A Con for Mystery and Detective Fiction Lovers

Charline Harris and Laurell K. Hamilton kick off Bouchercon XLII with event for the St. Louis Public Library

While many genres have them, usually when you hear the word "con" (for convention) many people think of the big science fiction and fantasy cons where it is quite common to see fans dressed as favorite characters (from Star Trek to Anime to Super Heroes and everything in between). These are great places to meet some authors and other fans of that genre.  But, did you know that there is an annual mystery and detective lovers con? Traveling from city to city every year, it is four day Con with panels of mystery and detective crime fiction writers who range  from the new author to the legendary. It is Bouchercon!

Bouchercon (Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention) is named after writer, editor, and reviewer, Anthony Boucher (who wrote under his name and H.H. Holmes). It started in 1970 and is attended by writers, publishers, agents and devoted fans of mysteries. In 2011, it came to St. Louis, Missouri.  The guests of honor were Robert Crais, Charlaine Harris, Colin Cotterill and Val McDermid with special living legend guests of John Lutz and Robert Randisi and toastmaster was Ridley Pearson. At Bouchercon, the fans and fellow writers can interact with speakers, discover new authors they might like, and immerse themselves in the dark world of crime fictionas they discuss the trends in the genre and our social issues.

While there were a lot of books for sale, so to were there a lot of free books given to each attendee and there was a lot of book trading. If you needed to pick up new mystery books or to start a mystery library, Bouchercon will take care of you (as an attendee, I picked up enough books to cover my dining room table). Below are pictures of the various panel discussions and the party from Bouchercon XLII.

The next Bouchercon will be October 4 - 7 in Cleveland, Ohio. For more information, please visit: http://www.bouchercon.info/index.html and http://www.bouchercon2012.com/

While it will occur in October, it is best to plan ahead if you wish to go.

Grave Secrets with Charlaine Harris

Burning House of Love (sex and crime fiction panel)

Clear Cut Case of Murder-or is it-panel

  

I Will Rise Up panel

Night Chills panel

 

No Way to Treat a Body Panel

Sparks Fly Out panel

 

Spellbound panel

 

The Dead Land panel

Time to dance! (or just relax to a band of mystery writers)

  

Thank you for reading and please visit www.davidalanlucas.com and www.thewriterslens.com. You can also follow me on twitter @Owlkenpowriter and the Writer’s Lens @TheWritersLens. Fiction is the world where the philosopher is the most free in our society to explore the human condition as he chooses.