Wednesday, December 1, 2021

December 2 Meeting --What a year this has been!

 

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Minutes from Nov 4 meeting

 

Nineteen people (from our own chapter, from across the US, and even from Canada) attended our monthly meeting on Thursday November 4 via ZOOM. Chapter President Sally Handley led the meeting and gave all a chance for a brief introduction during our social time, beginning at 6:30 pm. At 7:00 pm,  Sally then introduced our guest speaker, Cindy Sample. Ms. Sample gave an excellent presentation on writing humor, using examples from her own books and those of our very own member, Linda Lovely. The meeting was adjourned at 9 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Cindy Blackburn

Chapter Secretary

Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Author Cindy Sample Joins Us Nov. 4 for Laughs

 

Award-winning author Cindy Sample, known for her humorous cozy mysteries, will be the guest speaker for our Upstate SC Chapter of Sisters in Crime virtual November meeting. Cindy will talk about why humor is central to her mysteries, and how she dreams up her heroine’s humorous escapades. The Thursday, Nov. 4, Zoom meeting is open to the public, but advance registration is required.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. East Coast time with members sharing writing and publishing updates prior to 7 p.m. when Cindy’s presentation will begin.

Cindy is the author of the national bestselling and award-winning Laurel McKay Humorous Mystery series, described as Erma Bombeck meets Agatha Christie. During for a Date, the first book in the eight-book series, has earned  some 1,188 Amazon ratings for a 4.5 star average. The Laurel McKay series is primarily set in El Dorado County, California.

Cindy is a five-time finalist for the LEFTY Award for Best Humorous Mystery and a two-time finalist for the SILVER FALCHION award for best traditional mystery.

In January, 2022, Cindy will release the first book in a new Spindrft Cove Mystery Series set in Washington state. Birthdays Are Murder gives singer/performer Sierra Sullivan, Laurel’s cousin, a chance to star in her own series. For more information about Cindy and her books, visit her website: https://cindysamplebooks.com/ or connect with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/cindysampleauthor 

 

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Forensic Psychologist Headlines Oct. 7 Meeting

 


Author and forensic psychologist Phyllis K. Walters will be the guest speaker for our Upstate SC Chapter of Sisters in Crime virtual October meeting. The Thursday, Oct. 7, Zoom meeting is open to the public, but advance registration is required.

Click HERE to register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. East Coast time with members sharing writing and publishing updates prior to 7 p.m. when Phyllis’s presentation will begin. 


Phyllis K. Walters holds a doctorate in counseling and served as a licensed clinical psychologist in Ohio and an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton. She is the author of two true-crime novels, The Christmas Slavings, and Wives Who Kill. A third book in this series, Husbands Who Kill, is set for release in late 2021.

While this series is based on true stories in which Dr. Walters played a professional evaluation role, she chose the name Dr. Rosie Klein for the psychologist portrayed in the books.

In 1994 Dr. Walters was appointed to evaluate a young woman involved in a murder case. When she could not get this young woman out of her mind, she decided to write her story, which became The Christmas Slayings. The psychologist continues to correspond with the woman who has now been imprisoned for 29 years. Encouraged by her editor to write a three-book series, Dr. Walters focused on the story of two abused women, the choices they made for Wives Who Kill. Her SinC presentation will focus on these women.

Monday, August 23, 2021

Tami Hoag, #1 NYT Bestselling Author, Sept. 2 Guest Speaker



Tami Hoag, the #1 international bestselling author of more than 30 books published, will be the Sept. 2nd guest speaker at our Upstate SC Chapter of Sisters in Crime virtual meeting. The Thursday, Sept. 2, Zoom meeting is open to the public, but advance registration is required.

Click HERE to register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. East Coast time with members sharing writing and publishing updates prior to 7 p.m. when Tami’s presentation will begin. 

Hoag first hit the New York Times Bestseller List with NIGHT SINS in 1995. Each of her books has been a bestseller. Published in 30 languages, more than 40 million of her books have been sold.

