Hello from Chicago!

Yes, it’s hot and humid here, but we’ve been fortunate since we’ve not experienced the destructive weather conditions in so many places. It’s beyond heartbreaking to see news reports from communities suffering the loss of lives and damage to property. Wherever you are reading this, I hope you are safe and unaffected. Between finishing what I hope will be the third book in the Brick Kavanagh series, attending SleuthFest in St. Petersburg, Florida, and enjoying local summertime activities, it’s hard to believe it’s mid-August already. And in a few weeks, I plan to attend Bouchercon in New Orleans. But looking back starting in April, here’s how I celebrated Shawn’s Special 17th Strategy.

April 17th  — I took a tour of the Newberry Library (replica below) in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Preserving materials that represent a range of perspectives and experiences, their collection extends across 27.5 miles of shelving in the library stacks.

May 17th — I was very happy to pack summer clothes and spend a few days in warm, sunny St. Pete. At the conference, I moderated the Location, Location, Location panel which discussed the importance settings play in fiction.

June 17th — Café Ba-Ba-Reba is in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. At this Spanish restaurant, I met a long-time friend for a leisurely lunch of tapas and sangria. I intended to take a photo of the first of the tapas we ordered, but when the bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese arrived . . . my priorities quickly changed. Excellent choice as were the others that followed.

July 17th — Every Thursday during July and August, an Asian night market takes place on Argyle in the Uptown neighborhood. Attendees can enjoy tempting street food as well as cultural and musical performances.

I’m scheduled to be on a panel at Bouchercon discussing writing police procedurals in today’s world. Aside from advancements in forensics and DNA, I’m not sure things have changed a lot over the years. To prove or disprove this, I’m rereading Cop Hater by MWA Grand Master Ed McBain. Written in 1956, it was the first of 55(!) books in the 87th Precinct series. I’ve lost track of how many I’ve read, but this series inspired me to write police procedurals. So if you're attending Bouchercon, the panel is on Thursday at 9 am. Authors will be signing afterward, please stop by and say hello.

June was Pride month and a good time to visit the AIDS Garden just south of Belmont Harbor. Opened in June 2022, it features “Self-Portrait,” a 30-foot sculpture by iconic late artist and activist Keith Haring. The sculpture is part of Chicago’s collection of public art in the parks with a prominent Lakefront location.

Until next time—Here’s wishing you warm days and cool nights as summer fades into fall.

Sláinte!

Shawn