Doris Ann Norris is the former director of the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library in Fostoria, Ohio. Though she claims to be retired, and sometimes calls herself the "2000 Year Old Librarian," Doris Ann still works regularly as a reference librarian, is the Library Liaison for Sisters in Crime (http://www.sistersincrime.org/), is active in the online mystery community, and travels extensively.
Cindy: Doris Ann, I know you've been a mystery fan for a long time. You read more mysteries than anyone else I know! What attracts you to the genre? Do you read for plot? For the characters?
Doris Ann: Mysteries tend to tell a good story and the human race has always loved a good story, whether told over a campfire, in a comic book, or in our more modern forms of communication. I'm a big fan of audio books, mostly because I drive out of town for my two substitute reference librarian jobs and as co-facilitator of a mystery discussion group at a third library. As it has been so often stated, most mysteries offer a solution that doesn't always occur in "real" life. Order is restored and the villains receive their just desserts.
Character or plot? That's difficult. I want the plot to be believable, but I'm also a big series fan because it's like visiting old friends. Does anyone remember the Rose Franken Claudia and David series? It wasn't a mystery series, but six or seven novels about a marriage. There was also the Jalna series. I think if an author does characterization well enough, we want to know more about the characters. I also read stand-alones, but more in the mystery field than others. I can't imagine wanting to read a sequel to The Life of Pi or The Time Traveler's Wife, even though I found them both riveting.
Cindy: How do you think the mystery genre has changed since you began reading these kinds of novels? Is that a bad or a good thing?
Doris Ann: Well, the price for one thing!
But publishers always consider the bottom line, and as I keep adding bookshelves in my condo and shifting and re-shifting, I see authors who are no longer published, but should be. Helen Chappell, for instance, is one of the best humorous writers around. She should be in the Janet Evanovich position, as she is more subtle and a much better writer, but then who said life was fair? We know that many of our patrons just want to read bestsellers...even if they aren't the best books. And the sub-genres keep proliferating, especially with the thriller category, which is now considered "in," and all those vampires, werewolves, and things that go bump in the night.
Cindy: Speaking of subgenres, do you see any new trends there?
Doris Ann: I think that thrillers are the thing, since they are fast paced and likely to hit the bestseller list. Thrillerfest had its first convention in Phoenix in 2006 and will be in New York City in 2007. I believe niche publishing is also a trend, as writers not only sell in conventional settings, but also go to conventions or conferences of the hobby, craft, or profession about which they write. And I must admit I've been really impressed by the mysteries coming from Scandinavia including Arnaldur Indridason, Karin Fossum, and Henning Mankell among others.
Cindy: I know that you are an active member of Sisters in Crime and that you go to several mystery conventions a year. Can you tell us a little about that?
Doris Ann: It was DorothyL (the discussion list for mystery lovers at http://www.dorothyl.com/) that really got me to my first mystery convention in 1998. Some people said we (three other librarians) shouldn't go to such a big convention which might have up to 2500 people. We attend ALA and PLA...which are both a lot bigger. I've met a lot of writers and have found 98% to be very enjoyable people to know. Some I can even call friends which still amazes me. But it also has eliminated my reviewing. It's difficult to review books by people you know. I've heard some authors be really hurt by one sentence in a review in LJ or Booklist even when it's been a review which I would consider great.
I don't know how long I've been a member of Sisters in Crime, but before I went to a convention. I had heard of the organization and was thrilled that it wasn't just for writers, but librarians were encouraged to attend. I was asked to be the Library Liaison on the Board and was thrilled. I'm the only non-writer on the Board.
