By CJ Songer,
Contributing Editor

Let me introduce you to a gal named Zoe Sharp. Zoe leans out of racing cars for a living and takes pictures for articles over in England, but she also writes mystery books. She likes to shoot, too. Guns. She doesn't get as much of a chance to do that in England as you'd like to think, so when she comes over to the States for book conventions, she and her husband generally seek out the nearest available gun range and have at it. They typically bring along a couple of friends from the convention, everyone enjoys themselves, and that's usually the end of it.
In Madison, Wisconsin, last October, however, for the big annual mystery readers and writers convention that's called Bouchercon, Zoe had a brainstorm. There's an Auction for Literacy that's regularly put on at these conventions, and like many of the writers attending, Zoe had been asked to contribute something-a personal item, a couple of books, a character role in a future story, anything along those lines. Several other authors have been helping raise money at these auctions by donating a manuscript critique, or a one-on-one "breakfast with the author" at the end of the convention. So there Zoe was, fresh from the range and remembering that, oh, heavens, she had to turn in her donation form specifying her gift, and she said...say, how about "breakfast and shooting" with the author?

You never know who's going to bid on these things. Me, I was just helping out at the Friday night auction, doing my best Vanna White imitation (in sporty red high-heeled shoes, no less, dancing backwards), holding up cue cards and hoisting the auction lots high so that the people in the back could see the baskets full of books or the mystery CDs or whatever other loot had been proffered. Donna Andrews (another fine mystery writer) and Chris Grabenstein (also a fine mystery writer and a former stand-up comic) were busy emceeing up on the dais, making jokes and upping the bidding, and a good time was being had by all. I kept Zoe's breakfast-and-shooting offering until almost last, I'm not really sure why. There was an audible gasp when it was announced, and then the bidding began in earnest. Why? Well, Zoe's got a fan base, no doubt about it-she'd earlier donated a character role in her next novel, and the money on that jessie had gotten quite high. That's immortality of a sort, though-your name in a book for future generations (well, okay, your friends and family) to see. This breakfast-and-shooting thing was just a couple of hours, a few bites of food, some light conversation, a little bit of shooting. It would all be over in no time to speak of, so what's the big deal?

Well, for the winner, Judy Watford of Austin, Texas, it was quite a big deal. Judy's blind. She "reads" books on tape, mainly mysteries, and she absolutely loves Zoe's work. She'd have bid on anything Zoe offered, she told me, just for the excitement of it, but when she heard "breakfast and shooting," she knew she had to win. It came down to one guy on the far side of the room, also a Sharp fan, who was bidding against her, but Judy wouldn't give in or give up, jumping proudly to her feet each time and thrusting her white cane in the air to emphasize her new bid. I think the guy finally realized just who he was bidding against (and that most of the room was pulling for Judy to win and starting to think about piling in on him if he didn't stop soon), so he took a deep breath and conceded. A jolly good thing!

Next topic up, of course, after the bear hugs and joyous congratulations, was how on earth do you take a blind person shooting? Zoe wasn't deterred. Judy can hear. After checking with the local Madison range, the Deerfield Pistol and Archery Center, Zoe and Judy hatched a plan to fasten a radio to the back of one of the range targets. Saturday, Judy skipped the convention doings for an hour to go to a nearby Radio Shack where she told the salesclerk, "I want two of the cheapest transistor radios you have." (The young man tried to talk her into a better model, citing the upgraded features and many audio advantages, and she said she laughed at him, telling him, "No, I intend to blow the hell out of them." I understand he rang them up in a hurry.

The Deerfield Center's only, very reasonable, requirement was that one of their staff members be in the booth with the ladies. It's always Safety First. Sunday-not too bright and early because Zoe had to make an author appearance on a morning panel at the convention-Zoe and Judy met at the range with Mike, one of the Center's range officers. I wasn't, sadly, able to be there, who knew when I'd booked my flights those many weeks in advance, that something this fun was going to be happening? If only Zoe hadn't had that darn morning panel. Ah, well! Friends of mine, Beth and Jeff of CincinnatiMedia.com were on hand to take pictures, which they've graciously allowed me to use for this article, and Zoe and Judy both filled me in afterwards. Zoe picked out a Sig Sauer P228 (9mm) for Judy's adventure because, as Zoe said, "Nice progressive trigger action. Not too much kick." The basics of safe gun handling are pretty universally the same for everyone, with the obvious exception in Judy's case of "Acquire a good sight picture." Judy's used to figuring out where things are by listening for sound cues, though, so with one of the transistor radios taped to the center of her target downrange, she acquired a good hearing alignment instead. According to Zoe, Judy has steady hands and a good grip, and her shooting was a joy to behold. "She put more holes in that outline at ten feet than most novice shooters manage, first time out." I gather that even range officer Mike was impressed-he brought down an H &K MP5 submachine gun for Judy (and Zoe) to try. A good time! (And you thought book conventions would be boring.)

Judy Watford? She's not the least bit sorry she bid at the Wisconsin Bouchercon's Literacy auction. This is a memory she'll cherish forever. And Zoe Sharp, author of the British mystery series featuring ex-military heroine Charlotte "Charlie" Fox? Well, she wrote up a blog about it (check out her website: www.zoesharp.com) and I'm guessing she'll be cheerfully offering shooting lessons at book convention auctions again!

For more information, see: www.zoesharp.com, www.cincinnatimedia.com, or www.bouchercon2006.com.