A Small Town Midwesterner Rides the Subway

Subways are the stuff of grim news headlines. They feature in action-adventure movies like Die Hard: With a Vengeance, starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. Places of darkness and danger.

Why would I, with my deep suspicions about big cities, travel to the East Coast? How could I even consider endangering myself and my only biological child by riding a subway?

To attend a writers conference I hadn’t been to in a dozen years. The drive from Colorado Springs to Bethesda, Maryland, is 1,629 miles, crossing more than half a dozen states. It’s a trip taking a minimum of two days, one-way.
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Four days of travel? My husband was surprisingly game for the drive. I insisted flying made more sense. Plus, I was attending Malice Domestic with my daughter and co-author. She didn’t have the time to spare from her busy family and plethora of tuxedo cats. She had to fly. Sure, she’s capable of traveling alone. But this would be more fun.

Despite my dislike of flying, we booked tickets months in advance. There are no direct flights from our city to Bethesda. There was a layover both ways. The trip ended up taking half a day. 

I had researched in advance the options for travel from DCA to the hotel. The recommendation was to take the subway. It was less than $5. Merida’s husband was aghast that we’d risk riding the subway rather than take a taxi or van. Until I revealed the price: $50 for each passenger. Ron is as frugal as his mother-in-law. He agreed we had chosen the most practical method of travel, although he still feared for our safety.

We found the Metro, following signs inside the airport. A kind local woman explained how to purchase a card, and load it with enough money to get us to our destination. Then we hopped on a train. It swooped underground. We were on the subway.

By now, partly due to the time change, it was nighttime. Night? On a subway? Yikes! And yet, it was not crowded, and people were friendly. We likely took the wrong train, but a college student directed us to the correct connection. We met Ruth, who chatted with us until her stop. I can’t lie. Riding the subway was still a little scary, despite Ruth’s assurances that we were in a safe area.

Finally, we reached our destination. Thanks to modern technology, we knew exactly which way to go.

The hotel lobby was nearly empty. Folks who had already arrived for Malice Domestic were wisely in bed. When we made the hotel reservation, they only had a room with one king bed. Thankfully, we were able to switch to two separate beds.

We notified our husbands that we had arrived at the hotel safe and sound.
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The two-hour time zone difference was going to be rough. We managed to crash, even though we were both bubbling with anticipation. Who would we meet this weekend? Were our brief moments in the spotlight going to be worth the time and expense? 

Despite getting home late the night before, I was determined to arrive at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference early. I had not yet attended the pre-session meditation led by Johnny Worthen every morning. 

I was hesitant because I have my own firmly held religious beliefs. But I'd heard enough hints about Johnny's faith that made me comfortable trying this. If it got too woo-woo, I could exit the room.

Instead, it was a lovely time to collect our thoughts and gather our energy for the final day of the conference. Highly recommend. Would do again.

Somehow the first session of the day slipped by, filled with hallway conversations and working on the puzzle in Zeb's Lounge. My daughter surprised me with her depth of knowledge as I listened to her compare notes with another fan of classical literature while piecing together a cows-and-flowers jigsaw puzzle.

My final day at PPWC wasn't all fun and games. I attended a two-hour session called Write Lore Your Readers Won't Forget, led by Stant Litore. I wasn't sure how it would apply to my light mystery stories and novels. It turned out to be exactly what I needed to learn. 

Lore is the stories characters tell themselves about their families, their town, their nation, or religion. It's the backstory explaining how characters interpret their world. There is a parallel between folk lore and present action. 

The lore can be wrong. Or passed down for so many generations, the meaning is not understood. Maybe now it becomes vital. Not accepting the existing lore can make a character a hero - or a villain. 

Time for lunch. Could the conference really be reaching its conclusion? Mary Robinette Kowal inspired with her journey as an actress, puppeteer, and author. 

"Rejection is a transient state," she told us. I began my day with Johnny Worthen's calming, thoughtful, and inspiring meditation session, and ended with a Mary Robinette Kowal's rousing speech firing us up to accept the challenges of our profession.

PPWC 2026 flew by. Three days packed with knowledge, inspiration, networking, and entertainment. 

Plans are already in the works for PPWC 2027. 

After a fun Saturday lunch speech by keynote author Pippa Grant, we headed into the afternoon of day two of the Pikes Peak Writers Conference. 

