Thursday, February 15, 2007

FEBRUARY 21 – MONTREAL

Barbara Fradkin and Mary Jane Maffini will present a program on 'The Allure of the Mystery: Canadian Style' at the Jewish Public Library on February 21st at 6:30 pm, 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal. Admission: $3 JPL members*/students, $8 non-members. For information, please call (514) 345-2627 ext. 3017. Michael Blair will do the ceremonial introductions as CWC FIRST VEEP.

FEBRUARY 28 – OTTAWA

Politics and the Pen: Ottawa’s Great Literary Dinner – Mary Jane Maffini will be one of the authors at this glitzy annual fundraiser sponsored by the Writers Trust. Barbara Fradkin will be there too. Let’s hope they behave! http://www.writerstrust.com/events_politics.html

MARCH 13 - VANCOUVER – Mary Jane Maffini will be interviewed for the taping of a segment of 'True Pulp Murder', a documentary being produced by Make Believe Media at an undisclosed location. How mysterious is that? Other mysterious Canadian crime writers and police officers will be interviewed as well. Watch for this program on Mystery! and Global.

MARCH 31st - KINGSTON Volunteer & Information Kingston (VIK) is hosting a fund raising event from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Memorial Hall at Kingston City Hall. This fund raiser is a customized, interactive mystery game, a scenario which involves the audience in solving the murder of a fictitious “Volunteer of the Year.” The mystery will be preceded by a “meet and greet” dessert reception and book signing. VIK partners sponsoring the event are “As The Plot Thickens” Mystery Bookshop, Pan Chancho Catering, Bakery and Take-out, Studio 22 and Fruitalicious – Fabulous Fruit Creations. Hosting the reception and book signing are The Honourable Peter Milliken, MP, Mary Jane Maffini and Therese Greenwood, local mystery author and founder of the Wolfe Island “Scene of the Crime” mystery festival. Attendees will be encouraged to come ‘in costume’ dressing up as ‘earnest do-gooders’ for the event and participating and interacting spontaneously to solve the murder mystery.

There will be door prizes, prizes for best costume and the audience member who identifies the fictional murderer. Book signings will precede the murder mystery during the dessert reception.
• Prizes – door prize, best costume and murder winner
• Ticket cost - $35.00 – event, dessert and $15.00 tax receipt
• Book signing of my latest book “The Dead Don’t Get Out Much”
• Book signing of Ms. Greenwood’s anthology “Dead in the Water”
• Signed souvenir posters of the event will also be available for purchase

For information about purchase of tickets contact: dpatterson@volunteerkingston.ca

MAY 4 – 6 ARLINGTON, VA Malice Domestic, Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel,

Mary Jane Maffini will be attending this excellent conference that honours the traditional mystery. There are excellent panels, a book room and many meet and greet opportunities.

Mary Jane Maffini's new series is set to launch soon. She is planning a joint launch with her friend and colleague Joan Boswell. Email MJM if you want to be on her mailing list. detect@rogers.com

Monday, February 12, 2007

Upcoming Barbara Fradkin Events for 2007

Honour Among Men, the latest Inspector Green mystery, hit the book shelves in September and has already received excellent reviews from several major newspapers, including Margaret Cannon of The Globe and Mail, "the best one yet", and Mike Gillespie of the Ottawa Citizen, "the most masterful and compelling tale yet in the series".

Winter is typically a quieter time when Barbara has a chance to devote more time to writing, and she has been hard at work on the sixth Inspector Green book in the series, entitled Dream Chasers. However, the events calendar for the winter and spring is beginning to fill up with radio appearances, lunchtime addresses and library readings. Here is the list as it stands, but stay tuned for further details and added events as the busy spring schedule unfolds.

Feb.13 - Solway Jewish Community Centre 1:00 - 2:30 pm
A talk entitled "Is it ever too late to be a writer?". 21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa

Feb. 14 - CBC Radio Literary Salon 3:00 - 6:00 pm
Lively panel on merits and pitfalls of literary awards. Sparks should fly, so tune in to 91.5.

Feb. 21 - Montreal Jewish Public Library 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Barbara and fellow mystery writer Mary Jane Maffini talk about "The Allure of the Mystery; Canadian Style". 5151 Cote Ste. Catherine. Public admission $8.

Feb. 28 - Politics and the Pen Gala 6:00 - 10:00 pm
Guest author at the annual fundraising gala in support of the Writers' Trust. Dinner and schmoozing with politicians, diplomats and business leaders at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.

Mar. 4 - LiT LiVe Reading Series 7:30 pm
Participating in Hamilton's premiere literary reading series, at The King Paisley Pub, corner of King St. W and Paisley Ave.

Mar. 15 - An Encounter with Three Jewish Authors 7:30 pm
Thought-provoking panel discussion about how being Jewish influences our writing, hosted by the Temple Israel Adult Education Committee. 1301 Prince of Wales Drive, everyone welcome.

May 7 - Canadian Association of Law Libraries 12:00 noon
Lunch speaker at the annual convention of law librarians. Justice from a fiction writer's point of view and the joys of making it all up.

May 26 - Writers in the Community Workshop 12:30 - 4:00 pm
An Arts Ottawa East workshop on writing the mystery novel, at the Dempsey Community Centre on 1895 Russell Road. Check www.artsoe.ca for registration details.

May 30 - National Crime Writing Week 7:30 pm
An evening of fun with other local crime writers at the Nepean Centrepointe Auditorium. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for further details.

July 21 - Jones Falls Writers Festival Time TBA
The second annual Jones Falls festival features readings and talks by a wide assortment of regional authors. More details to follow, but be prepared to spend a wonderful day in the country.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007


On Tuesday, February 6, the "Toronto the Good?" lecture series kicked off its 2007 season at the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse with an appearance by RendezVous Crime author Mel Bradshaw. Drawing on his experience researching his historical mystery "Death in the Age of Steam", Mel spoke on the subject of "Rules out of School," or how the done thing in 1850s Toronto was shaped by early Victorian religion and science. Pew rents, legal oaths, marriage, and divorce were touched on as were Victorian punishments and crime scene investigation. Treats featured in the Crime Writers of Canada Dishes to Die For cookbook were served to a paying audience of roughly sixty persons. By the end of the evening, all the books the author brought were inscribed and sold, including copies of his second historical mystery "Quarrel with the Foe".

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Wed, Feb 21, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Jewish Public Library, 5151 Cote Ste. Catherine Rd.
Montreal, QC

Join BARBARA FRADKIN and MARY JANE MAFFINI for wine and cheese and a discussion of “The Allure of the Mystery: Canadian Style.” Barbara and Mary Jane will also be reading from their latest books, both published by RENDEZVOUS PRESS – Honour Among Men (Barbara) and The Dead Don’t Get Out Much (Mary Jane). Author MICHAEL BLAIR (Overexposed, DUNDURN) will introduce the lethal ladies. Open to the public. Admission: members $3; non-members $8. For more info, call 514 345-2627, ext. 3017.