Bouchercon 2018

Bouchercon was so inspiring! I’m energized from connecting with readers and fellow writers. Writing is hard, but attending events like this reminds me why it's so rewarding. Big thanks to the volunteer co-chairs that made this year in St. Petersburg, Florida happen: Erin Mitchell, Jon Jordan, and Ruth Jordan. Here are a few highlights:

Talking Golden Age mysteries with the two Shawns—Shawn Cosby (writing as S.A. Cosby) and Shawn Reilly Simmons—Martin Edwards, and Shelly Dickson Carr. Martin’s nonfiction book THE STORY OF CLASSIC CRIME IN 100 BOOKS won the Macavity at Bouchercon. So fun to nerd out with my fellow writers who have been inspired by the same books.

Crime Writers of Color breakfast with old friends and new. L-R Elizabeth Mahon, me, Shawn Cosby, Vera Chan, Sujata Massey, and Naomi Hirahara (who’s taking the photo).

Meeting Abir Mukherjee was definitely a highlight. His debut A RISING MAN was awarded the CWA Dagger Award and shortlisted for the Edgar last year. It’s a brilliant novel. Here we are with Sujata Massey, whose new historical mystery THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL is also terrific.

Abir, Sujata, and I donated an India-themed basket for the charity auction. Next to our books that’s a scarf from India from Sujata and Jaya Jones character art cards illustrated by my artist mom. I wished I could have bid on it, because you can’t get Abir’s latest book in the US yet—he brought the UK edition.

I attended the Nero Wolfe Banquet for the first time, and it was such fun! I was skeptical at first when told there would be singing, but it was a blast.

My fellow Archaeology Mysteries panelists Dana Cameron, Stacy Allen, and Mary Anna Evans. Who are our favorite fictional archaeologists? It’s a tie between Amelia Peabody and Indiana Jones.

Setting the Stage panel with Lisa Unger, Con Lehane, Steph Cha, Christine Carbo, and James Anderson. I moderated this great group. They made my job easy.

Sisters in Crime’s new president Sherry Harris and immediate past president Diane Vallere. I love these women. Sisters in Crime has been such an important part of my writing career.

Mia P. Manansala won the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award! Mia won the Malice Domestic Grant as well. Her work isn’t published yet, but I can’t wait to read it once it is.

At the Anthony Awards ceremony, the wonderful Lesa Holstine was given the David Thompson Memorial Special Service Award. And Lori Rader-Day won the Anthony for Best Paperback Original.

Kellye Garrett won the Anthony for Best Debut Novel for HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, which I had the great pleasure of giving a blurb before it came out. It’s such a great book, and her amazing speech highlighted the lack of diversity in the mystery genre, which she and others are working to remedy.

The 2018 Pitch Wars crew celebrating with Kellye! L-R Mia P. Manansala, Robin St. Clare, Sarah Nicolas, Kellye Garrett, me, and Jenna Lincoln.

Congratulations to all the Anthony Award Winners!

BEST NOVEL: Bluebird, Bluebird – Attica Locke. BEST FIRST NOVEL: Hollywood Homicide– Kellye Garrett.

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL: Winner: The Day I Died – Lori Rader-Day.

BILL CRIDER AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL IN A SERIES: Y is for Yesterday (Kinsey Millhone #25) – Sue Grafton.

BEST ANTHOLOGY: The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir – Gary Phillips, ed. 

BEST SHORT STORY: “My Side of the Matter” – Hilary Davidson, Killing Malmon.

BEST ONLINE CONTENT: Winner: Jungle Red Writers – Group Blog.

BEST CRITICAL/NONFICTION WORK: Winner: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI – David Grann.

Left Coast Crime 2018 in Reno

I gave my editor my manuscript of the fourth Accidental Alchemist novel last week (woo hoo!), the day before heading to Reno for Left Coast Crime. That meant I could relax and enjoy the convention to the fullest. A few highlights in photos are below.

I grew up reading the Gideon Oliver skeleton detective mysteries by Aaron Elkins, so it’s been one of the highlights of my writing career that he’s become a champion of my books and a mentor.

Have you read Kellye’s debut, Hollywood Homicide, yet? It’s so good!

Susan Bickford, Kellye Garrett, Wendall Thomas, Nancy Tingley, and Kathy Valenti. Such a talented group. I’ve read most of their debut mysteries and I’m already a fan.

