Panels
Schedule Subject to Change
See the Schedule at a Glance Grid
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Note: Slot/Room means that the panel falls into a particular time slot (21 panel slots during the event). The second number refers to the Grand Ballroom Salon Rooms 1-6 to show location. So 4.1 is the 4th timeslot (first one Thurs morning) and is in room 1.
(List below updated Aug 29, 5:30pm Pacific)
Day | Date | Time | Slot/Rm | Panel Title | Participants | Role | Panel Description |
Wed | 30-Aug | 1:30-1:45 | Grand Ballroom | Opening Remarks | Kim Keeline | The Local Organizing Committee Chair Welcomes You and Gives an Overview of Event | |
Wed | 30-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 1.1 | And Now for Something Completely Different: When an author writes very different styles of stories | Tammy Kaehler | M | Some writers write in different genres, others in different fields. Hear from writers who have a variety of work. |
Dale Berry | P | ||||||
Paul O’Connor | P | ||||||
Phoef Sutton | P | ||||||
Heather Graham | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 1.2 | Post-Pandemic Characters (and Authors) Even When Covid isn’t on the Page | Catherine McKenzie | M | Covid affected people in many ways, both on page and in life. Book events were shut down and that wasn’t all. |
Lisa Steinke | P | ||||||
Liz Fenton | P | ||||||
Mindy Mejia | P | ||||||
Nancy Brashear | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 1.3 | Ride Along: Law Enforcement in Fiction (from police to federal) | Ellen Kirschman | M | Ride along with law enforcement and see the procedures as they investigate crimes. |
David Putnam | P | ||||||
John B Good | P | ||||||
Kim Hays | P | ||||||
Sarah Bewley | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 1.4 | Short Stories: Crime and Detection in a Smaller Form | Michael Bracken | M | Short stories in magazines and anthologies bring their own challenges and pleasures for writers and readers. |
Claire A Murray | P | ||||||
Diana Catt | P | ||||||
Hugh Lessig | |||||||
W. Edward Blain | P | ||||||
Wes Blalock | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 1.5 | Marketing: Books Flying Off the Shelves | Terry Shepherd | M | Marketing is a tough job for writers but a necessary one. Writing a good book helps it sell but there is so much more that is needed. How can those books start flying off the shelves? |
Joe Brosnan | P | ||||||
Laura Keefe | P | ||||||
Maddee James | P | ||||||
Megan Beatie | P | ||||||
Oline H Cogdill | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 1.6 | Bouchercon 101 | Kim Keeline and Connie Perry | Learn about the event and ask questions of the organizers. | |
Wed | 30-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 2.1 | Dialogue in the Driver’s Seat – create characters, delineate issues and drive the plot | Michele Drier | M | Dialogue is an important tool but it’s not as easy as it seems. Hear from these authors on how they write dialogue and make it work well. |
Claire Booth | P | ||||||
Deborah Gaslin | P | ||||||
K.P. Gresham | P | ||||||
Michael H Rubin and Ayan Rubin | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 2.2 | The Deep, Dark South: Southern Noir and Gothic | Lauren Nossett | M | The southern states have their own stories, and in these novels they are often dark, tragic tales of secrets and danger. |
Christopher Swann | P | ||||||
Faye Snowden | P | ||||||
Laura McHugh | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 2.3 | Murderous Intent: Killers and the Authors Who Write Them | Marie Sutro | M | Writing mysteries means writing murderers but how does an author get into the head of a killer? |
Kwei Quartey | P | ||||||
Stacy Woodson | P | ||||||
Lori Lacefield | P | ||||||
Tracey S Philiips | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 2.4 | POV and Voice in Crime Novels: Hardboiled, Noir, and More | Peter Rozovsky | M | Whether the story is told in first person or third person, the strength of the voice will carry the book. |
Christa Faust | P | ||||||
Dennis Tafoya | P | ||||||
Domenic Stansberry | P | ||||||
James D F Hannah | P | ||||||
Michael Wiley | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 2.5 | Music and Mysteries: Musician Detectives or Song Inspired Stories | Jim Fusilli | M | Many writers are inspired by music and not just because some write with music playing. Hear about music-inspired stories and musician-detectives. |
Corey Fayman | P | ||||||
Holly West | P | ||||||
Richard J Brewer | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 2.6 | Blended Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Psychological and more | Heather Graham | M | There is so much more out there than mysteries, suspense, and thrillers. These authors blend in different genres to create exciting new worlds and elements for their stories. |
Erin E. Adams | P | ||||||
M Hendrix | P | ||||||
Margot Douaihy | P | ||||||
Anastasia Zadeik | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 4:30-5:20 | 3.1 | Noir: Shining the Light on Dark Fiction | George Easter | M | Noir is a genre known for its dark view on crime, life, and corruption. How do these authors see Noir? Is that how they’d describe their books? |
Halley Sutton | P | ||||||
Tod Goldberg | P | ||||||
Travis Richardson | p | ||||||
Warren Moore | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 4:30 – 5:20 | 3.2 | Pacific Northwest Crimes (and authors) | Judith Ayn | M | The beautiful Pacific Northwest: trees, mountains, wildlife…oh, plus crimes, mysteries, and excitement. |
A.K. Ramirez | P | ||||||
Emmeline Duncan (Kelly Garrett) | P | ||||||
Jamie Lee Sogn | P | ||||||
Jennifer Greer | P | ||||||
Lana M. Fox | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 4:30-5:20 | 3.3 | Senior Sleuths: Never Too Old For a Mystery | Mike Befeler | M | Age is just a number! These sleuths keep going and going, and don’t let age stop them. |
Anna St. John | P | ||||||
Ellen Kirschman | P | ||||||
Lisa Q. Mathews | P | ||||||
Steph Broadribb | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 4:30-5:20 | 3.4 | The Ocean is Out There: Mysteries Set On or Near the Water | Nicole Larson | M | The open water is dark, mysterious and sometimes frightening–as much as it is beautiful. It is also the setting which attracts mysteries. What makes the ocean and the coast so attractive to readers and writers? |
Glenda Carroll | P | ||||||
Judy L Murray | P | ||||||
Penn Wallace | P | ||||||
Reed E Bunzel | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 4:30-5:20 | 3.5 | Ticking Clock: Authors of Thrillers and Suspense Talk About Pace | Terry Shepherd | M | Pacing: an important element to keep a reader interested. Also one of the more difficult things for a writer to do. Learn how the clock ticking down on the action is done. |
Brett Battles | P | ||||||
Bruce Borgos | P | ||||||
Jonathan Brown | P | ||||||
Libby Fischer Hellmann | P | ||||||
Vinnie Hansen | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 4:30-5:20 | 3.6 | Brainstorming a Mystery: Panelists Plot Before Your Very Eyes | Kelly Oliver | M | See how authors make the magic happen. Our panel will take apart the pieces of writing their stories and come up with the basics of a new story in front of you. |
Charles John Harper | P | ||||||
Marie Sutro | P | ||||||
Shawn Reilly Simmons | P | ||||||
Susan Calder | P | ||||||
Wed | 30-Aug | 7:00-8:30 | Salon 4 | Short Story Theater: Write Out Loud | Actors perform classic and modern short stories in a Reader’s Theater | ||
