Africa and Ebola

Does the above look like most of Africa to you?

I'm offering links to two items I really hope you will take a look at.  This will require no more than a few minutes of your time.

1) an easy to view graphic, showing the size of Africa by overlaying the United States, China, and other countries for comparison:

http://kai.subblue.com/images/true-size-of-africa-kk-v2.pdf

2) this article with a map showing where Ebola outbreaks are — and are not — in Africa.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/11/03/map-the-africa-without-ebola/

Perspective is important.

Happy Halloween — and a couple of recommendations

Hope you all have a happy Halloween tomorrow. (Yes, my parents had the coolest furniture ever.)

I'll be away from the blog for a couple of days. 

If you are looking for a fascinating book to read in this haunted season, I highly recommend Deborah Blum's Ghost Hunters. At the end of the 19th century, and in the face of scorn from other scientists, William James — renowned Harvard professor of psychiatry — and a group of eminent scientists decide to study ghosts, spiritualism, and psychic phenomena in an empirical way. 

This is one of my all-time favorite works of nonfiction.

I also hope you'll listen to Crime and Science Radio on Saturday (10 AM Pacific, 1 PM Eastern, 5 PM GMT) -- our guest is forensic anthropologist Marilyn London.

Bouchercon 2014 Schedule

Bouchercon is the largest of the crime fiction fan conventions, and this year it is being held in Long Beach, California. I hope you'll plan to attend! Click here for information on registration, accommodations, programming and more.

November 12 
I'm starting that week as the coordinator of Sisters in Crime's SinC into Great Writing workshop, which this year is an all-day forensic science program that is available for $50 for members of the organization.  If you aren't a member, join for $40 and you'll still get a great deal. I posted about the event here and will have more to say about the event this week.

Here are the panels I'll be on:
November 15
On Saturday at 1:30 PM, "Getting it Right: How Authors Make Sure the Details Are Correct."
The moderator is Chris Aldrich and other panelists are Reed Farrel Coleman, Julia Dahl, Roger Hobbs, and Tammy Kaehler.

November 16
On Sunday at 10:00 AM "Do You Write What You Know? A Conversation About Research and Thinking Beyond the Everyday." Our moderator is Janet Rudolph and other panelists are Barry Eisler,  Laurie R. King, and Elaine Viets.

Only 12 spaces left in SinC Into Great Writing, and they're going fast

Register online before Halloween for Sisters in Crime’s day with forensic science experts, a homicide detective, a cadaver dog handler, and an arson investigator – to be held just before Bouchercon, on Wednesday, November 12!

Hear from outstanding professionals on processing crime scenes, trace evidence, medical serial killers, cadaver dogs, homicide investigation, and arson investigation. Try your hand at going over a crime scene. All of our experts have experience in the fields they’ll be talking about. You don’t need a science background — just an interest in how scientists and investigators do their work!

Sisters in Crime is sponsoring this all-day forensic science workshop for its members on the day before Bouchercon.  You’ll not only hear from these outstanding experts, you’ll have opportunities to ask questions, learn how to get more information, and get tips on use forensic science research in your writing. A box lunch is included.  An all-day forensic science seminar, including a box lunch, for $50.00! The event will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Long Beach.

Register on the Sisters in Crime Website. http://sistersincrime.org

Sign in as a member, then click on the SinC Into Great Writing VI link, then on “Workshop Registration” just below the title of the event. (Not a member? Join! See the website to learn all about the benefits of membership.)

Here’s what we have planned:

7:30 - 8:00 am:     Registration

8:00 - 8:10 am:     Welcome and introduction by Hank Phillippi Ryan. Logistics announcements by Jan Burke

8:10 - 9:00 am:   Crime Scene Processing with Donald Johnson

Don Johnson is a professor of forensic science at CSULA and director of the criminalistics program there. 

9:00 - 9:50 am:    Medical Serial Killers with Beatrice Crofts Yorker

Internationally recognized expert on medical killers, Bea Yorker is the Dean of of the College of Health and Human Services for CSULA, of which the university's forensic science programs are a part.

9:50 - 10:05 am:  Break

10:05 - 10:55 am:  Trace Evidence with Katherine Roberts. 

Like our other experts from CSULA, Dr. Roberts is an extraordinary forensic science researcher with practical experience. She will tell us all about the latest breakthroughs in trace evidence, and what can be learned from it. She is the interim director of the California Forensic Science Institute.

10:55 - 11:25 am:  Question and Answer Session for morning speakers

11:25 - 11:55 am: Lunch Break (box lunch provided)

11:55 - 12:40 pm:  Hands On Death Investigation: "Two dead at scene."

