Ashland Mystery Festival: An inspiring book festival for those who love cozy mysteries

Created by author Ellie Alexander, Ashland Mystery Fest is long weekend in Ashland, Oregon, filled with bookish fun for readers — especially those of us who love cozy mysteries.

The immersive festival includes author discussions, opportunities to build a story with authors, book signings, cooking demonstrations, recipe tastings (such as the vegan chocolate mousse recipe from one of my Accidental Alchemist novels), a solve-the-mystery scavenger hunt across the small businesses in this cozy town, themed mystery dinners, not to mention events for kids. It’s a whirlwind of events for book lovers to suit any mood.

It’s a small festival, with just under twenty authors and a few hundred attendees. That’s what makes it feel so intimate and cozy. I’ve been one of the attending authors since it first began three years ago, in 2023, and it keeps getting more amazing each year.

I loved hanging out with my fellow book people, and now that I’m home, I’m energized and can’t wait to dive into my next book.

But first, it should also be said that going to festivals, conventions, and events of any kind can be exhausting for those of us who are introverts. While I love connecting with people who love books, it also drains my energy to be “peopling” for long; I always need to return to my room or a quiet corner of a café to recharge. But as long as I make time to recharge, it’s incredibly rewarding to attend events like these.

So, if you’re on the fence about attending Ashland Mystery Fest, or any other book festivals or conventions in the future, I highly recommend you step outside of your comfort zone and give it a try!

Below, you’ll find a handful of snapshots from the Ashland Mystery Fest 2025. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, or like the idea of coming to a wonderful cozy mystery book festival, I definitely recommend you check it out in the future!

Collage of the excitement of the opening reception, and the authors in costume for the Sleuths Dinner on the last night of the festival.

With Esme Addison at the Sleuths dinner, where we dressed up as our favorite sleuths. She was Velma (from Scooby Doo, of course!), and I was Poirot (a fun costume for me both because I already had a hat, courtesy of Sanjay, and Dorian the Gargoyle thinks of himself as a modern-day Poirot, since he literally has little gray cells!).

After a panel: Gretchen Rue, Eryn Scott, Gigi Pandian, and Esme Addison.

Crime Writers of Color: Mia P. Manansala, Esme Addison, and Gigi Pandian.

With Ellen Byron for our event at Lovejoy’s Tea Shop. It’s a terrific spot to go for a full tea, with equally amazing food and staff.

A hanging lamp at Lovejoy’s Tea Shop.

Ashland Mystery Fest tote bag, mug, program, and bookmark.

The 2025 participating authors were Ellie Alexander, Angela M. Sanders, Gigi Pandian, Mia P. Manansala, Emmeline Duncan, Gretchen Rue, Hannah Dennison, Tamara Berry, Lee Hollis, Hellen Byron, Tina Connolly, Esme Addison, Eryn Scott, and debut authors Adrian Andover, Jennifer Young, Kara Loo, Jennie Englund, and Tish Bouvier.

Autumn scenery while walking in Ashland.

Big thanks to to Ellie Alexander and Travel Ashland for pulling off such a special book festival, and booksellers Bloomsbury Books and Paddington Station for making our books available to readers throughout the festival.

The Magic of Malice Domestic: Toastmaster and Guess Who Won an Agatha

Malice Domestic and the Agatha Awards celebrate traditional mysteries (think Agatha Christie, thus the name of the awards), so based on what I love to read and write, Malice has always been my "home" mystery event, even though it's across the country from me. So it's such an honor to be recognized with an Agatha Award for my 2024 locked-room mystery A Midnight Puzzle, which pays homage to Golden Age of detective fiction authors including John Dickson Carr and Agatha Christie. 

Books are what bring us together, but people are what make this book convention so special. Getting to hang out with my fellow book people is amazing, and even though I'm an introvert who needs to recharge after doing so much people-ing, I always come home feeling SO inspired—and with so many new books and authors to read!