Wed | 30-Aug | 8:30-10:00 | Grand Ballroom | Cozies and Cocktails | Selected authors read short selections from cozy mysteries. Hosted by Ellen Byron. Cash Bar | ||
THURSDAY | |||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 7:00-9:00 | Pacific Ballroom | Author Speed Dating | 40 Authors | Join us to meet authors. Authors move from table to table and talk about their books. Then a bell rings and they move on to the next table. Fast paced. Get lots of bookmarks and info. Limited Seating. | |
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | 4.1 | Tense: A Book Keeps Your Interest Through Plot, Character, and Pacing | Dan White | M | Have you ever told yourself you need to go to bed but you can’t put the book down? How do authors keep the suspense going? |
Daco S. Auffenorde | P | ||||||
Dana Cameron | P | ||||||
Teresa Cain AKA Carsen Taite | P | ||||||
Alexia Gordon | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | 4.2 | When the Stakes are High: Whether It’s Save the World or Save Yourself or Your Family, These Characters Push the Limits | Richard Meredith | M | Writers have to keep raising the stakes for their characters to keep the reader excited and invested. What are the stakes in these authors’ books and how do they keep it believable and exciting? |
Eliza Nellums | P | ||||||
Alan Jacobson | P | ||||||
James Queally | P | ||||||
Steve Urszenyi | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | 4.3 | Coastal Living (and Dying): Settings in Beach Communities or On the Water | Corey Fayman | M | There is something about the water that is both appealing and terrifying. Find out about dying near the beach, whether in a beach community or in the water. |
Curtis Ippolito | P | ||||||
Joan Long | P | ||||||
Donald Sheagley | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | 4.4 | Plot/Character: Writers of Different Genres Discuss Whether Stories are Plot or Character Driven and the Benefits/Drawbacks of Each | Helen Nelson | M | Some people complain our genres are plot heavy and sacrifice character development. See how authors think this criticism has changed over time and also how they handle it. |
Charles Todd | P | ||||||
Claudia Hagadus Long | P | ||||||
Eryk Pruitt | P | ||||||
Liz Milliron | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | 4.5 | Amateur Sleuths: When Your Main Character Really Shouldn’t be Detecting in Real Life | Donna Andrews | M | Crimes are solved by the police, right? Sometimes you just have to get involved, to keep yourself or another from being wrongfully accused. Sometimes the police don’t even believe there was a crime. Hear the difficulties in making it believable, especially in a long-running series. |
Camille Minichino | P | ||||||
Celeste Connally / S.C. Perkins | P | ||||||
Christine Husom | P | ||||||
M.E. Hilliard | P | ||||||
W. Edward Blain | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | 4.6 | Historicals: Navigating the Past from the Present | Shelley Blanton-Stroud | M | Historicals are written about the past but by an author who lives in the present. Learn how authors navigate historical slang, prejudices, research, etc. to bring the past to life for a modern audience. |
Jolie Tunnell | P | ||||||
Karen Odden | P | ||||||
Lisa M. Lane | P | ||||||
Mariah Fredericks | P | ||||||
T E Kinsey | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-9:50 | Grand Ballroom | Bouchercon 101 | Kim Keeline and Connie Perry | Learn about the event and ask questions of the organizers. | |
Thurs | 31-Aug | 10:20-11:10 | 5.1 | A Twist on the Usual Mystery (added genre, element, unusual character trait, unusual hook or premise) | Elizabeth Crowens | M | Every book needs something that makes it stand out from the others: a special hook, character, or even elements from other genres. These authors will discuss the twists they add to their writing and why. |
Michael J Cooper | P | ||||||
Stephanie K Clemens | P | ||||||
Thomas Shawver | P | ||||||
Jody Hadlock | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 10:20-11:10 | 5.2 | Like You’ve Seen a Ghost: The Rising Popularity of Paranormal and Supernatural | Danna Wilberg | M | The unexplained, the spooky, the ghostly, the arcane–there are so many different types of added excitement that can be added to a story. These authors will discuss how they brought in their own special touch and why the paranormal/supernatural appeals to so many. |
Katy Munger | P | ||||||
Liz Mugavero/Cate Conte | P | ||||||
M. Rebecca Wildsmith | P | ||||||
Meredith R. Lyons | P | ||||||
Trisha Slay | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 10:20-11:10 | 5.3 | You Can’t Kill Me – Why the PI Novel Won’t Die | Kevin Burton Smith | M | PI Novels are some of the most long lasting forms of crime and mystery fiction. What is it about the PI and what different forms can these stories take? |
Sara Paretsky | P | ||||||
Andrew Welsh-Huggins | P | ||||||
D.P. Lyle | P | ||||||
David Housewright | P | ||||||
Janet Elizabeth Lynn | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 10:20-11:10 | 5.4 | Isolated: Rural, Small Towns, and the Wilderness | Andy Davidson | M | When you are out in the wilderness or small community, you can feel isolated, alone, vulnerable. How does this setting affect a story? |
Iris Yamashita | P | ||||||
Meagan Lucas | P | ||||||
Scott Blackburn | P | ||||||
Tony Wirt | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 10:20-11:20 | 5.5 | Naomi Hirarhara: Guest of Honor Interview | Art Taylor | ||
Naomi Hirahara | |||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 10:20-11:20 | 5.6 | Close Read: Panelists Analyze Short Passages of Writing | Lori L. Lake | M | Each panelist picks a favorite paragraph (from their own work or that of a hero), shares it, and discusses what it does well. (i.e. a great action scene, moment of suspense, characterization, etc.) |
Elizabeth “Betsy” Aden | P | ||||||
Jason Pinter | P | ||||||
Kimberly Giarratano | P | ||||||
Lori Robbins | P | ||||||
Nina Simon | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 12:45-1:35 | 6.1 | Readers Panel: Book Clubs, Blogs, Reviewing, and Reading | Lisa Benton | M | Find out about blogs, reviewers, and book clubs. What do they wish authors knew? What do they have to offer a reader? Should you join a group, start a blog, review books? |
George Easter | P | ||||||
Rich Ehisen | P | ||||||
Katrina Niidas Holm | P | ||||||
Kristopher Zgorski | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 12:45-1:35 | 6.2 | The Art of the Mystery: Artists and their Art in the Story | Cornelia Feye | M | Many stories include artists and the art world because there is so much beauty and history it brings to a plot. These authors talk about art and mysteries. |
Alex Kenna | P | ||||||
Lance Charnes | P | ||||||
Rob Jung | P | ||||||
Sara Sligar | P | ||||||
Katy Hays | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 12:45-1:35 | 6.3 | Crime & Punishment: Prison, Death, and Other Ways to Deal with the Antagonists | Sarah Tomlinson | M | Someone has done something terrible, perhaps even killed someone. Once you know whodunnit, what should happen to them? In fiction, you have choices on how to handle those who have done wrong. Hear how authors feel about punishing the wrongdoings of their characters. |
Chris Holm | P | ||||||
James Hankins | P | ||||||
John C. Foster | P | ||||||
R.G. Belsky | P | ||||||
Rob Hart | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 12:45-1:35 | 6.4 | 20 Panels in One: Panelists Take a Shot at Answering As Many Panel Topics as Possible | Robert Lopresti | M | Smorgasbord! Authors get a quick shot at answering as many questions as possible from the range of conference panels. It’s fun, it’s fast, it’s 20 Panels in One. |
