By Claire Booth
Last night, I went to Bouchercon. Virtually. The world’s largest mystery convention was supposed to be in New Orleans from Wednesday, Aug. 23 through today. Then Covid cases in Louisiana soared and the Delta variant everywhere proved to be even more contagious than the original. So the organizers made the wise, considerate, healthy – and considering how much time they’d put into planning – excruciating decision to cancel.
We had to do the same thing last year with Bouchercon 2020, which was supposed to be held in my hometown of Sacramento. I was on the local organizing committee, and we pivoted from in person to virtual in late spring of that year. Our October convention was instead held online. We had panels (fewer than we would have), interviews with our author guests of honor, and an awards ceremony.
But we had more than four months to put together a virtual convention. The New Orleans organizers had three weeks. To pick themselves up off the floor, down a few drinks, and get back to work. And over the last two days, they pulled it off. They gave us a wonderful interview on Friday night and an Anthony Award ceremony on Saturday night. (And in a not insignificant side note, those organizers living in New Orleans did all this live while also having a hurricane headed their way.)
Both events are now on YouTube. If you’re interested in finding some new authors to read, I highly recommend watching. The Anthony Awards especially featured some knockout speeches. Stay for the last one. I promise, it’s worth it.
At this link, you can find:
Alafair Burke in conversation with James Lee Burke, hosted by Heather Graham with introductions from Rachel Howzell Hall.
The Anthony Awards, hosted by Hank Phillippi Ryan, with an introduction from Craig Johnson (who writes the Longmire books). These are voted on by convention attendees. We did it virtually this year, and the slate of nominees is below.
Best Hardcover Novel
What You Don't See - Tracy Clark - Kensington
Blacktop Wasteland - S.A. Cosby - Flatiron Books
Little Secrets - Jennifer Hillier - Minotaur Books
And Now She's Gone - Rachel Howzell Hall - Forge Books
The First to Lie - Hank Phillippi Ryan - Forge Books
Best First Novel
Derailed - Mary Keliikoa - Camel Press
Murder in Old Bombay - Nev March - Minotaur Books
Murder at the Mena House - Erica Ruth Neubauer – Kensington
The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman - Pamela Dorman Books
Winter Counts - David Heska Wanbli Weiden - Ecco Press
Best Paperback Original/E-Book/Audiobook Original Novel
The Fate of a Flapper - Susanna Calkins - Griffin
When No One is Watching - Alyssa Cole - William Morrow
Unspeakable Things - Jess Lourey - Thomas & Mercer
The Lucky One - Lori Rader-Day - William Morrow
Dirty Old Town - Gabriel Valjan - Level Best Books
Best Short Story
"Dear Emily Etiquette" - Barb Goffman - EQMM - Dell Magazines
"90 Miles" - Alex Segura - Both Sides: Stories From the Border - Agora Books
"The Boy Detective & The Summer of '74" - Art Taylor - AHMM (Jan-Feb) - Dell Magazines
"Elysian Fields" - Gabriel Valjan - California Schemin' - Wildside Press
"The Twenty-Five Year Engagement" - James W. Ziskin - In League with Sherlock Holmes - Pegasus Crime
Best Juvenile/Young Adult
Midnight at the Barclay Hotel - Fleur Bradley - Viking Books for Young Readers
Premeditated Myrtle - Elizabeth C. Bunce - Algonquin Young Readers
From the Desk of Zoe Washington - Janae Marks - Katherine Tegen Books
Holly Hernandez and the Death of Disco - Richie Narvaez - Piñata Books
Star Wars Poe Dameron: Free Fall - Alex Segura - Disney Lucasfilm Press
Best Critical or Nonfiction Work
Sometimes You Have to Lie: The Life and Times of Louise Fitzhugh, Renegade Author of Harriet the Spy - Leslie Brody - Seal Press
American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics and the Birth of American CSI - Kate Winkler Dawson - G.P. Putnam's Sons
Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club - Martin Edwards, ed. - Collins Crime Club
The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia - Emma Copley Eisenberg - Hachette Books
Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman behind Hitchcock - Christina Lane - Chicago Review Press
Unspeakable Acts: True Tales of Crime, Murder, Deceit, and Obsession - Sarah Weinman, ed. - Ecco Press
Best Anthology or Collection
Shattering Glass: A Nasty Woman Press Anthology - Heather Graham, ed. - Nasty Woman Press
Both Sides: Stories from the Border - Gabino Iglesias, ed. - Agora Books
Noiryorican - Richie Narvaez - Down & Out Books
The Beat of Black Wings: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Joni Mitchell - Josh Pachter, ed. - Untreed Reads Publishing
California Schemin' - Art Taylor. ed. - Wildside Press
Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic - Nick Kolakowski and Steve Weddle, eds. - Polis Books
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