I'm back from Bouchercon! It was fun. And with 1200+ attendees, I still managed to miss some people. It's strange but true.
Opening ceremonies were at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--this picture is of me, being the tourist out in front.
The museum was amazing; I played hooky for much of the ceremony (apologies to the organizers...) to roam around. I highly recommend the place, if you find yourself in Cleveland.
Then on Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. (yes, really), I was on a new author panel with a bunch of fellow newbies and Val McDermid. She was funny, we were nervous, and despite the early hour, a few hundred people showed up. So success, I say.
I'm pretty sure us attendees took over the city, because there were parties in just about every bar... Good times. I had a chance to meet fellow Harper authors, listen to some noir readings at the bar, and hear author Heather Graham rock it on stage.
The highlight of my trip? Going to the Cleveland Library--isn't it gorgeous? It's even more amazing inside.
And I was able to meet Annisha Jeffries, Children's Librarian Extraordinaire, also Princess Leia for Star Wars Reads Day. It's a great library--visit if you're there. You won't be disappointed.
Of course I came back with a suitcase full of books, which was the best souvenir ever. And I also took home a little crush on Cleveland. It's a cool city.
DEATH WILL HELP YOU LEAVE HIM, October 2009
DEATH WILL GET YOU SOBER, David nominee for Best Mystery
Novel of 2008
http://www.elizabethzelvin.com/What I’m taking on the road to BoucherconElizabeth Zelvin, 2007 Agatha nomineeI’m a veteran traveler and experienced packer, and I started making lists in my head at least a month in advance for what I’d need to take to Bouchercon, where I appeared on a panel, celebrated the publication of my new book, Death Will Help You Leave Him, at a special event with fellow authors Louise Penny and Jeri Westerson, offered items at the live and silent auctions, participated in the author talent show, and rendezvoused with groups of people I don’t ordinarily see face to face, including Sisters in Crime Guppies and my fellow authors of the brand-new crime anthology The Gift of Murder, to benefit Toys for Tots. I did not say I’m a light packer.
Only once have I ever succeeded in toting only carry-on luggage: this summer on my visit to Chicago for the American Library Association’s annual meeting. And that was a close call, since I brought 300 first-chapter chapbooks of Death Will Help You Leave Himand two hundred bookmarks with me and carried home a goodie packet (including a ceramic mug that had to be packed carefully) from a panel at the Niles Library and a couple of ARCs from the box my publisher’s library marketing director brought out as a surprise. I only made it because I left home my running shoes. Since I arrived on Friday and flew out again on Saturday, I knew I wouldn’t have a chance to use either. (When I saw people running along Lake Shore Drive and swimming laps in the lake on Saturday morning, I wished I had.)
I drove from New York to Indianapolis instead of flying because I had so much stuff to bring. Since the actual publication date of Death Will Help You Leave Him was October 13, Bouchercon Eve, I kicked off my book tour driving back through Ohio and Pennsylvania when the convention ended. I actually started loading the car this past May at Malice Domestic, when my blog sister Sandy Parshall transferred a large basket, cellophane, and ribbon for our Poe’s Deadly Daughters auction item from her trunk to mine.
So here’s some of what went on the road with me, Miz Scarlett, my 2004 Toyota Corolla, and Sadie, my even-tempered and reliable GPS:
The proverbial box of books: copies of Death Will Help You Leave Him. I needed it. At my first post-tour book tour stop, they hadn't received the books. The forty people the friend I was staying with didn't show up either, so it all balanced out. I signed book plates, my friend ordered a lot of copies, and all was well. I needed them again at Foul Play in Westerville, where they sold out all their copies in the book room at Bouchercon and couldn't order additional books in time.
Copies of the first book, Death Will Get You Sober. I experienced one of those precious author "firsts" at Bouchercon when someone approached me at the signing table with both of my books in hand.
Promotional materials, which I'm sowing broadcast like Johnny Appleseed: chapbooks, bookmarks, and posters.
My Martin Backpacker guitar. I performed not only at the author talent show, but also at the Three Deadly Dames event with Louise Penny and Jeri Westerson. We had advertised "conversation and more" in the program book. I thought of getting magnets to give out, but free drinks and a mini set of my own songs (with harmonica backup by new author J. Saunders Elmore) went over much better.
The basket for Poe’s Deadly Daughters, along with signed copies of my blog sisters’ books and copies of EQMM with my story in it and other Poe-related goodies, like the bottle of Poe’s Raven Hot Sauce that I bought at the Stately Raven in Ohio on my 2008 tour. Also an LZcybershrink T-shirt, a yellow New York taxi (no, not lifesize), a giant tea cozy hand quilted by Sharon Wildwind, and a big tin of Virginia peanut brittle contributed by Sandy Parshall.
Running shoes and the clothes to go with them.
MP3 player. I didn't run during the four days of Bouchercon (no time and lousy weather), so I exercised by dancing to music in my hotel room at 4:30 or 5 every morning.
Netbook computer, to keep up with email. So far, none of my online clients has had a crisis and needed a session, but you never know.
