Bouchercon, day 3

I'm accustomed to using the weekend to catch up on sleep, so getting up in the single digits again today left me rather tired.  Still, I had decided the trip downtown to the con was worth the sleep cost, because I very much wanted to see the 10:00 a.m. panel that included Lawrence Block.

Titled "Human Nature:  Our fascination with law breakers & law enforcers in fiction," it proved to be an interesting and entertaining discussion that focused primarily on the motivations of the "bad guys" in fiction.  Once again, the moderator spoke entirely too much and did not give enough time to the panelists, but when they spoke, they were intelligent and thoughtful and frequently funny.  Block was in fine form, speaking his mind eloquently and with considerable humor.

A group of us then wandered up the street to Lucette Grace for lunch.  My sandwich, a very Parisian ham and cheese with butter on baguette, was the closest I've had outside France to the treat I've eaten many, many times in Paris.  It made me want to hop the next plane to Paris.

Among us, we sampled many of the pastries, and each and every one was absolutely delicious.  None was a one-note, all-sweet wonder.  Each featured many nuanced and subtle flavors.  I hope this place survives a long time.

I then drove home for a nap.  I won't be going back to the con this weekend, alas, because I fly out Monday morning and simply have too much to do between now and then to be able to afford more con time.  I will, though, certainly attend future Bouchercons, and I recommend them to anyone who's a fan of mystery, thriller, or crime fiction.

Bouchercon, day 2

Bouchercon, the big annual mystery, crime, and thriller convention, is in downtown Raleigh this year, so I opted to attend without getting a hotel room.  I'm still not sure if that was the right choice, because having to drive in the morning means getting up extra early, but it's the choice I made, and then the rooms sold out, so I have to live with it.

I attended yesterday, but not for long.  I registered, checked out the dealers' room, and listened to the interview with the American guests of honor, Kathy Reichs and Tom Franklin.  Their conversation and comments were interesting, and though I've not previously read either writer, I now probably will.

Bouchercons love morning panels, which is why I found myself awake in the sixes and arriving early today for an 8:30 a.m. panel on "Lone Wolves and Loose Cannons."  This event featured a friend of mine, who is an FBI agent and who writes as Alistair Kimble, as well as two other writers whose work I've read, Andrew Grant and Mick Herron.  I generally enjoyed the discussion, though I wish the moderator had let the panelists speak more.

Next up for me was the 10:00 session, "Real Police," in which writer and cop (of various types), James O. Born, did an interesting presentation on guns, knives, batons, and issues around an officer engaging with someone.  Born is a smart and funny guy, and I quite liked his talk.

One thing I appreciate about these cons is that they always allow a decent lunch break.  Our little group chose the nearby Twisted Mango restaurant.  The Caribbean food we tasted was good but not exceptional.

I was quite excited about the next panel, a cadaver dog demo, because I'd enjoyed a similar session at a Chicago Bouchercon some years ago.  This one was pleasant enough but nowhere near as informative or as interesting as the earlier version.

John Gilstrap, author and safety and explosives expert, then took us through an interesting presentation on explosives and guns.  I would have preferred a far higher data rate, but I enjoyed what he shared.

My final session was "Beyond The Wire, Bosch & True Detective," a discussion of mystery and crime material on TV.  I went to hear Christa Faust and Megan Abbott, two writers whose work I enjoy, speak on their experiences and interests in this area.  What they had to say did interest me, but the moderator, who admittedly was the only one on the panel who worked regularly in Hollywood, dominated the discussion so much that I often wished he'd let the others talk more.

All in all, I had an enjoyable and interesting day at a convention I definitely recommend.

The best UFC promo video ever

is this piece for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm fight.  Check it out.  You'll be glad you did.



I'm quite looking forward to this match.

The Martian

I unreservedly loved this movie, so much so that I was buzzing with emotion about it for a couple of hours after I left the theater.  It was a joy to watch.

I grew up dreaming of space.  I was 14 when men first walked on the moon.  I was 21 when I applied for (and was turned down for) the Mission Specialist program.  I have always wanted us to continue exploring space.  (Yes, I also very much want us to spend money fixing our problems here on Earth, but I do not see the two as mutually exclusive; I would cut spending elsewhere to fund NASA.)  I also love stories of people overcoming adversity through intelligence and hard work.  So, I am an ideal target for this movie.

I do understand the movie has flaws, including some science errors (though far fewer than most films), but none of them pulled me out of the story enough to matter.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know the film's setup, and you almost certainly have guesses as to how it ends.  Forget all of that; it won't matter.

Go see The Martian.  At worst, you'll have a good time.  At best, you'll come away as excited and inspired as I did.

Onward, Drake! is now available!

If you've preordered your copy, you are now the proud owner of a bright, shiny, new book full of excellent stories.

Click the image to see a larger version.

If you haven't yet picked up a copy, isn't it about time?  Many stories and afterwords await you.

I hope you enjoy it!

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 4

I'm home, and I'm happy to be here.  I had a great time in New Orleans, but after a flight, a long delay, and another flight, I'm very glad to be in my own house.

Food pickings at the New Orleans airport belie the culinary richness of the the city itself.  At least in the terminal that American and USAirways share, you don't get many choices.  So, lunch was a hot dog and a bottle of water.

CONtraflow V proved to be a lot of fun, thanks primarily to the efforts of its organizers and staff; thank you, all.  I hope they have me back again in the future.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 3

My first event of the day was the Baen Traveling Road Show, which Publisher Toni conducts and at which she gives previews of upcoming Baen books and their covers--before and after type treatments and cover design.  It's always a fun show, and this one was no exception.  I spoke about my books and in particular about Onward, Drake!, which officially goes on sale Tuesday.

After a brief break--too short for lunch, alas--I served as auctioneer for the art auction.  We were able to boost the bids of all the pieces that went to auction, so both the artist and the con made a little more money.  The winning bidders all seemed happy with their new pieces of art.

I was in the mood for a po' boy, so we headed out to a local place, Harbor Seafood, that had pretty good online reviews.

I was particularly taken with the table's napkin/paper towel holder.

Click an image to see a larger version.

Creepy or cute; you be the judge.

The food was simple but tasty.  I had a cup of the shrimp and corn chowder, the stand-out dish of those I tasted.

Rich, creamy, and full of shrimp, this was a definite winner.

I opted for the shrimp po' boy, and it was both good and entirely too large, overflowing with fried shrimp.

Not a fancy place, but one I'd visit again without hesitation.

My last official event of the convention was to act as moderator for the closing ceremonies, a simple job but a pleasant, albeit bittersweet con.

I hope they have me back again next year.