Eleanor Kuhns | P | ||||||
Keir Graff | P | ||||||
Mike McCrary | P | ||||||
Scott Von Doviak | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 12:45-1:35 | 6.5 | Entrepeneurial Detectives: Small Business Owners Who Solve Crime | Cheryl Hollon | M | It’s hard to find time to solve crime if you are also running a small business. Work/Life balance is hard enough, but add in murder and it’s even more complicated. |
Esme Addison | P | ||||||
Mary Karnes | P | ||||||
Sybil Johnson | P | ||||||
Traci Hall | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 12:45-1:35 | 6.6 | Liar’s Panel | Pam Stack | M | Sometimes a little raunchy, always funny, the liar’s panel is usually standing room only because when else are you getting a panel of writers asked to tell amusing stories about themselves, and only some of them are true? |
Colin Conway | P | ||||||
Laurie R King | P | ||||||
Matt Goldman | P | ||||||
Shaun Harris | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 7.1 | Diverse Styles: Screenwriters, Mixed Genres, and More. Authors Who Do Many Things | Michelle Ricci | M | Some authors hold down a day job screenwriting, others just like to mix up their writing with different genres. Either way, these writers have diverse styles in their writing lives. |
Adam Frost | P | ||||||
Gay Toltl Kinman | P | ||||||
Jim Ruland | P | ||||||
Lisa Lutz | P | ||||||
Meredith Anthony | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 7.2 | Strong Voice, Strong POV: Authors Talk Character, Voice, and POV | Pam Stack | M | Characters jump off the page with a strong voice and point of view. How do these authors bring compelling characters to the page? |
E.A. Aymar | P | ||||||
Ivy Pochoda | P | ||||||
Kellye Garrett | P | ||||||
Tara Laskowski | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 7.3 | Agatha and Company: The Elements of Traditional Mysteries That Appeal to So Many | Elly Griffiths | M | Agatha Christie and other writers of the “traditional” mystery remain appealing to many readers. What are the elements of the “traditional” mystery, how has it changed over time, and why do we enjoy these stories of poison, murder, and blackmail so much? |
Cathy Ace | P | ||||||
Lori Rader-Day | P | ||||||
Martin Edwards | P | ||||||
Ovidia Yu | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 7.4 | The Hook: Books, Victorian Architecture, and Other Excitement in Cozy Mysteries | Julie Hennrikus aka Julia Henry | M | Cozy mysteries often have a “hook”–some sort of hobby, career, or interesting perspective that the main character is involved with and becomes a setting/reason for investigation. These cozy authors will discuss their hooks and the work they do to get the details right. |
Edith Maxwell/Maddie Day | P | ||||||
Jenn McKinlay | P | ||||||
Kate Carlisle | P | ||||||
Marty Wingate | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 7.5 | Shh: Deadly Secrets and Characters With a Past | Carl Vonderau | M | Sometimes things from the past come back to haunt people. It could be something they did or something from their family or friends, but it will have devastating consequences for them. |
Hannah Morrissey | P | ||||||
Janis Thomas | P | ||||||
Jess Lourey | P | ||||||
Vera Kurian | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 2:00-2:50 | 7.6 | Anthony: Best Humorous Novel | Leslie Karst | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Humorous Novel |
Catriona McPherson | P | ||||||
Ellen Byron | P | ||||||
Greg (T.G.) Herren | P | ||||||
Jennifer Chow | P | ||||||
Raquel V. Reyes | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 8.1 | Social Justice & Page-turners: Stories That Have it All | Mysti Berry | M | Social Justice in a novel without being preachy takes a practiced hand. How do the pages keep turning swiftly and still deal with big problems? |
Katayoun Medhat | P | ||||||
Keenan Powell | P | ||||||
Michael Kaufman | P | ||||||
Robyn Gigl | P | ||||||
Wanda Morris | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 8.2 | Objection! The Law (and Lawyer) in Fiction (and the Lawyers Who Write It) | Paul Levine | M | Perry Mason was the product of a local author, Stanley Earle Gardner. But he’s not the only lawyer writing about crime solving lawyers. Hear about the fictional lawyers involved in thrilling cases. |
Jack Sharman | P | ||||||
Alan Gordon | P | ||||||
Robert Rotstein | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 8.3 | Family: the Ties that Bind | Laurie Rockenbeck | M | There is nothing more important than family. And that goes doubly true in these books where family and the sometimes difficult situations with them come to the forefront. |
Cheryl A Head | P | ||||||
David Bell | P | ||||||
Heather Chavez | P | ||||||
M.M. Chouinard | P | ||||||
SA Cosby | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 8.4 | Historical Hard Times: Conflict in Mysteries | Erica Ruth Neubauer | M | History is full of hard times. All mysteries need conflict. These mysteries have both historically difficult and conflicted times and strong plots full of conflict for the characters. |
Iona Whishaw | P | ||||||
Jacqueline Winspear | P | ||||||
Noel Hynd | P | ||||||
Tara Moss | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 8.5 | Horror stories from the road: Book Tour Disasters and Other Promotional Fun | Barbara DeMarco-Barrett | M | Fans are great but sometimes book tours and promotions don’t go so well for authors. Hear the horror stories. |
Anne Hillerman | P | ||||||
Deborah Crombie | P | ||||||
Eriq La Salle | P | ||||||
Rhys Bowen | P | ||||||
Tracy Clark | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 3:15-4:05 | 8.6 | Anthony Best Nonfiction | Caitlin Rother | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Nonfiction |
James T. Bartlett | P | ||||||
Martin Edwards | P | ||||||
Sarah Weinman | P | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 4:30-5:30 | Grand Ballroom | Ann Cleeves: Guest of Honor Interview | Ann Cleeves | ||
Catriona McPherson | |||||||
Lori Rader-Day | |||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 6:00-8:30 | Grand Ballroom | Opening Ceremonies: Meet the Guests of Honor and other participants, some fun with our Toastmaster, plus some awards. Cash Bar. (Sponsored by Oceanview) | |||
Foyer | OceanView signings | ||||||
Grand Ballroom | Anthology Celebration: You won’t want to miss this celebration of the Killin’ Time in San Diego Bouchercon Anthology, followed by a signing | ||||||
Thurs | 31-Aug | 9:00-10:00 | SD Ballroom- Hospitality | MINOTAUR BOOKS AND CRIMINALELEMENT.COM PRESENT: ONCE UPON A CRIME A new collaborative caper from the beast of crime fiction! Come for a drink and stay to watch the assembled writers of Minotaur Books create a crime story in real time! Each author will raffle off a signed copy of their new book! Open to all attendees. | |||
FRIDAY | |||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 7:00-9:00 | Pacific Ballroom | New Author Breakfast: Come Meet the Debut Authors. Free Breakfast (Limited Seating) and quick intros to the newest writers to be published. (Sponsored by Pipeline Media Group) | |||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 9.1 | Mysterious Creatures: Wild Animals and Pets Bring the Excitement to the Story | Margaret Mizushima | M | Whether it is a wild animal like a bear or your pet dog, animals can do the most unexpected things and bring both excitement and danger to a story. These authors have very different approaches but their stories all show the importance of animals to the world and to a great story. |
