The best thing about Bouchercon is the fact that such unusual things happen. Like Friday for example! On Friday morning one of the first panels in the morning was called "Would I lie to you?". The panel consisted of Laura Lippman, John Connolly, Chris Mooney, Mark Billingham and Karin Slaughter. The premise was that the audience had to decided whether or not what the panelists were saying were lies or not. If you manged to work out what they were saying was a lie then they had to donate some money I believe $10.00, if you were wrong then you had to pay $2.00. That was funny enough and hearing some of the "lies" was hilarious. Would you have believed that John Connolly once danced around on a stage wearing green tights? I would not have believed it if I had not heard it for myself. For me however, the best bit was seeing Laura Lippman being challenged to do 50 push-ups in a minute and doing them to much applause! The response was overwhelming.
A couple of the other great panels that took place on Friday included Whistle while you Work: The Influence of music on/in writing. The panel featured Clea Simon, don Bruna. Thomas B Cavangh, John Harvey and Roz Southey, The Killing Moon: Noir for the New Century featuring Megan Abbott and Eddie Muller. Aside from the panels the tradition of hosting a basketball game also continued. This year it took place at Merritt's Downtown Athletic Club.
Every year a business meeting also takes place to discuss various issues and anybody that is registered to attend Bouchercon is also eligible to attend the meeting and participate. The two important decisions that were decided at the meeting this year was were Bouchercon in 2010 and 2011 are due to take place. Rae Helmsworth with her bid for San Francisco beat the bid that was put in for Tempe, Arizona. So in 2010 Bouchercon is going to take place in San Francisco. McKenna Jordan from Murder by the Book in Houston and David Thompson from Busted Flush Press (along with the help of Jon Jordan of CrimeSpree magazine) put together the only bid for 2011. It was voted on and in 2011 Bouchercon will be taking place in St Louis.
The Private Writer's Association also held the Shamus Awards on Friday and two of the big winners were Reed Farrell Coleman with Soul Patch which won Best Novel and Sean Chercover whose debut novel Big City Bad Blood won Best First Novel. Sean is certainly having a good time at Bouchercon this year. It was the third award that he has won so far and we still have the Anthony Awards to be given out!
A live auction also took place and some of the items that were being bid on included a drink with the International Guest of Honour John Harvey, being named a character in Zoe Sharp's book - this item went for $500 and also being a character in Laurie R King's new book. This item went for large some of $1,500.00.
The bar of course has been constantly heaving and knowing what crime fiction authors and readers are like the organisers arranged that the bars would stay open every evening until 2:00am.
There is still lots more to do and if i have a moment I am going to try and get to Lexington Market. I must try the Crab Cakes before I leave.
Ali Karim, Michelle Gagnon and Jason Starr at Lee Childs' party sent in by Timothy Maleeny
Ayo - you're doing a great job
ReplyDeleteI'm just packing with Roger, we'll tellm all our adventures when we get back.
A big surprise was meeting Dennis Lehane who made an unexpected secret visit, but to tell you the truth so much happened that it was one highlight after another
I got a lot of photos, and heck, we gotta fly
Best
Roger and Ali
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteIt's Monday mid-day, I'm at the hotel computor; bags are packed and my mind echoes that melancholic feeling one has after spending a long weekend with people I call my friends. I feel priviliged to have attended one of the greatest Mystery Thriller Events ever staged - so I thought I'd spend a few minutes recollecting my thoughts and pointing a few of my personal highlights. You'll be reading more when I'm back home in England from The Rap Sheet, as well many, many Blogs and websites over the next few weeks. I have >1GB of photos of the event and the people that made it so magnificent - because it was MENTAL!
Forgive the name-dropping - but every one was there celebrating the genre thanks to the hard work and professional organisation by Ruth and Judy - with a huge team of helpers from RAM, 4-MA, Crimespree, Jon, Richard and Jen Jordan - they are the best people one could hope to call friends - A HUGE THANK YOU
So in particular order and please excuse my typos due to tiredness, and also due to time pressure this is just from the top of my head -
TRAVELING WITH ROGER [R.J.] JON ELLORY
The trip was made extra special by having Roger as my traveling companion, a writer of considerable power and merit, but a damned fine person. Though I've known Roger over 5 years since he was first published, this was the first time we spent a section of our lives together - and boy did we laugh and have such fun.
