Bouchercon 2023: A whirlwind of a conference bigger than Hurricane Idalia by Lisa Malice

 

This year’s Bouchercon was a big one for me—my first with a book release just months away, my first chance to promote my debut psychological thriller, Lest She Forget, with readers, reviewers, bloggers, and writers.  But Bouchercon week for me started like a hurricane . . . literally. There was a chance I would not make it to this amazing conference.

Monday morning, with two days to go before my scheduled flight out of Tampa to San Diego, Hurricane Idalia decided to come for visit. Not willing to miss even a day of Bouchercon, I quickly rerouted my travel to fly out of Orlando Tuesday afternoon, frantically packed my bags, hopped in my car, and stayed with my son overnight. Idalia stayed far away, my plane took off as scheduled, and I arrived in San Diego that evening safe and sound—but a bit frazzled.

I overnighted in hotel in the Gaslamp District, just a few blocks away from the Marriott Marquis, the host hotel for the conference. I stayed up past my normal bedtime, hoping to adjust my body clock to the three-hour difference between Florida and California, but alas, I woke up at 6:30 a.m. Eastern. That’s 3:30 a.m. local time. I couldn’t get back to sleep. Idalia—or more accurately, my family, our neighbors, and our properties on our coastal canal—were on my mind. A quick call to my husband proved we had escaped the worst of the storm—very little wind or rain—but the storm surge was still a worry with high tide still six hours away. The photo he sent showed our fixed dock almost underwater, our floating dock ramp reaching high into the sky. Three feet of water stood between me enjoying the full Bouchercon experience or cutting the trip short if my house was flooded.

With the sun finally peeking over the horizon, there was nothing I could do besides pray for a miracle, so I threw on some clothes and went for a walk. I headed to the conference hotel to find out how early I could check-in and, surprisingly, was handed my room key without any delay. I hustled back to my hotel, and thirty minutes later, was settled into my room at the Marriott. By then, the news from home proved our prayers were answered—the canal waters had receded. Both my house and Bouchercon were saved!

After putting together three charity auction prizes (two baskets of books and sweets from members of my Sisters in Crime chapter; one featuring my book and hand-made sweets), I cleaned myself up and delivered the prizes to the big ballroom that also housed the bookstore, author signing tables, and the hospitality area. I walked around the event areas and started to meet-up with old friends.

The next three-and-a-half days did, in fact, whirl through like a hurricane. Thursday morning I signed books with six other CamCat Books authors. Giving away ARCs of my debut novel to eager readers was a bigger thrill than I could ever have imagined. I saved a few for people I would meet throughout the course of the conference, including an influential reviewer/podcaster appearing at my first panel of the day—"Readers Panel: Book Clubs, Blogs, Reviewing and Reading.” I dropped off my ARC as pre-arranged, and it was a fruitful exchange that allowed us to continue to chat throughout the conference.

A highlight of the discussion came when another panelist, a reviewer who writes for Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, gave a shout-out to my publisher, CamCat, as a great new player in the industry. I was excited, of course, but later on, when she mentioned listening to audiobooks during her work commute, I saw a great opening to connect. I introduced myself as a CamCat author and offered her my audiobook, which she eagerly accepted. I left her with my card and swag for Bouchercon I designed and printed myself—a color booklet that that showed off my cover, the fabulous blurbs and reviews Lest She Forget has already garnered, my contact info, and inside, the first chapter of the novel. I strolled through the halls the rest of the afternoon greeting old friends. Later that evening, I walked the marina district with my fellow CamCat authors and staff and enjoyed a delicious dinner. After returning to my hotel room, I fell into bed exhausted by the day’s events and excitement.

Though I attended a few more panels throughout the conference, the bulk of my time I focused on connecting with people, including volunteering with the way-under-staffed auction committee (of two people), whose job kept them busy day and night. I was thrilled running into old friends, both big name authors (Tess Gerritsen, who eagerly accepted an ARC of my book, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and others) and not so well-known. Some I’d met attending conferences over the years, including Killer Nashville, Bouchercon, and Thrillerfest. Others I knew from volunteering at the local and national levels for Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

The most fulfilling interactions I had, however, were with people I’d never met before, most gratifyingly, emerging writers. Having been one myself up until last year’s Bouchercon, I knew their journey, their struggles creating that debut novel, their efforts to get an agent or publisher to show some interest in them and their book. Now that I am past that phase of my writing career, I find it wonderfully rewarding talking with these writers, offering my encouragement as others did for me, urging them to network and get involved with writers’ groups to better achieve their dreams—and sharing my own success so as to inspire them to follow my advice.  

More than anyone else, though, I spent a good deal of time walking over to readers and striking up a conversation, especially if they were sitting by themselves. We talked about what they liked to read, shared in the joy of being together at Bouchercon, and, before parting, I handed them my promotional booklet. They seemed excited to meet me and have my first chapter in hand. It’s a strategy I am certain will lead to pre-sales, and perhaps, reader votes for Lest She Forget for the 2024 Anthony Award for Best First Novel.

All said, this year’s Bouchercon was the best ever. I met so many people, old friends and new, who are excited for what this next year holds for me and Lest She Forget. I’ve already signed up for the 2024 conference in Nashville. I hope to see you all there! In the meantime, how about sharing some of your favorite conference memories?