Have you ever attended a mystery conference?
No, I'm not talking about one of those business get-togethers and trade shows where you frequently wonder, "Why am I here?" I mean a conference of mystery writers and - most important - the people who read their stories and books.
I'm attending three national events this year, two of which have already happened - Left Coast Crime in March and Malice Domestic last month.
And then there is - or rather will be - Bouchercon.
We're just about five months away from this year's Bouchercon, which will be held in Long Beach, California November 13 - November 16. This will be the 45th annual Bouchercon. It began after the death of mystery writer and critic Anthony Boucher, for whom it is named, and has met every year since then. The last time I talked to the event's chairpeople, they were expecting somewhere between 1500 and 2000 people to attend this year, which makes Bouchercon the largest such gathering in the world.
Who will be there? Well, there are the author guests of honor: Edward Marston, J. A. Jance, Jeffrey Deaver, Eoin Colfer, with Simon Wood serving as toastmaster. But beside the honorees, there will be literally hundreds of mystery authors mingling with, talking to (and signing autographs for) their fans. Many are quite well known to mystery readers - and then there are newer authors, building their audiences who will be honored guests themselves in future years.
What happens at a Bouchercon? Panels - authors (and the occasional fan) will talk about every aspect of every kind of mystery fiction - opportunities to learn and to laugh. Awards - the Anthony Awards are selected every year by the conference attendees and presented during the event. Free books - every attendee gets a large bag stuffed with the latest mysteries, courtesy of the many publishers who support the event. Autographs - for new and old books, the authors are always most gracious. Mingling - authors are a thirsty lot, and a great many long-time friendships are celebrated at the hotel's bar. Charity - there are live and silent auctions to benefit the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and an organization called WriteGirl. Side events - a lot of other organizations, such as the Private Eye Writers and the Wolfe Pack, sponsor their own events in conjunction with Bouchercon. And, perhaps above all else, the opportunity to make new friends, chat about books and authors, and - I promise you - laugh a lot.
If you've never been to a big mystery conference, I recommend this one heartily. I'll be there - click here to see the latest list of the people attending, both authors and their fans. But you'd better move quickly; the host hotel is already full, and other nearby hotels are filling up quickly. Come meet the people who write the books you enjoy reading.
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