Jen J. Danna/Sara Driscoll | P | ||||||
Kerry K. Cox | P | ||||||
Linda O. Johnston | P | ||||||
Pamela Beason | P | ||||||
Peggy Rothschild | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 9.2 | And Then Everything Goes Wrong: When the Characters Go Through Hell | Bruce Robert Coffin | M | If everything went right, there’d be no conflict and no plot. Sometimes authors have to put a character through the wringer for a good book. |
Eli Cranor | P | ||||||
Danna Wilberg | P | ||||||
Greg Randall | P | ||||||
Helen Starbuck | P | ||||||
Terry Shepherd | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 9.3 | True Crime: The problems, The appeal | Peggy Townsend | M | True crime is extremely popular in books, podcasts, and TV. What drives people’s interests and what problems do authors face in writing true crime? |
Caitlin Rother | P | ||||||
Deborah Holt Larkin | P | ||||||
James T. Bartlett | P | ||||||
Sarah Weinman | p | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 9.4 | The Game’s Afoot: Sherlock Holmes and his influence on mysteries | Leslie Klinger | M | Sherlock Holmes’s adventures have not only continued to modern day but have influenced so many writers, in so many way. These authors will discuss that legacy and what they think makes Holmes so appealing. |
Jeri Westerson | P | ||||||
Laurie R King | P | ||||||
Liese Sherwood-Fabre | P | ||||||
Dana Cameron | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 9.5 | Hollywood and Writers: Working for TV or the Movies Plus Publishing Stories | John Shepphird | M | These writers also work in the TV or Film industry. How does it differ from writing fiction? These writers share their stories of writing for Hollywood and beyond. |
Dete Meserve | P | ||||||
Georgia Jeffries | P | ||||||
Marjorie McCown | P | ||||||
Megan Abbott | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 9.6 | Anthony Short Story Anthology | Holly West | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Short Story Anthology |
Art Taylor | P | ||||||
Greg (T.G.) Herren | P | ||||||
Josh Pachter | P | ||||||
Mysti Berry | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | Grand Ballroom | Bouchercon 101 | Kim Keeline and Connie Perry | Learn about the event and ask questions of the organizers. | |
Fri | 1-Sep | 10:20-11:10 | 10.1 | Tiny Town, Lots of Death: Sleuths in a Small Community | Cathy Ace | M | Small communities have crime too, especially in fiction. What special considerations does a writer have to consider when writing about a place with fewer people but a higher than normal crime rate? |
Deborah J Ledford | P | ||||||
Mary Keliikoa | P | ||||||
Suzanne Trauth | P | ||||||
Trish Arrowsmith | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 10:20-11:10 | 10.2 | Reimagining Popular Tropes: How Authors Turn the Usual on Its Ear | Jamie Freveletti | M | There are certain tropes that appear over and over again. These authors discuss these tropes and how they try to bring fresh approaches to the same old ideas. |
Cindy Fazzi | P | ||||||
Robert Swartwood | P | ||||||
Scott Blackburn | P | ||||||
Tom Larsen | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 10:20-11:10 | 10.3 | Discovered Treasures: Antiquities and Art That Lead to Adventure and Death | Linda A Moore | M | There is nothing better than discovered treasure. Whether a painting or antique discovered in someone’s attic or gold coins buried in the ground. The value of the items drives people to do desperate things and brings interesting plots to these books. |
Con Lehane | P | ||||||
Jane K. Cleland | P | ||||||
Lane Stone | P | ||||||
M.A. Monnin | P | ||||||
Mark Pryor | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 10:20-11:10 | 10.4 | Historical Heroines: Solving Crime in a Different Time | Kelli Stanley | M | Historical crime, if set during a time when women had extra barriers towards solving crimes, poses its own challenges. How do the protagonists of these stories solve crime in a different time? |
A.E. Wasserman | P | ||||||
Frances McNamara | P | ||||||
Richard Koreto | P | ||||||
Susanna Calkins | P | ||||||
Vanessa Riley | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 10:20-11:20 | 10.5 | Dru Ann Love: Guest of Honor Interview | Dru Ann Love | ||
Kristopher Zgorski | |||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 10:20-11:10 | 10.6 | Anthony Short Story | Michael Bracken | M | Anthony Awards nominees for Best Short Story |
Barb Goffman | P | ||||||
Bruce Robert Coffin | P | ||||||
Curtis Ippolito | P | ||||||
E.A. Aymar | P | ||||||
Gabriel Valjan | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 11:35-1:35 | Pacific Ballroom | Author Speed Dating | 40 Authors | Join us to meet authors. Authors move from table to table and talk about their books. Then a bell rings and they move on to the next table. Fast paced. Get lots of bookmarks and info. Limited Seating. | |
Fri | 1-Sep | 12:15-1:00 | Grand Ballroom | The History of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys (A tribute to our “Ghosts of Honor”) | Jennifer Fisher | Carolyn Keene and Franklin W Dixon were pen names for a large number of writers going back to 1927 (Hardy Boys) and 1930 (Nancy Drew). Where did those books come from? Learn the secrets of the Stratemeyer Syndicate from two experts in the field. | |
James Keeline | |||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | Grand Ballroom | The Legacy of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: Authors Childhood Reading | Jenn Fisher | M | From 12:15 to 1pm, join us in the ballroom for a History of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. This panel, at 1pm, will have authors discussing the legacy of these books from our “Ghosts of Honor” and how they were influenced in reading and writing. |
Sara Paretsky | P | ||||||
Christa Nardi | P | ||||||
Julie Hennrikus aka Julia Henry | P | ||||||
Ed Zuckerman | P | ||||||
Linda Joy Singleton | P | ||||||
Teresa Inge | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 11.1 | The Mystery and Suspense of Romance: Love Triangles, Dating, Marriage, and Death | Harley Jane Kozak | M | While they or won’t they? Who will she end up with? How strong is that marriage? Love and romance can be a major part of mystery and suspense. Learn how these authors keep the love fires burning (or not) for their protagonists. |
Alice K. Boatwright | P | ||||||
Donna Del Oro | P | ||||||
Veronica Cline Barton | P | ||||||
Wendy Kendall | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 11.2 | British, Mysterious, and Thrilling: Crime in the UK | Francine Mathews/Stephanie Barron | M | A little tea and death? Stories set in the U.K., full of excitement, detection, and death. |
Alice Feeney | P | ||||||
Caro Ramsay | P | ||||||
Elly Griffiths | P | ||||||
Emma Dakin | P | ||||||
Martin Edwards | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 11.3 | Openings that Kill It (Your favorite opening lines or paragraphs of books) | Jane K. Cleland | M | A good story needs to grab you from the start. These authors will examine opening lines and what works (and doesn’t). |
Anne Cleeland | P | ||||||
Eric Beetner | P | ||||||
John Billheimer | P | ||||||
Josh Pachter | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 11.4 | Short Stories: the Joys of Mysteries in Bite Sized Form | Steve Steinbock | M | Short stories are different from longer ones both for the reader and the writer. What changes in writing style for short stories and flash fiction? |
Art Taylor | P | ||||||
