neadods | Malice report 3 of 3

I'm going to get business cards printed up that say "Another Day, Another Scathing Review." I've been reading a book a day as I commute to the con and drafting reviews at idle moments. Out of 4 books, one good review.

Someone put out a couple cases of Susan Kandel's I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason, so I swiped copies for me and for the TW raffle. I got the opera books signed - as well as the next set of "went to the panel and got sucked into buying the books" - Wheeler's Murder at Plymouth Plantation (self explnatory) and Shaber's Simon Said and The Bug Funeral (modern body in an archeological dig and woman saying she was murdered in a past life... and the evidence suggests she's telling the truth).

Also picked up Stackhouse's Stream of Death from the swap table and bought a used copy of The Doctor Makes a Dollhouse Call because I'd looked at it every day. I dallied over signed copies of Sit, Stay, Slay but decided against buying it again; if I like it and the upcoming ferret book that much, I'll get 'em signed at next Malice or Bouchercon.

I stayed for the tea and hat contest this time, and so ate chocolate covered strawberries and mini chocolate teacups filled with mocha cream while looking at hats. I thought the one with the entire town of Maggoty (including Civil War re-enactment) and the poisons one (with the spider hanging down like Minnie Pearl's price tag) were the best.

Also, I'm being pimped even harder into Chesapeake Sisters in Crime. Apparenty, there's a book swap every meeting...

When I got home, I went through the AAUW donation boxes, pulling out mysteries for future TW raffles, Malice swaps, and Chesapeake meetings, along with romances and some theme books (renaissance history, angels) for future TW basets. I'm going to see how the 4 I donate to MSFB go over before I get too carried away, but if they are a success, I can do more for Pyrate feast.

And now I'm exhausted and catching up on email while waiting for the Simpsons to start. Fortunately, I dodged the jury duty bullet and so can get back to my normal routine tomorrow.