I just returned from Left Coast Crime, a conference for mystery lovers. Of the 550 or so participants, there were about 70 authors, and the rest are readers looking for books to read. Guess who’s got 3 published mysteries (and a 4th launch coming this summer)?
Soon after I got to the hotel, I ran into Ann, a fellow Rocky Mountain Sister in Crime. I love her series about a doctor balancing work and family (loosely based on Ann’s life, except for the crime).
My conference plan is always to meet as many people as possible, have as many good conversations as I can manage, and leave the hotel at least once a day. We lucked out with sunny weather the whole time and the city was cleaner than when I last visited, but what did San Francisco do with all the street people?
I brought postcards with one of my excellent recipes on one side and my books and contact info on the other. I also brought wrapped chocolates and candy because it’s nice to offer something sweet to everyone. I set out some of that candy during author-speed-dating, where I spoke to about 15 tables of 8-10 people about my latest culinary mystery (Charred, Book #3 in the Whipped & Sipped Mystery series).
I will admit that after describing the book 10 times, I zipped through my allotted two minutes in less than 30 seconds. I’d stand up and say, “Hi, I wrote a Chicago based culinary mystery in which some people get killed and everyone else eats breakfast and lunch. Here’s some candy. Hope you get a chance to try my recipe.”
They’d laugh, probably relieved. I’d pass out the other author’s bookmarks, sit down, and listen to her speak. When it was over, I went to my room and read. Then I attended panels like Writing Historical Mysteries and Crime in the Great Outdoors. All four days, I ran into Ann from Colorado.
There were 4 panels each day, plus famous author interviews and readings (One played Tartini’s Devil’s Trill on the violin – his book had the same title). I make quicker decisions about reading a book after hearing an author read (or perform) than I do when listening to an author blab about his/her book.
I loved getting to moderate a panel on Global Mysteries and sitting on a panel about Mystery Categories, although whenever I was the last to answer a question about why my book is a cozy, or what differentiates cozy from traditional mystery, I’d forget the question, say whatever sprang to mind, and inadvertently get a laugh. Oops.
I came away with a long list of books to download, but my favorite part of the weekend was hanging out with Ann, who also ended up being on my flight to Denver. We ate together before the flight. Even though the conference is about books, for me the most important part is the people.
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| Photo credit: David Gottlieb |
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