Congratulations to all the Lefty Award winners! Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel: Ellen Byron, A Cajun Christmas Killing (Crooked Lane Books)Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel: Rhys Bowen, In Farleigh Field (Lake Union Publishing)Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel: Kellye Garrett, Hollywood Homicide (Midnight Ink)Lefty for Best Mystery Novel: William Kent Krueger, Sulfur Springs (Atria Books)

Catching up with these amazing women: Cynthia Kuhn, Mariah Klein, Kathy Valenti, Nadine Nettmann, (me), and Kellye Garrett.

Top to bottom: bloggers and reviewers panel; short stories panel; and S.J. Rozan interviewing guest of honor Naomi Hirahara.

Kathy Krevat/Aarons, Judy Copek, Tammy Kaehler, Marla Cooper, and me. (And of course I forgot to take a photo of my other panel, writing other cultures, with Jill Amadio, Dorothy Black Crow, Matthew Iden, and Bharti Kirchner.)

Lunch with Margaret Dumas and Sophie Littlefield was a treat.

Josh Stallings, Steph Cha, Stephen Buehler, and Travis Richardson.

Bouchercon 2017 in Toronto

Huge thanks to this year's Bouchercon co-chairs Helen Nelson and Janet Costello. The Toronto convention was a fantastic celebration of the mystery genre I've loved my whole life. I saw old friends, met with my publishers, got to meet some of my favorite authors, learned about new authors I'm eager to read, and had a blast chatting with readers. Here are a few highlights in photos.

My last Sisters in Crime board meeting! It was an honor to serve as Publicity Liaison for the past two years for an organization that has been a big part of my publishing journey.

Bouchercon capped Sisters in Crime’s 30th anniversary year. At left: Diane Vallere (SinC’s 30th president) and Sara Paretsky (SinC’s 1st president). At right: Diane Vallere handing over the seal to new SinC president Kendel Lynn. I roomed with pal Diane, and I was excited to learn more about her new mystery series coming in December.

My last official duty for SinC was to introduce Jessica Ellis Laine, this year’s winner of the Eleanor Taylor Bland Grant. Now in its fourth year, this grant is to foster the next generation of writers of color. I’m happy that after it began as a one-time grant to honor African-American mystery fiction pioneer Bland, it’s continuing as a yearly $1,500 grant to attend a writers conference or do research to complete a novel.

My panel — what a fun group!

With fellow panelist Susan Spann (who writes the Shinobi mystery series) and Stacy Allen (who writes underwater archaeology thrillers).

One of two publisher gatherings. (Alas, I didn’t get a picture of the Henery Press group.) A highlight of the Midnight Ink get-together was getting to know debut author Lissa Marie Redmond, whose first novel comes out in February.

I love short stories, especially locked-room “impossible crime” mysteries, a genre most popular in Golden Age mysteries, but that I’m thrilled to see returning (more on that in a separate post). My lunch companions at the SMFS luncheon included cross-genre author Josh Pachter, Gerald So (who’s involved in running the SMFS blog), and Shelly Dickson Carr (granddaughter of John Dickson Carr and a phenomenal writer in her own right).

When you have coffee with one of your favorite authors, and they turn out to be every bit as awesome as their novels, it’s pretty damn cool! Have you read Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell novels? They capture the spirit of Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody novels, but in their own unique way.

And it was the brilliant Ausma Zehanat Khan (who writes the award-winning Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty mysteries plus a new fantasy series) who first introduced me to Deanna’s books. Bouchercon is always a whirlwind, so sadly I only got a chance to have a brief chat with Ausma.

International authors: Barry Lancet (Jim Brodie thrillers based in Japan) and Ovidia Yu (playwright and novelist from Singapore).

Meeting up with the Sisters in Crime Guppies, the online chapter that began for aspiring authors to support each other. I joined 10 years ago, 5 years before becoming a published author, and learned so much from the group. It’s always a treat to meet fellow Guppies in person. Thanks to Debra Goldstein for this photo.

Bouchercon culminates with the Anthony Awards presentation. Congratulations to this year's winners!

Best Novel: A Great Reckoning – Louise PennyBest Paperback Original:Heart of Stone – James W. ZiskinBest First Novel: IQ – Joe IdeBest Anthology: Blood on the Bayou: Bouchercon Anthology 2016 – Greg Herren, ed.Best short story: “Oxford Girl” - Megan AbbottBest Children’s/YA Novel:The Girl I Used to Be – April HenryBest Novella: The Last Blue Glass – B.K. Stevens, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, April 2016Best Critical Nonfiction Work: Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life – Ruth Franklin

Congratulations to pal Jim Ziskin for winning both the Macavity and Anthony awards for Heart of Stone!

