As
my career settles firmly into the mystery “camp” I find I enjoy
these mystery conferences, which are reader focused rather than craft
focus as romance conferences tend to be.
Each
day was full of opportunities to spot my favorite “big name”
authors such as William Kent Kruger, Sue
Grafton, Marcia Muller, Donna Andrews, Catherine Coulter, and many
others, as well as spend time with emerging, up and coming authors
who are friends: Donnell Bell, Susan Boyer, Alexandra Sokoloff,
Allison Brennan, Nancy Parra/Nancy Coco and the wonderful “Sparkle
Abbey” team (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). I could go on for
pages (and I'd still miss mentioning someone!), but then I couldn't
mention all the new authors I met, putting faces with people I met
through my work with the International Thriller Writers Debut Author
program, and the fabulous readers. Oh, the readers! These are readers
who devour mysteries, parsing the spectrum of cozy to amateur sleuth,
understanding the nuances all the way over to hard boiled, noir and
horror.
The
conference officially consists of a series of panels. While a few are
geared toward industry news (emerging trends, self-publishing, social
media), most are meant to explore an aspect of the mystery genre:
Cozy Noir, Manors and Manners, Why Authors Write Humor into
Mysteries, and the well attended Sex, Death and Taxes (how can I not
mention Harley Jane Kozak).
I
sat on a panel titled The Voices in our Head, along with William
Easley, Donnell Bell, and Terry Shames. The moderator, Peg Brantley,
and audience asked questions which sparked great discussions about
characterization, inspiration as well as process. It's always fun to
hear how others go about this (slightly crazy) business of writing a
novel. Of course, there were also the New Authors author breakfast,
dinners with fellow Sisters In Crime members, and (I'm sure you're
stunned) the bar, where lots of networking—and a little
drinking—occurred.
And Donnell, Susan and I found the perfect spot to unwind Sunday afternoon, post-conference, at a tapas and wine bar overlooking the harbor...
Yes, it's a tough gig...
What
about you? Have you attended a conference recently? Have a favorite?
And don't forget our multi-author giveaway! Check out the rafflecopter for ways to enter.
18 comments:
Hi Cathy,
It was so nice to finally put a face to the name I see on Facebook!
I know I had a blast at LCC and everyone I've talk to did too. It was a fabulous event.
I agree with you about the interaction with the readers. I love it! I'm sure our paths will cross again and I hope we can get a longer time to chat!
I love conferences, Cathy. I haven't been to one for ages, and I'm sure ours in the UK are much, much smaller affairs, but I love talking crime and mystery with readers and fellow authors. The bar, of course, is perfect place for this. :)
Glad you had such an exciting time!
Thanks for the update - sounds like a fabulous time! For some reason, I rarely hear about the mystery conferences (other than Thrillerfest) until it's too late - will have to work on that in 2014/15!
Sounds like a wonderful conference, Cathy -- I'm quite envious!
Cathy
I'm so sorry I didn't get a chance to see you or Kathy Bennett and say hello. Yes, that was a great conference. I always enjoy Left Coast Crime and come home exhausted. I was on a wonderful panel with Susan Boyer on Saturday. Hope to see you next time!
I enjoy the small reader writer conferences also. I tend more toward the thriller and those are few and far between. I'm thinking these smaller cons will become the'thing' in the future. Thanks for sharing this info
thanks for sharing Cathy! I'm going to RWA National for the first time this year, but next year, due to what I've learned from you and several other posting about LCC, I think I'll be heading to Portland in March :)
It was wonderful finally meeting you Kathy! Am I hearing B'con this year?
Shirley - London Book Fair! A group of my friends are going this year but I couldn't swing it. As much as y'all love mysteries (our Mystery, Thriller, Horror box set sells well in the UK!) surely there are more events?
Anne Marie - we must talk! Bang Bang was this month in the midwest, Chicago I think; Sleuthfest, last month in Florida; Killer Nashville (that one I must go to one year); Crime Bake is sometime; and B'con in November. Then there's Thrillerfest in NY in July...
Marcelle - we must tempt you south into the States for at least one of these!
Rebecca, I must have just missed you! I sat in on one of Susan's panels. There were so many wonderful options, too bad I couldn't clone myself and see them all.
We'll have to have a NYUS meet-up in Portland next year Kathryn Jane!
Did you go to Sleuthfest, Rita? It's in Florida and I hear it's a lot of fun!
Yes, Cathy…I'll be at Bouchercon this year. It will be my second one. Can't wait!
We'll have to get together at B'con, Kathy!
It was a wonderful conference, wasn't it? Great mix of panels and don't get me started on Monterrey! Great post--it put me right back there. It was so great spending time with you! Can't wait to see you again at Bouchercon!
Cathy,
You brought back the beautiful setting of Monterey and wonderful fun of Left Coast Crime - one of my favorite conferences. I'm sorry we didn't meet, especially when you enjoyed libations with friends at the seaside.
Nancy G. West
Aggie Mundeen Mysteries
www.nancygwest.com
Post a Comment