Introducing...Dennys' Chicks!

Hey, bloggy friends! The time has come for a melding of my online and offline life. I'm dying to introduce you to my three real-life critique partners: Kathy, Kelly and Sandy. That's them, in alpha order. And today Kathy's going to post here on the blog.

We call ourselves Dennys' Chicks because, uh, we meet at Dennys. Where we genteelly sip gulp gourmet mediocre coffee and carry on civilized literary discussions hack each others' manuscripts to death. (Don't worry; Kathy, Kelly and Sandy are used to my sense of humor!)

Actually, we have fun together. You'd love to hang with us. Ask our spouses. We hold an annual Christmas do and invite force our DHs to attend. (Can you tell I have just figured out the strike format??)

Anyway, without further ado, I'm handing over the blog to one of the Chicks. Take it away, KATHY! (Although I might do some LIGHT editing in this blue font.)

Hi! I’m Kathy Krevat, one of Barrie’s critique partners. Kelly, Sandy, Barrie and I have been working for a few years, meeting every other week at Denny’s. Why we originally chose Denny’s and why we’ve been relatively faithful (except for some illicit side trips to Panera’s), I don’t know. Perhaps because we live pretty much on the four corners of San Diego and Denny’s is right in the center, and we had the misguided idea that Denny’s would learn to make real coffee. And because our favorite waitress Holly always remembers how we like our veggie omelets (egg beaters, no oil used to cook the veggies or the eggs). (Note from Barrie: Can you say DRY omelet?)

We met at RWA-San Diego’s boot camp weekend where we successfully plotted out four books. Back then, Barrie was planning a chicklit about [censored], Kelly was writing a historical romance about a cross dresser, and my mystery was driving me crazy. [Okay, I didn’t really need to censor Barrie's chicklit – just trying to spice things up.]

We stayed up way too late that weekend, laughing at just about everything, and annoying our other boot camp partner, and began a friendship that has survived betrayal, divorce and rehab – sorry, that’s my Mom’s Night Out group.

With the welcome addition of Sandy (from my previous group), our critique group has survived something tough – telling each other the truth about how to improve our work. And through it all, we still believe that the publishing industry will one day recognize our genius.

We all knew that Barrie’s book, I So Don’t Do Mysteries, would make it. She has an amazing voice, beautifully timed humor, and a unique concept that kids will love. Add in her incredible work ethic and knowledge of the publishing industry and she couldn’t miss. (Note from Barrie: Kathy, the check is in the mail.)

And she’s just as charming, funny and downright likeable in person as she sounds in her blog. (Note from Barrie: It's a big check.)

I’m currently working on getting an agent for my first book, a humorous mystery called PTA Meetings Are Murder while writing the next two, Moms’ Night Out Was Murder and Stage Moms Are Murder. In PTA, recently-divorced Tiffany Luce must track down the murderer of the PTA president, while juggling three kids, rekindling a romance with her ex-husband, and producing a news segment, “Don’t Get Nailed By Your Contractor.” In Mom’s Night Out, Tiffany’s talented new hairdresser is suspected of murdering her fiancé and Tiffany must find the real killer before her highlights grow out. In Stage Moms, Tiffany learns that the Sunny Ridge Youth Theater is full of something more than theatrical drama kids, ruthless stage moms, and insincere tech people – someone is trying to stop the building of a new theater, and they’re willing to murder to make sure the show does not go on. (Note from Barrie: These mysteries are BRILLIANT!)

From my books, you can probably tell that I’m a mom. I have two wonderful daughters who are far more creative, brilliant, and daring than I ever was – they both have beautiful voices and act in musical theater productions, perform improvisational comedy, write books and scripts in their spare time, and are amazing sisters. My fantastic husband Lee (the girls get the brilliant and creative from him) supports all of my writing efforts, even buying a new house so I could have my own office instead of the dining room table. Okay, there were many other reasons, but that’s the one he tells people.

We are all SO excited about the release of I So Don’t Do Mysteries! (Note from Barrie: I couldn't have done it without these chicks!)

Thanks for having me on the blog, Barrie!

Anytime, Kathy! It's great getting to introduce you to the blogosphere. And, everybody, here's a link to Kathy's fantastic article Criminal Opportunities--Dramatic License.

Watch for posts from Kelly and Sandy!