Laurie R. King

Next month, on February 16, four women will sit down in an Arizona ballroom and talk books.  Of course, women talking books is hardly unusual, but in this case the women might be saying things that others would like to listen in on.

Barbara Peters is in charge.  Barbara’s the queen bee of Poisoned Pen books and a woman at whose delicate and fashionably clad feet I have worshipped since I met her (even though she was not crazy about my first book.  Although she did love the second.)  She is witty and articulate and incredibly well read, and married to a man most of the publishing world would love to take home with them (men or women, straight or gay alike.)

Dana Stabenow is the reason for this tete-a-tete-a-tete-a-tete: A Night Too Dark, her seventeenth (!) Kate Shugak novel is out that day, so this is a party.  (One where people bring cash, checks, or credit cards.  Please.)  We are currently discussing Dana’s fabulous first Kate novel, A Cold Day for Murder, over at the Virtual Book Club, where she will be joining us towards the end of January.

Diana Gabaldon is the third member of the criminous discussion.  Creator of the Outlander series and the new(ish) An Echo in the Bone, Diana and Dana between them will cause seismic tremor to run through AZ.

And me.  And I would say that I’ll be the one sitting on a small stool at the back with a look of mute adoration on my face, except that I know how these three women have a way of summoning excitement and wit from dead air, and they’ll drag me with them.

All this, and it’s free.  You don’t even need to reserve a ticket, although if you want (might even be a good idea) you can reserve a book in advance through the Poisoned Pen (or email them.)

And if you want to make a day (or, night) of it, the Biltmore hotel is offering a special Poisoned Pen rate for the event.

Oh, this is going to be such fun.

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And in other news, our Heifer International page just broke the $15,000 mark! (Thanks, I believe to a certain bohemian sculptress!)  We’re gearing up that page for the spring efforts, with a newsletter announcement coming on the 27th–if you’re not getting the news, you might want to sign up here.)