Bouchercon Rocks!

 

Week of October 1. Mea Culpa! I answered the wrong question this week. This is next week's question, but I like it, so I'm keeping it! 

 Bouchercon San Diego is in the rearview mirror. What is your favorite Bouchercon memory, past or present, and what advice would you give to writers interested in attending Bouchercon, so they could get the most out of their experience? 

 Before I get to the business of answering the question, I want to do a bit of crowing: Today is launch day for Samuel Craddock #10, Guilt Strikes at Granger’s Store, published by Severn House. I’m thrilled to report that the book has drawn a starred review from Library Journal, which summed up the review with these words, “The Samuel Craddock series may be the best regional crime series around today. This installment is no exception.” I mean, who wouldn’t love that review! 

 There are a few murders in the book, and one that happened thirty years ago. If you want to know how to cover up the smell of a body hidden under a floorboard…you have to read the book to find out! 

*****

 Now, on to this week’s question. I started attending Bouchercon long before I was a published writer. My friends Marilyn Wallace and Judy Greber urged me to go because they thought I would have a great time…and they were right! 

 It’s impossible to single out a “favorite” memory , but here are a few: At the first ever Bouchercon I attended, none other than Mary Higgins Clark spotted me when I walked into a restaurant. I was dining alone because I didn’t know many people and the few I did know where off at events with their publishers. She waved me over and said, “You’re with Bouchercon, aren’t you? Come sit with us. She had a waiter bring a chair next to her and proceeded to dazzle me with her charm. But there’s more. The next year when I was at Bcon, she spied me and asked me how my son was doing. She remembered every detail I had told her about him! 

 At that same Bouchercon, I attended the first general organizational meeting of Sisters in Crime. I was so amazed that someone had thought to put together a group to advocate for women authors! And we all know how that meeting panned out. Sisters in Crime has been a force in the industry ever since. And a few years ago I got to serve as president of the Northern California Chapter of Sisters in Crime. 

 I’ve had so many laughs and serious conversations over the years at Bouchercon! Conversations about the publishing industry, about writing, about being discouraged and soldiering on, about being disappointed with publishers, agents, and other writers, and the opposite; being grateful for astute and caring publishers, agents and fellow-writers. 

 From the first Bouchercon, where I knew a few people, I’ve come to know many authors, publishers, reviewers, booksellers, and pre-published writers. 

I''m  grateful and astonished at the generosity of best-selling authors who could be disinterested in “lesser” writers. And yet they are almost all thoughtful and caring, and eagerly lend a hand to those struggling to get better at their craft and to find a publishing home.

People in the publishing business, from writers to publishers, to reviewers are my tribe. Together at Boucheron we commiserate, give and take advice, make suggestions, hear each other’s tales of excitement or woe. I've talked with writers whose careers have taken off, and those whose careers have foundered. We all understand the effort it takes to write in the face of discouragement, the disappointment of rejection, and the thrill of having a book published. They’ve seen the way the industry has changed, sometimes really fast, sometimes grindingly slowly. 

 But at Bouchercon you have not only those in the business of publishing, but readers, as well including those golden readers who are fans of my books. It’s a joy to be among people who attend simply because they love to read mystery novels and enjoy attending panels where they may get to hear some interesting stories told by their favorite authors. And they also like to find new authors to read. Getting to talk to them is part of the fun. 

 So my advice to anyone interested in attending Bouchercon is, DO IT! 

And to make your experience as rich as possible, here are a few tips: 

 1) Think about what you want to get out of the conference. Are you an aspiring writer? How far along are you in the process? What are your most pressing questions? 

 2) When you look through the list of panels, look at panels that may answer some of your questions about craft, how to get an agent, what publishers might be right for you—or if you might want to consider the independent publishing route. But also choose a few panels just for fun! It’s surprising how often tidbits of advice come from the less serious panels.

3) Attend panels that are peopled by writers you think might write the same kind of books you are interested in writing. You may be tempted to attend panels where one of your favorite authors is speaking, but your time might be better spent listening to a lesser-known author who writes the same things you are working on to find out what their techniques are. 

 4) Attend the interviews of well-known

writers. One of the biggest surprises to me is how seriously those with thriving careers take their role as guides for those who are working on their craft. No matter how often I attend these interviews, I’m often grateful for words of wisdom that seem to be directed at me. 

 5) Mingle! If you don’t feel comfortable talking to strangers, listen. And ask questions. Don’t be afraid to approach “famous” authors. Early on in my career, I spotted Laura Lippman, whom I greatly admired. I had a specific question I wanted to ask her, so I took a deep breath and stopped her. My “quick” question turned into a 20-minute in-depth answer. 

 6) Volunteer. It’s a great way to get to know a few people so you won’t feel quite so marooned. 

 So, to end, go to Bouchercon and have fun.