So, Bouchercon is over, and a good time was had by all, even me, despite not winning the Macavity Award for best historical – probably because they didn’t want to give it to a Jew. That’s my running theory. I also somehow didn’t get handed a free Kindle by anyone. I can’t tell you how many conferences I’ve gone to without someone giving me a free Kindle. It is beginning to get me down. And while I’m complaining, how about the fact that they spelled my name wrong on my panel. All of which makes me wonder if I didn’t win the Macavity because they don’t like to give it to complainers.
I bet they didn't spell Sue Grafton's name wrong.
But, there are lots of things to cheer about, including the fact that I caught up with many friends, including Joseph Finder, Mark T. Sullivan, Kenneth Wishnea, Kelli Stanley, John Gilstrap, and lots of others I’m probably forgetting. Highlights included getting to chat with comics great Brian Azzarello and finally, after more than a year of email correspondence, getting to know Jonathan Maberry, a truly excellent, guy who writes first-rate novels and comics, and knows how to kill a man with a straw, though he probably wouldn’t unless pushed.
A volatile and unpredictable crowd of violent readers patiently wait to get their books signed – by me!
My big fear was that no one would come to my Saturday morning panel, since we were up against another panel with both Sue Grafton and Michael Connelly, but we had standing room only, and I had a nice line of people to get books signed.
In the end, a pleasant and productive weekend in which no one, as far as I know, did anything they’d want to conceal from the media. I was hoping to come back with embarrassing stories about someone, but it just didn’t pan out this time.