Bouchercon – It’s No Mystery

It’s no mystery why crime fiction writers gather each year for Bouchercon! Colette Bancroft, book editor of the Tampa Bay Times just wrote this terrific article on the 2018 Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, a 100% volunteer run conference held in a different city each year. This year it was held right here in St. Petersburg, Florida, and I had the pleasure of being a guest of honor as Toastmaster.

Writing is necessarily a solitary enterprise, so conferences like this offer us a rare opportunity to connect with our tribe. I loved every minute of this — lively discussions, parties, charity auctions, time with old friends, meeting new ones, connecting with people I’ve only known online. There’s something special about being with people who are as crazy — about story, about character, about writing — as I am! I always suggest this conference to aspiring and newly published writers because it’s one of the few places to feel a part of a community that is spread out across the world. Next year, Bouchercon will be held in Dallas — and it’s never to early to sign up! Hope to see you there!

2018 Bouchercon Guests of Honor - Mark Billingham and Lisa Unger

2018 Bouchercon Guests of Honor – Mark Billingham and Lisa Unger

 

Lisa Unger with Lee Child, Karin Slaughter, Sara Blaedel, Alafair Burke, Kate White, Meg Gardiner, Linwood Barclay, Daniel Palmer, Hilary Davidson

Lisa Unger with Lee Child, Karin Slaughter, Sara Blaedel, Alafair Burke, Kate White, Meg Gardiner, Linwood Barclay, Daniel Palmer, Hilary Davidson

 

Lisa Unger with Alison Gaylin, Cara Black, Twist Phalen, Lou Berney, Greg Herren, Wendi Corsi Staub, KJ Howe, Lisa Scottoline

Lisa Unger with Alison Gaylin, Cara Black, Twist Phelan, Lou Berney, Greg Herren, Wendi Corsi Staub, KJ Howe, Lisa Scottoline

 

Lisa Scottoline and Lisa Unger

Lisa Scottoline and Lisa Unger

 

2018 Bouchercon Guests of Honor - Ian Rankin and Lisa Unger

2018 Bouchercon Guests of Honor – Ian Rankin and Lisa Unger

 

2018 Bouchercon Guests of Honor - Sara Blaedel and Lisa Unger

2018 Bouchercon Guests of Honor – Sara Blaedel and Lisa Unger