Sisters In Crime Portland Chapter

07/30/2026

A reminder:

SinC PDX (Harriet Vane) has a table at the Willamette Writers' Authors Fair on Friday, 5PM - 7PM. Secretary & Membership Chair Heather Ames and Speaker Chair Deni Starr will be ready to answer any and all questions about Sisters in Crime. They will also have books available for purchase as well as kindly donated books by fellow member Kay Bergstrom (writing as Cassie Miles) and swag from the national organization.

Send a message to learn more

07/30/2026

Always more than nice to post news about our fellow chapter members...

Baer Charlton is the subject of an excellent article: https://usanews.com/newsroom/baer-charlton-the-writer-you-need-on-your-nightstand?fbclid=IwY2xjawTXnktleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeM7Nugp3Mn03qkjFgaGSeynaxENUmj5F2hulz1zgmkgYceJy5IfTxFcEtMqo_aem_KGB-W9tcQkX0g6dAIGdqhA

Decades of storytelling, a wandering life, and characters who feel like family come together in unforgettable fiction.

07/15/2026

Mollie Hunt's cover for her latest release in the Ghost Cat series. Mollie is our July speaker and fellow chapter member.

07/15/2026

Mollie Hunt's updated cover for Placid River Runs Deep.

07/15/2026

Fellow SinC member, Mollie Hunt will be our speaker this month. She'll tell us about her self publishing journey, jumping genres, and how writing a series is like herding cats. Mollie is the award winning author of 2 cozy mystery series, a sci-fantasy tetralogy, a memoir, and a cat care book.

She'll have books available for purchase, and this will be a very interesting and informative view of one writer's path.

Send a message to learn more

07/08/2026

Hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th, however you celebrated!

06/16/2026

*** Tuesday - TOMORROW ***
Still time to register!

WEBINAR: Trope Twisting, Traitors, and Trade-offs: Crafting Your Best Suspense Stories with Jennifer Hilt
WHEN: Tuesday, June 16th at 8 EDT/ 5pm PDT/ 1am June 17th BST
REGISTER AT: https://www.sistersincrime.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2061004&group=

DETAILS: In this fast-paced, 60-minute webinar, we’ll study how to subvert reader expectations by anchoring plot twists in character motivation. How will we work this magic? By digging into tropes, of course!
Jennifer Hilt will explain which tropes are must-haves for the mystery and thriller genres. Most importantly, we’ll examine why tropes are so powerful in capturing your audience. Join us for a fun and engaging look at Sherlock, Killing Eve, Justified, and Slow Horses. We’ll study how to use tropes, twist them, and deepen character motivation. At the conclusion, we’ll have time for questions and troubleshooting. Our goal is for you to leave excited to dig into crafting your stories!

BIO:
Jennifer Hilt is a USA Today Bestselling author and the creator of The Trope Thesaurus: An Author Resource, a five-book series beloved by writers seeking to hone their craft. With a diverse portfolio spanning twenty-four books under four pen names, she has also authored the urban fantasy trilogy, The Undead Detective. As a professional plotter and concept creator, Jennifer loves helping writers create unforgettable stories.

Holding degrees in linguistics and literature, Jennifer loves collecting obscure dictionaries, binge-watching Scandi-noir series, and shouting out tropes from her couch. For her events, classes, and workshops, visit www.jenniferhilt.com.

06/15/2026

Don't forget the monthly meeting with a speaker is this evening!

Unfortunately, our reader, Mollie Hunt, had to cancel last minute, but we have our speaker, dinner, and chapter business, so plenty of reasons to be at DeNicola's Italian Restaurant at 6 PM.

06/13/2026

New Portland Chapter member Tairi Blair is excited to announce her short story, The Double, will appear in the upcoming Bouchercon anthology, The Lines We Cross.

When U.S. Customs officer Maya Rios encounters a traveler carrying her former name on a forged passport, a routine airport screening spirals into a murder investigation that forces her to confront the borders between past and present, truth and deception, and the identities we choose for ourselves.

The book signing is planned for the Anthology Launch in Calgary the evening of October 22, immediately following the Bouchercon Opening Ceremonies.

***
Congratulations, Tairi, from all your fellow Sisters in Crime!

Send a message to learn more

06/09/2026

This chapter will have a table at the Willamette Writers Authors Fair with Deni Starr, Speaker Chair and Heather Ames, Secretary & Membership Chair available to answer any questions and give information on both the Portland (Harriet Vane) Chapter and the national/international organization.

Send a message to learn more