To Baltimore

I’m travelling to the US next week to attend Bouchercon, the world mystery convention. I first attended Bouchercon when it moved from the US to London for one year in 1990. Whenever the chance has arisen, which isn’t as often as I’d like, I’ve returned. Conventions are a great way to meet readers and fellow writers, and there’s a bonus when they are held in unfamiliar places. I’ve been to Bouchercons in such varied locations as Toronto, Las Vegas and Philadelphia – they are cities I might otherwise never have visited and I’m very glad I did. I’m optimistic the same will be true of Baltimore.

I’ve been sent details of the three panels on which I’ll be appearing. Two are scheduled for Thursday 9 October. In the afternoon, on ‘It’s Only Make Believe.’ my fellow panellists include that excellent writer Laurie R. King (whom I had the pleasure of meeting briefly at the Bristol Crimefest earlier this year) and fellow Brit Martyn Waites. I’m looking forward to it, and also to ‘Killing Floor’ earlier that day, when my colleagues will include Caroline Todd.

On the final slot of the convention, on Sunday 12 October, I’ll be joining a panel to be chaired by Ann Cleeves and including fellow Poisoned Pen Press author Carolyn Wall; the theme this time is ‘A Town Called Malice’.

An added bonus is that my American publishers, Barbara Peters and Rob Rosenwald, are guests of honour at the convention. Barbara and Rob recently visited Liverpool but other commitments denied me the opportunity to show them round. I haven’t seen them since I stayed with them at their fantastic home in Arizona just after a convention in Seattle nearly two years ago, and it will be good to catch up with them again.

I do hope that any of you who are attending Bouchercon will seek me out and say hello. It would be great to see you.