Scenes from Left Coast Crime

Last week was the annual, epic mystery convention we call Left Coast Crime. I came home with the same convention crud (cold/flu) as a bunch of other attendees, as well as a host of incredible memories. Only the memories will last!

Here are some of the highlights...

Hanging out with my wonderful Poisoned Pen Press editor, Annette Rogers.

Taking part in a great panel on strong women (though we agreed a) it's time it's just "women" and b) we'd like to see the "weak men" panel sometime)

(l to r: Francine Matthews, Allison Brennan, Mark Coggins, Deborah Crombie, and me)

Rocking killer shoes with Rochelle Staab

Treating our LCC banquet guests to goodies and tiaras

(with my co-host, Rochelle)

Sharing tiaras with a few other deserving folks 

(clockwise from top left: Annette Rogers, Ingrid Willis, Jenn McKinlay, Catriona McPherson, Rochelle, and me)

Moderating the closing panel, an interview with LCC's guests of honor (Ann Cleeves, Catriona McPherson, Gregg Hurwitz, and Chantelle Aimee Osman)

I can't wait for next year. See you all in Hawaii!

Find me at Left Coast Crime

I'm off to Phoenix today for the annual gathering of mystery writers, readers, and fans on the left side of the United States. Yes, it's finally time for Left Coast Crime, The Great Cactus Caper! (I say "finally," because I've been part of the planning committee for more than a year, and that means a lot of buildup and anticipation.)

But it's finally here! I'll be busy with lots of fun activities, including a couple panels and an Author-Reader Connection event, where I'm treating three mystery fans to lunch! But here's what I'm most excited about...

• Author Brand-Building Workshop (Thurs 8a-12p), led by Deborah Lacy, a social media and marketing professional. She knows her stuff, and I'm ready to learn! (Though I'll be working as a class backup, so I may be bugging attendees later for notes.)
• My donation for the silent auction: the Strong Woman Toolkit. It's loaded with inspiration and entertainment (including a set of Kate Reilly Mysteries), and I hope it raises good funds for LCC's charity: KidsRead USA.
• My Cherchez La Femme, Women Overturning the Stereotype: Strong female sleuths as role models panel (Friday 11a), with panelists Allison Brennan, Mark Coggins, Deborah Crombie, and me, moderated by Francine Matthews (aka Stephanie Barron). 
• The Discover Mystery Breakfast (Saturday 7:30-9a). Open to all attendees—find me at the table I'm hosting!
• The Leftys Awards Banquet. Two words: Tiara Table.
• Moderating the LCC Closing Panel: an Interview with the Guests of Honor (Sunday 12:30p). I hope everyone joins us for some final thoughts from Ann Cleeves, Gregg Hurwitz, Chantelle Aimée Osman, and Catriona McPherson.

I hope to see you all soon. And if you're there and I don't see you, find me!

A New Attitude

I'm off to Portland tomorrow for the annual mystery convention known as Left Coast Crime. I'll be on a panel, co-hosting a lunch with a couple fans (with Tina Whittle), and co-hosting the Tiara Table at the banquet (with Rochelle Staab). Along the way, I'll be meeting, seeing, and catching up with dozens of writers and readers (many of whom are good friends).

I have a promise for you all this year: I'll be in a better mood!

Now that I have no day job, I'm recharging. Detoxing. Getting enough alone time so that I'm finally to the point of wanting to socialize again. Turns out—and I hadn't realized how much this was true until the pressure was off—I wasn't getting enough time to recharge my introvert's batteries. And that made me tired, sad, and anti-social. Even when I wanted to see and meet people.

But I'm more rested this time around. I've felt stirrings of interest in initiating social activities (for perspective, that hasn't happened in years). So I'm looking forward to seeing how much more I'm engaged at this upcoming convention.

Let's get real for a minute, however. Don't expect me to be the life of the party! Still an introvert over here.... (By the way, here's the best article/chart about introverts I've ever seen. As that shows, it's not about enjoying people, it's about where we get our energy.)

But I will promise to be more welcoming and friendly. So if you're at Left Coast Crime, find me, talk about pink hair (I have it), pick up some Team Kate earplugs (I'm sure you've got a use for them), and let's talk about good mysteries!

See you in Portland!

