Red, White, and Clues

Texas Rangers wear cowboy hats.

Yesterday, I made it to the North East Texas Writer Organization's conference: Red, White, and Clues. Held in Mount Pleasant, my Golden Quill writer pal, Karen, and I jaunted the 70 miles to a crowded room full of mystery writers. And wow! You'd think for podunk nowhere, this conference might have been akin to a kiddie carnival. But nope. This was Disneyland. 

The speaker lineup included several prolific, best-selling authors discussing the finer points of mystery and suspense story telling. Lest you think that is wildly dull, you might be right if story crafting and mystery/suspense stories aren't your thing. But let me just say this: mystery/suspense is the hardest of all the genres to write. The writer needs clues and misdirection. The audience needs a satisfying ending. The writer needs compelling characters who have childhood trauma. Okay, that last part is optional (but I used it in The Redeemed--coming soon, I swear), but a backstory on paper or in the writer's head is necessary for a flawed character. As any reader can tell you, a perfect character is a boring character. Okay, my tangent is over. 

In addition to the speakers who managed to find their way to this little part of East Texas, we had someone come from a search and rescue school who answered all sorts of detailed minutia questions about finding bodies, weapons and even shared a story about he and his other search and rescue colleagues were called out around 3 a.m. this past Thursday morning to rescue a group of boaters who were stranded in the Sabine River and surrounded by gators. Best line of the conference: "They were the type of folks you'd expect to be stranded in the Sabine River in the middle of the night surrounded by gators." 

We also had a Texas Ranger* speak to us about cold case investigations and how forensic operations are conducted. He talked about blood splatters, advances in DNA technology, and stupid criminals. He even disused where he puts his hat when he has to take it off at a restaurant (on his knee). Notes were taken and I'd be willing to bet some of this information will be used in some attendee's future story. Third best line at the conference needs a small set-up. A woman asked our Texas Ranger some sort of semi-personal question. An audience member yelled out, "He's married Jennifer. Give it a rest." 

The second best line of the conference came from our last speaker who had sat through the entire conference. She has 30+ books out and writes under a couple of pen names.** She looked at the crowd and said, "Thank you fellow introverts for not leaving thus far. Y'all are great but just like you, I'm ready to be alone."

*Okay, this deserves a comment: there are only 166 Texas Rangers in the entire state. 166!!!!! Talk about an elite team.  

**I must find this woman and thank her for reassuring me that writing under a pen name is worthy. Why does she have different pen names? One of the genres she writes in is erotica and she doesn't want the folks at her Southern church finding out.