The Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas chapter will staff a booth at the upcoming Texas Book Festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 27 and 28, 2018. The Festival takes place in downtown Austin on the streets surrounding the Capitol Building. The Festival runs from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday.
HoTXSinC authors will sell and sign their books in Tent 4, near the Capitol.
HoTXSinC’s TBF Coordinator K.P. Gresham setting up booth in Tent 4
HoTXSinC’s TBF Coordinator K.P. Gresham, Secretary Francine Paino, and President Helen Currie Foster — with HoTXSinC table all set for the weekend — Tent 4, near the Capitol of Texas
Our mission is to promote
the ongoing advancement, recognition,
and professional development of women crime writers. ~ SINC Mission Statement
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NEW LOCATION on January 14: CAFE EXPRESS!
Program: US Army Lieutenant Colonel Michael Grygar
Art Taylor: Sue Grafton, A Remembrance (of Sorts)
HOTXSINC Election of Officers
The Word on Our Members
Selected Sites
May Your Coming Year
Nolo Contendere
Our dues remain the same
~ $20 for the year ~ and should be paid
at the first meeting. Cash or check, please.
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Our 2018 programs will be terrific
starting with
US Army Lieutenant Colonel Michael Grygar
LTC Grygar will speak about his work as a Military Police officer (MP) and Foreign Area Officer (FAO).
If you have questions about the Army, military police, or how the US Army trains and supports foreign military forces, bring them to the meeting.
LTC Michael Grygar entered military service in June of 1992, enlisting in the US Army Reserve as a Combat Medic. He was commissioned as a 2LT in the Military Police Corps through the University of Texas at Arlington ROTC program in 1996, while simultaneously earning a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. LTC Grygar entered Active Duty in 2002. In 2009, he began Foreign Area Officer training at the Defense Language Institute where he studied Portuguese. He has completed a Masters in National Security Studies with a focus
on Latin America at the Naval Postgraduate School.
LTC Grygar has been assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, MO; USAG Bamberg, Germany; Iraq; Monterrey, CA; US Military Group, Guatemala; Fort Polk, LA; Afghanistan; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Fort Sam Houston, TX. He has served in a wide variety of assignments as a Military Police officer and then as a Foreign Area Officer, including positions as a Battle Captain in Iraq; Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 793rd MP BN; Director of Emergency Services/Provost Marshal of the US Army Garrison in Bamberg, Germany; visiting instructor at the Guatemalan Command and General Staff College; Battalion Operations Officer, and Battalion XO of the 2nd Battalion, 353rd Infantry Regiment; instructor at the Brazilian Command and General Staff College in Brazil; and as the Political Military Affairs Division Chief within the Regional Affairs Directorate.
He is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), the Meritorious Service Medal (1 OLC), the Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (1 OLC), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the NATO Medal, the Parachutists Badge and the Air Assault Badge.
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Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas Chapter meets monthly on the second Sunday of the month, at 2:15 p.m. at Cafe Express,3418 N. Lamar, Austin 78705, 512 452-9888
For information about the Heart of Texas Chapter contact Joyce Arquette, Publicity, (512) 266-6543.
At the December 10, 2017 meeting, HOTXSINC elected officers for 2018. There being no nominations from the floor, the nominating committee’s slate of candidates was elected by acclamation:
President – Helen Currie Foster
Vice President/President Elect – Noreen Cedeno
Secretary/Membership – Francine Paino
Treasurer – David Ciambrone
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THE WORD ON OUR MEMBERS
K. P. Gresham’s radio play “The Case of the Poisoned Holly” was performed by a cast of HOTXSINC members at the annual holiday party on December 20, 2017. She spoke and signed copies of her mystery MURDER IN THE SECOND PEW at BookPeople on December 8.
“Amazon now requires you to purchase a minimum of $50 worth of books or other products before you can leave a review or answer questions about a product. These purchases, and it looks like it is a cumulative amount, must be purchased via credit card or debit card — gift cards won’t count.”
“Hindi pulp fiction writer Surender Mohan Pathak has been made ‘the Agatha Christie of India’ by Minakshi Thakur, who saw potential in a genre ignored by other publishers.”
“Now, Amazon is in a strange situation; it cannot itself decide if it’s a publisher or a distributor, but in either case the demand for a copy of our contract with our publisher is out of line, and Steve and I will not comply.”- Author Sharon Lee
The Passive Voice: “In an update to the OP, TeleRead says Amazon customer service solved the problem. PG is happy to hear that in part because the authors seem like nice people. “PG is usually on the little guy’s/gal’s side in these kind of disputes, but in this case, he understands Amazon’s concerns:…”
May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art– write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, that you surprise yourself.