 Hoag prides herself on research-based realism, crackling dialogue, and spot-on police procedure. “My first obligation as a writer is to be as true as possible to the characters I’m writing about, to the jobs they do, and to the world they inhabit.” She’s become a crack shot with hand and long guns, studied forensic psychology with top experts, learned to drive a police car in pursuit of bad guys, and studied mixed martial arts fighting.

Hoag grew up in Harmony, Minnesota. In 1988, Bantam published her first novel, a romance. After penning a number of romance novels, she switched her focus to mystery and thrillers.

Tami lives in the greater Los Angeles area where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, July 23, 2021

Guest Speaker Marco Conelli, NYPD Investigator & Former Undercover Officer


Marco Conelli, who served New York City as an NYPD Detective for more than 20 years, will be the August 5 guest speaker at our Upstate SC Chapter of Sisters in Crime virtual meeting. The Thursday, Aug. 5, Zoom meeting is open to the public, but advance registration is required. 

Click HERE to register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. East Coast time with members sharing writing and publishing updates prior to 7 p.m. when Marco’s presentation will begin. He’ll talk about his work as an undercover officer and what writers get right and wrong about undercover work. He’ll also discuss his duties and challenges as an investigator for the District Attorney’s office.

Marco, a crime purist at heart, is a prize-winning author as well as a crime-solving professional. His latest book, Cry for Help, a hard-boiled police procedural released in 2016, delves into New York’s forgotten borough, The Bronx. 

In 2007, Marco introduced teenage sleuth Matthew Livingston and, in the process, ignited a dormant young adult mystery genre. The third book in the series, Matthew Livingston and the Politics of Death, won the 2011 Silver Falchion Award.  

Marco lectures at Crime Writing conferences and has created presentations designed to teach authors credible police techniques. His advice has helped many authors, including Mary Higgins Clark pen her novel The Shadow of Your Smile. Marco lives in New York where he continues to work as an investigator. 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Minutes - July 8

 Minutes from July 2021 Meeting – Upstate, SC, Sisters in Crime

Our monthly meeting for July 2021 was held a week later than usual due to the holiday earlier in the

month. We gathered, via ZOOM, at 6:30 on July 8, 2021. 35 people attended the meeting. Linda Lovely,

our membership chair, with a little help from me, the secretary, conducted the meeting, since our

president Sally Handley could not attend.

No new business, although a few upcoming conferences were discussed during our social half hour. At

7:00 we all got a fantastic treat, when our guest speaker Edith Maxwell took the ZOOM stage to discuss

her tips and tricks for writing a series. Great info from a great author! Check out the recording of the

meeting to learn more! And many thanks to Ms. Maxwell.

Linda closed the meeting at about 8:00.

Respectfully Submitted,

Cindy Blackburn

Chapter Secretary

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Guest Author Edith Maxwell To Share Tricks for Writing Series

 

At the July 8 virtual meeting of our Upstate SC Chapter of Sisters in Crime, Agatha Award-winning author Edith Maxwell will about tricks for writing a series - beginning considerations, record keeping, and how to stay sane and keep it fresh when it becomes long-running. She’ll also answer member questions.

 MEETING DETAILS

The Zoom meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time to give members and guests a chance to share writing and publishing news before Edith begins her presentation at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The meeting is free and open to guests, but you do need to register in advance.

Click HERE to register.

 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edith Maxwell is a past president of the New England chapter of Sisters in Crime and a long-time member of the Society of Friends. She is the author of the Agatha Award-winning Quaker Midwife Mysteries and short crime fiction, and she writes the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries under the pseudonym Maddie Day.

A fourth-generation Californian, Edith lives with her beau and energetic kitten north of Boston, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook. Find her (and Maddie) at EdithMaxwell.comwickedauthors.comMystery Lovers’ Kitchen, and on social media.


 

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Minutes - June 3 Meeting

Chapter President Sally Handley began our monthly SinC Upstate meeting at 6:30 on June 3, 2021, via Zoom. As usual our first half hour was informal—meet and greet, and any news catch up. We had several guests from far and wide who were interested in our guest speaker and his topic for the evening. Mostly we all chatted about upcoming conferences we have heard about that might be of interest to mystery writers throughout the summer.

