What you look like depends on where you're standing

I'm sneaking in while J.Morgan isn't looking. This topic isn't on our manifesto, but I'm adding it anyway.

This week is turning into something of a surprise. I'm attending Bouchercon, a convention for mystery writers.

Why is a Romance author at a convention for mystery writers? Make that, Erotic Romance Author (capital letters if you please).

For one, it's in my home town. It isn't often Anchorage, Alaska plays host to such a national event. Well, for mystery writers it is a national event.

For another, the publicity person is one of my RWA Chapter sisters. She talked me into it. In fact, once I told her I was attending on behalf of my publisher, Dark Eden Press, she tossed my butt onto the schedule and made me do a panel. Now there was a laugh, two romance authors (Jackie Ivie was the other) flanked a former columnist, Mike Duggan, and talked about marketing and such. I got to tackle the ebook angle which surprisingly hit a positive nerve.

Anyhow, what a kick. I've been handing out business cards. Talking epublishing, and listening in on panels. I'm taking a break this afternoon because I had other business to attend to. My dreams get cranky if I don't pop in with an afternoon nap sometimes. I don't want to fall asleep during the big event tonight. Diana Gabaldon is in town and she's the keynote speaker.

I digress. This morning I sat in on a panel about Writers and the Internet. Imagine my surprise when The Man In Black himself was on the panel. Editor/author Jason Pinter, in case you don't recognize his name. There were some other authors, one who belongs to a group called the Naked Authors. Not one erotica writer in the bunch I'm sad to say. Jason was joined by Patricia Smiley, Aliza Sherman Risdahl and Frank Wydra. Anyone recognize any of those names? If you do I may send you one of the free books I got in my book bag. I also spent time chatting with Robert Fate this morning. Anyone know him? I got one of his bookmarks.

I digress again. The whole point of their panel, they went into more detail about what I'd said the day before. Authors who want to get noticed need to use the 'net. Blog. Website. Myspace even if you have to hire your teenager to do it for you. But get out there and get seen on the net.

Hey! That's what we're doing here! Only I don't have to hire my teenager. I can't speak for the other Morgan...

So, per the title of this post. What do I look like in this crowd of mystery writers? I'm not sure, but I wonder if the chairwoman has taken exception to my tiny little e-publisher. I'm sure she thinks we publish only smut. I noticed that in the catalog my blurb merely says "No information at time of publication." Well, Dark Eden Press does publish smut, but there are also plenty of fine stories in with all that smut. We have two mysteries already published and more on the way. In fact, there's a fabulous Romantic Suspense series on the way. The Rich Series, courtesy of yours truly - shamless self-promo plug.

Anyhow, I'll have more information and news later. Signing off from Bouchercon 2007

Morgan, the cute one.