Saturday, November 4 – 10:00 a.m. t0 5:00 p.m. Sunday, November 5 – 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Stop by!
HOTXSINC authors will
sell their books,
meet the public, spread the word about SISTERS IN CRIME ~ Heart of Texas Chapter and support public libraries throughout the state
Texas State Capitol Building and Grounds
HOTXSINC’s booth is courtesy of a grant
from the Sisters in Crime national organization
Announcements November 12 Program: Sgt. Robbie Barrera on New Laws That Went into Effect September 1 The Word on Our Members HOTXSINC Authors Guest on MysteryPeople Blog Friday Fictioneers NaNoWriMo Ramona DeFelice Long on NaNoWriMo Selected Sites
The One Thing More
Nolo Contendere
New Laws That Went into Effect September 1, 2017
Sgt. Robbie Barrera
At the November 12 HOTXSINC meeting, Sgt. Robbie Barrera of the Texas Department of Public Safety will speak about new laws that went into effect September 1.
Sgt. Barrera graduated from Texas State in San Marcos and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology. She is a Master Peace Officer and an approved Instructor for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and FEMA. She is certified as an Advanced Public Information Officer through U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She has served the state of Texas for over 24 years and currently serves as a Sergeant in Media and Communication. She was named Trooper of the Year by the Austin Exchange Club. She has been recognized for her public service by Safe Kids, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, MADD, Travis County Underage Drinking Program, FEMA, People against Violent Crime, and TABC.
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Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas Chapter meets the second Sunday of each month at Book People, 603 North Lamar, Austin, phone 512-472-5050. Meetings begin at 2:15 p.m. Take the elevator to the third floor.
NOTE: On November 12, 2017, Heart of Texas Chapter will meet at
For information about the Heart of Texas Chapter, contact Joyce Arquette, Publicity (512) 266-6543, and visit our website at http://sinc-heartoftexas.com
Laura Oles’ debut novel,DAUGHTERS OF BAD MEN, will be released by Red Adept Publishing on November 14, 2017. The story follows Jamie Rush, a skip tracer working in Port Alene, Texas, and her search for her missing niece. DAUGHTERS OF BAD MEN was named a Killer Nashville Claymore Award Finalist in 2016.
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Meredith Lee’s new novel, SHROUDED: A CRISPIN LEADS MYSTERY, is taking to the road. A book club in Morrison, Colorado, featured the thriller in a two-and-a-half group discussion on October 22. Another group of readers is planning a book sale/signing celebration in Stephenville, Texas on Sunday, November 19 from 2-4 p.m. The celebration will be at 1442 Private Road 2114 (South US 81).
Meredith Lee is the pen name for the Austin-based writing team of Dixie Lee Evatt and Sue Meredith Cleveland. For more about their debut novel go to www.meredithlee.net.
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Patricia Flaherty Pagan‘s award-winning mystery story, “Padre,” has been published in the anthology TALES OF TEXAS. The anthology of short stories by Texas authors is available in select indie bookstores and on Amazon. The publisher will donate a portion of the fall sales to benefit Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
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Coincidence means only a connection that’s not seen.
Roots meet underground. ~ Charlotte Armstrong
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It is a curious thing
that when one speaks from the heart
it is invariably in the worst of taste. ~ Ngaio Marsh
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HOTXSINC Authors Guest on MysteryPeople Blog
In recognition of Sisters in Crime’s 30th Anniversary, MysteryPeople has hosted blog posts by four SINC authors. Three Heart of Texas Chapter authors led off.
Each week, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields hosts Friday Fictioneers, bloggers from all over the world who share 100-word stories. Every Tuesday, she posts a picture prompt. The following Friday, Fictioneers post their stories on their own blogs and link to InLinkz, a collection of links to all the stories posted that week. (Stories may be linked before and after the posting Friday–but not after a new photo prompt has been posted.)
The most important thing she’d learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.~ Jill Churchill
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Perfume companies ought to bottle the smell of crisp bacon. Forget pheromones. I’ll bet a woman with a little spot of bacon grease behind her ears would attract every male within a five-mile radius. ~ Blaize Clement
NaNoWriMo–National Novel Writing Month–begins November 1. Writer and editor Ramona DeFelice Long offers advice for beginning and winning the challenge.
The mills of God work like lightning compared with the law. ~ Mary Stewart
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His books distracted him for a while.
They were like the aspirins you take when you’ve got a headache.
They kill the pain for two hours and then it comes back. ~ Barbara Vine
[“Charade: The Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn film, a big-budget Universal Pictures release, fell out of copyright immediately upon release because the title screen failed to actually use the word “copyright,” instead stating “MCMLXIII BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES COMPANY, INC. and STANLEY DONEN FILMS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.”]
