One Will Claim Walk-On Role in Award-Winning Crime-Fiction Author’s Latest Mystery

Many have fantasized about authoring the perfect crime fiction story; now, in an unexpected plot twist, organizers of the upcoming Mystery Writers Key West Fest have announced that one Fest guest will claim a walk-on cameo appearance in award-winning author Sandra’s Balzo’s next Maggy Thorsen coffeehouse novel, ninth in the mystery series that has just been optioned for possible development as a television series.

Balzo, a popular and prolific author who has penned a total of eleven books, is slated to be a panelist at the upcoming “Murder & Mayhem in Paradise” themed Fest, a gathering of premier South Florida based true crime, mystery and suspense writers, to be held in Key West this coming June 13-15.

Produced by Key West Writers Bloc and sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America, the Key West Citizen, and the Florida Keys Council of the Arts, the Mystery Writers Key West Fest is open to authors, aspiring authors, and non-writing mystery-buffs alike. Registration is $ 98 and includes five separate panel events with acclaimed crime fiction and true crime authors, luncheon with special guest author William E. Butterworth IV (aka W.E.B. Griffin), a group book signing event, one-on-one consultations with publishing industry experts, a Key West bar stroll, and a noir movie night at the award winning Tropic Cinema, hosted by crime and noir fiction author Mike Dennis.

Every fan of mystery fiction that has registered for the Fest by midnight May 10 will be eligible to win the walk-on role in Balzo’s next story of suspense. DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Key Resort is the main venue for the sleuthfest, and is offering a “killer” early bird rate for those who book rooms by May 10.

Appearing with Balzo at the Fest are nearly two dozen high-profile cohorts in crime and adventure fiction, including W.E.B. Griffin; New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham; novelist and bestselling true crime author Carla Norton; Don Bruns, award winning author of the Caribbean Mystery Series; Jeremiah Healy, creator of the John Francis Cuddy private-investigator series and author (aka Terry Devane) of the Mairead O’Clare legal thrillers; award winning crime story novelist Jonathan Woods; mystery/adventure/gay romance author Neil S. Plakcy; Nancy Cohen, award winning author of romance and mysteries; Mad Mick Murphy mystery author Michael Haskins; journalist/true crime writer Terry Schmida; and Robert Coburn, author of “A Loose Knot,” “A Deadly Deception,” and “The Pink Gun.”

For registration, hotel room booking link and further information, visit www.mysterywriterskeywestfest.com.