Me, I am a half-full kinda gal. While I see plenty of negativity in this world, I also tend to see the positives. How can we make lemonaide out of that rotten bunch of coconuts. (Yeah, I know I mixed my metaphors and all, but that was the point.)

While it’s trendy to talk about the end of publishing and put a dismal spin on the future of books, I like to think there are some bright spots ahead.

This video has been making the rounds and it’s worth taking another look at…or three.

Is this the end of publishing or a new future? Depends on how you view this video.

But by the end of February, Florida weather should be nice — mild and cool and NO SNOW.

David Morrell

It will be the perfect time to come to Florida; and the perfect time to come for Sleuthfest, which will be Feb. 26-28 at the Deerfield Beach Hilton.

With all the myriad mystery writers conferences around, Sleuthfest is still different.  Unlike the fan-based conferences, Sleuthfest is a writers’ conference. It’s meant to help published authors and those who want to be published. It gets your creative juices going and puts your energy in high gear.

Sleuthfest is sponsored by the Florida chapter of the Mystery Writers of America and features an array of  panels and discussions on writing, publishing and crime scene techniques.

As in the past couple of years, Sleuthfest will feature two guests of honor: David Morrell is Friday’s Guest of Honor, and Stephen J. Cannell is Saturday’s Guest of Honor.

Morrell will always be associated with his 1972 novel First Blood, which was made into the movie starring Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo. But Morrell is known for much more than bringing Rambo to the world. He has written more than 25 thrillers and numerous nonfiction books. His latest thriller is The Shimmer.

Stephen J. Cannell

Cannell is an author, screenwriter, producer and creator of some of TV’s best action series, including The Rockford Files, The A-Team, Baretta, The Commish, 21 Jump Street and Adam-12.

Early registration is $215 until Jan. 15, 2010, and $235 after that date for MWA members; for nonmembers, the early rate is $235 and then, after Jan. 15, 2010, it rises to $255. The rate includes some meals.

Contact Linda Hengerer at SleuthFestLinda@gmail.com or verowriter@gmail.com. The Web site is www.sleuthfest.com.

It’s pretty much agreed that mystery readers will accept just about anything in the novels. That we will allow those wonderful writers to take us to places we might never go to and – often – never want to go. Other cultures, other viewpoints and even the minds of the worst villains are all part of what we not only accept but sometimes seek out.

We don’t want to live with a horrible person, but a well written mystery can help us understand where evil comes from and, ultimately, help us understand each other and ourselves.

OK, so this blog is getting all philosophical on me, but bear with me.

What most of use won’t accept in mysteries is cruelty to animals. I am with you on that. Though it does seem a bit odd that we will read the vilest violence on people but just don’t let it be directed to animal. Even we mystery readers have a limit for tolerance.

Another thing we won’t accept – and this was the recent talk on DorothyL – is stupid characters.

And I think that is because mystery readers are intelligent, insightful and will not accept anything less.

We’ve all dealt with stupid people in our lives – from those we encounter in the public to family, friends and acquaintances. Sometimes we have to put up with stupidity; sometimes we can avoid it.

So why should we put up with it in mysteries?

Stupidity can come in a variety of ways – bigotry, lack of common sense and an inability to see beyond your own thoughts.

So let’s focus on common sense.

A character who lacks common sense and acts, well, stupidly, can ruin a book for me. Especially when that character is supposed to be the lead.

Several years ago, I remember a mystery in which the lead – an intelligent woman, at the top of her career, well respected and all that – goes out to a graveyard in the middle of the night in pouring rain by herself. Of course, a serial killer has been on the prowl and she has a creepy feeling he is watching her.

Could she have not waited until the morning? Or at least gotten someone to come with her? It almost ruined the book for me.

Without naming names, have you encountered stupid characters? And what is your reaction?