CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--KILLER MOP DOLL DOES MALICE (AND FoM)

A few weeks ago I told you that Lois Winston, the author who writes those books about moi, was taking a road trip to the Malice Domestic mystery convention in Bethesda, MD and the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, PA. Accompanying Lois on her 700 mile roundtrip was a killer mop doll.

I’m happy to report that the killer mop doll spilled no blood during these two events, and no mystery writers or readers were harmed in the course of this road trip (at least not by the killer mop doll.) Although I have it on good authority that there was some need for the hair of the dog the morning after the night before on more than one occasion. Not saying for whom, though. You know who you are.

Presented here for your enjoyment and proof that everyone had a great time and didn’t fall prey to the killer mop doll (really, does she look like a killer?), are pictures from the two events. -- AP

"Elvis and the Commies" panel at Malice Domestic --
moderator Catriona McPherson, the KMD, and author Lois Winston

The entire "Elvis and the Commies" panel -- Catriona McPherson (moderator),
KMD, Lois Winston, Lane Stone, Deborah Sharp, and Joelle Charbonneau

Author Lois Winston signing at Malice Domestic
(KMD isn't happy with the photographer of this photo.)

Terri Bischoff, Midnight Ink editor responsible for deadly glue guns and killer mop dolls.
(If you can't make out the T-shirt, it says, "Editors: Reading Crappy Manuscripts
So You Don't Have To")

The entire Midnight Ink contingent at Malice (minus KMD)

M'Inkers Vicki Doudera, Jess Lourey, Linda Hull, and Lois Winston at the Malice banquet.
(KMD wasn't invited)

KMD and author Lois Winston at the Festival of Mystery

Midnight Ink authors with Mystery Lovers Bookshop co-owner Richard Goldman
at party after Festival of Mystery

The Killer Mop Doll and author Alice Loweecey's nun doll
(They co-habitated during the Festival of Mystery.)

Special thanks to Alice Loweecey, Catriona McPherson, Terri Bischoff, Beth Groundwater, Kathleen Ernst, and Jessie Chandler for use of their photos.

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR LOIS WINSTON

As promised last week, author Lois Winston returns today to answer that burning question on everyone’s mind: what the heck is a mop doll? -- AP

Thank you, Anastasia. Death By Killer Mop Doll will be released next week, and the question I’m most frequently asked is, as you so delicately put it, what the heck is a mop doll.

Well, I am a delicate person.

You?

Of course. Now let’s get on with the topic of the day. We have readers staring at their monitors, holding their breath in anticipation.

All right. Without further ado, a mop doll is a doll crafted from a cotton string mop, those mops you often see janitors using in office buildings.

Yuck!

Hold on! These dolls are made from unused string mops, ones that have never come in contact with a bucket of Mr. Clean.

I knew that. I was just stating what our readers were probably thinking.

Right. As you know, Anastasia, crafters are very resourceful people. We’re constantly finding new uses for readily available materials, and cotton string mops are readily available in just about any hardware store, home store, or supermarket.

At some point in the late 1980’s, these dolls started popping up at crafts fairs, first in California, then spreading throughout the country. Suddenly, mop dolls were all the rage, and mop head manufacturers were selling tens of thousands of mop heads to craft stores. Like all trends, though, the mop doll craze eventually went the way of the pet rock -- until now, thanks to you and a certain assistant producer you meet in your latest adventure, Death By Killer Mop Doll.

The picture shows me with a mop doll at the Bouchercon mystery convention in St. Louis this past September (I’m the one who looks like she’s fighting a cold.)

Definitely not the most flattering picture you’ve ever taken, dear.

I know, but it’s the one that best showcases the mop doll.

Speaking of conventions, you have some exciting news for anyone who will be attending the American Library Association Mid-Winter conference in Dallas, don’t you?

That’s right. For anyone attending the conference (January 20-24 at the Dallas Convention Center), Midnight Ink will be raffling off the hand-crafted mop doll shown in the photo during the opening reception Friday evening, January 20^th at 7pm. Librarians and reviewers in attendance are encouraged to stop by the Midnight Ink booth #1459 to register for the drawing. In addition, signed copies of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun and Death By Killer Mop Doll will also be raffled off.

And as mentioned last week, Lois will be going on a virtual blog tour throughout January to promote Death By Killer Mop Doll. As part of the tour, she’ll be giving away 5 copies of the book. To enter the drawing, just post a comment to any of the blogs on the tour or to today’s post. You can find the schedule for the blog tour on the sidebar to the right.

In addition, Lois will also be giving away 3 copies of Death By Killer Mop Doll on Goodreads.

Read more about Lois and an excerpt of Death By Killer Mop Doll at her website. -- AP

AUTHOR LOIS WINSTON TO APPEAR ON BLOG TALK RADIO

Monday, August 8th at 7pm eastern time, Lois Winston, the author who writes about my life, will be part of an author mystery panel on Giovanni Gelati's GZONE blogspot radio show. The panel will also include fellow Midnight Ink authors Beth Groundwater, Alice Loweecey, and Sebastian Stuart. You can listen to the show live or go to the website and listen to the archived broadcast later.