Love and a cold cannot be hid.
It is, I believe, a Spanish proverb. ~ Patricia Wentworth
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Have you ever noticed the softness of a kitten’s feet?
– they are like raspberries to hold in one’s hand.
~Anne Douglas Sedgwick
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The One Thing More
You are the lady to help people.The words came back to her as she made her way home that evening. It was pleasing to know that people thought that of you, but worrying, too. You could not help everybody–nobody could–because the world was too full of need and troubles, a wide ocean of them, and one person could not begin to deal with all that. And yet, even if you were just one person, and even if you could not solve everybody’s problems, when somebody came to you and looked frightened, you could not say, Go away. I cannot do anything for you. You say instead, Yes, I will do what I can. And then, when you go home from work at the end of the day, you sit on your small verandah watching the day turn to dusk, nursing a cup of red bush tea in your hands, and wonder what on earth what you could possibly do to help.
If you find errors–from typos to information that’s incorrect or that should appear but doesn’t–pleaseemail Kathy. HOTSHOTS! will live forever on the Internet. We want it to be accurate.
Kathy Waller, Editor kathywaller1 at gmail dot com
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October 8: Party! Sisters in Crime’s 30th Anniversary
Our mission is to promote
the ongoing advancement, recognition,
and professional development of women crime writers. ~ Sisters in Crime Mission Statement
_______________
October 8, 2017 Program: Celebrate Sisters in Crime’s 30th Birthday!
The Word on Our Members Computer Keys for Four Hands: Teaming Up to Write
An Afternoon with Helen Ginger Call for Submissions
Call to Action: Review! Calendar Selected Sites Nolo Contendere
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October 8, 2017 Program
IT’S A PARTY!
SISTERS IN CRIME
CELEBRATES ITS 30TH BIRTHDAY
Sarah Ann Robertson
READINGS FROM ORIGINAL WORKS
BY SISTERS IN CRIME ~ HEART OF TEXAS MEMBERS
WINE, CHEESE, AND CAKE
TO CELEBRATE
WHO WE ARE
AND WHAT WE DO
2:15 – 4:00 P.M.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2017
3RD FLOOR OF BOOKPEOPLE
603 N. LAMAR
AUSTIN, TEXAS
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED!
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Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas Chapter meets monthly on the second Sunday of the month at 2:15 p.m. at Book People, 603 North Lamar, Austin, phone 512-472-5050. Take the elevator to the third floor.
For information about the Heart of Texas Chapter, contact Joyce Arquette, Publicity (512) 266-6543, and check out our website at http://sinc-heartoftexas.com
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Sara Paretsky at Bouchercon 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) By Mark Coggins from San Francisco (Sara Paretsky Uploaded by tripsspace) [CC BY 2.0 ] via Wikimedia Commons
Meredith Lee celebrated the launch of her first book, SHROUDED, at the Writing Barn on September 9, 2017. She will speak and sign copies of SHROUDED at BookPeople on November 10. (Meredith Lee is the pen name of HOTXSINC members Sue Meredith Cleveland and Dixie Lee Wyatt.)
SINC’s Ongoing Pursuit of Reviews for Women Writers: 2016 Report
and HOTxSINC’s Invitation
Mission Statement of the national organization Sisters in Crime (SINC): “Promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers.” Since 1986 SINC has pursued its goal of raising women writers’ share of reviews and recognition through its Monitoring Project, monitoring the share of reviews for women crime writers. For the first 20 years of the Monitoring Project, SINC noted a long-term upward trend. But the 2016 results are stagnant in the digital category and show only statistically insignificant changes in national and local newspapers, pre-publication sources, and genre-focused magazine categories. Here are the numbers for 2007-2016:
Type of Publication Reviews of Books Reviews of Books Reviews of Books
by Women 2007 by Women 2015 by Women 2016
National newspapers 31% 42% 41%
Local newspapers 37% 46% 47%
Pre-publication sources 45% 45% 46%
Genre-focused magazines 40% 50% 52%
Born Digital Review Sources n/a 52% 52%
SINC notes that the national newspaper category continues to be the most resistant to reviewing women writers—significant because these papers (New York Times, Toronto Globe & Mail, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal) carry prestige and readership. In pre-publication review sources, Booklist (43%) and Publishers Weekly (46%) continued to favor male over female writers, but both improved by one point from 2015. Since 2011, the majority of Library Journal’s reviews have been for women (but the percentage dropped from 60% in 2015 to 56% in 2016.
