Writing, Blueberries, & Lobster

What do all these things have in common? They were all things that I enjoyed when I was in Maine a few weeks back. That and the good company of some dear friends. It was such a relaxing time, even though I spent a great deal of time working. But I was writing, so it doesn't feel like work. I'd get up every morning around 6:00 and start to write. I usually kept going until about 10:00 a.m. when my friends returned from the gym. After that we would go do "Maine" things, like pick blueberries, or drive the beautiful countryside, or go to Moody's Diner for the best pie ever. Sometimes we would go to the lobster tanks and buy fresh lobster and take it home and eat it for dinner.

Compare that to the time I spent in NYC. What a different world. It truly is the town that never sleeps. As you can see in the photo on the left, the streets were just as crowded at 11:00 at night as they were midday. We didn't eat blueberries or lobster, but we did get our fill of knishes and bagels. And it's true, I didn't get any writing done there, but I did get a head full of experiences and characters to put in future books.

Another thing that amazed me about NYC was that ninety percent of the cars were yellow. Yeah, yellow cabs. Every single picture I took in the streets of NYC had a yellow background of cabs.

I did get to see a few sights outside of Time Square, like the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and Ellis Island. And besides all the cool people I met at the conference, I also got to meet a television celebrity, Cheryl Burke, two-time winner of Dancing With the Stars. She was there for a charity event and I had the privilege of signing a copy of "The Advocate's Betrayal" for her. She was very sweet, and cute as can be. It's too bad you can't see her cute freckles on her nose on television because they really do look good on her.

www.teresaburrell.com

ThrillerFest 2010

This year's ThrillerFest was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York, a bustling, energetic hub of mystery writers and readers. I know, because I was there! On July 7^th, I met up with the Barnes & Noble representatives at the event who were promoting both of my titles among their debut authors. Sales were good, but the best part was meeting so many legends among the book world. Clive Cussler, Ken Follett, Michael Palmer, and Sandra Brown were some of the biggest names. To the left you can a picture of Clive Cussler signing a book for my good friend, Ron Vincent. I also had a great conversation with Lisa Scottoline, and was even able to give her a copy of my newest book! Here we are on the right after we signed each others' novels...a couple of lawyers turned author. That woman is a hoot! Great writer, great speaker, and truly a great woman.

There were several events at the festival, from panel discussions to banquets, but the best part for me was meeting fans, making new friends, and listening to those wonderful authors mentioned above who have so much to teach us newbies. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. I'm already excited for next year! It may be too early to buy tickets, but it's never too early to mark your calendars.

The Launch of "The Advocate's Betrayal"

It's been a while since I've posted anything to this blog, but that's certainly not because things haven't been happening. Along with my friends, fans, and family, I celebrated the release of my most recent book, The Advocate's Betrayal, early in July. The book follows Sabre Orin Brown as she attempts to solve the murder of a close friend. All our favorite characters are there, of course, plus one or two new ones you'll hopefully find intriguing. Yet again, the outlines of many of the court cases are drawn from real experiences. And yes, I have chased a woman's mysterious past all the way across America. Such mysteries are real for many people. That's the darker side of these books. The brighter side looks a bit more like this:

It was standing room only at the launch party in July! Many thanks to everyone who came to support me and celebrate the new release. Your generosity and encouragement are unspeakably appreciated. I also owe a thanks to Linda Dilday, the community relations manager at the Barnes & Noble, Galleria Mall in Riverside. She and her crew of booksellers and cafe workers were beyond gracious.

The launch was followed by several other events, signings, and travels, but those are all for another post!

www.teresaburrell.com