Sally began the official part of the meeting at 7:00. No old business. New business—our chapter will need a new president as of January 2022, as Sally will have fulfilled the 5-year time limit SinC National places on local chapter presidents. In other words, we need someone to volunteer for the president’s position for at least the coming year (2022). Interested?? Contact Sally, or any of the current board memebrs for more info!

Linda Lovely introduced our guest speaker, and Jim Mann, a retired security strategist gave a fantastic and informative (and rather terrifying!) powerpoint presentation on cyber threats, cyber crimes, and cyber safety tips for private indiviuals, businesses and corporations, and government entities. Many of us had questions, and Jim answered them all! The meeting was recorded, and you can find the recording here at our website.

Sally was called away, so at 8:05 or so, Cindy Blackburn closed the meeting. Thanks to all for attending. We hope you learned a lot!

Respectfully Submitted,

Cindy Blackburn,

Chapter Secretary   

Friday, May 14, 2021

CYBER HACKS, RANSOMWARE, THREATS

 At the June 3 virtual meeting of our Upstate SC Chapter of Sisters in Crime, Jim Mann, a recently retired Security Strategist for HP Inc., will provide an overview of today’s biggest cyber threats, how criminals use them, and efforts to combat them. He’ll also answer member questions.

The Zoom meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time to give members and guests a chance to share writing and publishing news before Jim begins his presentation at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The meeting is free and open to guests, but you do need to register in advance.

Click HERE to register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.


Security Strategist Jim Mann pictured at the 2020 NBA Finals.
In his “side job,” he serves as Head Statistician for the Houston Rockets.

Jim is a retired Distinguished Technologist from HP Inc. As Security Strategist in the Office of the Chief Engineer, he led and participated in various security-related activities both across HP and in industry consortia. Jim led the company’s product security quality and governance efforts, community development, education, supply chain security, and wrote security requirements and policies. He served as a technical resource for HP business units in bringing secure products to market. Active in numerous industry consortia activities and other private-public forums related to security, he also worked with security-sensitive U.S. government agencies.

Prior to this position, Jim held various chief technologist and strategist roles embedded in the business units. He was the Director of R&D at both Hewlett-Packard and Compaq for iPAQ Handheld products, and held design and management roles in both consumer and commercial desktop organizations. Jim received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Engineering from Iowa State University, where he graduated with Distinction and performed graduate work in the fields of non-destructive evaluation and artificial intelligence. He was awarded the 1992 Achievement Award by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing. A resident of Cypress, Texas, Jim retired after 30 years at HP and Compaq. He holds 32 Patents with more pending.

 

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Minutes - May 6, 2021

Upstate SinC Meeting 5/6/21 Minutes:

ZOOM meeting began informally at 6:30 with greetings, intros of new faces, and any news reports from our members and friends. Aprox 20 people attended.

At 7:00 Chapter President Sally Handley called the meeting to order.

                Old Business—nothing

                New Business—Sally reminded us of our Mystery Book Club meeting this coming Wednesday at noon. It’s a ZOOM meeting, we’re reading Dog On It by Spencer Quinn, and Cindy Blackburn is leading the discussion this month. If you care to join us, contact Sally for the ZOOM invitation.

Other new business—our chapter will be ZOOMing in again on May 19th for an informal discussion concerning the new Amazon platform Vella. Be on the lookout for an e-mail from Sally with more details!

Linda Lovely then introduced our guest speaker—Harriet Sackler. Ms. Sackler discussed and explained her publishing company—Level Best Books. She also her explained her involvement in the mystery conference Malice Domestic and what to expect this year, as the conference will be virtual. Many questions about both Level Best and Malice Domestic were asked and answered, with Linda Lovely taking the lead in keeping the questions and discussion flowing. (Linda has a contract with Level Best!) Thank you, Linda. And big thanks to Ms. Sackler!! The video recording of the presentation is available at this websight.

Sally adjourned our meeting at about 8:00.

Respecfully Submitted,

Cindy Blackburn,

Chapter Secretary


Friday, March 12, 2021

April--An Afternoon of Mystery with Catriona McPherson!

 

Thursday, February 11, 2021

March Speaker, Forensic Artist