James A Hearn | P | ||||||
Joseph S. Walker | P | ||||||
Melinda Loomis | P | ||||||
R.T. Lawton | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 11.5 | Hanging Onto a Cliff: creating suspense and tension | Matt Coyle | M | Come hear some masters of suspense and thrills talk about how they keep the tension going in their stories |
Alex Segura | P | ||||||
Brendan DuBois | P | ||||||
Cara Black | P | ||||||
David Baldacci | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 11.6 | Anthony Children’s and YA | Alan Orloff | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Children’s or Young Adult Novel |
Fleur Bradley | P | ||||||
Greg (T.G.) Herren | P | ||||||
Lee Matthew Goldberg | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 2:15:-3:05 | 12.1 | Vengeance, Revenge—Served Hot and Cold | Karen Keskinen | M | Revenge is a dish best served cold–or is it? Are there better ways to deal with the person who wronged you? When revenge is part of the plot, things can go wrong fast. |
Max Tomlinson | M | ||||||
Baron R Birtcher | P | ||||||
Kelly J. Ford | P | ||||||
Tammy Euliano | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 2:15:-3:05 | 12.2 | Into Action: Military, the CIA, and Counterintelligence | Geri Krotow | M | The action gets really intense when the military or the spy community gets involved. It’s a complicated world; learn how these authors get the details right and keep the action going. |
Joe Goldberg | P | ||||||
John Gilstrap | P | ||||||
Simon Gervais | P | ||||||
Steve Stratton | P | ||||||
Steven Konkoly | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 2:15-3:05 | 12.3 | Journalists: Looking Around for Clues in Fiction | Jennifer Morita | M | Journalists are used to research and asking the where/what/how/why about events. Learn how that translates into fiction. |
Charles Salzberg | P | ||||||
Hank Phillippi Ryan | P | ||||||
John DeDakis | P | ||||||
Lori Duffy Foster | P | ||||||
Rick Mofina | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 2:15-3:05 | 12.4 | The Past is a Foreign Country: Writing Historical Fiction Outside the Continental U.S. | Anjili Babbar | M | Historical fiction explores a time foreign to us, but add the elements of writing outside the continental U.S. and you bring in a whole new element for the audience. These authors will discuss the pleasures and difficulties of writing historical fiction in locales that may be unfamiliar to some of its audience. |
Kelly Oliver | P | ||||||
Nina Wachsman | P | ||||||
Ovidia Yu | P | ||||||
Scott Kikkawa | P | ||||||
Vanessa Riley | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 2:15-3:15 | 12.5 | Kate Carlisle: Guest of Honor Interview | Jenn McKinlay | ||
Kate Carlisle | |||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 2:15-3:05 | 12.6 | Anthony Debut | Kristopher Zgorski | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best First Novel |
Eli Cranor | P | ||||||
Ramona Emerson | P | ||||||
Rob Osler | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 3:35-4:25 | 13.1 | A Community as Warm as the Cuisine: Food, Family, and Friends | Kathleen Krevat | M | Cozy novels often have recipes and food but this panel talks about how that isn’t the only thing that is warm. The relationships between the people (family and friends) is the true heart of these stories. |
Geri Krotow | P | ||||||
Lise McClendon | P | ||||||
Mia Manansala | P | ||||||
Vivien Chien | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 3:35-4:25 | 13.2 | Strong: Women in Peril, Saving Themselves | Jennifer Younger | M | The stereotype of the hero rescuing a woman is out of date. These books show that women can rescue themselves |
Christina Hoag | P | ||||||
Tori Eldridge | P | ||||||
L.A. Chandlar | P | ||||||
Susan Rowland | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 3:35-4:25 | 13.3 | You Can’t Please Everyone: Authors React to Rejections and One Star Reviews (and how they keep going) | Lee Mathew Goldberg | M | Tales from writers on how life in publishing sometimes meaning developing a thick skin. From manuscript rejection to reviews on the same book that go from “fast paced and exciting” (5 stars) to “threw book across room” (1 star) or even “book arrived damaged” (1 star)–how do writers handle rejection and bad reviews? |
Cara Black | P | ||||||
Daniel J Hale | P | ||||||
Jamie Mason | P | ||||||
Sadie Hartmann “Mother Horror” | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 3:35-4:25 | 13.4 | Page to Screen (and back): When My Book Became a TV Show or Film | Lee Goldberg | M | Books are like a movie in the reader’s mind but some lucky books get picked up to be a TV show or film. Sometimes the authors get a say in what happens on the screen and sometimes they don’t. Learn more about what goes on behind the camera from the authors. |
Ann Cleeves | P | ||||||
Matthew F. Quirk | P | ||||||
Rae James | P | ||||||
Tess Gerritsen | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 3:35-4:25 | 13.5 | Anthony Best Historical | Rhys Bowen | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Historical Novel |
Catriona McPherson | P | ||||||
Erica Ruth Neubauer | P | ||||||
Karen Odden | P | ||||||
Lev AC Rosen | P | ||||||
Mariah Fredericks | P | ||||||
Wanda Morris | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 3:35-4:25 | 13.6 | Anthony Best Paperback | Cheryl A Head | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Paperback/Audiobook/Ebook original |
Gabriel Valjan | P | ||||||
James L’Etoile | P | ||||||
Jess Lourey | P | ||||||
Kelly J. Ford | P | ||||||
Sandra (SG) Wong | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 5:00-6:00 | Grand Ballroom | C.J. Box: Guest of Honor Interview | C.J. Box | ||
Oline H Cogdill | |||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 6:10-7:00 | Grand Ballroom | Liar’s Panel | Lori Rader-Day | M | Sometimes a little raunchy, always funny, the liar’s panel is usually standing room only because when else are you getting a panel of writers asked to tell amusing stories about themselves, and only some of them are true? |
Barb Goffman | P | ||||||
John Copenhaver | P | ||||||
James DF Hannah | P | ||||||
Tracy Clark | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 6:10-7:00 | Salon 6 | Professionals that Make the Fiction World Go Around: Agents and Editors | Zoe Quinton | M | Writers often need professionals to get published, particularly agents and editors. Hear what those professionals think is changing in the industry and what writers need to do to get published. |
Dianna M. Collier | P | ||||||
Jenna Jankowski | P | ||||||
Alice Speilburg | P | ||||||
Jessica Kaye | P | ||||||
Paula Munier | P | ||||||
Fri | 1-Sep | 7:00-8:30 | Pacific Ballroom | Underrepresented Voices Reception | Your chance to meet amazing authors. Open to Everyone. Free Appetizers and a Cash Bar. Hosted by Crime Writers of Color. | ||
Fri | 1-Sep | 8:30-10:00 | Pacific Ballroom | Noir at the Bar | Selected authors share short stories. Open to Everyone. Cash Bar. Hosted by E.A. Aymar and Tara Laskowski. | ||
SATURDAY | |||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | 14.1 | A Striking Voice: How Authors Get It Right and Have a Compelling POV | Dorothy Welles | M | A strong voice can make a book. Hear from authors about how they build a great, compelling POV with an amazing voice. |
Ashley Sargeant Hagan | P | ||||||
Frankie Y Bailey | P | ||||||
Ian K Smith | P | ||||||