Digital camera, for those photos of me with other authors that my publicist says are essential for my website.I got a rare sighting of Sara Paretsky and a photo op with Liza Cody, among others.
Flash drive, so I have all my files—you never know what you’ll need.
A bag of electronics: power cord for netbook, charger for cell phone, battery charger for camera and MP3 player, USB multi-port to plug a lot of stuff in at once, connector cord to recharge Sadie or download photos onto the netbook. Note for next time: bring two-to-three-prong connector plug.
Bathing suit. I inherited the swimming gene from my lawyer mother, whose motto was, “Bring a suit!” Wrap and flipflops and earplugs and goggles.
Food in insulated bag with ice pack. I found more fruit and vegetables than I expected to west of the Hudson, but you never know. My bags of baby carrots sre better traveled than some folks I know.
Pills. The vitamins. The supplements. The pills I take to keep from getting a migraine. The pills I take to make a migraine go away. The little bottles of resveratrol that are going to make me live forever. (Those need to be refrigerated too.)
My knitting. For unexpected waits along the way and insomniac moments.
What’s that you say? Change of underwear? Electric toothbrush? Yes, all that and more, but it’ll only be a fraction of the whole. Oh, and did I mention to stack of books I'm taking back to New York for a friend who flew home from Bouchercon?
What about you? Do you take any of these things to conferences? Did you go to Bouchercon? Please share with Liz and the rest of us.
So I missed Bouchercon, but thankfully, there are plenty of reports to read online now. The Rap Sheet covers pretty much everything (found their blog on Sarah Weinman's), including the Anthony award winners, so go there to get the latest.
Congrats to Chris Grabenstein for his win of Best Children’s/ YA for The Crossroads—if you haven’t read this book, go read it. Right now. It’s that good.
It ain’t easy being a writer. And I’m not talking about the hard work, the solitude, the craft—that’s a post for someone else’s blog. I’m talking about the money we want to spend wisely. Namely, the money most of us don’t have.
And this isn’t about the not-enough-to-live-on advances either, or the expenditures of time/money expected when we do sell the book and have arrived. I wanted to bring up the fun stuff, the times we get to come unglued from our computer chairs: conference time.
I’ve been to a few of these, and they’re lots of fun. I come away recharged, newly inspired, and up-to-date on all things publishing. Plenty of reasons to go.
But let’s look at the price tag: $250 for the plane ticket (if you’re lucky), $300 for the conference fee (on average, unless you’re going to Thrillerfest). Then the cab to the hotel—and then there’s The Hotel. Which is usually about $200 a night, because it’s The Hotel, and has a bellhop with better clothes than you, and a $20 breakfast. Three nights sets you back $600.
So we’re already at $1150. Then there’s some souvenirs for the kids, food, a banquet you should really go to that adds $60, and you’re spending $1500. And that’s assuming you still have a pair of conference pants that fit, and something that can pass for a banquet outfit.
For me, this is as much as a family vacation on a budget, or a mortgage payment, or my utility bills for a year. If you look at that price tag, going to a conference seems like a frivolous and selfish expense.
So instead, I’m looking at local events, or online ones, so there’s no hotel, no airfare, and I can drive my own car. I’m already looking at such events next year. Events where I can smile at the bellhop on my way in without my little suitcase, instead of feeling like I have to hand him a tip. And I use Facebook or CrimeSpace to catch up with my faraway writer friends.
Still… I wish I was going to Indy this week, and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone.
R.J. Ellory, author of the riveting A Quiet Belief in Angels, is on tour in America for the next couple of weeks. Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet one the the world's top thriller writers!
Based in Birmingham, England, R.J. Ellory is the author of seven novels - all of which are based in America. Joining The Overlook Press this year with his first U.S. published work A Quiet Belief in Angels, Ellory has enjoyed tremendous success in the U.K. and France, and his novels have been translated in to more than 2o languages. Overlook will publish The Anniversary Man in the summer of 2010.
Sunday, October 11, 12noon
SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
War Memorial Plaza
Charlotte Ave. and Sixth Ave North
Nashville, Tennessee
Monday, October 12, 7pm
BORDERS
3637 Peachtree Road NE, Suite C
Atlanta, Georgia
Tuesday, October 13, 8pm
BOOKS AND BOOKS
265 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
Wednesday, October 14, 7pm
The Book Stall at Chestnut Court
811 Elm Street.
Winnetka Illinois 60093
Thurs/Fri, October 15-16
BOUCHERCON 2009
Hyatt Regency Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Saturday, October 17
BOOKS BY THE BANKS
Cincinnati USA Book Festival
Duke Energy Convention Center
Cincinnati, OH
Monday, October 19
12noon-1pm
BORDERS
Philadelphia, PA
7pm
BARNES & NOBLE Tribeca
97 Warren Street (at Greenwich)
New York, NY
Tuesday, October 20
MERCANTILE LIBRARY CENTER FOR FICTION, 7pm
15 E. 43rd Street
New York, NY
How's that for a generalized statement? Let me clarify. Fiction writers lie. Okay, others may as well, but I won't speculate on that today. THis post is coming to you from a purely publisher standpoint.