SINC estimates the percentage of mysteries by women by counting Edgar Award submissions (best novel, best first novel, best paperback or e-original, and submissions for the Mary Higgins Clark award). Women authors accounted for 49% of books submitted in 2016 (51% in 2015). Men continued to dominate Best Novel (57% in 2016); women dominated Best Paperback or E-Original (56% in 2016) but lost ground in Best First Novel (dropping from 52% in 2015, to 48% in 2016).
The Heart of Texas chapter of SINC, HOTXSINC, shares SINC’s goal of improving women’s share of reviews of crime writers by showcasing members’ work, encouraging professional development and advancement, and cheering each other on. We use our website, emails, meetings, and newsletter to do so. Come join us in this effort! Encouragement…strategies…new ideas…our pursuit of excellence…that’s what we’re about.
VP Chandler reads from her story, Rota Fortunae, in the Murder On Wheels anthology
Capt. Mike Winn
Billy Kring
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“Several women wanted SIC, as in ‘Let’s sic ’em!'” Margaret says, “ but I knew we were less about hostility than about working together in sync, so I used SinC in all my correspondence and official letters. By the end of my term, SinC had become the standard abbreviation.”
The Friends of the Georgetown Public Library will host their 34st author event on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 2 PM, in the Community Rooms of the library located at 402 W. 8th St. Austinite Meg Gardiner, whose newest thriller, “UNSUB” was published in June, 2017, will be the speaker. Lawyer turned author, Ms. Gardiner is an Edgar Award-winning American crime writer who has written thirteen thrillers.
“UNSUB” (short for unknown subject) tells the tale of a young detective, determined to apprehend the serial murderer who destroyed her family and terrorized a city twenty years earlier. This riveting psychological thriller has been bought by CBS Television Studios for adaptation into a TV series.
Tickets are $15 in advance, or $18 at the door and will go on sale September 11th. They’re available at the Second-Hand Prose bookstore on the second floor of the library, from the WOW!mobile (the book mobile that visits many locations in the city), online at https://folgeorgetown.org/event/hcas-meg-gardiner/ after September 11th , or by contacting Marcy Lowe at 512-868-8974. A dessert and beverage from the Red Poppy Coffee Company is included.
The event begins at 2 PM; doors open at 130 PM. Proceeds are used to fund unbudgeted items and other ongoing library projects.
For more information contact Marcy Lowe at (512) 868-8974.
Members, please email links to your websites and/or blogs tokathywaller1 at gmail dot com so they can be listed in our blogroll. Email your news/announcements to the same address.
Member authors, please send book/story&publication titles and a headshot to kathywaller at gmail dot com. Here’s a link to the Author page so you can see how your info will be displayed: https://sinc-heartoftexas.com/hotxsinc-authors/
Kathy Waller, editor kathywaller1 at gmail dot com
Sisters in Crime: Heart of Texas chapter calls on all unpublished, aspiring writers of cozies, thrillers, true crime, noir, young adult, middle grade, and other mystery genres to submit the first 500 words of their mystery manuscript (novel or short story) to the Barbara Burnett Smith Aspiring Writers Event.
Aspiring writers are chosen and matched with published author-mentors for one-on-one sessions and recognition at the Sisters In Crime: Heart of Texas Barbara Burnett Smith Aspiring Writers Event in May of each year. The submission deadline is March 31, 2016.
This is not a contest: there is no judging and no fee. It is a wonderful opportunity for writers unpublished in the mystery field to be mentored by published authors and recognized by the Sisters in Crime: Heart of Texas chapter.
All aspiring writers must attend the Barbara Burnett Smith Aspiring Writers EventSunday, May 15, 2016, at 2 p.m. at the Yarborough Branch of the Austin Public Library.
Submission Guidelines
Unpublished writers submit by email a 100 word (maximum) synopsis and the first 500 words of a mystery short story or novel.
Entries must be in standard submission format: 12 point Times New Roman or Courier New font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.
Attach a Word file document with the synopsis (100 word max) on first page. Put your name, email address, phone number, and title of story or novel in the top left-hand corner of first page. On the second page, start the 500-word submission of your novel or short story. Put your name, manuscript title, and page number on all pages.
K. P. Gresham’s radio play “The Case of the Poisoned Holly” was performed by a cast of HOTXSINC members at the annual holiday party on December 20, 2017. She spoke and signed copies of her mystery 
“UNSUB” (short for unknown subject) tells the tale of a young detective, determined to apprehend the serial murderer who destroyed her family and terrorized a city twenty years earlier. This riveting psychological thriller has been bought by CBS Television Studios for adaptation into a TV series.
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