Monday, November 04, 2019

Bouchercon 2019

Livia and I spent last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Dallas attending Bouchercon, the world mystery convention. This is only the second one I've been to, Austin in 2002 being the other. It was a great time, although I'm never very comfortable in large crowds like that. The best part about it was seeing old friends such as Gary Goldstein, Scott Cupp, Joe Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale, Angela Crider Neary, Bob Randisi, Marc Cameron, Mel Odom, Mark Finn, Charles Siros, Richard Moore, Art Scott, Jeff Meyerson, George Kelley, and Thom Walls, and meeting in person other friends I've known only on-line or on the phone, like Paul Bishop, Lee Goldberg, Patti Abbott, Rick Ollerman, Jeff Vorzimmer, Mike Bray, Scott Montgomery, and others I'm bound to be forgetting (my sincere apologies if I did). I enjoyed the panels I was on and I bought some great old books in the dealer's room. There was a bizarre moment while walking through the almost deserted hotel lobby at six o'clock in the morning when I came across James Patterson sitting by himself reading the newspaper. He looked so relieved to have some peace and quiet that I didn't have the heart to go up and introduce myself. Then I got to meet and chat with one of my long-time writing heroes, Lawrence Block, and managed not to be too much of a fanboy, I hope. All in all, it was a good convention. I don't know when or if I'll ever make it to another one, but I'm glad I went to this one. Below are a few pictures.

Lawrence Block about to sign my copy of the original Gold Medal edition of TWO FOR TANNER. I'm telling him this isn't my original copy but that I remember exactly where I bought it brand-new off the spinner rack in one of the local drugstores.
The Western Mystery panel. Left to right, me, Scott Cupp, Lee Goldberg, and Joe Lansdale.

Left to right, Lee Goldberg, Paul Bishop, Mel Odom, Mike Bray

Lee and me.

Richard Moore, Thom Walls, George Kelley, and me.

The Paperback Revolution panel. George was the moderator, just out of sight at the left side, then Art Scott, Angela Crider Neary, Patricia Abbott, me, and Rick Ollerman.

6 comments:

Scott D. Parker said...

The more I read about your accounts and that of others, the more it sounds like it was a great convention. I'm sorry to have missed it, but my boy's last Halloween at home trumped everything. Still, I ended up playing a gig with my big band on Saturday night (at a dance, no less) and that's always a blast.

pattinase (abbott) said...

It was great meeting you, James and you are just like I imagined. Hope it's not the last time.

Adventuresfantastic said...

It sounds like a great event. I'm jealous you got to meet Bloch. I ended up selling my membership to Chuck Siros. Even if it hadn't been senior night at the football game, I'm not sure cash flow would have allowed me to attend. I did manage to get some writing done, including starting a new story in the same universe as my story in ROCKETS RED GLARE.

Lee Goldberg said...

It was great to finally meet you after so many years of being pen pals, social media correspondents, and co-authors together.

Walker Martin said...

James, thanks for posting your Bouchercon report. Great photos!

Jeff Meyerson said...

It was definitely one of the better ones, and the highlight had to be the Friday night party/tribute for Bill Crider, organized by Tom and Angela Crider Neary. The slideshow was great and all of Bill's friends who made it had a great time.

Thanks to Angela and Tom.