Awards - Paul Auster and George Pelecanos

Hi,
I am just back from a one day trip to my old stomping ground, Baltimore, to attend the NAIBA meeting. The New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association, to those of you who might not know.
Any way they gave two awards to two worthy authors.
Paul Auster received the NAIBA 2009 Legacy Award for Invisible . In a speech Paul praised independents and gave us pause when he noted all the bookstores that had closed.

"The point being: Thank you all for what you are doing. Writers depend on you, readers depend on you, and the intellectual life of our country depends on you. To browse. What a beautiful word. To wander among books, to make discoveries, to be changed forever by an unknown volume pulled by impulse off a shelf. You, the independent booksellers, are the ones who make this possible.
Thank you so much for giving me this award. Paul Auster

And long time friend and great crime author George Pelecanos was there. It was great to touch base with him. George is working with David Simon on a TV special on Music in New Orleans after Katrina. Can't wait. Later in the evening George's book The Turnaround was chosen for the Hammett Prize:
The North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers is pleased to announce that The Turnaround, by George Pelecanos (Little, Brown), has been named the winner of the organization's annual HAMMETT PRIZE for a work of literary excellence in the field of crime writing.
Congrats to these two fine authors.
Thanks for your support of independent local bookstores.
Kathy Harig
Mystery Loves Company
www.mysterylovescompany.com

Follow up to Ben Schutz obit

A wonderful 1996 photo appeared in the February 17 Washington Post with an appreciation of D.C. author Ben Schutz by JoAnn Goslin entitled "Ugliness He Saw Inspired empathy in Writing, Life." The article is terrific, but the photo is to die for. Pictured in crime writer shades are:Benjamin M . Schutz, Jan Adkins,James Grady, Mark Olshaker, John Weisman, David Corn and George Pelecanos. See for yourself @
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/16/AR2008021602357.html

Such great talent all in one photo. The Washington/Baltimore metropolitan area is truly blessed with crime writers.

Long may Chesapeake crime writers rule!
Kathy