Mike Befeler's Blog, page 13
May 4, 2023
Hip Replacement Surgery
I’m scheduledfor hip replacement surgery in two weeks. In preparation, I have fiveappointments: a CT scan, pre-op with my surgeon, pre-op with my primary carephysician, a hip replacement class atthe hospital and a phone call from a nurse to collect info. Quite a process.
April 27, 2023
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
Last SaturdayI had an enjoyable afternoon signing books in the Mystery Writers of Americaand Sisters in Crime booths at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. It wasan opportunity to speak with readers as well as author friends. Picture below is signing with Tori Eldridge and Sherri Leigh James.
April 20, 2023
Lessons Learned as an Author
Last Saturday I gave my presentation titled, Lessons Learned as anAuthor, to a book club I belong to in Lakewood, CA. I’m scheduled to give thispresentation to Southwestern Manuscripters on Saturday, June 3 from 2 to 4 PM atthe Palos Verdes Library Community Room, 701Silver Spur Road, Palos Verdes, CA.
April 15, 2023
Fourteenth Anniversary of the Publication of Living with Your Kids Is Murder
Today is the fourteenth anniversary of therelease of my second book in the Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit Mystery Series, Livingwith Your Kids Is Murder. In this humorous amateur sleuth novel, cantankerousoctogenarian Paul Jacobson must solve two murders while struggling with theproblems of his short-term memory loss. As Paul ends up suspiciously close to abank robbery, kidnapping and drug bust, his granddaughter Jennifer helps himtrack down the real perpetrators. Paul juggles two girlfriends, experiences thequirks of old age romance and must find a way to stay alive when he confronts amurderer.
I’m available to give presentations to serviceorganizations, libraries and book clubs.
What others have to say about Living with Your KidsIs Murder:
“It's hard to beat a team that includes a wisecracking old fart and astraight-talking young sprout, and Befeler's second geezer-lit entrydelivers.”—Kirkus Review
“Cleverly plotted.”—Publishers Weekly
Living with Your Kids Is Murder was a finalist for The Lefty Award forbest humorous mystery of 2009.
Living with Your Kids Is Murder is available in print, e-book and audiobook editions:
e-book box set first four books of PaulJacobson series: BoxSet: Retirement Homes Are Murder, Living with Your Kids Is Murder, SeniorMoments Are Murder, Cruising in Your Eighties Is Murder (Paul JacobsonGeezer-lit Mystery Series Book 1) - Kindle edition by Befeler, Mike. Mystery,Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
April 13, 2023
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
On Saturday April 22, I’ll be at the Los Angeles Times Festival ofBooks on the USC Campus signing books from 2-3 PM in the Mystery Writers of Americabooth 363 and from 4-6 PM in the Sisters in Crime booth 360.
April 6, 2023
Update on Writers Critique Group
The writers critique group I’ve joined has now started. We’ve sentour first submission to other members and will meet next week to discuss ourworks. There are four of us, two of whom I’ve known before. I look forward tothe comments from the other writers.
March 30, 2023
Bouchercon 2023
After a successful Left Coast Crime Conference in Tucson, I’m ready for my next mystery conference for mystery fans and authors: Bouchercon 2023 in San Diego August 30 – September 3. This is a large conference with typically 1500 – 2000 attendees. This will be the fourth time I’ve attended a Bouchercon Conference, and I’ll be able to drive there from the LA area.
March 23, 2023
A Successful Left Coast Crime Conference
Last week’s Left Coast Crime Conference in Tucson was a great success. Approximately 500 mystery writers and fans gathered to hear panels, discuss mystery novels and chat. I participated in the Author Speed Dating during which I traveled from table to table with fellow mystery author Alan Orloff. We each gave the attendees at 18 tables a pitch about our latest mystery novels.
I was on two panels. The first was titled, How Do You Know What’s Funny, with Catriona McPherson, Leslie Karst, Ed Lin and D. R. Ransdell. It was a hoot, and we kept the audience entertained.
My second panel was titled, Senior Sleuths, with Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Barna W. Donovan, Ellen Kirschman and Susan McCormick. Since I write primarily about older characters, this was an enjoyable opportunity to share our experiences.
I hosted the Meet the New Authors Breakfast where each debut author gave a one-minute pitch on the most important thing readers should know about their new mystery novel.
March 16, 2023
More about Meet the New Authors Breakfast at the Left Coast Crime Conference
the list of the new mystery authors who will be presenting at the Left Coast Crime Conference in Tucson:
Author First mystery
Erin E. Adams Jackal
Lawrence Allan Fig Fat F@!k-up
Mindy Carlson Her Dying Day
Ron Cook Firebrand
Eli Cranor Don’t Know Tough
Ramona Emerson Shutter
Meredith Hambrock Other People’s Secrets
K. B. Jackson The Sasquatch of Hawthorne
Elementary
Dorothy Leonard/Andre Charles The Bell Tower
Sharon Lynn Death Takes a Bath
Lexa M. Mack Legacy of Lies
Jennifer J. Morgan Shadows in the Forest
D. M. Rowell Never Name the Dead
Mary Seifert Maverick, Movies & Murder
Donald Sheagley Murder in the North Atlantic
Robin Yeatman Bookworm
Anastasia Zadeik Blurred Fates
I always encourage people to take this list to their local library so these fine books can be ordered.
March 9, 2023
Meet the New Authors Breakfast at the Left Coast Crime Conference
I have the honor of hosting the Meet the New Authors Breakfast at the Left Coast Crime Conference on Friday, March 17, in Tucson. Sisters in Crime is sponsoring the breakfast.
We have 17 new mystery authors whose books run from cozy to suspense to thriller and take place in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Minnesota, England, and on an Atlantic cruise ship. The criterion is that their first mystery/crime/thriller must be published within 2022 and up to March 19, 2023.
Why do we have this program? To pay tribute to new authors who have run the gauntlet of rejection, agents, editors or self-publishing to get books into the hands of loyal fans.
A little history. The first Meet the New Authors Breakfast was at LCC2008 in Denver. The minimum number of new authors was 2009 on the Big Island of Hawaii at 12. The maximum was 2014 at 44. Originally, we called it the New Authors Breakfast, but people thought it was only for new authors to come to breakfast.
Each new author will have up to 1 minute to tell the attendees the most important thing they should know about the debut novel.
