Oh Bouchercon, my Bouchercon! by Cathy Ace

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?

 

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend several Bouchercons, including the most recent event, held in San Diego. To be honest, I have so many happy memories, and tips, it’s hard to share them all, but here goes:

 

TIP #1: IF YOU CAN GO, GO. It’s not cheap, and travel isn’t always easy, but you will have a wonderful experience.

PRE-PANELS: With Lori Rader-Day and Catriona McPherson at Bouchercon 2023

 

TIP #2: PACK LOTS OF COMFORTABLE SHOES! The thing about Bouchercon is that you’ll want to go to more panels than you’re physically capable of attending, and I dare say we all know that planning your schedule is key…but…there’s a lot that goes on “between and after” the panels too – and that means you’ll spend a lot longer on your feet than you imagined you would. If your feet are comfy, and you can change shoes during the day, you’ll honestly have a better time!

BETWEEN PANELS: with James W Ziskin at Bouchercon 2023

 

TIP #3: THERE IS SUCH A THING AS BECOMING OVER-PANELLED: authors you’ve wanted to see in person are sitting on the stage, you’ve got a good seat, you’re primed and ready to go and…you zone out! It happens. It’s a real thing. Yes, we can all plan to use our time well, but using it wisely also means allowing for breaks. Brain breaks. Bum breaks. Time to hang out breaks. Plan these too!

AFTER PANELS: with Ann Cleeves at Bouchercon 2023

As for memories? The photos here show how using ALL your time can pay off!

AT A PANEL: with Lori Rader-Day, Martin Edwards, Ovidia Yu, and Elly Griffiths

If you're interested in finding out more about my work - especially my 13th Cait Morgan Mystery, which will be published on 13th November, you can do so at my website: https://www.cathyace.com/