Tuesday, September 7, 2021

A Collaboration Retreat

Q: You’re organizing a writers retreat with some fellow authors. Friends, perhaps? Describe the plan, the setting, the food, the drinks, and the results. And, of course, who gets murdered…

From Frank

Now, this is interesting. Who to invite? There are so many possibilities...

But what if I only invited authors who I've collaborated with? Now, I've gotten along famously with all of them but would they get along with each other? And did we actually get along or do they harbor secret grudges against me?

Let's find out.

The invitations go out in order of our working together. Colin Conway from Spokane first (Some Degree of Murder). Then Jim Wilsky, from Texas (Blood on Blood). Next is B.R. Paulson (Bonnie) from Post Falls, Idaho (The Trade Off). After much cajoling from me, Eric Beetner from southern Cal is next (The Backlist). Then Lawrence Kelter from New York (now North Carolina) joined the fray (The Last Collar).

A great group. An eclectic group. A prolific group. Not only do each of these writers have a lot of work in their own right, they collectively make up almost half of my catalog as well. Sixteen of my thirty-four books, as of this post, to be precise.

So what happens when we all gather on a writer's retreat?

Well, we can't. Covid-19, right? So it has to be a virtual gathering. And what better vehicle than Zoom No, wait... that'd be too tough to show here. 

I know, a Facebook group! Yes, that's it!

Click on this link and see how it went! Or view the below pics - whichever you prefer.







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Dear 7 Criminal Minds Blog Reader:

While we ponder the fate of Mr. Zafiro, you might check out his latest offering, a Stanley Melvin PI novella from PI Tales...



   

4 comments:

James W. Ziskin said...

This is hilarious, Frank. Great job!

Jim

Susan C Shea said...

Great - yet another way a writers retreat can go south! Funny!

Frank Zafiro said...

Thanks, JIM and SUSAN!

Josh Stallings said...

As a guy who has tried to collaborate and failed, I tip my hat to you sir. And await the video from the zoom retreat.