I was the moderator for Rock Your Reader Magnet, presented by Debbie Maxwell Allen. She began with a definition. A reader magnet is a free digital item given to readers in exchange for their email. Of what use is a reader's email? It's the number one way to drive sales to your books. The magnet gives a free taste of what you have to offer.

The magnet can be a variety of things, from a free short story set in your fictional world, to a character's letters, journal entries, or tweets. Recipes printable as a pdf, A side story that's not fleshed out in the novel. Debbie gave us the specific how-to info for how to make this happen.

I was on a kick with Business of Writing workshops. I went to Best Practices: Author Bios & Photos with Chris Mandeville. I've written a ton of bios for myself. I haven't been completely satisfied with any. Chris presented a system to ensure your bio isn't boring or stodgy, yet conveys your personality honestly. Even your author photo should convey a sense of who you are.

The last session I attended on Saturday was Deeper Reading for Deeper Writing. Johnny Worthen reminded me why I was an English Literature major in college. The all-too-short hour was a graduate-level class on literary analysis. Johnny stated that reading is not a passive act. Human minds are meaning-making machines.

You just had to be there, so I won't say anything more. People didn't want to leave at the end of the hour.

We had a gap between the last session and the banquet. Plenty of time for hallway conversations, and working on the puzzle in Zeb's Lounge.

The keynote dinner speaker was Reavis Z. Wortham. The Western author entertained with stories of his writer's journey. The audience was in stitches. And in horrified sympathy as he described losing his entire first novel manuscript to a computer fail. Reavis is a great speaker. He inspired us to be persistent.

My husband came to the hotel for Bar Con. We hung out with my critique group. Then it was time to head for home, way too late. Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, I was determined to arrive at the conference bright and early Sunday morning.

Staying at the hotel is the best idea when attending a writers' conference. But my budget couldn't justify the expense when I lived only twenty minutes away from the venue.

I had to arrive on time Saturday morning. I was the moderator for best-selling author Kevin Ikenberry. Besides entertaining us with his engaging, dynamic speaking style, Kevin was going to enlighten us with Decision Making for Authors. 

He covered Evaluating Opportunities. Don't let insecurity persuade you to jump on a contract or writing offer without investigating and seeking advice. Working with Others - Know who you're working with, their reputation. On the flip side, be coachable, a team player.

Kevin spoke about several other decision making tools, using examples from his own career, for good or bad. "It's possible to do everything right and still lose." Accept that you'll make bad decisions, but know that your judgement improves with time. Embrace the moments of joy.

I rushed out at the end to meet my husband in the lobby. I purchased a an author head shot with professional photographer Allen Winston of WinstonFoto. He specializes in pet photography in addition to human portraits. Allen agreed to include our puppy and kitten in the photo shoot. I can hardly wait to see the results!

After posing for the camera, I attended another session presented by David Lyons. The passion he and his wife have for the victims of crime came through in his talk The Human Side of Crime: Survivors, Detectives, and Emotional Intelligence. David's list of who pays the price in a murder demonstrated how crime touches an entire community. He asked us, "Are any of these people erased in fiction?" The talk made me consider broadening the scope of the effects of crime on characters in my stories.

​The lunch keynote was given by author Pippa Grant. Her talk was inspiring, taking us on her writing journey. It was also very entertaining, with lots of laughs.

Halfway through day two already? The conference was going by too fast.

This year's conference was a huge success. I spent an entire blog article talking about the morning of the first day, Friday, April 17. I continue now with the rest of my day. Each session offered six or more options. These are what I chose.

Lunch: The food was better than in previous years. The service was more swift. The entertainment was rollicking good fun. The lunch panel was a gameshow-style contest with agent Bowen Gillings acting as emcee. Panelists included editor / publisher Casey Cowan, and the three keynote speakers, Mary Robinette Kowal, Pippa Grant, and Reavis Z. Wortham.

After lunch, I attended The First 10 Pages with agent Jessica Berg. She gave the audience the harsh truth of the quantity of submissions her agency receives, and the speed with which she must make her decisions. When is the moment the reader gets emotionally or intellectually snagged? It had better be in the first line, on the first page.

Berg gave us tactics to draw a reader in immediately. Much has to do with raising a question that must be answered. Berg advised to drop the reader in mid-beat, as close as possible to the inciting incident. She defined what "the stakes" are that writers often here are a must. As in "raising the stakes." Stakes are the consequences of our actions. If nothing is at risk, nothing matters. 