Here are some vignettes from this year's Malice Domestic:

Holding my Agatha teapot and toastmaster teacup after the banquet, I was so nervous with the breakable ceramics in my hands! Not because of my opera gloves, which I love and don’t impact my dexterity, but because the evening was a whirlwind and I truly wasn’t expecting to win the Agatha because of the other finalists: Ann Cleeves, Ellen Byron, Korina Moss, and Connie Berry. Wow.

The teapot and teacup were shipped home to me in California, and have just arrived safely. Though if they had arrived broken, I was fully prepared to use Kintsugi, the Japanese tradition of embracing imperfection by fixing broken ceramics with a lacquer mixed with gold. Ever since surviving cancer more than a decade ago, I’ve been pretty damn good at letting go of things I can’t control, like broken pottery, and instead focusing on things I can, like reading and writing the books I want to write—and spending time with my fellow book people!

It was wonderful celebrating with fellow Crime Writers of Color authors K.T. Nguyen, who won an Agatha for Best First Novel, and D.S. Mori, who won the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for unpublished writers, the same grant that gave me my start as a writer. Both of them write under the traditional mystery umbrella, but neither writes “cozy,” so I’m glad that traditional mysteries of all kinds are recognized at Malice Domestic.

And no, I don’t know whether my own books are cozies or not, because it depends on who you ask! I never know what each book will become, so I write the books that feel right, and I’m happy for readers to connect with the books in whatever way is meaningful to them.

If you’re an unpublished writer working on a traditional mystery, broadly defined, I highly recommend you check out the grant.

The photo above is of two group gatherings: The St. Martin's Minotaur Books authors and publishing team arranged for a cocktail party for their authors, and Crime Writers of Color held a meetup. When I first began writing, there wasn’t nearly as much diversity in mystery fiction as there is now, and I love that there are so many great authors and books being published, making my To Be Read list even higher.

My Minotaur Books editor Madeline Houpt gives me the best editorial guidance. In fact, I dedicated A Midnight Puzzle to her! The dedication at the start of the book was, “For Madeline Houpt. Thank you for being my partner in crime in turning the shadow of an idea into a worthy puzzle.”

She was in attendance, so we got to catch up over a meal together and celebrate the Agatha together!

Several readers at Malice told me how much they enjoyed A Midnight Puzzle as an audiobook, which is great in audio thanks to narrator Soneela Nankani.

Celebrating with my editor.

With my writers group.

It’s only once a year that my writers group is all in the same place, so I made the most out of my time with Ellen Byron, Diane Vallere, and Lisa Q. Mathews. Ellen was also an Agatha nominee this year, showing just how fabulous my writers group is!

Two of us live on the West Coast and two on the East Coast, so we see each other via an hour-and-a-half video call once a week, so getting together in person was really special.

Coffee in the hospitality lounge with old friends Alexia Gordon, Shelly Dickson Carr, and Jeff Marks.

The convention’s hospitality lounge in the hotel is always stocked with coffee, tea, and snacks, so it’s a great spot to meet up with old friends and new. Most of the time I didn’t remember to pull out my phone to snap a photo, but in this case, Shelly made sure we took a photo as we wrapped up our conversation.

Alexia Gordon is the author of the Gethsemane Brown Mysteries, which are now being made into Hallmark movies. Shelly Dickson Carr is the granddaughter of John Dickson Carr, and a terrific writer in her own right. Her highly anticipated next novel is coming out soon, so I’ve got my fingers crossed I’ll be able to score an advance copy! And Jeff Marks is a mystery writer, mystery historian, and publisher at Crippen & Landru, a publisher that specializes in short mystery fiction collections, especially ones that keep classic mystery authors in print.

As toastmaster, in addition to presenting the opening ceremonies and banquet, and introducing the charity auction and tea, I was indeed tasked with making a toast. I ended my banquet remarks with a toast that included something like this (not exactly scripted, as I prefer to speak from the heart!): To old friends and new, to those who’ve come before us, to discovering our new favorite books and authors, and to finding our kindred spirits. Books and Malice Domestic are magic!

