I am very fortunate to be a mystery writer in the Chicago area because of the strong support and encouragement I receive from other authors in the region. And I am hardly alone. Mystery and crime writers working in Greater Chicago, almost without exception, applaud the successes of others in the field.
Robert Goldsborough with Michael Black at Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore in Forest Park, IL 2016
We attend one another’s book signings and other events, e-mail or text congratulations on awards and good reviews, and generally serve as an informal “cheering section” for colleagues. There seems to be an almost total lack of jealousy or resentment of success.
Now, it is possible this spirit of collegiality also exists in other metropolitan areas, although I am not qualified to say, having lived my entire life in what our media like to term Chicagoland. I only hope other cities have this same spirit.
Whether or not these cities are similar, I am proud to be a part of the Chicago area’s mystery writing community and its generosity of spirit.
Robert Goldsborough 