As promised, I did a little bit better job with pictures today from Left Coast Crime. The full report will have to come later, but I do have some pictures to share from today.
Mike Befeler hosted the New Writers' Breakfast, introducing sixteen authors who have debut crime novels. Congratulations to Avery Aames (The Long Quiche Goodbye), Wayne Arthurson (Fall From Grace), Joel Fox (Lincoln's Hand), Susan Goldstein (Hollywood Forever), Patricia Gulley (Downsized to Death), Reece Hirsch (The Insiders), Darynda Jones (First Grave on the Right), Andrew E. Kaufman (While the Savage Sleeps), Rob Kresge (Murder for Greenhorns), Jeanne Matthews (Bones of Contention), Patricia Morin (Mystery Montage), Colin T. Nelson (Reprisal), Kath Russell (A Pointed Death), Cindy Sample (Dying for a Date), Susan Shea (Murder in the Abstract), and Valerie Stocking (A Touch of Murder). A few photos follow.
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| Authors Kaye George and Avery Aames |
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Wayne Arthurson
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Then, I headed off to the panel, Crafts, Hobbies and Murders. Before the panel even started, I was able to get a couple pictures. Donna Andrews' picture didn't turn out good yesterday, but it turned out she was sick. So, it wasn't just lighting. She agreed to be in a second picture.
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| Donna Andrews |
And, Ann Parker, author of the Silver Rush mysteries, was in the audience behind me.
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| Ann Parker |
Author Beth Groundwater was also in the audience to hear this panel.
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| Me and Beth Groundwater |
I was lucky enough to get a picture of Camille Minichino, author of the Periodic Tables mysteries under that name, and the Miniature mysteries, written as Margaret Grace.
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| Camille Minichino |
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When the entire panel came together, it turned out they all wrote mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime.
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| Camille Minichino, Maggie Sefton, Avery Aames & Christine Goff |
The next panel of the day was actually one of the liveliest. I didn't take pictures at the panel called Industry Professionals on Publishing, but the recap will make for interesting reading when it gets posted. Barbara Peters, founder of Poisoned Pen Bookstore, and co-founder and editor of Poisoned Pen Press was the moderator. Panelists were Kimberley Cameron, literary agent at Kimberley Cameron & Associates; Keith Kahla, an Executive Editor at St. Martin's Press/Minotaur; Larry Light, Executive V-P of Mystery Writers of America; Janet Reid, literary agent; and Jodie Renner, a freelance editor. Needless to say, it was a full house to hear these authors.
I did get a picture of friends after this panel. Two members of Desert Sleuths, along with Avery Aames. Avery's The Long Quiche Goodbye has been nominated for an Agatha award.
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| R.K. Olson, Avery Aames and Chantelle Aimee Osman |
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Before the last panel of the morning, I ran into author Deb Baker.
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| Deb Baker and Me |
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The panel was called Breaking Barricades & Opening Doors, with moderator David Morrell, and panelists Johnny D. Boggs, Michael McGarrity and Zoë Sharp.
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| Zoe Sharp & David Morrell |
During the lunch break, I was finally able to meet two women I think are goddesses. First, I met Maddee James, web designer to the stars at
xuni.com. Maddee designs web sites for authors, and this blog wouldn't exist without her help six years ago. Thank you, Maddee! And, I hope to see her again at the conference.
I have Vicki Delany to thank for finally getting me together with Janet Rudolph. Janet is the editor of
Mystery Readers Journal. And, then there's her blog,
Dying for Chocolate. Janet's fabulous.
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| Janet Rudolph |
Since I ran into Steve Brewer, author of seventeen crime novels, including the Bubba Mabry private eye stories, I asked for a photo. We actually ran into each other in the elevator.
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| Steve Brewer |
The last panel of the day was Living Diversity: Mysteries with a Difference. R.J. Harlick was the moderator. Panelists were Gar Anthony Haywood, Deborah J. Ledford, Neil Plakcy and Darryl Wimberley. I was able to get pictures of three of them in the book signing room.
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| Neil Plakcy and Darryl Wimberley |
And, I had the chance to thank Gar Anthony Haywood who told me I had to read Ed McBain. He was right.
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| Gar Anthony Haywood |
It was a full afternoon. From there, I went to hear Toastmaster Steve Brewer interview Guest of Honor Steven Havill.
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| Steven Havill, interviewed by Steve Brewer |
And, I ended the day at the Welcoming Reception. Pari Noskin Taichert, chair of this Left Coast Crime Conference, did a wonderful job. The reception started with a stunning performance by the Ice Mountain Dance Group from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, who included a blessing for the conference. Paprri then thanked all the volunteers, and read an official proclamation from New Mexico's first female governor, who said she was a mystery reader, and proclaimed March 25, 2011 as Left Coast Crime Day in New Mexico. But, the focus on tonight's program was on the award nominees at the conference. Congratulations to all of them.
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| Some of the Award Nominees - Kris Neri, Kelli Stanley, Deborah J. Ledford and Rebecca Cantrell |
The Rocky Mountain Writers' Group fed us well at the reception, and I ended the evening with just a few casual shots.
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| R.K. Olson, Lifetime Achievement Honoree Martin Cruz Smith, and Zoe Sharp |
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| Rebecca Cantrell and Gabriella Herkert |
Terrific day. Tomorrow will be just as busy, culminating with the Awards Banquet tomorrow night. That includes a special song by Parnell Hall. Can't wait!