There were so many first-time attendees at Malice Domestic this year, and I was so pleased to hear from so many new folks that they found the convention just as friendly and inspiring as I do. When I first attended many years ago, I didn’t know a soul in the mystery fiction world, but as soon as I set foot in the Malice Domestic space, I knew I’d found my people!

I had the honor of introducing the one and only Donna Andrews (above), who was receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, Guest of Honor Marcia Talley, and Fan Guests of Honor Les & Leslie Blatt.

I also shared a few words in tribute to “Malice Remembers” Guest of Honor Dorothy Gilman, the acclaimed author who wrote the delightful Mrs. Pollifax books—a cozy spy series I highly recommend if you haven’t discovered it yet. I’m guilty myself. It was only after Dorothy Gilman was named an honoree that I moved her books up in my TBR pile. I was immediately hooked, and devoured the first three books. I’m so glad I have many more to look forward to.

Poirot Award recipient Lucy Worsley was filming a new history show, so she wasn’t able to make it, but I look forward to seeing what she does next.

Fun times with my fellow Agatha nominees Korina Moss, Ellen Byron, Connie Berry, and our moderator Hank Philippi Ryan. Ann Cleeves was also nominated but couldn't make it to Malice.

At the banquet with Josh Pachter, Paula Benson, and Trisha Maniaci.

And huge thanks to the Malice Domestic board. This wonderful group of volunteers works tirelessly to put together the convention. Thank you to the board and to all the other volunteers who bring book people together!

I also need to thank long-time author pal Diane Vallere, who took photos for me at the Agatha banquet while I was on stage presenting, and romance and mystery author Amita Murray, who took me thrift store shopping in London a few months ago, and it’s thanks to her that I found the gorgeous vintage skirt I wore to the banquet. (I could go on and on with people to thank, but I need to stop somewhere, so I’m stopping there!)

Cheers! If you’re a mystery fan who likes traveling to events, I highly recommend Malice Domestic, and I hope to see you there next year!

Bouchercon 2018

Bouchercon was so inspiring! I’m energized from connecting with readers and fellow writers. Writing is hard, but attending events like this reminds me why it's so rewarding. Big thanks to the volunteer co-chairs that made this year in St. Petersburg, Florida happen: Erin Mitchell, Jon Jordan, and Ruth Jordan. Here are a few highlights:

Talking Golden Age mysteries with the two Shawns—Shawn Cosby (writing as S.A. Cosby) and Shawn Reilly Simmons—Martin Edwards, and Shelly Dickson Carr. Martin’s nonfiction book THE STORY OF CLASSIC CRIME IN 100 BOOKS won the Macavity at Bouchercon. So fun to nerd out with my fellow writers who have been inspired by the same books.

Crime Writers of Color breakfast with old friends and new. L-R Elizabeth Mahon, me, Shawn Cosby, Vera Chan, Sujata Massey, and Naomi Hirahara (who’s taking the photo).

Meeting Abir Mukherjee was definitely a highlight. His debut A RISING MAN was awarded the CWA Dagger Award and shortlisted for the Edgar last year. It’s a brilliant novel. Here we are with Sujata Massey, whose new historical mystery THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL is also terrific.

Abir, Sujata, and I donated an India-themed basket for the charity auction. Next to our books that’s a scarf from India from Sujata and Jaya Jones character art cards illustrated by my artist mom. I wished I could have bid on it, because you can’t get Abir’s latest book in the US yet—he brought the UK edition.

I attended the Nero Wolfe Banquet for the first time, and it was such fun! I was skeptical at first when told there would be singing, but it was a blast.

My fellow Archaeology Mysteries panelists Dana Cameron, Stacy Allen, and Mary Anna Evans. Who are our favorite fictional archaeologists? It’s a tie between Amelia Peabody and Indiana Jones.

Setting the Stage panel with Lisa Unger, Con Lehane, Steph Cha, Christine Carbo, and James Anderson. I moderated this great group. They made my job easy.

Sisters in Crime’s new president Sherry Harris and immediate past president Diane Vallere. I love these women. Sisters in Crime has been such an important part of my writing career.

