An eagle love story

by Julie Posted on January 9, 2012

We visited an area lake this weekend looking for the three snowy owls that birders reported seeing toward the end of last week. Snowy owls rarely make it this far south, and it would have been exceptionally exciting to see one of them.

Unfortunately, we did not find the owls. Maybe they moved on after receiving so much attention—one birder reported “hordes” of people watching one of the owls sit on a post on Friday. But we did see our first bald eagle of the new year, sitting high in a tree with his back to the photographers and gawkers gathered beside the road.

I wrote about the two-decade love affair of a pair of bald eagles in Kansas for the Winter 2011 issue of Lawrence Magazine. In 1989, the first nesting pair of bald eagles in the state set up housekeeping out at the lake, to the delight of local bird watchers. Tragically, the male lost his mate that year, but he returned the next year with a new mate and thus began a bald eagle dynasty in Kansas. As we watched the eagle on Saturday (so aloof from the crowds!), I hoped it was one of those original bald eagle homesteaders, or a son, daughter, grandchild, or in-law. It’s always a thrill to see these great birds, and even more thrilling knowing their family history.

If you’re in Northeast Kansas and you’re interested in learning more about our bald eagles, the Jayhawk Audubon Society and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sponsors Kaw Valley Eagles Day, a celebration of the return of bald eagles to the area. It is scheduled for January 21.

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Recognizing excellence

by Julie Posted on October 25, 2011

Every year, the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas (where I work) recognizes individuals and groups who have contributed to the work of the center in some outstanding way. This year, the center’s art director, David Gnojek, and I worked together to produce a booklet of stories about award recipients. I conducted interviews and wrote the stories; David designed the booklet and oversaw printing and production. We’re really proud of the result, which is available as a pdf here.

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Bouchercon reflections

by Julie Posted on September 24, 2011

I am pretty sure that every one of the 1,400 or 1,500 people who attended Bouchercon last week in St. Louis has already shared highlights, analysis, and anecdotes from the event. So I’m late to the party, but I’ll add a couple of observations anyway.

Bouchercon 2011, Spirits of St. Louis, was my first Bouchercon, and wow! So many great authors, so many great fans, so many great panels and opportunities to meet like-minded people. So. Many. Books.

Lots of books
Bouchercon swag

I returned home both exhausted and exhilarated.

Tip for first-timers

If you’re worried that it will be hard to meet people even in such a crowd, volunteer to help. I volunteered at the registration desk for a couple of hours on Friday. Not only did I feel like I was contributing something to the conference, but I also met the delightful Ann from Australia and even answered questions from some of my favorite authors.

Some favorite quotes:

  • “I see history as being with us today, right over your shoulder.” Kelli Stanley, talking about history and setting as character
  • “The best writing is when you dig deep into your own bone.” Sara Paretsky
Law, Justice and Society panel
Law, Justice and Society panel: Gary Phillips (unfortunately not in this picture), Laura Lippman, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Colin Cotterill, Frankie Bailey, and Sara Paretsky.

Most favorite favorite thing:

Meeting so many wonderful people, especially fellow Sisters in Crime members Hank Phillippi Ryan, Sandra Parshall, Sheila Connolly, Sasscer Hill, Jeri Westerson, and Sparkle Abbey (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter), among others.

Bonus:
My girls Violet and Matilda are now devoted Sparkle Abbey fans. They were thrilled to be among the recipients of special dog treats promoting the launch of the first book in Sparkle Abbey’s Pampered Pets Mystery Series, Desperate Housedogs, due out in November.

My dogs

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A rural paradise

by Julie Posted on August 31, 2011

The fall issue of Lawrence Magazine includes my tour of a rural Jefferson County, Kan., home owned by Bob and Cordelia Brown. Their cottage, dubbed Rocky Road, sits at the end of a winding, quarter-mile gravel drive and is an unusual design: a pair of two-story hexagons joined by an arched doorway. Read the full profile and see photos (story begins on page 14).

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