At the airport, I ran into mystery historian Marv Lachman. One of his books is The Heirs of Anthony Boucher, a history of mystery fandom that includes a fascinating history of Bouchercon. I had the pleasure of being on a locked-room mystery panel with Marv at a previous Bouchercon. I don’t think there’s anything he doesn’t know about classic mysteries.

Farewell, Toronto! I’m drowning under my pile of books, but that’s a good problem to have!

Bouchercon 2016 in New Orleans

Bouchercon was a whirlwind this year, and not only because I fell into a Twilight Zone episode for a day (I broke my glasses!). This is the "world mystery convention," the biggest of the mystery conventions, and there were over 1,800 attendees this year. 

The day before Bouchercon began, Sisters in Crime presented a SinC Into Great Writing workshop for writers. This year the topic was Writing to our Differences: Doing Diversity Right. Walter Mosley was the keynote speaker, and he gave a brilliant talk about writing authentic characters.

Walter Mosley was the keynote speaker at Sisters in Crime’s SinC Into Great Writing workshop. He is absolutely amazing.

The other speakers at SinC Into Great Writing were Linda Rodriguez, Frankie Bailey, Greg Herren, and Cindy Brown (with Midnight Ink editor Terri Bischoff joining the Q&A session), who spoke about being true to both life and your books by writing characters who are racially diverse, LGBT, and with disabilities. 

SinC Into Great Writing presenters: Terri Bischoff, Linda Rodriguez, Catriona McPherson (moderator), Greg Herren, Frankie Bailey, and Cindy Brown.

On the first official day of the convention, the opening ceremonies were a blast--and unique.  A New Orleans-style parade was held inside the hotel ballroom, with each honoree riding down the aisle on their own decorated float. (Alas it was dark so my photos didn't turn out!)

My day had begun with a Sisters in Crime board meeting. I'm serving on the national board for a second year, both because it's a fabulous group and also because I've gotten so much out of the organization in my writing career that I want to give back to this wonderful community. This year is especially exciting because it's our 30th anniversary! 

Sisters in Crime board members and staff. Top row: Sarah Glass, Kendel Lynn, Lori Roy, Beth Wasson, Susan Shea, GM Malliet, Julie Hennrikus. Bottom row: Gigi Pandian, Catriona McPherson, Leslie Budewitz, Diane Vallere (incoming SinC president), Karen Pullen.

To kick off SinC's 30th anniversary, I worked with New Orleans videographer Julius Evans of Red Clay Films to shoot some interviews with Sisters in Crime former presidents and members on the morning of the SinC breakfast.

SinC has so many amazing members, and one of my highlights from this project was getting to interview Sara Paretsky. We're editing these videos, plus creating more of them, and SinC will be posting the videos throughout our anniversary year.

Creating videos to celebrate SinC 30th anniversary.

Speaking of anniversaries, my favorite panel at Bouchercon was the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine 75th anniversary panel. I love the Golden Age of mystery fiction, so it was fun to hear stories about the team who created Ellery Queen and authors I love, like Clayton Rawson and John Dickson Carr. And yes, Shelly Dickson Carr is John's granddaughter! Her first novel is great, so talent definitely runs in the family. 

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine 75th anniversary panel: Steve Steinbock, Otto Penzler, Janet Hutchings, Ted Hertel, Brendan DuBois, Shelly Dickson Carr, and James Lincoln Warren moderating.

My own panel was a discussion of the solitary process of writing a novel, and it was so interesting to chat about how different each of our processes are! Learn to be Lonely panelists: Terrie Farley Moran, Julie Hennrikus, Gigi Pandian, Kim Fay, Wendy Tyson, Kate White, and moderator Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Since we were in New Orleans, of course I had to slip out of the conference hotel to do some exploring.

Stacy Allen, my partner in crime for the Haunted History hour and the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum tour. Stacy and I are treasure hunt sisters, and I’m envious that she’s a diver so her treasure hunt thrillers feature underwater treasures!

Accidental Alchemist research at the historic New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

Apothecary wares from the 1800s at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the haunted bar in New Orleans that’s been around since the 1700s.

I donated an item I'm very excited about to Bouchercon's silent auction: an original Jaya Jones work of art by graphic novelist Dale Berry. The drawing depicts my favorite scene in Michelangelo's Ghost (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #4), and I printed a limited edition print run of 100 copies, which Dale and I numbered and signed.

