HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY READERS!

Greetings Readers!

Spring is in the air so we are sprucing up the Mesdames website.  Our overhaul will be done in stages, so stay tuned!

Under Events and Workshops, you will now find the list of the program topics the Mesdames do as a group event. To see what we do as individual authors, go to Learn from the Mesdames.

Look for our new Anthology, Book and Friends pages, coming later this month. And Dead to Writes will soon have a permanent link to our page.

NEWS AND EVENTS!

Lisa de Nikolits

On Wednesday, March 7th, 7:30 pm,  Mme Lisa De Nikolits, will be moderating a panel on What’s Life Got to Do With it?  for the International Festival of Authors.

Lisa will steer the discussion on how today’s world impacts our writing. The critically acclaimed poets and novelists on the panel include Lisa herself,  Mayank Bhatt, Terri Favro, Catherine Graham, Kevin Hardcastle and Grace O’Connell.

The event takes place in the  Brigantine Room, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto. Tickets are $10.  Free for IFOA Supporters, students & youth.

To book tickets and to learn more about the panel authors, click here.

Melodie Campbell

On Thursday, March 8th, Mme Melodie Campbell hosts an event for her new book, The B-Team, 7:00pm – 8:30pm at the  Ancaster Branch, Hamilton Public Library.

Melodie is a long-time supporter of adult literacy. Join Melodie,  the Hamilton Literacy Council, and the Hamilton Public Library for their launch of The B-Team!  Prize for best mob costume! Cannoli and cookies provided by nefarious means.

The B-Team is a spin-off comedy adventure of Melodie’s popular Goddaughter series. Del, Gina’s cousin, teams up with her elderly Aunt Kitty and scary friend, Ritz, to do  wrong for all the right reasons. And sometimes it even works!

Mme Lynne Murphy is once again leading her drop-in writing workshop for seniors at West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre, 313 Pharmacy Ave., Toronto. Sign-up begins in March.

A new session starts Tuesday, April 3, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. There is no charge for the workshop but attendees must be members of the Centre’s Seniors’ Club. Phone the Centre at 416-755-9215 for further information.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Mme M. H. Callway is delighted that her short story, “The Cry”, has been sold to Mystery Weekly, a new MWA-approved publisher of short crime fiction based in Canada! Mad’s story, “The Cry”, tells the story of an elderly assassin who may  have overheard a murder in Hiroshima Peace Park – or not.

Big congratulations to Mme Sylvia Warsh! Sylvia is one of two winners in the established writers category for North York in the Ontario Book Publishers Organization writing contest.

The competition celebrates the literary community in  North York, Scarborough, East York and Etobicoke. Two established writers and two emerging writers were picked for each neighbourhood, then assigned to write a piece inspired by that area.

The prize is a cash award and publication. Literary events will be held in the spring featuring the 16 writers.

NEWS FROM DEAD TO WRITES!

The Dead to Writes Playlist is growing. It’s now available on iTunes, Google Play and on YouTube!

Every month, Dead to Writes plans to feature the work of one of the Mesdames of Mayhem!

Authors who would like to be considered for an interview on the podcast should apply through the Dead to Writes website here.

Here’s the March line-up of crime fiction authors:

March 1: Interview with author Kevin P. Thornton and  he’ll read his story, “Writer’s Block” (World Enough and Crime, Carrick Publishing). “Writer’s Block” was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Short Story Award.

March 4: Interview with author and professional editor Toni Rakestraw of Rakestraw Book Designs and short story reading of “The Melancholic Fog Harvester”by  Alex Carrick.

March 11:Interview with noir author, Rob Brunet (Stinking Rich). Donna Carrick reads the short story , “Dancing With Carole”.

March 18: Interview with author Cathy Astolfo and she will read her story,  “The Outlier”  (13 Claws, Carrick Publishing)

March 25: Interview with author and professional consultant, Karl Bimshas and reading of “There’s No Such Thing as Time”by Alex Carrick.

REMINDERS!

April will be a busy month for Canadian crime writing:

On April 1st, the Short Mystery Fiction Society releases the finalists for the 2018 Derringer awards in four categories: Flash, Short Story, Long Story and Novelette.

On Wednesday, April 18th,  Crime Writers of Canada hosts shortlist events across Canada where authors and fans learn which books, novellas and stories are up for the 2018 Arthur Ellis awards this year.

And on Thursday, April 19th, the finalists for the 2018 Bony Blithe award will be announced for light mysteries, books that make us smile.

Fingers crossed one and all!