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[Dave Freas]

Guess I should tell more about myself

Like Susan and Marcel, I work in the drug industry.  I've spent most of those 33 years in retail (yep, I'm the guy who fills your prescription), am in my 17th year at my current position.

I've been married to the same woman for 30 years and we have 2 post-college children (26 and 28), one in Florida and working on a doctorate in forensic anthropology (if anybody needs any help in that department), the other working in Michigan.

I"ve been dabbling in writing as long as I can remember, got serious about it 10 years ago, have been a member of MWF for quite a few years but can't remember how long.

Finally hooked up with an agent this year and have a submission at Bantam at the present time.

Dave

[CarolG.]

Wow! It's really cool to hear background info from so may folks. I've only been hanging around MWF for a few months, so I missed almost everyone else's entrance on the zott board.

I'm working very slowly on a cozyish amateur-sleuth story about the impact on a neighborhood when one of its residents disappears during a blizzard. My day job is legal editing (yes, I'm a lawyer, but I don't sue anyone, just argue all day about punctuation). I've had one crime story (fictionalized memoir) published in an anthology (Dangerous Familes: Queer Writing on Survival), have had a sprinkling of non-crime stories in other places, and have edited anthologies of women's fiction. I've also done stints as a newspaper editor and reporter, freelance feature writer, and editor of instructional manuals for banks.

My spouse Jenny and I got married last year in Massachusetts, which is my home state (even though we're currently in Wisconsin) and which, of course, is the only state where two women can marry each other. We have three kitties of the heart, Louie (the pest), Cleo (the caretaker), and Perrio (the ancient).

Thank you all for being here!

[Janet Koch]

Ooo, BIG text. I love it -- thanks, guys!

Since I didn't do any self-introduction yet, I suppose I'll do that now.

When I graduated for college with a geology degree over twenty years ago (how many years? good gad!!) I never expected to spend my days designing roads, storm sewers, and septic systems, but that's what you do when you work for a civil engineering firm.

I've been writing seriously for eight years now, with four and a half unpublished novels to my credit. I'm a slow learner, what can I say?

My husband and I and our three cats live in northern Michigan and we're both looking forward to a long white winter of skiing.

Janet, member of MWF since 2001

[krisneri]

I'm Kris Neri, and I can't precisely remember when I started coming here, but it's been a long time. I've had three mysteries published -- two funny mysteries and a standalone suspense, as well as scores of short stories and articles. I teach writing online through the Writers' Program of the UCLA Ext. School, and I'm co-owner of The Well Red Coyote bookstore in Sedona, Arizona. I share my life with one husband, one dog and one cat.

Kris

[melph]

I too have made the jump. Melph

[Cris]

Good morning!

I discovered MWF several years ago and found everyone so helpful and supportive, but then got away from writing for a variety of reasons and hadn't been on until last weekend.  Imagine my consternation when I saw that MWF was about to go away!  So thanks, Bob, for picking it up and running with it.

I'm a librarian in Hobbs, New Mexico, in the SE corner of the state.  (We're only 6 miles from the Texas border, so on extremely windy days, the town is in danger of changing locations.) I spent most of my growing up years in Okla., have a degree in Library Science from the Univ. of OKla., & have been director of the library here for 23 years.  My husband is retired, I have a grown son and daughter who both still live here, and two little granddaughters. (Never thought I'd enjoy being a grandma so much!)

Writing mysteries has been my dream since I was 10.  Then it was Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden and the Hardy Boys.  Now it's   Evanovich,  Beaton, Cornwell, Grippando, Preston....   I've written several mysteries, but so far none have been published.  Over the years, I've had more success writing articles for magazines, library publications and newspapers. But I refuse to give up.  Some day, the Hobbs Public Library will have copies of my mysteries on its shelves!

Looking forward to more MWF!

[Kari Elise]

I’m Kari and I’ve lurked at MWF for a couple of years but never posted. I was so shocked when I went to the original site and found out it was closing and then so grateful to learn that Bob was taking over the site that it spurred me to come out of Lurkdom. Thanks, Lauri, for creating and maintaining a great site for so many years. And thanks, Bob, for continuing the tradition.

I’m not a published writer but I would like to be. I am currently working on a cozy. I enjoy reading mysteries that range in tone from dark/serious to light/fluffy.  I’m particularly fond of work by Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly and Robert Crais, but after futzing around for a year or so with an idea for a mystery and not making much progress, it finally dawned on me that I was stuck because I was trying to emulate a style that doesn’t work for me as a writer. I love reading a variety of styles but I enjoy both reading and trying to write cozies. By the way, Kathi, I’m not sure if it is correct to classify your Tory Bauer series as a cozy series but if so then it is my absolute favorite cozy mystery series. Can’t tell you how much I love Delphi, S. D. I revisit it often. Anyway now that I’ve decided to try my hand at a writing a cozy, things are beginning to fall into place. My WIP is set in a fictional town in Virginia and features an amateur sleuth who feels unappreciated on her job and tries to boost her ego by solving mysteries. I’ve written several chapters and am now working on sketching out the backstory of the recurring characters that will populate her world.

I’ve been married for 25 years and spent half of that time in Virginia and half in Florida. I’m a teacher but fantasize about giving up my job and writing fulltime. Sigh. I know I have a romanticized view of what that would be like but still I dream.  No children, but I currently have two little-people-in-fur-coats (dogs) that help to fill up my life.  They are nine months old, full of curiosity and energy, in need of obedience training and a joy.  I love dogs, I love chocolate, and I love a good mystery. 

Thanks again for taking over MWF, Bob.

[Joyce S]

Wow, what a change.