The book comes out next month, so I'll be using the printed pieces as promotions, but first and foremost, I love that I now have an amazing Jaya Jones illustration for myself that beautifully complements the stunning book cover. 

Jaya Jones original artwork by Dale Berry, donated to the Bouchercon charity auction.

A huge thanks to all the volunteers who made the convention come together seamlessly: Convention co-chairs Heather Graham and Connie Perry, Bouchercon board chair Jeff Siger, Mike Bursaw, Dave Magayna, Judy Bobalik, Jon Jordan, and the rest of the team.

Malice Domestic 2016: Photos from the Traditional Mystery Convention

This year's Malice Domestic took place in Bethesda, MD, April 29 - May 1. The honorees this year were Victoria Thompson (Guest of Honor), Katherine Hall Page (Lifetime Achievement Award), Linda Smith Rutledge (Fan Guest of Honor), Barbara Peters and Robert Rosenwald of the Poisoned Pen (Poirot Award), Doug Greene (Amelia Award), and Hank Phillip Ryan was Toastmaster. What fun!

The welcome reception was followed by the signing for the new Malice Domestic Anthology: Murder Most Conventional. I was honored to have a new Jaya Jones short story, "A Dark and Stormy Light," selected to appear in the anthology. 

With Kathryn Leigh Scott at the anthology signing.

Featuring Jaya Jones short story “A Dark and Stormy Light.”

The impossible crime mystery sub-genre is big in Japan. Thanks to Steve Steinbock for bringing these to Malice to share with his fellow locked-room fans!

The best thing about Malice Domestic is the community of readers and writers who have a shared passion for mystery fiction. There are so many wonderful people I only get to see a couple of time a year, plus meeting new friends, so the long weekend is a treat. 

P.J. Coldren brought me a t-shirt, because the image reminded her of Dorian the gargoyle from my Accidental Alchemist mysteries.

At the Malice hotel bar with Ellen Byron, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Nadine Nettmann, Terri Biscoff, Annette Dashofy.

I love attending panels because I always come away with new discoveries. Shelly Dickson Carr's page-turner RIPPED was one of my favorite discoveries from this year's Malice. Shelly is the granddaughter of John Dickson Carr, one of my favorite authors, so I was intrigued. After picking up her book, I learned that talent runs in the family!

Shelly Dickson Carr, author or Ripped.

Outside the Sisters in Crime breakfast with Frankie Bailey, Catriona McPherson, and Beth Wasson (SinC’s Executive Director).

SinC president Leslie Budewitz with the Raven Award given to Sisters in Crime by Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards earlier that week.

Diane Vallere presenting this year’s Dorothy Cannell Guppy Scholarship, which pays for a member of the Guppy Chapter of SinC to attend Malice Domestic.

One of the dangers of conventions is staying indoors the whole time, but I slipped out of the hotel for lunch with Midnight Ink authors and friends.

Edith Maxwell, Terri Bischoff, Catriona McPherson, Dru Ann Love, Aimee Hix.

With Tracy Weber.

Linda Joffe Hull, Tracy Kiely, Nadine Nettmann.

The Agatha Awards were given out at the Saturday evening banquet. Time to dress up!

The Henery Press crew before the banquet.

Before the banquet: Kendel Lynn and Diane Valere. With Sybil Johnson.

Celebrating with Cindy Brown (in purple) for her Agatha nomination for her debut mystery, MacDeath. With Priscilla Caporaletti-Bean, Susan Boyer, Cindy Brown, and Nancy West.

With Susan Boyer, in our cute MacDeath-themed hats from Cindy Brown.

Hank Phillipi Ryan presenting the Agatha awards, Art Taylor accepting his Agatha for Best First Novel, and Martin Edwards accepting his Agatha for Best Nonfiction.

Dan Stashower with Barb Goffman and her Agatha Award for Best Short Story.

Doug Greene with his Amelia Award teapot. Doug runs mystery publishing house Crippen & Landru, has written and edited numerous nonfiction essays and books, and is an expert on the locked-room genre.

This year's Agatha winners were: Best Contemporary Novel: Long Upon the Land, Margaret MaronBest Historical Novel: Dreaming Spies, Laurie R. King Best First Novel: On the Road with Del and Louise, Art TaylorBest Nonfiction: The Golden Age of Murder: The Mystery of the Writers Who Invented the Modern Detective Story, Martin Edwards Best Short Story: “A Year Without Santa Claus?” by Barb Goffman Best Children’s/Young Adult: Andi Unstoppable, Amanda Flower 

Left Coast Crime 2016: A Lefty Award for The Accidental Alchemist!

