Those of you who follow my escapades know that Carmen and I were in New Orleans for one of the premier writer/reader conferences in the nation, Bouchercon. This conference, named after famed writer Anthony Boucher, one of America’s early mystery writer superstars, has been held every year since 1970. It’s an all-volunteer event held in a different city every year. New Orleans is one of our favorite cities to play in, so the trip had special value to us. Next year Bouchercon will be in Calgary.
For a writer, the conference offers the opportunity to meet readers from across the nation and many nations around the world. I come away from every conference with ideas for new stories and feedback to make my writing better. Spending time with other writers, exchanging notes on what is going on in the industry and the hot new directions and topics is invaluable. Participating in panels gives a writer an opportunity for exposure and to share with the other writer panelists, writers and readers in the audience.
But what’s in it for readers? The international readers organization, Sisters In Crime, is always deeply involved in the conference. For an avid reader, the opportunity to meet favored authors and even to offer criticism and ideas is exciting. Feeling that those authors are listening is rewarding. If you read mostly techno-thrillers, or some other genre, a conference like Bouchercon offers exposure to new and different themes. You will meet authors who you might never have heard of, authors whose writing is as good or better than many big-name writers. And you will find that the big-name authors are normal people who really enjoy meeting the people that make their career possible, those of you who buy books.
At every conference I meet new readers. Often it is someone who will come up after a panel and offer, “that was amazing, I never considered your work.” I remember two women from Ohio who came up while I was signing books. Both only read romance and especially appreciate romantic mysteries. “We never thought about romance in a historical adventure,” offered one of them. “But we’re going to buy your Gritt Family books. Telling adventure stories that follow one family from generation to generation, must have a great love story or there won’t be a new generation,” offered the other. They were right. Everything I write includes a great love story. In life, worry, fear, excitement, adventure, exploration, and even pain is all more passionate and deeply felt when shared with those you care about. I’ve been told over and over that my adventures don’t fit any one genre. Perhaps that adds depth and intrigue to my stories.
So, here’s my recommendation: find a writer-reader conference and attend. Start with one close to home, then try a national conference. They are held from coast to coast. Think about it: unlike television or movie fans who rarely meet their heroes, writers go out of their way to meet, listen to, and celebrate their fans—you, the readers. If you choose Bouchercon, perhaps we’ll meet in Calgary.