The work on a book doesn’t end when it’s published. Saturday morning, July 11, I’m performing one of the most pleasant of the follow-up tasks: talking to people who have read Show Me the Gold or think they may.

I’ll hold the floor for an hour at the monthly Osher Saturday Morning Book Talk, Room D, 1907 Hillcrest Drive, Columbia, MO. Readers gather for coffee (included in the $3 admission) and pastry at 9:30 a.m. The show begins a little before 10. A group of mystery fans, the Ashland Mystery Book Club, is sponsoring my talk.

What do these readers want to know? Organizer Kit Salter tells me they’re curious about the writer as well as the book. I’ll touch on how and why I finally became a mystery writer.

Series dominate mysteries, so I anticipate interest in the origin and development of my Show Me series. Most of the rest of my prepared talk will cover my characters and themes, most particularly in Show Me the Gold. If I don’t talk too much, I’ll read short passages to illustrate points and give a flavor of the writing.

To make sure the readers hear what they want to know, we’ll end the talk with a Q&A and hang around for signing and chatting.

No part of the publication process gives me greater pleasure than the writing, but talking to readers comes close.

—Carolyn Mulford