PANELS
They were excellent, even though my first one where I was moderator on 'Booze and Crime Fiction' was somewhat 'controversial', it turned out to be rather good fun and I must thank my panelists Con Lehane, Michelle Gagon, Jason Starr, Ken Bruen and Liz Zelvin. All those who thanked me for the panel, remember it was thanks to the Gordon's Gin talking. All panels were standing room only including the book reviewing panel that I spoke at. The funniest had to be the 'would I lie to you' with Mark Billingham, John Connolly, Karin Slaughter, Chris Mooney and Laura Lippman
DENNIS LEHANE
Dennis made a surprise visit and I finall got to thank him from his work including sHuTtEr iSlANd
LARRY AND LYNN BLOCK
Not only was I priviliged to have dinner with Larry Block with Steve Hamilton, R J Ellory, Linwood Barclay and Harlan Coben - but hearing him roar laughing over dinner, and him say 'Ali, I know you are the shy and reserved type', but also seeing the whole room give him a standing ovation at the closing ceremony
LAURA LIPPMAN AND DAVID SIMON
There welcome to their home town was incredible and Ms. Lippman is one the finest human beings I know, and seeing her win so many awards brought a tear to my eye [and hers].
FRIENDSHIP FROM THE UBER FANS AND REVIEWERS AND EDITORS
Seeing, talking and embracing Maggie Griffin, Jeff Peirce, George Easter, Larry Gandle, Linda Richards, Dave Montgomery, Oline Cogdill, Maddy, Sarah Weinman, Janet Rudolf, Donna Moore, RAM and 4-MA gang members - too many to name here - but hey I love you all
SHAMUS AWARDS
A superb event thanks to Christine and Bob Randisi - and allowed me to pay my respects to Edgar A Poe at his graveside.
PARTY, PARTY
The St Martins Party and the LEE CHILD party at Lucy's Irish Pub was just brilliant, thank you Lee and Hector at St Martins
AWARDS
All went by the numbers - I salute all the nominated as well as the winners - in fact anyone who attended in my opinion was a winner, but seeing George Easter get the Sandstrom made me feel wonderful
REED FARRELL COLEMAN
All I can say apart from him being a man I respect, as well as a decent human being, is one of the best writers I know - and when his eyes watered, so did mine when he took a Shamus Award - Moe Lives
CHARLES ARDAI
Meeting the publisher from Hard Case Crime for the first time was like discovering a long lost brother
SEAN CHERCOVER
Seeing him win the Shamus also made me cry when he won the award for best first novel
ARNAULDER INRIADSSON
This man is a genius in the field and finally over Gin and Tonics I managed despite being humbled in his presence to tell him how much his work - JAR CITY, VOICES, SILENCE OF THE GRAVE, ARTIC CHILL, THE DRAINING LAKE mean to me.
BOOKS
Hey I bought a few........and many people gave me books - checkin will be fun as will security as I always get stopped and asked "Sir, do you always travel with 120 crime novels in your luggage" - but when the rubber gloves come on, I wince.
STIEG LARSSON
His work was the talk of the event and seeing a huge display rack of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO at the entrance door at B+N Baltimore made me very happy
FINAL DINNER
With Linda Richards, Jeff and Jody Pierce, R J Ellory, Peter Roz...., Sandra Ruttan and her partner was a magnificent way to close the Baltimore experince.
Sorry but times up, plane to catch - more detail when I'm home, and
Finally a big thank you to all the people who put up with my excited ramblings but most of all a HUGE thank you to Ruth, Judy and all the people who made my stay in Baltimore so memorable
You are so special
Ali
Thanks for your fantastic reports.
ReplyDeleteI do hope Ali can use his considerable powers of persuasion to get Arnaldur Indridason onto the Bristol Crime Fest 2009 program, and perhaps even Reg Keeland.
Uriah
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope Ali can persuade Arnaldur to attend Crime Fest 2009. It would be a blast to meet him and say how much I appreciate hsi writing. Being on the organising committee, his name has already been placed on the shortlist. Fingers-crossed,eh?
Mike
Done, sorted, wiffled - passed him info from Adrian Muller - he will check and contact Adrian direct
ReplyDeleteAli
Very interesting article. Thanks big to the author.
ReplyDeleteI under impression. You good fellows.
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