I traveled to New York City, which is magical this time of year, to attend this year’s annual Black Orchid Banquet. I was honored to receive the Black Orchid Novella Award for my novella “The Discarded Spouse” to be published in the July/August 2014 issue of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Also at the banquet, author Chris Knopf received the Nero Wolfe Award for best American mystery of 2012 for his mystery novel Dead Anyway. A good time was had by all, with quizzes, toasts, even a little singing and a fascinating presentation by author Robert Goldsborough. It was a fantastic night!