It’s Bouchercon week where crime writers from all over will gather. We’ve talked a lot about the pros and cons of conferences, but I want to know your most memorable conference experience- good and bad. What’s the conference moment you’ll never forget?
I've never been to Bouchercon - indeed, I've never been to a mystery writer's conference in the US, though of course I've been to plenty of academic conferences in the country. I'd love to make it to Bouchercon or any of the big mystery writer events in the US some day, but it takes over 24 hours for me to travel one way, so this needs a bit of planning.
I love the writer conferences and literature festivals I've attended across India, of course. No matter how many times one does this, it's always a fresh thrill to meet readers in person, listen to them tell you what exactly they felt when they read specific sections of your book, and hear about their own life experiences, or those of their parents and grandparents (since I write historical mysteries set in the 1920s) which gave them a personal connection to my characters and their fictional lives.
Thanks to an invite from the conference organizers, I did make it to Motive - the big Toronto crime and mystery writer festival - in 2023, and had an absolute blast. One of the biggest thrills - seeing my name on a massive billboard at the Toronto Harbourfront, alongside other authors whose work I love!
And last year, I was invited to the Indo-American Arts Council Lit Fest in New York, speaking to a hall packed with readers, about 1920s India, women's education and empowerment, princely states and Maharajas, and much more. Such fun.
Meeting and chatting with other authors is one of the best perks of attending these conferences. Sadly, I've missed being at the big US meetings this far, but I'd love to, one day. Meanwhile, several of our Minds co-bloggers are gathering at Bouchercon soon, and I look forward to raising a virtual toast to them!
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