Charles Finch | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | 14.2 | This Is the City: Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Chicago | Delia Pitts | M | Some cities have such a strong presence that they show up in many books. You know what sort of setting you are getting and it can even help dictate what sort of plot. These authors talk about their cities and how the city influences their writing. |
Dwyer Murphy | P | ||||||
Joanna H Schaffhausen | P | ||||||
Jordan Harper | P | ||||||
Tracy Clark | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | 14.3 | Having It All: Work, Hobbies, and Family Ties for Busy Crime-Solving Protagonists | Ona Russell | M | Ever feel like you don’t have enough time in your day? These protagonists have all of that plus they are trying to solve a mystery. Authors talk about balancing work/life/murder for their characters. |
Karen A Phillips | P | ||||||
Mary Seifert | P | ||||||
Rebecca Tope | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | 14.4 | I am not my protagonist: writing people different than you (or being mistaken for your character) | Dan White | M | Authors are not synonymous with their protagonists although sometimes they have a lot in common. What is it like to write someone who is like you? What is it like to write someone very different from you in background or other aspects? What do authors need to do or be aware of when they take either route? |
Baer Charlton | P | ||||||
D.M. Rowell | P | ||||||
John Copenhaver | P | ||||||
Terry Shepherd | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | 14.5 | Vanished: The Missing, the Dead, and the Ones They Left Behind | Danielle Girard | M | What happens to the ones left behind when someone disappears or dies? The impact of kidnapping, disappearances, and murder — and the impact of the investigation — is enormous. |
Albert Waitt | P | ||||||
Edwin Hill | P | ||||||
Polly Stewart | P | ||||||
Bonnar Spring | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | 14.6 | Dru Ann and Friends, Talking about books | Dru Ann Love | M | Dru Ann Love, Guest of Honor, runs a blog where she discusses books. Now, joined by her friends and fellow bloggers, they will recommend great titles and talk about the book industry. |
Grace Koshida | P | ||||||
John Thomas Bychowski | P | ||||||
Kat Tromp | P | ||||||
Nikki Bonanni | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 7:30-8:20 | Grand Ballroom | So You Want To Run a Bouchercon | Kim Keeline and Connie Perry | Learn how to submit a bid to hold a Bouchercon in your city. What does it take to run a 5-day event for 1500-2000 of your closest friends? Come ask questions. | |
SPECIAL EVENT FOR GHOSTS OF HONOR: FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT THE DOWNTOWN BRANCH OF THE SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY (walking distance, about 15 min) | |||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 9:15-10:00 | SD Public Library: Downtown | Stratemeyer Syndicate Writing: The History of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys | James Keeline | P | Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon are our Ghosts of Honor. Learn the history of the books. |
Jenn Fisher | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:00-10:50 | SD Public Library: Downtown | Authors and Their Childhood Reading: Nancy Drew and More | Jenn Fisher | M | We all started reading somewhere and these authors will talk about the impact of their childhood reading on their choices as an adult for reading and writing. |
Charlaine Harris | P | ||||||
Linda Joy Singleton | P | ||||||
Teresa Inge | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 11:00-11:20 | SD Public Library: Downtown | Harley Jane Kozak: From Nancy Drew to Actress and Writer | Harley Jane Kozak | Short talk by author Harley Jane Kozak on the influence of her childhood reading on her writing and career | |
Sat | 2-Sep | 8:55-9:45 | 15.1 | Writing What You Know: Writers Write About Their Field of Expertise | Dana Cameron | M | Doctors write medical thrillers. Lawyers write law stories. These writers all write what they know in real life into their fiction. |
Ellen Crosby | P | ||||||
Erica Miner | P | ||||||
J. Luke Bennecke | P | ||||||
Paula Bernstein | P | ||||||
Vera HC Chan | P | ||||||
Sat | 3-Sep | 8:55-9:45 | 15.2 | History and Headlines: Real Life Events Inspire Fiction | Jennifer Berg | M | Truth may be stranger than fiction but it can also inspire fiction. Learn about how real life events of the past can become fodder for writers and how they research while they write. |
Anne Da Vigo | P | ||||||
Jennifer Graeser Dornbush | P | ||||||
John Edward Mullen | P | ||||||
Rob Lawton | P | ||||||
Susan James | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 8:55-9:45 | 15.3 | Travel by the Book: Mysteries Set in Other Countries | Sharon Lynn | M | Be an armchair traveler with these authors who write mysteries set in other countries. |
Carlene O’Connor | P | ||||||
David [D. V.] Bishop | P | ||||||
J. Woollcott | P | ||||||
Jeffrey Siger | P | ||||||
Michael Sears (Michael Stanley) | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 8:55-9:45 | 15.4 | Crime in the Wild: Rural or Country Detectives | Paul Doiron | M | The setting can be an important part of a story, especially when the action takes place in amazing open wilderness or the small towns that are nearby. |
Annette Dashofy | P | ||||||
CJ Box | P | ||||||
Terry Shames | P | ||||||
Wesley Browne | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 8:55-9:45 | 15.5 | Eating Your Way Thru a Book: Culinary Mysteries | Edith Maxwell/Maddie Day | M | Books can make you hungry! They can if they contain lots of references to good food and maybe even some recipes in the back. Pick up a snack and enjoy this panel about culinary mysteries |
Cathy Wiley | P | ||||||
Daisy Bateman | P | ||||||
Nancy J Parra | P | ||||||
Raquel V Reyes | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 8:55-9:45 | 15.6 | Anthony Best Hardcover | SA Cosby | M | Anthony Award nominees for Best Hardcover Novel |
Alex Segura | P | ||||||
Kellye Garrett | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:10-11:00 | 16.1 | Let’s Get Technical: When High Tech and Writing Mysteries and Thrillers Meet | Reece Hirsch | M | Technology and fiction–both the technology we have today and the speculative world of what it might be in the future. |
DC Palter | P | ||||||
Delvin Chatterson | P | ||||||
Larry Light | P | ||||||
Mark Coggins | P | ||||||
Ross Carley | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:10-11:00 | 16.2 | Place as Character: How to Write a Great Setting | Maddie Margarita | M | Where events take place can be just as important as what happens. It can affect tone, voice, and plot. How do writers make setting work for them? |
G.M. Malliet | P | ||||||
Linda Sands | P | ||||||
Mark Stevens | P | ||||||
Sara E. Johnson | P | ||||||
Sylissa Franklin | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:10-11:00 | 16.3 | Villains: Giving Them Their Due | James Byrne | M | Conflict means you need a strong antagonist for the story, someone willing to push the limits to get what he/she wants. |
Alexa Donne | P | ||||||
Allen Eskens | P | ||||||
Lou Berney | P | ||||||
Mir Bahmanyar | P | ||||||
RJ Jacobs | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:10-11:00 | 16.4 | Getting police right in fiction | Amy Rivers | M | Police procedurals ride along with the investigators. But how do authors get those details right? Some are police officers themselves, others do research, but all must learn how the police work to have readers follow. |
Frank Zafiro | P | ||||||
Priscilla Paton | P | ||||||
Shawn Wilson | P | ||||||
