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The 3rd Annual Mystery Writers Key West Fest will take place June 10-12 at the island’s DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Key Resort, 3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd. |
Key
West, Florida Keys – The 3rd annual Mystery Writers Key West Fest
launches Friday, June 10, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Key
Resort, 3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd.
The
“Murder & Mayhem in Paradise” themed weekend of total mystery
immersion - open to published authors, aspiring authors and non-writing
book lovers alike - includes panels, presentations, workshops and social
events with a “killer” hit-list of some of America’s top award-winning
and bestselling mystery writers and true crime experts and features New
York Times bestselling author and renowned trial lawyer Robert K.
Tanenbaum as keynote speaker.
Events
kick off on Friday afternoon with four back-to-back workshops: a
birds-eye view of true-crime and law enforcement presented by Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team and Key West Police Department team
members; “How to Write a Novel,” Parts 1 and 2 with award-winning author
and former undercover agent James O. Born; and “Real Forensics and the
Mystery Writer,” with forensic scientist and New York Times bestselling
author Lisa Black.
With
the evening comes a welcome celebration and sit-down dinner at Smokin’
Tuna Saloon presided over by Fest producers Shirrel Rhoades and Michael
Haskins along with Key West City officials, followed by a roast of
Mystery Writers of America – Florida Chapter President Randy Rawls, MC’d
by James O. Born.
Saturday’s
series of panels and presentations is populated with leading mystery
fiction authors representing a variety of genres including (but not
limited to), action/adventure, comic, “cozy” mysteries, forensic,
hardboiled, supernatural, noir and police procedural. They include, “How
I Write – Blank Screen to The End,” with Robert Coburn, Rick Ollerman,
Sandra Balzo and Bill Craig, moderated by Siera London; “Creating
Suspense,” with Heather Graham, Lisa Black, Anna Castle and Don Bruns,
moderated by Mike Dennis; “Believable Dialogue,” with Timothy Hallinan,
Siera London, Mel Taylor and Deborah Sharp, moderated by Anna Castle;
and “Noir,” with Mike Dennis, Jake Hinkson, Paul McGoran and Lewis M.
Weinstein, moderated by Shirrel Rhoades.
For
Saturday’s final panel, moderated by James O. Born, notable area
true-crime experts Carol F. Frederick, FDLE; Jim Linder, JIATF; Chief
Donie Lee, KWPD; and Sheriff Rick Ramsay, MCSO will share insights on
the Keys criminal element and details of the strange crimes that
surround them.
Saturday highlights include luncheon with keynote speaker Tanenbaum, presentation
of the Whodunit Award, a sunset waterfront dinner with acclaimed author
Timothy Hallinan at Turtle Kraals Restaurant & Tower Bar and a
Sloan’s Haunted Key West tour co-hosted by New York Times and USA Today
bestselling author Heather Graham and USA Today bestselling author Don
Bruns.
Sunday
is for chilling along the waterfront with the Fest’s finale Bloody Mary
Sunday Morning Buffet Breakfast at the island’s iconic Schooner Wharf
Bar.
Mystery
Writers Key West Fest is produced by Shirrel Rhoades, a publisher who
has held executive positions with Reader’s Digest, Scholastic, Harper’s,
Marvel Entertainment and other well-known publishing companies, and
Florida Keys-based author Michael Haskins, creator of the popular Mad
Mick Murphy mystery series.
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Attendee’s at last year’s Mystery Writers Key West Fest gained insights on fingerprinting techniques in a true-crime workshop with MCSO CSI Detective John Underwood. |
"It’s
not just writers and fans of mystery fiction and true-crime that come
to our Fest," said Rhoades. "In our first two years we quickly
discovered that, because of the caliber and accessibility of our guest
authors, the fascinating panels and unique social events, our ranks were
being infiltrated by enthusiasts of many genres. After all, how many
writers festivals are there in which leading, world-class authors are
hanging out, having fun and rubbing elbows with the audience members
every day?"
“There’s
no other conference like the Mystery Writers Key West Fest because
there is no other place like Key West,” commented Haskins. "I'm not
saying it's something in the water, or the watering holes, but then
again I'm not saying it's not."
Sponsored
by the Key West Citizen daily newspaper, Mystery Writers of America –
Florida Chapter, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts and numerous
public and private sponsors, at just $175 the Mystery Writers Key West Fest includes
full access to three days of panels, presentations and social events,
plus four meals. “It’s practically criminal,” says Rhoades.
For more information and a complete schedule visit www.mysterywriterskeywestfest.com.
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