMAN’S SECRET VOW, available now and her Christmas Town holiday romance, OUR CHRISTMAS PROMISE, available October 9, 2018.  Visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks.

Comments

  1. That sounds like an amazimg conference Tara! I’ve never heard of Anthony Boucher but have heard about the Anthony award. Must do some Googling to find out where it might be next year. Christmas Town , Maine sounds like a great place to visit indeed and all the best with “Our Christmas Promise”.

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  2. Thanks, Janice. Yes, the conference was amazing and well worth the time.

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  3. What a great cover, and oh, I wish I could have attended the conference with you. Sounds like so much fun.

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    1. If you like to add a little mystery to your books, this was a great conference to learn some tricks of the trade.

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  4. That conference sounds fun and I didn't know the who, what, where, when, how the Mystery Writers of America were founded. And any mention of Maine makes me nostalgic for the place. I had some wonderful years there.

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  5. The conference is in Dallas next year, so there's time to plan...

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  6. I know someone who attended last year's Boucher and she raved about it. She was impressed by the quality of speakers and authors.

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    1. Just like the wonderful romance authors we get to talk to at conferences, the speakers at Bouchercon were very generous with their time.

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  7. Accessory to Excessive Reading. I'm guilty, too. It sounds like fun. So do all the Christmas Town books. Can't wait!

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    1. When I saw that sign, it was too good to resist. I had to get a picture! I love, love, love to read, as I'm sure everyone here does.

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  8. I'm looking forward to revisiting Christmas Town. The writer's conference sounds like it would be a good one to attend.

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    1. Thanks, Roz. Christmas Town is so wonderful again this year.

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  9. I wanted to attend this year, but deadlines and other commitments kept me away...maybe next year. Thanks for letting me attend through you. :-) And I can't wait to read the new Christmastown stories!

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    1. Thanks, Patricia. You should definitely attend! It's well worth it.

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  10. Tara! That is about the coooolest conference ever! What fun you must have had. I had no idea. So, this begs the question, are mystery authors different from us? Do they think differently or no? LOL
    By the way, I love ALL the covers. Good luck to you all!

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    1. No, mystery authors are not different. They are passionate about their genre, just as we are. They're professional, but approachable, just like the romance authors I know. I think all writers want to better their craft, that's one of the reasons why we attend conventions. Plus it's a good time to catch up with writer friends!

      The covers are pretty awesome this year. Thanks, Catherine!

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  11. Sounds like such a great book and Beautiful cover cant wait for the FB party!

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