Margaret Maron told someone that the best thing about me was that I didn't want to be a writer. S.J. Rozan said she disagreed, "The best thing about you is that you are a librarian." Yes, authors love us. The thing I enjoy the most is scheduling people for the booth at ALA and PLA. A few times lately we have joined with Mystery Writers of America, and many authors (male and female) are members of both groups. We are looking into having a brunch at ALA in Washington, D.C. But we lose money on these, although I keep telling them that librarians love them. I'm hoping. We have Donna Andrews and Marcia Talley (a retired librarian) looking into possible venues. Sisters in Crime is celebrating our 20th anniversary and if you haven't sent in your request for the SinC packet when we celebrate libraries in March, please go to sistersincrime.org and click on "20th anniversary". The packet includes crime scene tape, pencils, posters, and booklets. And don't forget the grants to libraries for having a Sisters in Crime author or a panel of SinC authors at your library. Those of you who were hit by the hurricanes in 2005 can still get our $500 grant to buy books by Sisters in Crimes members. The only paperwork is sending a copy of your invoice. As I said at the Sisters in Crime/Mystery Writers of America in Boston at PLA, I can't think of any people I'd rather "hang with" than librarians and mystery authors.
Cindy: Which mystery conferences have you attended? Can you explain the differences and similarities for librarians who may not be familiar with them?
Doris Ann: I've attended every Bouchercon since 1998. Bouchercon, (pronounced bough'-cher-con) is the largest mystery conference, and is the international convention. A lot of British writers are always there. It covers all types of mystery and detective stories. The convention switches locations each year. In 2006 it was in Madison, Wisconsin, and in 2007 will be in Anchorage, Alaska. It's usually in October or late in September. The members attending vote on the Anthony Awards in a number of categories.
Malice Domestic is held each year in Washington, D.C. and celebrates the "traditional" mystery. It's smaller, but always a great time. The attendees here vote on the Agatha Awards.
Since its inception, I have attended and participated in Mayhem in the Midlands, which is held Memorial Day weekend in Omaha, Nebraska and is sponsored by the Omaha and Lincoln Public Libraries. Limited in number, with only about a fourth of the attendees being authors, this is an intimate conference that allows people to get to know one another. It includes an opening reception by the libraries, a Sisters in Crime dinner (for an extra cost), and a brunch with the guest of honor interview. In 2007, the Guest of Honor is Margaret Maron, with Nancy Pickard as Toastmistress.
Some years I attend Left Coast Crime, which celebrates the writers and writing of the western U.S. and Canada. (Okay, no takers for 2006, so it was held on the "left coast" of England at Bristol). This is a medium sized conference and always fun. LLC gives out the Leftie for best humorous mystery of the year. In 2007, it will be held in Seattle.
There are many more conferences and conventions. Some are aimed at authors and wannabe published writers. Magna Cum Murder in Muncie, Indiana...usually toward the end of October…is another great fan convention. I've never attended mostly because I've heard that if you are not at the convention hotel, it's not as much fun.
Cindy: Are there any new titles that you just can't wait to read?
Doris Ann: Well, I really look for new books by my favorites, including, but not limited to: Jan Burke, Laura Lippman, Margaret Maron, Susan Conant, Harlan Coben, Ian Rankin, Dennis Lehane, Elaine Viets, Lee Goldberg, Sujata Massie, Donna Andrews, Steve Hamilton, Joan Hess, Rhys Bowen, Bill Crider, Julie Smith, and many more. I have at least 60 authors whose work I buy as soon as it's published.
Buying books is an addiction to which I must admit. My youngest brother told the rest of the siblings, "Don't make Doris Ann angry or she'll leave you all her books!" Probably 70% to 75% of my books are mysteries. The rest are reference, history, theology and the performing arts. And I've given away at least 100 boxes of books over the years...usually to the library book sale.
Cynthia Orr
is the Collection Manager at Cleveland Public Library in Ohio. She teaches Readers' Advisory Service classes and workshops for Kent State University's Graduate School of Library and Information Science, writes Read-Alike columns for NoveList, is a member of the PLA Readers' Advisory Committee, and of the Advisory Board for the Reader's Advisor Online, from Libraries Unlimited.