Tessa Wegert | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:10-11:10 | 16.5 | Jacqueline Winspear: Guest of Honor Interview | Hank Phillippi Ryan | ||
Jacqueline Winspear | |||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 10:10-11:00 | 16.6 | Keep the Reader Turning Pages: Thrillers and Suspense | Joseph Reid | M | Cliffhangers, surprise twists, danger: authors have the way of making us want to read “just one more page” until it’s suddenly two hours past bedtime. Find out how they do it. |
Alan Orloff | P | ||||||
Bianca Sloane | P | ||||||
Puja Guha | P | ||||||
Michelle Gagnon | P | ||||||
Ellen Kirschman | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 11:30-1:00 | Grand Ballroom | FREE LUNCH: Come to the General Membership Meeting and Learn More About Future Bouchercons and VOTE | |||
Sat | 2-Sep | 1:05-1:55 | 17.1 | Thriller and Suspense: Characters Who Stop At Nothing | Edwin Hill | M | Sometimes people get pushed to the limit but these books involve characters who refuse to be stopped. |
Bruce Johnson | P | ||||||
Eriq La Salle | P | ||||||
Kendra Elliot | P | ||||||
Kenneth Wishnia | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 1:05-1:55 | 17.2 | Southern California Historical: The Place has a Past | Desiree Zamorano | M | Southern California is gorgeous year-round, whatever year it is. These authors explore the past of SoCal and all the exciting plots that can be set there. |
Duane Swierczynski | P | ||||||
Gary Phillips | P | ||||||
Naomi Hirahara | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 1:05-1:55 | 17.3 | Humor and Homicide: How Authors Kill At Both | Greg (T.G.) Herren | M | A body hits the floor but that doesn’t mean the tone must be completely serious. Sometimes a bit of levity or some outright silliness is just the perfect accompaniment to a criminally good time. |
Wendall Thomas | P | ||||||
J.D. O’Brien | P | ||||||
Jo Perry | P | ||||||
Lina Chern | P | ||||||
Mindy Carlson | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 1:05-1:55 | 17.4 | Dark Villains Shining a Light at Human Nature | Joshua Moehling | M | Good books need dark villains. But it is often true that people always see themselves as the heroes–even the villains. Looking at those who do bad deeds can shine a light on human nature. |
Linda L. Richards | P | ||||||
Mark Greaney | P | ||||||
Sam Reaves | P | ||||||
Thomas Perry | P | ||||||
Yasmin Angoe | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 1:05-1:55 | 17.5 | An Unexpectedly High Crime Rate Per Capita: Small Towns and Out in Nature | Wendy Sand Eckel | M | Just because you are out in the middle of the wilderness or in the middle of a small town, danger can still be all around. A look at setting in the rural towns and countryside of America. |
Dwight Holing | P | ||||||
Bobby Mathews | P | ||||||
Janet Finsilver | P | ||||||
Jess Montgomery/Sharon Short | P | ||||||
Mark Westmoreland | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 1:00-1:50 | 17.6 | Inhuman: Vampires, Werewolves or other Supernatural Happenings | Heather Graham | M | It’s inhuman! The supernatural is pretty thrilling and these authors have added vampires, werewolves, or other supernatural elements to their mysterious goings on. Find out why these elements appeal to so many. |
Charlaine Harris | P | ||||||
Heather Ormsby | P | ||||||
Kerry Schafer | P | ||||||
Leigh Perry | P | ||||||
Sheri Lewis Wohl | P | ||||||
Sat | 1-Sep | 1:30-3:00 | Grand Ballroom | Industry Roundtable: Publishers and other professionals talk about books | Experts including Bob Gussin, Linda Jones, Gracie Doyle, Ryan Lee Gilbert, Juliet Grames, and Luisa Cruz | M | Special panel for 1.5 hours for you to hear from industry experts and ask questions. |
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Sat | 2-Sep | 2:20-3:10 | 18.1 | Mysteries for the Younger Set: What the Cool Kids Read | Kate Hannigan | M | Younger readers love the same things we do. Hear from the authors who write for the younger audiences and what considerations they have to make for the younger audience. |
Alan Gratz | P | ||||||
Fleur Bradley | P | ||||||
Kate B Jackson | P | ||||||
Kes Trester | P | ||||||
Sheila Sobel | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 2:20-3:10 | 18.2 | Dark Moments for Characters in Noir, Hard Boiled, Thriller, Suspense, and Detective Stories | Barbara DeMarco-Barrett | M | Things can look pretty dark for a book’s main characters, especially in the more gritty genres like noir, hardboiled, thrillers and the like. Hear from the authors who write these dark moments and how they make them interesting for readers |
Christopher Chambers | P | ||||||
Lyn Liao Butler | P | ||||||
Ragnar Jonasson | P | ||||||
Reed Farrel Coleman | P | ||||||
Terry Shames | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 2:20-3:10 | 18.3 | Cozy is not a Four-Letter Word: the genre’s influence, range, powerful protagonists, and why it deserves respect | Ellen Byron/Maria DiRico | M | Cozies are some of the more popular types of mysteries and have shown a real staying power. What is a cozy? Is it different from the “traditional” mystery? What drives its popularity? |
Jennifer Chow | P | ||||||
Raquel V Reyes | P | ||||||
Julie Hennrikus aka Julia Henry | P | ||||||
Leslie Karst | P | ||||||
Rob Osler | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 2:30-3:10 | 18.4 | The Exciting First Few Years Rollercoaster: Authors Share Their Debut Experiences (good and bad) | Mia P. Manansala | M | When writers first learn they will be published, they may break out the champagne but there is so much that goes on, both leading up to that moment and that they must do in those first few years. These authors will tell of their experiences, good and bad. |
Carl Vonderau | P | ||||||
Erin Flanagan | P | ||||||
Kirstyn Petras | P | ||||||
Ramona Emerson | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 2:20-3:10 | 18.5 | Let’s Twist Again Like We Did Last Summer: When Plots Take a Surprising Turn | Chris Hauty | M | Plot Twist! You never saw it coming but things have just taken a turn. Authors talk about how they write the exciting turns. |
Connie di Marco | P | ||||||
Marco Carocari | P | ||||||
William Baer | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 2:30-3:10 | 18.6 | A Detective’s Best Friend: Writing Canine Characters | Christa Nardi | M | K-9 units, working dogs, pets: a dog can have so many roles in life and in fiction. Learn more about our canine companions and the writers who love them. |
Cheryl Wilson | P | ||||||
Jodi Burnett | P | ||||||
Kathleen Donnelly | P | ||||||
Margaret Mizushima | P | ||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 3:30-4:30 | Grand Ballroom | David Baldacci: Guest of Honor Interview | Alex Segura | ||
David Baldacci | |||||||
Sat | 2-Sep | 4:30-6:30 | Foyer | Cocktails (Cash Bar) | |||
6:30-8:30 | Grand Ballroom | Banquet: Ticketed Event | |||||
8:30-9:00 | Live Auction: Raise Money for the Two Charities (All Bouchercon Registered Attendees are Welcomed). Catriona McPherson, Auctioneer | ||||||
9:00-10:30 | Anthony Awards: Come Root For Your Favorite Authors (All Bouchercon Registered Attendees are Welcomed) (Sponsored by Hachette) | ||||||
SUNDAY | |||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | Grand Ballroom | The Thrill is in the Air: Podcasts and Videos for Mysteries, Thrillers, and More | Maddie Margarita | M | There may be never enough time to read, but there is also the whole world of podcast and videos about books and writing. Find out more about that world and what the people involved think about books and the book world. |
