The Chesapeake Chapter holds a monthly luncheon meeting with a speaker usually on the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a holiday, venue scheduling, or convention conflict. Occasionally, the chapter offers a field trip or special event instead of a luncheon. Upcoming meeting dates are listed below. You will receive an email notice in advance of the meeting, along with a registration form and menu choice (if applicable). To reserve your place at a meeting, follow the directions as stated on the email notice or on the meeting’s announcement on this website. Guests and non-members are welcome to attend (unless otherwise noted).
UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS:
Saturday, June 22
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
Meeting Room
4701 Seminary Road
Alexandria, VA 22304
703-746-1704
On Writing Southern Noir & Crime Fiction
Screening – Going Down Slow
Speaker – Eryk Pruit, director and writer
Did you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of making a movie? Have you dreamed of bringing your own stories to the big or small screen, even if your last name isn’t Spielberg? Do you want to know what it’s like to tell a story with real live actors?
Filmmaker and novelist Eryk Pruitt will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about filmmaking after a screening of his new short film Going Down Slow. This atmospheric Southern noir follows a married couple at a crossroads who must put aside their differences in order to bury a dead body. Eryk will show us how he brought a little bit of Hollywood to North Carolina, explain all the triumphs and challenges of making a short film on a low budget, and lead us through the filmmaking process from concept to post-production.
Eryk Pruitt is the author of the Southern crime novels Dirtbags, Hashtag, and What We Reckon, which was nominated for the 2018 Anthony Award. His short fiction is collected in Townies and Other Stories of Southern Mischief by Polis Books. He is also the host of the true-crime podcast The Long Dance.
COST: The meeting is FREE and open to the public.
RESERVATIONS: While not required, we ask that you PLEASE RSVP so we can ensure the library sets out enough chairs.
RSVP by email to: admeyerwriter [at] gmail [dot] com
by Friday morning, June 21st. Of course, if you decide at the last minute to attend, we’d still love to see you.
August
Time: TBA
Place: TBA
– Cyber Crime
– Speaker – Tony Schwartz
Saturday, September 7
Time: 1:00 – 5:00 pm
Connie Morella Library
7400 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
Author Talk & Writing Workshop
Speaker – Rhys Bowen
New York Times Bestselling Author Rhys Bowen will discuss her latest books. She currently writes two mystery series: the Molly Murphy novels, about a feisty Irish immigrant in 1900s New York City, and the humorous Royal Spyness mysteries, about a penniless minor royal in 1930s Britain. She has also written a historical thriller set in an English stately home during World War II. Her books have garnered many Best Novel awards and nominations. A book sale and signing will follow her talk. After a brief break with refreshments, she will conduct a writing workshop focused on creating fictional characters. The workshop will provide helpful information for published and not-yet-published writers of all types of fiction.
Registration Info: TBA
Saturday, October 26 (changed from 11/7)
Time: TBA
Charles E Miller Branch & Historical Center
Howard County Library System
9421 Frederick Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-313-1950
Mystery Author Extravaganza
Kick your holiday shopping off right. Chessie Chapter authors who’ve had something new published this year in the crime/mystery field will present on their new books and stories.
Saturday, December 2
Time: TBA
Reston Regional Library
11925 Bowman Towne Drive
Reston, VA, 20190-3311
703-689-2700
Mystery Author Extravaganza
Kick your holiday shopping off right. Chessie Chapter authors who’ve had something new published this year in the crime/mystery field will present on their new books and stories.
UPCOMING CHAPTER AUTHORS’ EVENTS
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Hooray for Books!
1555 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-548-4092
Author Panel Discussion
Gin Malliet, Con Lehane, Sherry Harris, and Maya Corrigan will discuss and answer questions regarding their mystery publications.
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
4701 Seminary Road
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-746-1704
Mysteries for Summer Reading
Authors Ginny Fite, Sherry Harris, Con Lehane, Kathryn O’Sullivan, and Joanna Campbell Slan will discuss and answer questions regarding their mystery books.
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Time: 2:00 pm
Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
4701 Seminary Road
Alexandria, VA 22304
703-746-1704
Independent Publishing
Speaker: Ellen Butler
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Time: TBA
Brambleton Branch Library
22850 Brambleton Plaza
Brambleton, VA 20148
571-258-3998
Mystery Subgenres
- Karen Cantwell, humorous mysteries
- Barb Goffman, short stories
- Adam Meyer, thrillers
- Kathy Owen, historical mysteries
- John Dedakis, journalism mysteries
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Time: TBA
Gum Springs Library
24600 Millstream Drive
Stone Ridge, VA 20105
571-258-3838
Incorporating Real-Life Law Enforcement Practices into Crime Fiction
- Robin Templeton, former private investigator, graduate of Writers’ Police Academy
- Shawn Reilly Simmons, editor of the first Writers’ Police Academy anthology, will attend WPA this summer
- Mark Bergin, retired Alexandria police lieutenant
- Suzi Weinert, graduate of the Fairfax County CITIZENS’ Police Academy
- Melinda Mullet, graduate of Writers’ Police Academy, former lawyer in the US and solicitor in the UK
