Talking Mysteries in Minnesota

Annamaria on Monday

When Stan Trollip  invited me to go to Minneapolis and appear with him in a presentation about his and Michael's Kubu detective series, I jumped at the chance.  Why wouldn't I, when the topic was a series I have greatly admired and enjoyed from its very beginning.

Me, the Kubu fan, in Mysterious Bookstore in NYC

in 2013, when Kubu was nominated for an Edgar!

Stan and I met at my first Bouchercon in 2009.  He was there to promote Kubu's 1 and 2 set in Botswana, a place I had visited twice quite recently and was fascinated with.  Also, the founding of Murder is Everywhere was a result of that conference.  Eventually, we co-edited the short story anthology, Sunshine Noir.

Stan's invitation was irresistible.  Minneapolis is, for me, the US city second only to my beloved NYC. In addition to its world-class theater, music, and sports teams, Minneapolis and its surrounding area offer crime writers some wonderful opportunities to connect with fans of the genre.  And Stan was inviting me to join him in an appearance before them. 

First on our list was Minnesota Mystery Night, a gathering for dinner in an attractive pub, followed by a mystery writer "in conversation with" someone in the field.  Our event, I am thrilled to say, drew a sold out crowd and was very well received.  The folks attending were enthusiastic and asked lots of great questions.  When we were signing books afterwords, the attendees hung around, chatting and full of energy - a sure sign that the monthly reception brings truly dedicated fans. 

Second on our agenda, on the following Friday, we were interviewed on Writers' Corner, a public television show that is distributed widely on scores of local PBS stations.

The pièce de résistance of the week for me was the capper: on Friday evening Stan treated me to my first-ever concert at Minneapolis Orchestra Hall.  What a knockout!  First of all, the acoustics of the hall are astonishing, in a class with  Carnegie Hall in New York and the best European concert halls I have visited.  The second half of the program was music I have heard all my adult life: Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Every other time I have heard it played live, it was by an orchestra, providing the music for ballet. It's lovely music under those circumstances. But I got to hear it in a whole new way - in a concert performance, and it was spectacular. The Conductor, Jonathan Taylor Rush imbued the music with energy and passion and without robbing it of its elegance.  Wow!  What a week!