Murder Is the Last Resort

That's not my personal feeling, it's the title of the Left Coast Crime mystery convention I attended last weekend in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

I flew in Thursday and got my bearings, meeting up with fellow Poisoned Pen Press author Tina Whittle and friend Ann Hogsett for the first of many cobb salads in the Cheyenne Mountain Resort's main dining area. (Those are Tina, friend Andrea, and Annie pictured below.)

Thursday night I stayed in the bar until late, sucking down bottles of sparkling water and listening to fascinating stories of covert and black ops, political intrigue, and guns from a variety of fellow mystery authors. I didn't contribute much to the conversation, obviously.

Friday I had a long lunch with some friends from Denver, attended a couple panels, and then had a front-row seat for one of the highlights of the weekend: the concealed weapons fashion show, in which authors of crime fiction modeled concealed weaponry dressed as their characters. Here are John Gilstrap and Reavis Wortham discussing John's turn on the catwalk as his former Delta Force operative, Jonathan Grave.

All of the activity I participated in happened on Saturday, starting with a minute-long pitch about my books to interested readers (at 7:30 a.m.) and progressing to two panels: Occupations to Die For and The Sporting Side of Murder.

But the big fun was Saturday night's banquet. First, I had the great joy of sitting next to my good friend Rochelle Staab and watching (and photographing) her win the Watson Award for the best sidekick. It was a well-deserved honor!

After that, we were treated to the long-delayed interview of western/mystery writer Craig Johnson by Lou Diamond Phillips (yeah, that guy). LDP stars in the television series based on Craig's Longmire series, and came to the convention as a favor to conduct Craig's guest of honor interview ... though the journey took longer than Lou expected, given the snowstorm raging in the area that day. After some 13 hours of (attempted) travel time, Lou arrived and proved himself to be enthusiastic about a room full of crazy writers. He threw himself into the festivities, helping raise money for a literacy charity in an auction, taking photos with any of us who asked, and proving to be a well-read and thorough interviewer.

All in all, a great night! And a great convention overall. I could have done without the 28-degree days and the walk outside from my room to the main lodge, but I can't complain about the trip overall. Lots of fun. I'll see you all in Monterey next March!

Fun at Left Coast Crime

A week ago, I was in the middle of hundreds of mystery writers, readers, and fans at Mining For Murder, the 2012 Left Coast Crime mystery convention in Sacramento, CA. I was there as a nominee for the Eureka!, the award for best first mystery. I didn't ultimately win (that delight went to Darrell James, on the right in the photo of nominees below), but I couldn't have enjoyed myself more at the event if I had.

 

(from left: Rochelle Staab, Sally Carpenter, me, Darrell James)

First thing Friday morning was the New Author breakfast, where 24 of us got a minute to pitch ourselves and our books to a room full of attendees eating a free breakfast. After that, I was on a panel Friday morning with my fellow nominees, titled "I Wish I Knew..." (moderated by friend and fellow Poisoned Pen Press author Tina Whittle), and then took part in another panel for Men of Mystery, where 19 male mystery authors cracked jokes and much hilarity ensued.

(only part of the Men of Mystery panel, note Kenneth Wishnia photo-bombing us in the background)

After my duties were done there, I was free to enjoy the rest of the weekend without stress! I spent as much time in panels as I did in the atrium seating/bar area, chatting with people I'd met before and making new friends. 

This convention was so spectacular because it was the first time I'd attended as a published author with a book on sale in the bookstore. So for the first time, a stranger approached me and said, "I read your book and I really liked it!" And for the first time I really felt part of the author community, not just the writer community and fan community (I'm still a fan though, don't doubt that!).

Saturday night was the banquet, and though I was a little nervous, I hooted and hollered for Darrell when he won, and cheered again when Poisoned Pen author Ann Parker beat out a bunch of heavyweights for the Best Historical award. Even better, I got to sit at a table with my mom, two good friends, and my publisher and (an) editor from Poisoned Pen Press. A great time was had by all, and we looked fabulous!

(from left: Jessica Tribble, me, Annette Rogers)

Why can't we do this every couple months?! Thanks to everyone involved in Left Coast Crime 2012. It was magnificent. See you all at Bouchercon or Left Coast Crime 2013!