This is Joyce S -- I've been visiting MWF on-and-off for many years. Hmmm, let's see, brief history:

Born and raised on a dairy farm in rural Vermont (no, not all of Vermont is rural). After receiving an Associates' degree from a college in the "big" city, spent 12 years working as a secretary and paralegal in various law firms in the "big" city and obtained my Bachelor's degree in business. Then 18 years in various positions at a wholesale finance company. That company was acquired last year by a huge company, which made me an offer I couldn't refuse so I now find myself living and working just outside Atlanta, Georgia--which is REALLY BIG compared to the "big" city in Vermont. Married, divorced (friendly), and mom to a 21-year-old daughter, who transferred from the University of Vermont to the University of Georgia shortly after I made my move.

My high school writing teacher told me I can correctly call myself a professional writer, since I was actually paid for a short story in a small magazine. But since then, I've just been playing around with writing. But now that my child is an adult and the hectic activity involved with bringing a business from Vermont to Georgia is over, and as soon as I finish participating in the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk here in Atlanta (weekend after next), I plan to get back into writing in earnest. The timing seems to put me in line with the November NaNoWriMo. Has anyone tried it? Anyway, romantic suspense seems to be where the characters in my head are taking me.

That's me in a nutshell. I'm so glad that MWF will continue.

Joyce S

[sonipitts]

Soni Pitts, previously in SE Missouri, now in SW North Carolina (Asheville, actually). Been on the MWF for a few years, although not active as of late. I'm more of a reader than a writer, as far as mysteries go (although I do make a some of my living writing in other venues), but I love to join the conversations and contribute what and when I can. Currently reading/starting the Dexter series (Darkly Dreaming Dexter, et al). Also Lauri King's Sherlock Holmes books, among many others.

[yojinbo]

Good evening everyone,

I'm Matt Combs.  I have been at MWF since 2000, mostly as a lurker.  I'm currently a PI in western Washington.  I haven't been writing for a while, but the itch has been getting stronger lately.

Thank you to Bob for this wonderful new site, and thank you to Lauri for everything she has done.

Respectfully,

Matt

[penny]

OK, here goes... (I hope I'm doing this right, being technically challenged!)

I'm Penny, an MWF member since the late '90s, I think. I, too, am so grateful to Bob for keeping this going!

I'm from Israel and have published two children's mysteries - in Hebrew. Unfortunately, I haven't published anything in a while.

[Kate Maguire]

I made it over! Though I registered as soon as Bob posted the link, and though I have checked in here from time to time, my first visit of the day is always to the old site. There are still messages being posted there. Some of us are die-hards.

I'm Kate Maguire, and for those newer of you, that's an aka I chose when I started to write mysteries. I was published many years ago in romance as Nancy Gramm, the name I generally answer to. MWF was the first writing site I found when I went online in June of '99 and the only one I stayed with. I've made wonderful friends here, both in the group and off.

I live in the Texas hill country, a beautiful place, and yes we actually do have hills in Texas. My DH is a retired police detective, and I'm retired from the telecommunications industry.

My thanks too, Bob. It'll take me a while to get used to this new software, but I'd slog through mud to stay with this group.

Kate

[Pomorzany]

Hi Everyone!
Happy to be on board again. I'm Jane Berman and here's a bit about me and my life.
I'm a native New Yorker (just turned sixty!) who came to Israel in 1969 and never left, having a taste--I guess---for the roller-coaster life. For most of my life, I lived in Haifa, but now am settled on a beautiful moshav in the Carmel Mountains with hubby #2.
I've been teaching English in high school for thirty-six years, and am working on the final draft of my mystery novel, written in English, but with an Israeli setting. I have three adult kids and three grandchildren, a fantastic second husband, a really nice ex also, and my slave-driver cat, Hugo.
My big dream----teaching for another few years, then writing full time.
Good luck to all of us!

Jane Berman

[Chase]

Hi,

Been lurking at the old MFW site for a few years and plan to continue to lurk here.  I already like the new format.

Last summer I moved from the Yellowstone Valley of Montana to the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  A retired English prof, has-been firearms instructor, and shooting competitor grown too old and too slow, I’ve found folks hereabouts know all they want to know about grammar and guns, so I’m busy exploring the expanded deaf community.  I was pretty sure only three or four people in Montana knew some ASL, but sign is more prevalent here.  What a welcome relief, as speechreading alone is far from 100% for experts – much less my less-than-stellar efforts. 

My online mystery critique group suffered computer complications and apathy attacks during the summer, so I’m in current search for a local face-to-face group.  Lots of mystery readers in the community, so I’m hopeful of finding a couple of local writers willing to swap critiques.  Meanwhile, I’m having fun wrestling with an amateur sleuth work-in-progress.

I join all the others in abundant appreciation for Lauri and Bob.

Chase

[Ingrid]

I'm a bit lost. How come people get stars? What about the (applaud) or (smite) thingies? Smiting is not nice! And when did I pass Kathi in the number of posts?

Hmm, I joined MWF in the fall of 2000.  I remember distinctly that I came on with a very stupid question about what the Shamus award was.  In those days I knew nothing, and much of what I know now I've learned from the folks on MWF. I also remember that people thought I was a troll.  It was a disconcerting first visit!

I write a historical mystery series and straight historical novels. I also write short stories. in case you are bored enough to want to find out more: http://www.ijparker.com

At the moment, I'm working on a short story collection.  I doubt it will sell, but it needs to be done for my own satisfaction.

I'm reading Michael Connelly's ANGEL FLIGHT and listening to Ian Rankin's BLOOD HUNT.  Do we have a place where we can talk about the mysteries we read???  I have some comments on the Rankin.

I read THE GIRL WITH THE GOLDEN EARRING, and also the one by the same author about the unicorn tapestries. Thought the latter better, but I'm probably in the minority on this.  In any case, the format is fascinating to me: historical novels that are short. I haven't learned that trick yet.

Ingrid