Left Coast Crime

Dori the gargoyle had fun with the book bag we got when we checked in.

I'm honored to have returned home from Left Coast Crime in Phoenix with the Lefty Award for Best Mystery set in the LCC Region (western US) for The Accidental Alchemist!Here are some photos from the long weekend.

The Opening Ceremonies

Lefty nominees Matt Coyle, Gigi Pandian, Josh Stallings

Gigi Pandian and Diane Vallere

Sisters in Crime

Sisters in Crime photo booth

Sisters in Crime board dinner

Panels

Misc. Fun

Melissa Lenhardt, Nancy Cole Silverman, and Cindy Brown.

Lunch with Vera Chan and Gary Phillips.

And late-night fun with some party crashers.

The Awards Banquet

With my Lefty Award for The Accidental Alchemist

instagram LCC 2016 Catriona Jess Gigi

blog - LCC-2016-Phoenix-IMG_20160227_222540-Gigi-Pandian-Terri-Bischoff-Lefty-award

Bouchercon 2015

Bouchercon is the World Mystery Convention for mystery writers and readers to get together each year. "Murder Under the Oaks" took place in Raleigh, NC, from October 8 - 11, 2015. I attend mystery conventions like this one as both a writer and a reader. With my author hat, I have business meetings to attend, panels where I'm a presenter, and book signings where I get to meet amazing readers. But as a mystery fan, the coolest thing about conventions is getting to hang out with other writers and readers to chat about mysteries.

Back row: Gigi Pandian, Debra Goldstein, Martha Reed (departing), Julie Hennrikus, Beth Wasson (executive director), Frankie Bailey (departing), Lori Roy, G.M. GM Malliet, Laura DiSilverio, Susan Shea, Diane Vallere, Simon Wood (departing) – Front: Sarah Glass (web maven), Cari Baker Dubiel, Hank Phillippi Ryan (departing), Leslie Budewitz (incoming president), Catriona McPherson (last year’s president)

SinC President Catriona McPherson handing the “Seal” to incoming President Leslie Budewitz.

I’m one of the new members of the Sisters in Crime board of directors, so the morning before the convention kicked off, I attended my first SinC board meeting (more details about the board and our roles can be found here). Are you a member of Sisters in Crime? If not, why not? Here’s why you should join.

This year’s Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award winner, Vera Chan, was introduced at the Sisters in Crime breakfast. One of my roles on the SinC board is to facilitate this fantastic award, which is now a yearly $1,500 grant, so let me know if you have any questions about it!

It’s always a treat to hang out with Diane Vallere and Kendel Lynn. I met the two of them early in my writing journey. Kendel is now the editor of my Jaya Jones treasure hunt mystery series, but before that, the three of us collaborated on Other People’s Baggage, a collection of three interconnected mystery novellas. We’re still friends after writing a book together, so I know these pals are the real deal.

Big thanks to Karen Pullen for arranging the Guppy Lunch, and to Jim Jackson for making sure we all introduced ourselves to put faces to the names we know on the online group.

And thanks to Art Taylor and Gerald So for arranging a lunch meet-up for the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Harriette Sackler (moderating), Art Taylor, Barb Goffman, Gigi Pandian, John Shepphird.

I spoke on a short story panel along with three of the authors up for Anthony awards for Best Short Story this year, so as you can imagine, we had a great discussion. We talked about the rising interest in short fiction, what draws us to this form, the craft of writing short stories, favorite stories that inspired us, and of course I brought up my love of locked-room “impossible crime” short stories.

Raleigh is a foodie town, so there were many cute restaurants to check out, including the Happy & Halecafe with organic salads and green juice right across the street from the hotel. (Zoe Faust and Dorian the gargoyle would be pleased.)

Three of this year's Anthony winners: Art Taylor, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Lori Rader-Day. The Anthony Awards were voted on by attendees and announced on the last evening of the convention.

Another award given out during the ceremony was the David S. Thompson Award, presented by the Bouchercon Board to recognize extraordinary efforts to develop and promote the mystery and crime fiction community. Bill and Toby Gottfried were given this year’s award. The Gottfrieds live not far from me, so I’m lucky I get to see them on a semi-regular basis at Janet Rudolph’s Literary Salons.

Huge thanks to the team who worked behind the scenes to make the convention a success.Last year was a blast, too, and I'm already looking forward to next year in New Orleans -- hope to see you there!