Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Bouchercon 2015 Recap & Giveaway #bcon2015

Karin Slaughter, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Kathy Reichs

The world's largest mystery convention took place
this past weekend in Raleigh, NC. The convention is called Bouchercon and is named for writer and critic, Anthony Boucher (rhymes with voucher). The Guests of Honor included Kathy Reichs, Margaret Maron, Tom Franklin, Zoe Sharp and Allan Guthrie. 

(Don't forget to comment at the bottom of the post to enter to win copies of the most recent issues of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.)


Bouchercon Board Member, Ingrid Willis and Margaret Maron

Tom Franklin, Allan Guthrie and Kathy Reichs

Toastmaster, Lori Armstrong and International GOH Zoe Sharpe

On Thursday, I moderated at panel with Dru Ann Love, Janet Rudolph, Maddie James and Cara Brookins on social media. We had a lot of fun. If you get a chance you might want to check out Dru Ann's blog Dru's Book Musings and Janet's blogs Dying for Chocolate and Mystery Fanfare



On Friday, I moderated a panel called, Write What You Know Day Job or Not with Joe Clifford, Susanna Calkins, Nancy West and Catriona McPherson. This panel talked about writing what you know and how you get around it if you don't. One of the biggest laughs of the panel was when Catriona announced that she was a proud graduate of MSU, Make Stuff Up University. Susanna researches her historical books so throughly she took a job on a tourist ship in England so she could get the details right. Joe Clifford's book Lamentation (nominated for an Agatha Award) features a drug addict as a protagonist and he told us that he himself was a recovering drug addict who had turned his life around. Such an amazing come back and it's a great book. Nancy West shares many traits with her character Aggie Mundeen and stole many stories from her own work life to put into her books. Catriona McPherson walked away with two awards during the weekend - The Macavity for Best Historical Mystery and The Agatha Award for Best Paperback Original.  

One of my favorite gatherings was the Short Mystery Fiction luncheon where short story writers gathered to talk pastiches and locked rooms. It was great to see Terrie Farley Moran, John Floyd, Art Taylor (his story, The Odds Are Against Us won the Anthony for Best Short Story), Barb Goffman, Bob Mangeot, and Gigi Pandian among many more.

(Don't forget to comment at the bottom of the post to enter to win copies of the most recent issues of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.)
Bonnie MacBird and Nancy Allen signing their books
Another highlight was the Harper Collins/William Morrow book signing reception. Laura Lippman, Lou Berney, Glen Erik Hamilton, Nancy Allen and Bonnie Macbird were there. 

Another great thing about Bouchercon is getting books signed. Here's a photo of John Hart signing a book for my mom. 




Karin Slaughter also signed a book for my mom. 



Kathy Reichs after she finished signing a book for my mom. It's important to keep mom in signed books from her favorite authors. 

(Don't forget to comment at the bottom of the post to enter to win copies of the most recent issues of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.)




You can see photo recaps I filed on the fly here and here

Here's Bouchercon Chairman, Jeffery Seiger with Fan Guests of Honor Lucinda Surber and Stan Ulrich. Lucinda and Stan are also involved in Left Coast Crime happening this February in Phoenix.  




In the next two weeks we have more detailed recaps of many panels including the Sherlock panel featuring Laurie R. King and Leslie Klinger, a humor panel with an even more humorous name featuring Margaret Maron, and a panel on context and crime scenes with Amanda Kyle Williams and Caroline Todd. 

Bouchercon 2016 is in New Orleans and the theme is Blood on the Bayou. It's never too early to sign up and hotel rooms are booking up fast. 

You can find us on twitter @Mysteryplaygrnd and on Facebook.

(Don't forget to comment at the bottom of the post to enter to win copies of the most recent issues of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.)

17 comments:

  1. A really fun event to attend; thanks for sharing :)
    jslbown2009 at aol dot com

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  2. I enjoyed the wonderful photos of the event and the authors whose books are memorable and captivating. What an unforgettable and special celebration. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. Thanks for allowing me to enjoy Boucheron vicariously. Bobbipad@gmail.com

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  4. I wish I could have been there! looks like fun and wonderful pictures! thanks for the chance to win! amandasmother@aol.com

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  5. Thanks so much for sharing Boucheron with us! I looked forward to your newsletter every day. I'd love to win...thanks for the chance.
    sxygrndma48{at}yahoo{dot}com

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  6. Wonderful to see what amazingly talented authors do in their "spare" time. Thank you for sharing Biucheron and for offering a giveaway. Always hope to win! 😊

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    Replies
    1. Sorry for misspelling Boucheron, auto suggest struck again.😩

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    2. Sorry for misspelling Boucheron, auto suggest struck again.😩

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  7. Wonderful to see what amazingly talented authors do in their "spare" time. Thank you for sharing Biucheron and for offering a giveaway. Always hope to win! 😊

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  8. What a great blog post and I learned so much about some of the authors, so thank you for that information. MSU. Love it. I guess most of us have "attended" this at one time or another, am I right??? It would be a great treat to be able to receive one of these magazines, so thank you for that and for all the super photos with the names of the people in them so nicely labeled. That helps all of us who will never be attending such a great convention such as you. And we love to hear all about the events and happening.

    Sincerely,
    Cynthia Blain

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  9. Saw the names of several of my "must read" authors. Those are the one's that as soon as I see their name I get on the reservations list.
    thanks.

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  10. Wonderful recap and pictures. Thanks for taking the time to do this. I would have loved to have been there.

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  11. It's so nice to put the names with the faces of favorite authors. Thanks!

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  12. Thanks for the recap—and great meeting you there!
    Art

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  13. Great photos and blog! Really glad we got to meet. I'm so excited about my craft post!! LMK when it's up.

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  14. What a fun post and how great to see so many pictures too! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  15. Our winner is Lisa Brown. Look for an e-mail shortly.

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