Every fall, mystery fans and authors gather at Bouchercon to mix, mingle and crowd the hotel bar. There are panel discussions, parties, special events, and impromptu conversations in hallways and lobbies. It is always exhausting, never boring and frequently the best time some authors have all year.
This year, Bouchercon was held in St. Louis, just minutes from the Gateway Arch. I was able to attend only a fraction of the conference, but here’s what I took home with me:
Writers Love Movies
I was lucky enough to be included on two panel discussions about film. Instead of taking it as a slight against my writing abilities (It wasn’t, right?) I saw it as a chance to talk about one of my first loves — the movies. And I’m not the only author with a love of film.
On Thursday, I joined, Maria Alexander, Eric Beetner, Terry Faherty, Daniel Hale, Tracy Kiely and Martyn Waites for a fantastic panel discussion about the influence of Alfred Hitchcock. It was fascinating to hear what others take away from Hitchcock’s films and which ones are their favorites. I also learned that Martyn’s favorite Hitchcock is Rear Window. Well done, sir!
On Friday, it was Megan Abbott, David Corbett, Jeremy Lynch, Russel McLean, Wallace Stroby and myself talking great crime movies in film history. We had a great time. We were punchy, the audience was participating, and we ran out of time. Because once you start talking about movies, it’s hard to stop.
Writers Love Alcohol
Really, this is a given.
Writers Love Coffee
Maybe it was everyone nursing their hangovers, but the Starbucks attached to the hotel was insanely crowded throughout the day. And while it seemed a bit ridiculous to wait a half-hour for coffee, it was fun to strike up conversations with people in line. Most of us were there for Bouchercon, so we had a love of books in common.
Mystery and Thriller Fans Rock
The cool thing about Bouchercon is that it’s a conference for fans. Book lovers save up all year to attend and meet their favorite authors. And while being on panels and meeting other authors is a blast, it was equally fun to get to know the people who read us.
The Gateway Arch
I made a point to walk to the arch on Friday afternoon. I wanted to take the elevator ride to the top, but, alas, all tickets were sold out for the day. Still, the arch is as impressive as I thought it would be. And I made sure to get my picture taken leaning against its base.
Gooey Butter Cake
Those of you who enjoyed this sinful treat know exactly what I’m talking about.
