ARTHUR ELLIS SHORTLISTINGS!

On Thursday evening, April 22, there were Arthur Ellis shortlisting parties across the country, all well attended and convivial. We at RendezVous Crime attended the Toronto party at the Back Alley Grill in Kensington Market.

Maureen Jennings led a panel of award winners in a hilarious event which had the panellists (of which RVC author and two-time Arthur Ellis award winner Jon Redfern was a member) answer questions such as: When you won your first Arthur Ellis award, what were you wearing?

Today, RendezVous Crime is proud to congratulate two of our authors: R.J. Harlick has been shortlisted for Best Novel for "Arctic Blue Death" and C. B. Forrest for Best First Novel for "The Weight of Stones". Both are richly deserved nominations for two hardworking authors.

The party continues...

MALICE, MYSTERY, AND MURDER

Last night (April 21), RendezVous Crime author Mel Bradshaw was one of three writers featured in the "Malice, Mystery, and Murder" reading series at the historic Enoch Turner Schoolhouse in Corktown, Toronto. For Mel, this was a return to the scene of the crime: three years ago he gave a talk at the Turner on mid-19th century Canada, the milieu of his debut historical mystery Death in the Age of Steam. Yesterday he read passages set in The Royal Conservatory of Music (Victim Impact) and in a Cherry Street blind pig during Prohibition (Quarrel with the Foe). A paying audience of more than two dozen seemed to appreciate the irony of the latter. Enoch Turner founded the city's first free school in 1848 with the earnings of his brewery.

Montreal's Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival

On April 22 at 6:30p.m., Barbara Fradkin will participate in a panel with Anthony Bidulka, moderated by Louise Penny, entitled "East vs. West; the Great Mystery Showdown". The Arthur Ellis Shortlists will be announced at the end of the panel.

UPCOMING OTTAWA EVENTS for the LADIES KILLING CIRCLE

—Barbara Fradkin & Linda Wiken will be giving a talk on writing mysteries to the audience at the Ottawa Little Theatre, just prior to the performance of "An Act of the Imagination" on Tuesday, May 4th at 7:15 p.m.

—On Sunday, May 16th, Joan Boswell, Barbara Fradkin, Mary Jane Maffini & Linda Wiken (of The Ladies Killing Circle) will kick off the "Literary Dames" monthly literary salon at the Great Canadian Theatre Company, 1227 Wellington St., Ottawa at 7 p.m.

Mel Bradshaw Toronto Appearance

On Wednesday, April 21, "Malice, Murder, and Mystery at the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse" will feature a reading by RendezVous Crime Author Mel Bradshaw. Time: 6:30 p.m. Address: 106 Trinity Street, Toronto (King and Parliament). Tickets are $15 and reservations can be made by phoning 416.863.0010 or e-mailing linda.maclean@heritagetrust.on.ca. More information can be found at www.enochturnerschoolhouse.ca

Arthur Ellis comes to Picton!

Arthur Ellis was the name adopted by Canada’s hangman (when we had one) and he’s coming to small town Ontario – but not professionally. Crime Writers of Canada adopted his name for their yearly crime writing awards. The shortlist for this year’s awards is being announced on Thursday, April 22nd – and one of the shortlist parties will be in Picton!

The festivities will include a panel discussion from the assembled authors (Weird & Wonderful Ways to Die), readings, a Q&A session, and of course, the eagerly-awaited announcement of the 2010 Arthur Ellis shortlist. If you love crime fiction, you have to be there!

Three RendezVous Crime authors will be in attendance, Rick Blechta, Vicki Delany and Mary Jane Maffini. Also in attendance will be Michael Blair, JD Carpenter, Janet Kellough, Violette Malan and John Moss. That’s quite a line-up!

Where: Books & Company (a fantastic independent book shop), 289 Main Street, Picton, ON

When: Thursday, April 22nd, starting at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to this free event.

On Monday April 19th, Vicki Delany will be speaking at the Toronto Reference Library
at 7;00 PM. The talk will be followed by a tour of the Conan Doyle
Collection. Vicki will be speaking about Tradition and Today: Making the Detective Novel Your Own. Vicki writes both modern police procedural novels and historical
mysteries (The Klondike Mysteries for RendezVous Crime). She will discuss the joys and perils of each with emphasis on the pleasures, and limitations, of writing historical fiction

A member of the Canadian International Dedevelopment Agency (or of the Provincial Reconstruction Team) serving in Kandahar, relaxes with a good book... Vicki Delany's Gold Digger: A Klondike Mystery!

Brenda Chapman recently judged the Ottawa Public Library's English short story category for the annual Awesome Authors' contest. The contest is open to young authors aged nine to seventeen with judging broken into three age groups. Brenda also presented the short story awards at the packed-house presentation ceremony on March 31st at Ben Franklin Place in Nepean. She is pictured with the other judges Michel Lavoie and J.C. Sulzenko.