I don’t know what I’d do without my sisters.
I have have only one sister by birth. (My mom having birthed both of us). Pam ranks right up there with the best of siblings, and even hawks my books to her friends and colleagues.
I’m also lucky to have some amazing Sisters in Crime—some I’ve met online and at Malice Domestic conferences. And I’m doubly blessed with a great group of Sisters I call friends, as well as blogmates, at Chicks on the Case. And then there are those Sisters I’ve met (and even some I haven’t met) through local SinC chapters.
Although I live in Michigan, I belong to the Wisconsin Sisters in Crime. It’s the closest chapter to where I live in the Upper Peninsula, which isn’t really close to anything. I had met some of my Badger State Sisters at Malice, at Murder and Mayhem in Milwaukee, and at the Writers Police Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin. However, I had only interacted with most of my Wisconsin Sisters online.
Until last Thursday.
I did a joint event with author Beth Amos (who writes as Allyson K. Abbott and Annelise Ryan) at Mystery to Me, a great independent bookstore in Madison, Wisconsin. Just before the chat and signing, ten of us met for dinner at a restaurant down the block from the bookstore. We had a great time, and I got to meet several Sisters in person for the first time. Our dinner companions were also kind enough to come to the signing event, despite off-and-on rain.
Beth Amos already had this author event on the calendar, but was gracious enough to invite me to join her. While we had corresponded, it was the first time I had the pleasure of meeting Beth face-to-face. And she’s a hoot—I’m up for an event with her anytime she lets me horn in! (Check out her latest release, A Toast to Murder).
A special Sister shout out to the Wisconsin chapter’s brave leader, Kathy Wendorff. She not only organized the dinner, but she and her husband Eric generously took in my husband and me as houseguests. (“I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers…”) I’d met Kathy at Malice. But they took John sight unseen—and their unofficial bed and breakfast is top notch!
The support, advice and friendship of fellow Sisters in Crime members has been invaluable to me as an author. If you write, or aspire to write, mysteries you are probably already a member of Sisters in Crime national. (“Misters” are also welcome.) But if you don’t belong to a local chapter, even if “local” is some distance, as it is for me, you’re definitely missing out. And I also want to put in a special plug for the online Guppies chapter (GUP stands for the Great Unpublished, although many published authors are members, as well). If you belong to Sisters in Crime, you can join Guppies for only $12—best twelve bucks I spend all year!
Give a shout out to the sisters or brothers who support your journey as a writer—or whatever path in life you have chosen.
Chicks on the Case 
Without Sisters in Crime I wouldn’t have met my critique group and I’d be totally lost.
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Know what you mean, Liz. Without Sisters in Crime, I don’t think I’d be published now!
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Made me smile!! We’re so blessed with so many sisters 🙂
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*You* make me smile, Kate! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Lovely, Vickie! Sisterhood, in its many forms, is an amazing thing. Shout out to my beloved real-life sister, plus the sister-friends, sisters in crime, and sister Chicks I adore! ❤
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Aw, back atcha, Cynthia!
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While I’m not a member, I love the support that Sisters in Crime and the members give my favorite authors. Thanks for sharing such a great story, and glad the signing was fabulous.
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Thanks, Mark! And us Sisters (and brothers) appreciate your support of authors! Congrats for reaching a million hits on your blog — that’s awesome!
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No way I’d now be a published author without the advice, encouragement, and overwhelming generosity of my fellow Sisters (and Misters) in Crime! Such a wonderful organization! (And, yes, I do love to pieces my genetic sister, too!)
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Leslie, isn’t it wonderful that family can also be friends and friends can become family?! And we’re lucky enough to have both! Hurray for sisters (and brothers)!
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Agree a million percent! xoxoxoxo, mystery community!! And you!
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Thanks, Ellen — mwah!
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Love this, Vickie! We’re so lucky to be part of such an amazing community.
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Yes, I feel lucky to be a Sister in Crime — and a Chick on the Case!
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Wonderful post, Vickie! It was a great time, both the dinner and the bookstore event — thank you for giving us Wisconsin Sisters an occasion to get together. And I couldn’t agree more about the value of Sisters in Crime, both nationally and local. Plus, Eric and I enjoyed the bonus of having you and John stay with us, and getting to know you better. (And I haven’t even mentioned the kudzu jelly…) Let’s do it again some time!
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Kathy, xoxo to you and all my fab Wisconsin Sisters! Y’all made me feel at home despite my Southern accent and Michigan address!
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Is kudzu jelly a thing? (The creeper vine stuff?)
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It is, Lisa! The jelly is made from the blossoms, and tastes (to me) like a cross between pear and apple.
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Great post! It’s always nice when you meet people in person and they’re just as cool as they are online.
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And some are even cooler in person — like Kellye Garrett!
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