If you check out our submission guidelines at Echelon, you will note that all of our regular submissions come from referrals and invitations. I spend a lot of time on the road these days (despite argument from family, friends, and doctors) because I NEED to be able to look authors in the face when I talk with them about their books.
I guess you could say that this post is a what NOT to do when considering submitting your work to a publisher. Keep in mind that publishers are in business. They don't care if they make friends or not. Friends are nice, don't get me wrong, but publisher NEED to make money and that means business first. Do we want you to like us? Sure, it's a bonus, but as a rule, publishers want you to sell books.
The premise of today's note is HONESTY. You've all heard of it. It's where when you say something it is based on fact and not on lies. Are you asking what the hell I'm talking about?
When I go to conferences, I meet all kinds of people. Ultimately I have many writers come to me and pitch their work, then they get an invite, then I never hear from them again. This is really annoying to a publisher. When we ask for work, it is because we are interested. We don't do it to be nice.
When I was at Bouchercon, I ran into several writers who had approached me at previous conferences and said all the right things, and made all the right noise, but never followed through. They then asked me at Bouchercon, can I still send it? Well, let me think. You said you would send it over a year ago, and you lied. Now you want me to take more time to think about it and let you send it. Um, NO! This makes you unreliable. There are situations where life happens and you could not send it (You are off the hook, Lance) but most of the reasons I heard were just...no word to describe them. Here is a list of reasons I heard at Bouchercon.
*I decided to try some NY houses, but made no progress so would like to send to you.
*I thought I had a contract with a better house. Fell through.
*I wasn't sure you really wanted to see it.
*I couldn't decide if I liked my book.
*I was looking for a real publisher.
*I didn't want to bother you.
*I wasn't sure I could make enough money with you.
*You never e-mailed me so I thought you didn't want it.
*Why didn't you let me know you were serious?
*If you wanted to publish me you could have called. (My favorite)
People, if any of these strike a chord with you, WAKE UP! These are not ever things you want to say to a publisher, EVER!
So with all that said, I met a guy at Bouchercon, a writer, who piqued me with his premise. We have no definite plans to work together, but I invited him to submit. He made no promises, but did agree to keep me informed on his progress. He was honest in his status, and I appreciate that. So here is RJ, the Anti-Liar Guy. I enjoyed talking with him, and I enjoyed the fact that he chose not to blow smoke up my skirt. 
Don't say it if you don't mean it! It's better to say nothing, than to get a reputation as a lying writer. Because, even as a writer, it's only good to lie in your books, not to publishers!
©Karen L. Syed
It's making the rounds, so I figured I would do what I could to spread the word:
BOUCHERCON NEEDS VOLUNTEERS!
Now is the time for all good volunteers to come to the aid of the Bouchercon.
Yes, we know it's very late. There--s nothing we can do about that now. Jodi Dabson Bollendorf and Kate Buker have stepped in at this late date to try to match people with jobs they--d like to do. We need volunteers for the registration desk, the signing room, and in panel rooms.
People can work at the registration desk on Wednesday from 2 pm until 7 pm, and on Thursday from 8 am until 5:30 pm, and on Friday from 8 am until midafternoon. Working at the registration desk entails handing out nametags and bookbags. It's a great way to meet a lot of people in a short time.
We need room monitors for each of the 90 panels from Thursday noon until Sunday at 11:30 am. The room monitor's job starts shortly before the panel, making sure that there are working microphones, fresh water glasses and water, and the correct author name tents on the table. During the panel, the room monitor alerts the moderator when there are 15, 5, and then no minutes left. Room monitors will be matched with the panels of their choice wherever possible, on a first come first served basis.
People can work in the signing room before and during signings, assisting Al Abramson in getting the author name tents to the right places, keeping signing lines sane, and helping people find their way.
If you are willing to volunteer, we need to know when you can help, and what job(s) you'd like to do Room monitor volunteers please list the panels you want by panel title and by day and time. The panel schedule is online at http://www.bouchercon2006.com/panelsch.htm
In order to get volunteer assignments made before people actually leave home for the convention, we are on a very short deadline. Please email Jodi or Kate by the end of the day on Thursday, September 21. We plan to send placement notices back by the end of the day on Sunday, September 24, 2006.
Please email Jodi if your last name begins with A - I. Please email Kate if your last name begins with J - Z.
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, Brenda Chapman 
The only "con" we have in India are the ones perpetrated by our politicians. But writing workshops, literary festivals and book readings are held more frequently nowadays, though nothing on the scale of Bouchercon or Comic-Con. I'm glad you had a good time. Nothing like a suitcase full of books as a parting gift to oneself.
It was good, Prashant. Though I think I prefer the smaller events--if nothing else, it's easier to find people :-)
Glad you had fun. Have only been to Cleveland once but the Hall of Fame should have been in Detroit.
I agree! Actually, I was thinking they should bring Motown back to Detroit, too...