Bouchercon 2007: Anybody going?

[Harry Hunsicker]

Who's planning to make the trek to Anchorage for B-Con this year? It's a seven-hour, $700 flight from Dallas. I imagine there will be a heavy contigent from the West Coast, but what about from the rest of the Lower 48?

[Jordan Dane]

That's Ape Lincoln to you, Blackmoore.

[J.D. Rhoades]

Kewl. See you and your parts there.

[Sean Chercover]

Damn! I'm so torn about B'con this year. Have hotel reservations, but haven't registered for the con or booked a flight. It's damn expensive and I've been doing a lot to promote my book and, frankly, I'm running a little low on cash.

And the Great Lakes Booksellers Association tradeshow is on at the same time, in Chicago. No hotel expenses, no travel (beyond the $2 it costs to ride the El).

But I really want to go to B'con. Ugh. I probably will pass.

I've already registered for Baltimore, and will be there with bells on! And I'll be at ThrillerFest in NYC this summer.

[Brian Thornton]

Aww c'mon Chercover. A card shark like you ought to make back at the poker table more than enough to break you even on the cost of flying to Alaska and stuff.

Everybody'll think you're cool if you do...

Seriously, I understand it. Traveling halfway across the continent is prohibitively expensive, and there's only so much con money to go around in most folks' budgets.

Which is why I'm skipping Thrillerfest (at least for this year). Two cons is enough in one year.

I do plan on being at both LCC in Denver and Bouchercon in Baltmore next year, though.

[Christa Faust]

I will be there. It'll be my first day of school, so to speak. My first Mystery/Crime related con. I'm gonna be pimping my new novel MONEY SHOT coming from Hard Case Crime in Feb 08, plus I've never been to Alaska. Should be an adventure in more ways than one.

[Sean Doolittle]

Man, Harry, I don't know, I'm having the same struggle as a lot of folks on this thread.
I'm about 85% leaned toward the "no" side, I think. What about you, Mr. Moderator? Are you and Alison going?

[Harry Hunsicker]

Probably so. My third book will be a month old at the point, and it does look like the event will be smaller than usual which is nice. I've booked a hotel room but haven't pulled the plug on airline tickets. If I go, I don't know that Alison will make the trek with me. She's going to the Edgar's and Thrillerfest, and one more book event might be too much for her.

[Sean Doolittle]

I was actually considering Thirllerfest, but hadn't decided. Guess I'd probably better get cracking if I'm going. What's the name of the new book?

[Harry Hunsicker]

CROSSHAIRS. Because there's people shooting at each other with scopes and whatnot.

[Lori G. Armstrong]

It's a budget buster for me too. Something like $850 to fly from here. Plus, South Dakota Festival of the Book is that same weekend in Deadwood, so I'll probably sell a lot more books there anyway. Especially, since it'll be a month before Shallow Grave is out.

Definitely going to LCC in Denver in 2008. And Baltimore.

[Toni McGee Causey]

Same here. While I'd love to travel there, I'll have done three cons by that point this year, plus I'm producing an indie film at the same time as finishing book 3, so I'll probably just be an incoherent mess. (Okay, more incoherent and messier than usual.)

[David J. Montgomery]

My wife and I had hoped to go, because it would be cool to see Alaska.... But that was a couple years ago, before the baby. So now it's a big N O.

We will be at Thrillerfest, though.