You are the trainee detective called out to investigate a double murder.  Be on time! Be prepared! Bring your notepad and pen!  Veteran LASD Homicide Detective Elizabeth Smith will provide an interactive experience for you in crime scene investigation.

12:40 - 1:30 pm:  Working with Dogs to Find Human Remains 

Cat Warren is a cadaver dog handler and the author of a fascinating book on working dogs, What the Dog Knows.  

1:30 - 1:45 pm:     Afternoon break fruit/sodas/coffee/tea provided

1:45 - 2:35 pm:  Arson Investigation 

Bob Cheng, Captain of the Arson Investigation Unit of the Long Beach Fire Department, will talk to us about the science of fire investigation.

2:35 - 3:15 pm:    Question and Answer Session for afternoon speakers

3:15-3:30 pm Break 

3:30-4:30 What Writers Need to Know about Forensic Science and How to Learn More About It 

This will be an interactive session. Jan Burke will talk to you about both the benefits of using forensic science in your writing and some pitfalls to avoid. She’ll tell you how to research forensic science and spend time answering your questions.  She’ll also be available after the event to offer you further help. 

Holy Smoke

I can't believe I haven't posted here since December.  Every time I come to this page thinking it has only been a few weeks since I posted something, I'm reminded that just thinking about doing something does not get it done.  Now in a better ordered world, there would be hardworking author elves, but alas...

So a few notes and a little news:

My newest story, "The Amiable Miss Edith Montague," appears in Mystery Writers of America Presents The Mystery Box, edited by Brad Meltzer.  This anthology is available now in hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions.

I enjoyed seeing Brad, R.L. Stine, James O. Born, and many of the other contributors at The Mysterious Bookshop in New York for the launch of the anthology.  The event was SRO -- here's Brad on a ladder talking to the crowd about the book.  The camera does not capture how gracious he's being.  Brad writes dynamite thrillers, hosts an intriguing television show (History Channel's Decoded), and is an Eisner Award-winning comic book author.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  He's also one of the most generous people I know in a generous community of writers (my genre rocks) and gives back in so many ways.  For example, through this charity.

The launch took place during Edgars Week, at the end of which Mystery Writers of America gave out the Edgar Awards at a ceremony held at the Grand Hyatt.  This year, I handed a Raven Award to the most deserving Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, which also celebrated its 20th anniversary this month.  I am so happy that MWA has named Charlaine Harris as its new president!

At the banquet I was seated with Leslie S. Klinger and friends, among them Brian Skupin and Kate Stine of Mystery Scene.

Thinking of Sherlockian friends, I just realized, to my dismay, that this dearth of posts means I have not yet talked about the thrill of being "given a shilling" by the Baker Street Irregulars.  That must have a post of its own!

You may have read in the New York Times that in March I had the honor of officiating at the wedding of Twist Phelan and Jack Chapple.   Twist, who won the Thriller Award for her short story "A Stab in the Heart," has a new story in the July 2013 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, "Footprints in Water."  You can read an excerpt from it here.

Tim and I also had loads of fun at Left Coast Crime in Colorado Springs, a well-organized conference.  Have you signed up for LCC in Monterey next year?

I also see I missed posting about another adventure which deserves a post of its own, my appearance (is it an appearance on radio?) on The Dinner Party Show in December.  I was on the program with Marcia Clark and hosts Christopher Rice and Eric Shaw Quinn.  It's a cross between a riot and a royal banquet.  A particularly hilarious riot/banquet.  You can listen to our episode online here.

Ways to keep up with me during the long wait between days when I say, "I need to blog" and the days when I actually blog?

Twitter:  @jan_burke

I'm on Facebook, and I now have a fan Page on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WriterJanBurke

And I usually tweet every weekday for @crimelabproject

Oh, and yes, I am writing a book and finishing a short story.  The book is a standalone novel, the short story is about Frank Harriman.  More news...well, if not soon, eventually!

The Baker Street Irregulars Weekend!

I'm so looking forward to a special set of events to be held in New York City next month, as the Baker Street Irregulars meet to celebrate the 159th Birthday of Sherlock Holmes.  I attended last year (and return) thanks in large part to my friend Leslie S. Klinger, whose amazing New Annotated Sherlock Holmes has provided me with many hours of pleasure and loads of new information about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels and stories.  I will add that these three volumes make a terrific gift for anyone who loves Sherlock Holmes.

I'll be reviewing mine over the next few weeks, happily preparing for this set of events.  Most are open to all Sherlockians.  Some, like the Baker Street Babes charity ball, are already sold out, but check out the BSI Weekend site for the full list of celebrations.