I've been home from Bouchercon for 2 weeks, but a nasty cold has had me down and out for a while. I was hoping to put together a detailed post about my time at B'con, but this virus has zapped me of energy, initiative and creativity, so that exact post isn't going to happen (at least for now). Instead, I give you the short version:
This was my 5th Bouchercon (and about my 11th or 12th crime fiction conference), and I had a blast. I was feeling a bit 'been there, done that' about the panels before the conference started, but I'm glad I went to the ones I did. There were some nice surprises, including some really interesting discussions, new-to-me authors, and lots of laughs. I posted some of the panel photos here.
As usual, there wasn't enough time to see everything I wanted to see or opportunity to catch up with everyone I wanted to chat with (especially since there were some notable no-shows for various reasons, including Donna Moore and Robert Crais) but I did my best to cram in what I could. There were a few firsts for me this year. I went to the Shamus Awards Banquet (although got there *very* late and ended up sitting along the back wall like a naughty school girl), tried caviar for the first time (once is enough, thankyouverymuch), actually made it to an 8:30 am(!) panel, and fell in love...with a sea lion.
The book haul was definitely quality (*fingers crossed*) over quantity this year. I brought home Barbara Fister's In the Wind, two books by Hank Phillippi Ryan, A Small Death in the Great Glen by A.D. Scott, and Level 26: Dark Origins by Anthony E. Zuiker with Duane Swierczynski.
(Oh, and a special thanks goes to the conference attendee whose hotel room was just down the hall from mine (7th floor)...bless you for leaving behind your ARC of Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane! I saw it in the pile that housekeeping had cleared out of your room, and snatched it for myself.)
I've already booked my hotel for next year's Bouchercon in St. Louis. Is it too early to get excited about it?
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