David Temple | P | ||||||
Ona Russell | P | ||||||
Tracy Blom | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 19.1 | Supporting Acts – How supporting characters develop, adapt and add to the world | Bonnar Spring | M | It is not just the main characters that make a book. Especially with a series, the secondary characters are very important and sometimes even become favorites with readers. What makes a good supporting character? |
Aaron Philip Clark | P | ||||||
John David Mann | P | ||||||
Josh Lanyon | P | ||||||
M. L. “Matt” Buchman | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 19.2 | Where Do You Start: How Writers Get Their Ideas and Do Their Research | Gary R Bush | M | Books don’t spring from nowhere. Writers have to get ideas and do research to bring an idea to life. These authors will share their writing and research process |
Ann Parker | P | ||||||
Anne Louise Bannon | P | ||||||
Clare Broyles | P | ||||||
Marcia Talley | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 19.3 | A Bad Fight: Authors Read and React to Action Scenes | Jeff Ayers | M | Authors will read a few short samples of action scenes and talk about what works and doesn’t work. |
Boyd Morrison | P | ||||||
Colin Campbell | P | ||||||
Matt Scott | P | ||||||
Tori Eldridge | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 19.4 | Bouchercon AMA / So You Want To Run A Bouchercon | Kim Keeline and Connie Perry | Ask Me Anything (AMA) time. Want to know how to get a Bouchercon at your location? Want to know how to volunteer or what goes into planning such a large event? Want to just chat? Stop by. | |
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 19.5 | Laugh It Up: Humor Where the Bodies Drop | Leigh Perry | M | How do writers integrate humor into their murderous plots? Is there ever the wrong time for a joke? What works and what doesn’t–and how can you tell when you are writing? |
Duane Swierczynski | P | ||||||
Haris Orkin | P | ||||||
Lawrence Allan | P | ||||||
Donna Andrews | P | ||||||
Lee Hollis (Rick Copp) | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 9:00-9:50 | 19.6 | Around the World: Locations to Kill In | Paula B. Mays | M | There are plenty of places in the world where characters can go on adventures or find dead bodies. Learn about these locations and what research authors do for the international settings. |
Ann Saxton Reh | P | ||||||
Annamaria Alfieri | P | ||||||
Stanley Trollip (Michael Stanley) | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 10:15-11:05 | 20.1 | Memories: Amnesia, Dementia, and Other Troubles of the Mind | James L’Etoile | M | Some stories deal with characters where not everything is going right in their head: amnesia, dementia, mental illness, or obsessions that overwhelm them. These authors discuss their characters who struggle with memories or their minds. |
C. Michele Dorsey | P | ||||||
Hugh Lessig | P | ||||||
Sandra (SG) Wong | P | ||||||
Sarah Warburton | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 10:15-11:05 | 20.2 | The Things We (Don’t) Know: The Past and the Present (Secrets Characters Must Face or Historical Secrets) | Con Lehane | M | The past can be full of secrets, both on the personal level or larger conspiracies or events. Hear how characters deal with the past and things they know or don’t know about past events. |
Amulya Malladi | P | ||||||
Christopher Huang | P | ||||||
Linda Joffe Hull | P | ||||||
Thomas Kies | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 10:15-11:05 | 20.3 | The Past Haunts: When Secrets and Sins of the Past Catch Up to a Character | Michele Drier | M | Sometimes a character has been hiding something. But the past has a way of catching up with people. |
Elise Hart Kipness | P | ||||||
Pat Gussin | P | ||||||
S.M. Freedman (Shoshona) | P | ||||||
Veronica Gutierrez | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 10:15-11:05 | 20.4 | Under the Bright Sun: Southern California settings from local authors (and one Brit) | Richard Opper | M | Southern California is beautiful, crowded, and full of fictional crime and danger. See why this setting gives so much to a story from several locals and one British writer. |
Lisa Gray | P | ||||||
Matt Coyle | P | ||||||
Matt Phillips | P | ||||||
Nolan Knight | P | ||||||
Jonathan Ames | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 10:15-11:05 | 20.5 | Improv with our Toastmaster Naomi Hirahara | Daryl Wood Gerber | Fun improv session with our toastmaster. | |
Josh Stallings | |||||||
Naomi Hirahara | |||||||
Vera HC Chan | |||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 10:15-11:05 | 20.6 | Librarians: What they wished readers and writers knew | Sarah Bresniker | M | Librarians are amazing book people. They want to tell readers and authors things they wish we knew about libraries and books. |
John Graham | P | ||||||
Leslie Blatt | P | ||||||
Michal Strutin | P | ||||||
Robert Lopresti | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 11:30-12:20 | 21.1 | Long and the Short of It | Chris Dreith | M | Writing flash fiction, short stories, or longer works like novels can mean different approaches for a writer. A look at pacing, details, endings, and more. |
Jackie Sherbow | P | ||||||
Julie Leo | P | ||||||
Rob Pierce | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 11:30-12:20 | 21.2 | Following the Research (or your own experience): All the Facts Fiction Needs | Anne Hillerman | M | Sometimes writers use their own experiences but sometimes they need to read up on their topic. Learn about how they use their knowledge in their fiction. |
Francine Mathews/Stephanie Barron | P | ||||||
Katharine Beutner | P | ||||||
Susan Walter | P | ||||||
Zakariah Johnson | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 11:30-12:20 | 21.3 | Murder in Paradise – Beautiful Places Where Tourists Go And Death Happens | Heather Graham | M | Crowded tourist places, whether that’s a historic town or popular museum or a beach resort full of margaritas and music–not a place you expect trouble or death. But that’s exactly what happens in these authors’ stories. |
Amina Akhtar | P | ||||||
Christine Carbo | P | ||||||
Jeff Ayers | P | ||||||
Kaira Rouda | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 11:30-12:20 | 21.4 | Legal Crimes: The Law in Fiction | Deanna Fowler | M | Lawyers talk about their fictional crimes and whether there are real life inspirations. |
Jay Shepherd | P | ||||||
Mandy Miller | P | ||||||
Judith Ayn | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 11:30-12:20 | 21.5 | Modern Historicals: When the Past Isn’t That Far Back (20th Century) | Rhys Bowen | M | Historical novels don’t have to be set in the middle ages or Victorian times. Sometimes they are within our lifetimes or the time of our parents. What is it like to write modern historicals? |
Armando Lucas Correa | P | ||||||
Marcie R Rendon | P | ||||||
Sheila York | P | ||||||
Will Zeilinger | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 11:30-12:20 | 21.6 | Spies and Intelligence: Tense Plots with Diplomatic Angles Around the Globe | Adam Sikes | M | Who doesn’t like to enjoy a good spy story? These authors will discuss military intelligence, political plots, and the world of spies. |
A.J. Tata | P | ||||||
J.M. Adams | P | ||||||
Bill Rapp | P | ||||||
Taylor Stevens | P | ||||||
Sun | 3-Sep | 1:00-2:30 | Grand Ballroom | Closing Ceremonies and Guests of Honor Final Interview | Guests of Honor | The Guests of Honor Panel: Hear from them one last time plus info on next year and special surprises | |
Kim Keeline |