Back to the Bay

Getting Historical with  Aubrey Hamilton, Diana R. Chambers, Karen Odden, S.J. Rozan

 I spent the last week in San Francisco, eating Rice-a-Roni and leaving my heart while wearing flowers in my hair.  Or something.

Actually, we were at Left Coast Crime, the West Coast's annual conference for mystery fans.  And we had a great time. 

Before I get into the details I want to say this: I mentioned the conference on FaceBook and a writer much better known than myself said that he had stopped going to cons years ago and it hadn't affected his sales.

I replied that I don't go to them for marketing purposes.  I go to be with my tribe, recharge my creative batteries, and maybe learn something.  All of which I did in San Francisco. 

Libraries Panel with Pat Sellers, Jenn Hooker, and Randal Brandt

I was on a panel about choosing the right period to write historical fiction about.  I also got to do a presentation about how my library spent almost two years investigating a crime and caught the man who had robbed over a hundred libraries.  And speaking of libraries, I moderated a panel on Libraries Helping Authors Helping Libraries.  It was great to see so many people interested in those institutions. One of our panelists, Randal Brandt, was the con's Fan Guest of Honor because of his work as the curator of the California Detective Fiction Collection at UC Berkeley.

Swag

Mysti Berry and I co-sponsored a table at the LeftyAwards Banquet.  Since a lot of my stories are set in New Jersey I provided all of our guests with Garden State magnets and a real Jersey shore treat: Berkeley Candy's molasses salt water taffy paddles robed in dark chocolate. A piece of my childhood!

We also attended Author Speed-Dating (and let me tell you, it is much more fun to sit at a table and let 18 pairs of authors come to you than to be one of the authors trying to repeat your pitch at 18 tables).  The highlight for that might be the author who said their publisher had had an astronomer choose their publication date.  

Loot

Another highlight is the New Author Breakfast sponsored by Sisters in Crime (interesting to see how some of the rookies are much more relaxed and practiced than others), and a bunch of panels.  And we brought home a ton of loot, all free (unless you count the cost of airfare, hotel, and the conference, so we won't).

I also bumped into two SleuthSayers, Michael Bracken and Stacy Woodson, who did their panels brilliantly (naturally).

Of course, since San Francisco is one of our favorite cities we also  threw in some time for sightseeing, which I won't bore you with.*

But the biggest highpoint of the conference for me personally happened at a panel on short stories. Vera Chan mentioned that Rex Stout wrote two novellas that started with the same chapter, but she couldn't remember the title.  Now, I frown on people who, during the question and answer period, offer a comment instead of  a question, but I couldn't resist.  When Q and A time came I raised my hand.  "That Rex Stout story is 'Counterfeit for Murder.'" 

There was a smattering of applause and Catriona McPherson, the moderator, said: "That's a librarian!"

Which indeed I am.

Next time: words of wisdom from the conference.

 * Cable cars, the Embarcadero, the Ferry Building, the Exploratorium, Chinatown, North Beach, the City Lights Bookstore, cable cars, Congregation Sherith Israel, Fisherman's Wharf, Musee Mecanique, Ghiradelli Square, cable cars.  I like cable cars.