Bouchercon Highlights

[John McFetridge]

Bouchercon was fantastic.

On Saturady night Angie (who no longer has blue hair, but still has great attitude) asked me what my highlight was. We were sitting in the bar with Gerald So, Dana King , Donna Moore and Peter Rozovsky (Detectives Beyond Borders) and for some reason the words, "Meeting all you great people in person," didn't form. I'm going to blame the booze and correct that right now.

The online world has been very good to me, I've met a lot of great people (a lot of them right here at Crimespace, thanks Daniel!) and at Bouchercon I was able to meet so many in person for the first time.

I'm already looking forward to next year.

[Donna Moore]

Likewise - the best bit for me is always meeting up with people I get to see far too little of, meeting people I've been looking forward to meeting, and meeting people I didn't even know I was looking forward to meeting :o) The hugs are one of my favourite parts of Bouchercons.

[Angie]

Awww, what a suck-up, er, I mean sweetie! Though your original answer was completely understandable - who the hell wouldn't list a fab compliment from the Pope of Galway as their highlight?!

I had a great time meeting tons o' peeps in the crime fic. community and the folks listed above helped end B'Con on a high note. And John, as I sat in the lobby well after the bar closed, lots of folks kept picking up your books - the general consensus was "Great covers!" and "Great titles!" and "Who's the author again?" So, y'know, giving away books late at night to an idiotic and slightly tipsy AZ chickie may prove to be a great promo event for future books. ;)

And thank god for Donna. Don't know if I'd have made it through the whole stupid early a.m. flight rigamarole if not for her! Have fun in Alaska, Miss D.!

[pr]

Cheers!
==============
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

[Dana King]

As grateful as I am to be mentioned, John is far too modest. As Angie hinted, when you're at a conference and Ken Bruen says your latest effort is a "great fookin book," that IS the highlight. (Saturday at the bar was, to steal a line, "great fookin fun," though.

To follow up on John's comment, I think my highlight(s) were to be recognized by several people I was hoping to meet, based in large part on recognition gained here on Crimespace. Thanks, Daniel, for the opportunities this site presents.

And John, you're welcome to that line you asked about.

[Angela Zeman]

Also had a great experience. Did the Criminal Brief panel (short fiction) and drew good attendence despite the competing basketball game. Nice thing about doing a panel on short fiction--people who come are seriously interested in shorts, both reading and writing, and feel passionately about the form.

Baltimore itself, BTW, was amazing! Roamed the beautiful waterfront, visited some great restaurants (not meaning expensive, either), was totally won over by the town. And yes, the Wire was filmed in places better not visited alone--many asked about that, and got real answers.

The PWA banquet was, as usual, a don't-miss event. Westminster Hall (nee Church) and Burial Grounds (resting place of Poe); a faux Poe entertained plus a tour of the catacombs.

Cheers for next year!

[I. J. Parker]

Glad you had a great time. Sounds like what I do at Bouchercons. And the PWA folks always put on some memorable shindig. It's the friendliest of all the venues. Tell me that the Shamus winners looked thrilled. :)