Welcome to the 11th Annual
Love is Murder Back Cover
February 6-8, 2009 | Westin Chicago North Shore, Chicago, Illinois

"This is a great conference, the right mix of fans and authors and professionals, great hotel, wonderful panels and plenty to do. Everything a good get together should have. The people who put it together work hard and it shows. Put this on your calendar."

-- Crimespree Magazine

Since this last conference (LIM 2008) and how fabulous it was ( which it is always), I am still talking about the authors, the sessions and the fun. We have so many Chicago area grand people(their books are just the creme on top after reading as many as I can) that this conference is so cozy and warm. I keep advertising the conference to anyone who will listen and most important tell everyone how accessible these authors make themselves to all of us "readers".

-- Anita Straus, Glenview, Illinois

"Just wanted to thank you for putting on a first class convention. I had a tremendous time, and I look forward to attending Love is Murder for years to come."

-- Sean Chercover

"The conference this weekend was great. David Morell's key note alone was worth the price of admission. You and the rest of the board have done a fantastic job in putting it all together."

-- Peter Thompson

"So many people at the LIM New Authors Panel and elsewhere throughout the conference said, "Last year at LIM, I met..." or "I did a pitch at LIM and this happened" or "I met so and so here and they wanted to read my book and publish it." The connections! Wow, you've really had an impact on the Chicago (and national) writing landscape. The best conference in town."

--Darren Callahan, Novelist & Screenwriter
"Documentia", "The Audrey Green Chronicles", "Travel"

"My thanks to all the wonderful people who participated in your panel discussions and those who pulled togetherthe Love Is Murder Conference recently in Rosemont, IL. As a published newspaper and magazine writermy childhood dream hasbeen to write a novel. In preparing for this switch from fact to fiction, I am attending Ophelia Julien's writing class in the Hinsdale Art League building. Ophelia encourage her class to attend this conference.

David Morrell, author and teacher was a God-sent to me. Not only was he kind, informative, and inspirational, he is just a regular kind of guy. There was not an author nor participant in that conference who made me feel intimidated by my goal. They were encouraging, kind and ever so helpful. The panel discussions especially set me at ease. The very things I felt were my own inadequacies in novel writing, I realized all good authors had experienced at one time or another.

This conference set me free to really do my thing and be creative where newspaper and magazine writing has never allowed me to do thatbecause of space and it was nonfiction. That little voice of creativity within is finding it's way out. David Morrell told me something interesting, as he wrote "Creepers" he really had fun writing it. I cannot tell you how pleased I was to hear that and needed to hear that. Writing should be fun, free and creative. I have less doubt in my ability and more hope for my future in writing thanks to you and all those wonderful people youbrought together."

--Karen Putman-Mystery writer

"It was my first writer's conference ever and I really learned a lot and met lots of great people".
--Joe Czech

"Personally, this conference came at a really good time for me--I needed it. Provided me with some inspiration, encouragement, and helped me get my priorities in place."

-- Deb Brod

"I am always waving this flag called Love is Murder, the writer's conference, you may be sick of hearing it. However, I have been to every con known to writers of intrigue, mystery, suspense, thrillers, and even romance, and I love a good romance. Love is Murder invites all genres, and we have increased the presence of each each year. Many writers put on blinders thinking that if they are writing in Category X then there's little or no reason to go to a conference where X is not represented, but aside from having two bars at the hotel, there's something for everyone who writes -- even scriptwriters -- at Love is Murder because so much can be learned by the scriptwriter who pays attention to the novelists and visa versa. Aside from no discrimination on the basis of category, there's no putting down anyone who has published anywhere anyhow at this conference. We all share one bond -- the horrors of taking our work to a marketplace whether it be NYC or a specific region as in regional novels, etc, E-books, PODs, Ipods to PMS publishing (just kidding). There's no more congenial place to be than Love is Murder. Walter Mosley defined it for us when he was our keynote one year -- Writing is about passion and love and murder are as passionate as it gets.
     As a professor of English and writing, I know this -- all literature is about life and death, love and hate, passion and murder and how we live our lives.Great writing is not about the Dog or Cat condition but the Human Condition, and Love and Murder are all too human.
     Of all the cons, this one has far more of the Mickey and Judy "all we need is a barn" to pull off this show feel to it. It's been a tribute to great writers for 9 years now, and honestly, I have had more fun and felt more fulfilled at Love is than any other conference I've known. So what if it is set in Chicago in Feb (2-4 this year); how else you gonna keep the bodies on ice? Besides the Jazz at Kingston Mines is but twenty five minutes away. The Magnificent Mile thirty-five. And this year we have Ken Bruen joining us from Ireland, Anne Perry returning to teach a master's class again for us, as well as a long list of luminaries who will need someone to sit beside at the six or so meals and chit-chat. That person should be YOU."

-- Rob Walker
www.RobertWWalkerBooks.com