Bouchercon Comes to San Francisco!

In just three short weeks the city of San Francisco will be overrun by people thinking about murder.

In a good way! ;)

Bouchercon, the world's largest crime fiction event, is coming to Hammett's city. Writers, readers, editors, agents, librarians, book collectors, book stores ... it's a giant festival of crime (writing), right here in my home.

If you like mystery--and you live anywhere in the Bay Area--try not to miss it. The cast list is huge, and the events will knock your socks off.

Bouchercon is extra-special to me. My first large conference (in October, 2007, almost a year before my debut book was released) was in Anchorage, Alaska. I've written before about how much that seminal experience taught me; how it focused me on taking the plunge into writing the book that would become CITY OF DRAGONS.

Bouchercon also served as my introduction to the crime fiction family at large ... and being a part of that family is truly the best part of being a writer. I dedicated CITY OF DRAGONS to my initiatory Alaskan experience, and I'm looking forward to another spectacular and special time right here in my own backyard, complete with Bertie, who gets to play Toto. ;)

BTW, Bouchercon is pronounced "Bow-cher-con". I knew it originated with Anthony Boucher, a prolific mystery writer from the 40s who also used to review for our very own San Francisco Chronicle! I used to think his last name was pronounced as if it were French (Boo-shaycon), as in the Rococo painter. However you pronounce it, it adds up to a whole lot of fun. :)

Right now, I'm preparing for the conference--working on the launch for a robust and exciting new website--and working on the next two Miranda Corbie books. And gearing up for THE CURSE-MAKER launch! We just received the final cover yesterday, and it's utterly fabulous--spooky, creepy, intriguing, mysterious, with evocative and subtle allusions to Roman culture. In other words: PERFECT!

In two weeks I'll be participating in San Francisco's LitCrawl, the culminating literary trek of Litquake. I'm in Phase Two with friends Michelle Gagnon, Simon Wood, Julianne Balmain and Seth Harwood. We'll be reading in the Mission District police station in between lineups (no kidding!) so if you're in the area, c'mon by! No need to get arrested first. ;)

At Bouchercon, I'll be participating on two panels, and in the "black envelope" event on Thursday night (about which I'm sworn to silence, but can only say: don't miss it!!)

My panels are fabulous, and I have the thrill and pleasure of participating with good friends and favorite writers:

Thursday at 4:30 PM: "Year of the Locusts: Books to Movies". I'm moderating, and the panel features Ken Bruen, Val McDermid, Paul Levine and Derek Haas.

Friday at 3:00 PM: "No Minor Vices: SF Noir". Peter Maravelis is moderating, with David Corbett, Lisa Lutz, Eddie Muller and Domenic Stansberry.

Is it any wonder I can't wait? :)

Day passes are available for the conference. If you're in San Francisco from October 14th-17th, drop in--you won't be disappointed! Litquake one week, Bouchercon the next--San Francisco is Lit City in October!