You can't scroll through Facebook right now without running across people congratulating Lesa Holstine on being awarded the David Thompson Special Service Award, which she will receive at Bouchercon in St. Petersburg, Fl this September.
A well-earned, much deserved award.
If you're not a member of the mystery community, you may not know who David Thompson was.
I did not know David personally. We never met in person. I was one of the hundreds that he would send out an occasional note to. Just a quick email saying, "I think you'd like this book!"
If you're not a member of the mystery community, you may not know who David Thompson was.
I did not know David personally. We never met in person. I was one of the hundreds that he would send out an occasional note to. Just a quick email saying, "I think you'd like this book!"
He was a man who embodied the spirit of the mystery community - the world of books in general. He left us much too soon, and I think he'd probably be a little baffled, and charmed, by the fact that his name lives on in this award.
And that pleases a lot of people.
I think he'd be pleased with Lesa Holstine receiving this award.
She is a perfect honoree. She's another Book Angel. She, like David, loves to match up people to books she has a knack for knowing they'll enjoy.
There is no one who loves books any more than Lesa.
And she loves reviewing them. It's her way, I think, of helping people find the books they need.
There is no one who loves books any more than Lesa.
And she loves reviewing them. It's her way, I think, of helping people find the books they need.
Her blog, Lesa's Book Critiques, has been up and running since 2005.
That's a long time for a blog.
And that's not the only place she shares her love, and knowledge, of books.
She'll never bring it up in conversation, spoken or written, so you may not have known before this award that she also reviews for Mystery Readers Journal, ReadertoReader.com, and in Library Journal. She's the blogger for The Poisoned Pen Bookstore. And the author of the “Mystery Fiction” chapter in Genreflecting: A Guide to Popular Reading Interests (7th ed.). She's been a panelist for Sisters in Crime at the Public Library Association’s conference and has served on panels at Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon. She's moderated crime fiction panels at the Tucson Festival of Books.
She's a member of several book groups. She reads to a group of little kids. She volunteers at Ruth's House Women's Shelter.
She's politically active. She puts her time and her money where her mouth is.
All this while working full-time at the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library.
And I have never, not once, heard her complain about being too busy.
It's not in Lesa's nature to complain about much of anything, truth be told, which is one of the reasons she is so well loved, so well respected, by so many.
I wanted to send a special toast to a woman whose friendship I cherish.
She makes me laugh, she makes me think, she makes me cry sweet tears. She "gets" me.
She puts up with my moods.
She stands by me.
It's what she does for all her friends and family.
And she opens her arms to us and makes us part of her family.
We've roomed together at Bouchercon in Raleigh and in New Orleans, we've played in Paris.
That's a long time for a blog.
And that's not the only place she shares her love, and knowledge, of books.
She'll never bring it up in conversation, spoken or written, so you may not have known before this award that she also reviews for Mystery Readers Journal, ReadertoReader.com, and in Library Journal. She's the blogger for The Poisoned Pen Bookstore. And the author of the “Mystery Fiction” chapter in Genreflecting: A Guide to Popular Reading Interests (7th ed.). She's been a panelist for Sisters in Crime at the Public Library Association’s conference and has served on panels at Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon. She's moderated crime fiction panels at the Tucson Festival of Books.
She's a member of several book groups. She reads to a group of little kids. She volunteers at Ruth's House Women's Shelter.
She's politically active. She puts her time and her money where her mouth is.
All this while working full-time at the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library.
And I have never, not once, heard her complain about being too busy.
It's not in Lesa's nature to complain about much of anything, truth be told, which is one of the reasons she is so well loved, so well respected, by so many.
I wanted to send a special toast to a woman whose friendship I cherish.
She makes me laugh, she makes me think, she makes me cry sweet tears. She "gets" me.
She puts up with my moods.
She stands by me.
It's what she does for all her friends and family.
And she opens her arms to us and makes us part of her family.
We've roomed together at Bouchercon in Raleigh and in New Orleans, we've played in Paris.
I am sad not to be able to be in St. Petersburg in September to give her a hug when she accepts her award - so here's my "virtual hug."
CONGRATULATIONS, Lesa!
I love you to the moon and back!
And here's to many more years of love, fun, and adventures, Lesa - sister of my heart.
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| Bouchercon - Raleigh |
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Bouchercon - New Orleans |
and Paris . . .
1 comment:
Oh, Kaye. You made me cry. Thank you.
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