CONTENTS:

FRIENDS OF MYSTERY MEETING

THURSDAY, January 24, 2008

Forensic Psychologist Dr. Frank Colistro To Speak at Bloody Thurday

Dr. Frank Colistro is a consulting psychologist for several law enforcement agencies including the Behavioral and Risk Services Unit of the Oregon Department of Corrections, the Cold Case Unit of the Portland Police Bureau as well as a criminal profiler for several agencies. He also works with the Oregon Board of Parole, providing psychological assessment of inmate’s potential of recidivism. Dr. Colistro has consulted with prosecution and defense attorneys on topics such as homicide investigations, major sex crimes and domestic violence cases.

As a criminal profiler, he has been involved in a number of highly publicized local cases including the Forest Park Rapist, KOIN Tower Shooter and the NE Portland Rapist. He was featured on national news as a commentator on the Ward Weaver case. He is often heard on local TV and radio.

Please join us to hear Dr. Colistro discuss his experiences of more than 25 years. It promises to be an enlightening evening. The meeting will be held in the auditorium of Good Samaritan Medical Center, 1040 NW 22nd Avenue (corner of NW 22nd and Marshall). The event will begin with a reception at 7:00 pm. The meeting is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the parking structure adjacent to the auditorium. The Portland Streetcar and Tri Met run on nearby routes.

Back to Top

Friends of Mystery Membership Dues and Donations

Membership dues and donations are used to pay for keeping our members informed of our events and the speakers. This includes both the print and electronic newsletters as well as our web site. We are fortunate to have our member, Bill Cameron, who donates his time and talent as our web master. If you haven’t as yet paid your 2007-2008 dues we urge you to do so without delay. For those who have, we are very grateful.

Friends of Mystery is a member of the Oregon Cultural Trust and by making matching donations to both organizations you may receive a tax credit on your Oregon income tax. The credit reducing taxes owed is $500.00 for individuals and $1000.00 for couples filing jointly.

Back to Top

SPOTTED OWL COMMITTEE UPDATE

Books published in November and December have been recently added to the Spotted Owl reading list. This brings the total number of titles to 78 for the year. This is an increase over last year’s total.

As the winter brings us many dark and stormy nights, the committee has discovered some great books to entertain, or frighten, as the case may be. In alphabetical order, the committee recommends the following novels:

  • Diana Abu-Jaber. Origin
  • Bill Cameron. Lost Dog
  • Mike Doogan. Capitol Offense
  • Robert Dugoni. Damage Control
  • Ashna Graves. Death Pans Out
  • J.A. Jance. Justice Denied
  • Daniel Kalla. Blood Lies
  • Elizabeth Lowell. Innocent as Sin
  • Kate Wilhelm. A Wrongful Death

Check these out for great reads!

Back to Top

ARTICLES FOR THE BLOOD LETTER

We are always looking for articles for inclusion in the Blood Letter and on our web page. If you write a book review or article that would be of interest to our members, please send it to Elinore Rogers or to our editor, Jeannette Voss, at our PO Box 8251, Portland, OR 97207-8251.

Back to Top

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS

Our next meeting will be on March 27, 2008 when we will host a panel of debut authors who will be discussing the publishing process. The authors and their books are:

  • Ashna Graves – Death Pans Out
  • Bill Cameron – Lost Dog
  • Greg Olsen – A Wicked Snow
  • Robert Napier – Love, Death and the Toyman
  • Doc Macomber – Wolf’s Remedy

John Walsdorf is scheduled to be the moderator.

For the May 22, 2008 meeting we will host best selling author Steven Saylor. His latest Gordianus novel, The Triumph of Caesar, is scheduled for release during the month.

Upcoming Events

The South Coast Writers Conference is to be held in Gold Beach, Oregon in conjunction with Southern Oregon Community College. There will be workshops on Friday, February 15th and Saturday, February 16th. Presenters include authors Larry Brooks, Ann Cameron, Jayel Gibson, Phil Hahn, David Oliver Relin and Sylvia Tohill. Also there will be workshops with corrections officer Rory Miller and editors Sue Fagalde Lich and Jessica Bryan. For registration and cost information call Southwestern Community College at 541-247-2741 or email at scwc@socc.edu.

Left Coast Crime is being held in Denver on March 6th through 9th, 2008. For more information email contact chris@christinegoff.com or on the Web: www.leftcoastcrime.org/2008/

Friends of Mystery will have a table at the Multnomah County Library Writers Resource Fair on Sunday, March 16th from noon to 3 PM at the Central Library.

Bouchercon 2008 is being held in Baltimore, Maryland on October 9-12, 2008. For more information email: ruth@crimespreemag.com or check the web at charmedtodeath.com.

Back to Top

NEW BOOKS FROM PAST SPOTTED OWL AWARD WINNERS

Two of our past winners of the Spotted Owl Award have new books coming out:

Earl Emerson’s new title is Primal Threat, and it will be coming out in January. Quoting Booklist, “There are few writers in any genre who can sustain a narrative at such breakneck speed.”

G.M. Ford’s new title is Nameless Night, and it will be published in February. Again quoting Booklist, “This is a departure for Ford, the author of two popular Seattle-based crime series, but his fans will recognize the same blend of suspense, humor, and intelligence that hooked them on the Leo Waterman and Frank Corso novels.”

Back to Top

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MYSTERY IN 2007?

In the next issue of The Blood Letter we’ll be asking you to nominate your favorite mystery in 2007. Be thinking of worthy nominees!

Back to Top