Being a glutton for punishment, I was a passenger on the cross country trip to GRL in Virginia. AC Mink drove and put up with me and my medical issues for over 3000 miles and I can tell you she deserves all of the accolades just for that. We stayed with friends and in some sketchy hotels along the way, swinging up to Bru Baker’s in Indiana so we could celebrate her birthday at an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and hot pot place where the boba drinks were delivered to you by a robot with cat ears. They had a variety of interesting mugs which I should have purchased at least one but I was already at the end of my energy level. It was fantastic seen Bru and I was sad to leave but we still had half the country to cross. On the last hotel, an executive decision was made about staying in a place where it was easy to get in and out of but even better, we checked in earlier then we had been the others and got a good night’s rest before going the rest of the way.

The convention was once again at the Portsmouth Renaissance and the hotel went down yet another elevator but this time it was the haunted elevator that they took out. Still, the left-hand elevator that was still working felt it was obligated to eat every one of its passengers so the doors closed without warning as soon as you stepped in. It was like playing hungry hungry hippo with the building. All of that aside, it was fantastic to see everyone and catch up with how life is gone on since we last seen each other. There were also new faces and connections made. Tammy and I had a readers meet where the attendees could beat up a piñata to get rubber ducks in sunglasses and beanie hats.

Our spotlight panel was “How NOT to get away with murder” which Tammy (TA Moore) and I shared with Gregory Ashe and CS Poe. The ever adorable Greg Tremblay moderated for us and one of the play points for the panel was for audience members to provide us a victim and a motive for all of us mystery writers to murder and describe how we would get away with it. It was great fun when Greg Tremblay was offered up as our first victim and he took it very well.

We also went to a small hole in the wall called O’ Yummy which I can highly recommend if ever you are in the Norfork Virginia area. It is an all-you-can-eat sushi done in a tapas-style portions. there was really a lot of the menu I wish I had enough stomach room to eat because every single thing I did select was fantastic and if I lived nearby I would probably eat there at least two or three times a week. The staff was incredible and really the company was sublime. As it was, I think we all ate too much and I probably should’ve had some cold sake but I knew that if I did I would probably end up passing out because I was full and contented. Also, still very tired from doing a cross-country slog.

The photos are from their yelp page because we literally sat down and just started eating and talking. But the interior was delightful and reminiscent of a Tokyo sushi bar and the food is made fresh to your order. The fish selection was fantastic and I really can’t recommend this place enough.

I did debut and ARC for Port In A Storm and as I was there at the event, my editor delivered me edits so I came home to a stack of work and the realization that I probably needed to add a chapter. With any luck my editor won’t kill me.

I am also very happy to share with everyone the cover for the next 415 Ink book, Saint. This book features  Luke, the quietest and the most dangerous of the brothers who works really hard to put his past behind him and add good to the world. Problem is,  he learns you can’t really run away from your past and often times it returns with a vengeance. I am looking forward to putting this book out there and then probably working on Kai next or something else.

Port In A Storm was a very hard and emotional write and since Saint is as well, I am looking to work on something that perhaps isn’t as emotionally ragged. But we all know how that works out for me.