After learning the importance of the beginning of a novel, I went to the next session on editing the completed novel. Jessica Snyder presented Ten Editing Hacks. Even if you have a professional editor, writers must self-edit their manuscripts. Jessica made this sometimes difficult and tedious task easier with a checklist, and explanation of each step.

I wrote about the benefits of volunteering in my April 21 blog. The next session offered me nothing in return for being the moderator. Or so I thought. 

H. Y. Gregor took pitches from aspiring authors. I wasn't seeking publication. Got that covered. And the 5 minute or so session with each writer were private. As private as you can be in a corner of the book room. What was in this for me?

Hearing the writers hoping to pitch their work to an editor. The seating encouraged conversation, and it did flow! Most were younger than me. A lot younger. I was encouraged to learn their hopes and dreams for a future as an author. The younger generations are inventing their own genres and mediums. They have a lot to say, and we should listen.

The PPWC tradition is to dress up for the Friday dinner according to that year's theme. This being Saddle Up and Write!, the clothing choices were obvious. Many of us Coloradans simple raided our closets for the cowboy and cowgirl attire.

I sat at a table with my entire critique group. We'd gone our mostly separate ways all day, attending sessions that appealed to our needs. Now we could share what we'd learned and unwind. I feel so blessed to have friends who share my passion for writing. 

Sessions continued after dinner. I was not staying at the hotel this year, so I reluctantly opted to go home after the meal.

Saturday would be a long, full day. I needed to grab a few hours sleep before heading into Day Two of PPWC 2026.

One important task for first responders at the scene of a murder is to make sure the victim is actually dead.

We learned this, and so much more, in Fact. vs. Fiction: Writing Authentic Investigations, presented by David Lyons at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026.

The morning of April 17, day one of the conference, was packed with craft and business sessions, and attendees meeting with agents and editors. Several options were available during each hour-long slot. These are the three I attended Friday morning.

My day began with true crime, learning the publishing business, and assisting writers in a small way with achieving their dreams. See my April 21 post about volunteering at the conference.

Back to the Fact Vs. Fiction session, one of the primary goals of the podcast David and his wife Wendy created is Victim Advocacy. The Murder Police Podcast seeks to ensure no victim is forgotten.

David presented a lively and interactive talk Friday morning. He demonstrated how television versions of criminal investigations differ greatly from real-life investigations. Then he gave the audience plenty of information on how we can write about crime authentically and responsibly. Accuracy builds trust in you as an author.

I have pages of notes from this workshop. Rather than attempt to re-create a class that was heavy with audience participation, I suggest you get David's book: True Crime & Consequences. And check out David and Wendy's podcast, The Murder Police.

Next on my schedule was attending Freelancers: Building a Business Mindset, presented by Callie Stoker from The Manuscript Dr. She offered the audience two powerful ideas. As an employee, we work in a business rather than for a business.

Writers need to think of their careers as their business. We are the owners of the business, with the power to make our own decisions. We need to develop a growth and goal mindset. Callie illustrated the Hedgehog Concept, where we asked ourselves vital questions. 

Identify your strengths and your passion. The intersection of what you do well, what drives you, and what sets you apart help you determine the focus of your business.

Although the actual numbers in self-publishing can appear bleak, Callie gave us hope that through personal branding and the right focus, we can succeed.

The third session that I attended was 0 to 60: Write Pacing Your Readers Won't Forget, with Stant Litore. The way to keep readers on the edge of their seats is through the use of Suspense, Tension, and Revelation. 

Stant took the audience through an explanation of each technique, with plenty of examples to illustrate how they can be used. He emphasized that being predictable is boring. Suspense keeps the reader guessing. And guessing wrong. Then finding out the were right to begin with. But oops, no that was wrong, too.

Tension works best with a balance of tension and release. Using the example of Shawshank Redemption, Stant showed the use of misdirection, and revelation at the last possible moment.

The session was great. I liked the concepts enough to buy the book so I can take a deeper dive, and apply pacing concepts better in my work. 

All this learning and inspiration, and day one was only half over. 

The Pros of volunteering at a writers conference:
Forces you to overcome your introvert nature. Get to chat with big-name authors, editors, and agents without appearing creepy and stalker-like. It's your job to talk to them!

Cons: As a representative of the organization, you need to act professionally. (That may be a challenge for some.)
Make-up and dressing up every day are advisable, as opposed to slopping in looking like a down-on-her-luck hippie granny. Actually, this was more of a Pro this year. I needed to remember how to dress in something other than sweats and a bathrobe.

The Pikes Peak Writers Conference was a huge success. More attendees. Top-tier speakers. Workshops guaranteed to teach even an old hand like me.

I volunteered to be a moderator. This involves making sure the room and speaker are ready, introducing him or her to the audience, reminding people to silence their phones, and keeping track of the time.

At first, I was alarmed at how many sessions I was assigned: six! By the end of the conference, I realized I enjoyed being a moderator. ​Like good waitstaff in a restaurant, it's vital you be there, but also critical that you be semi-invisible. We've all had waitstaff that barged into the middle of our conversations, or asked questions right after you stuffed food in your mouth. Then are nowhere to be found when you want to settle your bill and leave.

As a moderator, I felt it was my duty to be available at a moment's notice, yet remain non-intrusive. I was there to make the presenter look good.

Volunteer moderators did get to request speakers and sessions they wanted to attend. I was assigned a couple I might not have chosen otherwise. Those turned out to be good experiences.

​The first thing I learned at PPWC 2026? Volunteering is a great way to experience a conference. You get a behind-the-scenes glimpse, and get to rub elbows with big names.

Midnight at the Midtown Oasis is based on the real Hillside Gardens in Colorado Springs. We try to catch a concert there a couple times each summer. It’s a combination gardening center and special events venue on four acres in the middle of the city.

I have never experienced a crime at the heavily treed and wonderfully landscaped Gardens. But being a writer, of course I dreamed one up.

The Midtown Oasis is the equivalent of a country club for those of modest means. The Oasis is under attack by unscrupulous City Council members and developers who want the land rezoned, and the area gentrified. When a murder shatters the peaceful venue, the blues singer owner seeks a solution by inviting a white-haired woman in a straw sunhat to investigate. Grammy Fred has a talent for reading people and finding the truth. The elderly lady wanders around the Oasis to “see what I can see,” and finds danger instead.

Hillside Gardens is not just a place to me. I used to live in the neighborhood. Known for being an area for folks of modest means, I fit in well during that period of my life.

Hillside Gardens offers multiple musicians set up in different areas. You can wander around, buy a tasty meal from food truck-style vendors, and enjoy beer, wine, or non-alcoholic beverages. An evening out that costs far less than concerts by major popular artists in much less comfortable surroundings.

My story appears in the May/June 226 issue of AHMM, which is available electronically now. The physical copies of the magazine may be delayed slightly.
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To our print subscribers: we’ve recently selected a new printing provider to ensure the highest quality for our magazines going forward. We’re excited to release the latest issue and can’t wait for you to get your hands on it!

Find Midnight at the Midtown Oasis at Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Wherever you live, there is sure to be a funky local venue with a unique flavor. Take a chance and check out your area’s version of Hillside Gardens.​

The original covers for the first two novels in my Rose Creek Mystery series are going away. There are still copies available at Basecamp Books & Adventure. 

Book Two in my Rose Creek Mystery series is currently - and briefly - unavailable anywhere else. The publisher and I had an amicable parting of the ways. I have the opportunity to revise this novel, which was written during a stressful time of my life.

The new and improved The Body in the Cornfield will be released this summer, with a new cover. As nice as the original cover is, I can’t justify paying to keep it.
​Book One - The Body in the Cattails - is currently available from Harlequin Worldwide Mystery.

Book Three - The Body in the Hayloft, is currently available in the usual places, as well as Basecamp Books.

Book Four - The Body in the Chuckwagon, will release this fall. 

It has been challenging keeping my Rose Creek world together. But it's not a series if readers can't access all the novels. And there's something quite annoying about series dropped mid-stream. Remember Firefly, or more recently, The Old Man? 

I hope you'll hang in there with me as I rediscover Cornfield, and continue the journey with the Rose Creek Reads club!

Part Nine: Restrictions. It would have been nice to get up close to the hoodoos. But pets were strictly forbidden from hiking the dirt trails. Two retirees, one new-to-us used RV, a seven-month-old puppy, and a two-month-old kitten. We were learning that traveling with pets comes with limitations.

Read more at
https://catherinedilts.substack.com/p/traveling-with-pets-d70

Find the first installment here: https://catherinedilts.substack.com/p/traveling-with-pets

Links to previous episodes are in my 3/15, 3/18, and 3/22 blog posts.

#nationalparksinwinter #RVtravelwithpets #travelwithacat #catsanddogscoexisting #nationalparkspetrules