Mia P. Manansala won the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award! Mia won the Malice Domestic Grant as well. Her work isn’t published yet, but I can’t wait to read it once it is.

At the Anthony Awards ceremony, the wonderful Lesa Holstine was given the David Thompson Memorial Special Service Award. And Lori Rader-Day won the Anthony for Best Paperback Original.

Kellye Garrett won the Anthony for Best Debut Novel for HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, which I had the great pleasure of giving a blurb before it came out. It’s such a great book, and her amazing speech highlighted the lack of diversity in the mystery genre, which she and others are working to remedy.

The 2018 Pitch Wars crew celebrating with Kellye! L-R Mia P. Manansala, Robin St. Clare, Sarah Nicolas, Kellye Garrett, me, and Jenna Lincoln.

Congratulations to all the Anthony Award Winners!

BEST NOVEL: Bluebird, Bluebird – Attica Locke. BEST FIRST NOVEL: Hollywood Homicide– Kellye Garrett.

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL: Winner: The Day I Died – Lori Rader-Day.

BILL CRIDER AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL IN A SERIES: Y is for Yesterday (Kinsey Millhone #25) – Sue Grafton.

BEST ANTHOLOGY: The Obama Inheritance: Fifteen Stories of Conspiracy Noir – Gary Phillips, ed. 

BEST SHORT STORY: “My Side of the Matter” – Hilary Davidson, Killing Malmon.

BEST ONLINE CONTENT: Winner: Jungle Red Writers – Group Blog.

BEST CRITICAL/NONFICTION WORK: Winner: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI – David Grann.

Left Coast Crime 2018 in Reno

I gave my editor my manuscript of the fourth Accidental Alchemist novel last week (woo hoo!), the day before heading to Reno for Left Coast Crime. That meant I could relax and enjoy the convention to the fullest. A few highlights in photos are below.

I grew up reading the Gideon Oliver skeleton detective mysteries by Aaron Elkins, so it’s been one of the highlights of my writing career that he’s become a champion of my books and a mentor.

Have you read Kellye’s debut, Hollywood Homicide, yet? It’s so good!

Susan Bickford, Kellye Garrett, Wendall Thomas, Nancy Tingley, and Kathy Valenti. Such a talented group. I’ve read most of their debut mysteries and I’m already a fan.

Congratulations to all the Lefty Award winners! Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel: Ellen Byron, A Cajun Christmas Killing (Crooked Lane Books)Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel: Rhys Bowen, In Farleigh Field (Lake Union Publishing)Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel: Kellye Garrett, Hollywood Homicide (Midnight Ink)Lefty for Best Mystery Novel: William Kent Krueger, Sulfur Springs (Atria Books)

Catching up with these amazing women: Cynthia Kuhn, Mariah Klein, Kathy Valenti, Nadine Nettmann, (me), and Kellye Garrett.

Top to bottom: bloggers and reviewers panel; short stories panel; and S.J. Rozan interviewing guest of honor Naomi Hirahara.

Kathy Krevat/Aarons, Judy Copek, Tammy Kaehler, Marla Cooper, and me. (And of course I forgot to take a photo of my other panel, writing other cultures, with Jill Amadio, Dorothy Black Crow, Matthew Iden, and Bharti Kirchner.)

Lunch with Margaret Dumas and Sophie Littlefield was a treat.

Josh Stallings, Steph Cha, Stephen Buehler, and Travis Richardson.

Bouchercon 2017 in Toronto

Huge thanks to this year's Bouchercon co-chairs Helen Nelson and Janet Costello. The Toronto convention was a fantastic celebration of the mystery genre I've loved my whole life. I saw old friends, met with my publishers, got to meet some of my favorite authors, learned about new authors I'm eager to read, and had a blast chatting with readers. Here are a few highlights in photos.

My last Sisters in Crime board meeting! It was an honor to serve as Publicity Liaison for the past two years for an organization that has been a big part of my publishing journey.

Bouchercon capped Sisters in Crime’s 30th anniversary year. At left: Diane Vallere (SinC’s 30th president) and Sara Paretsky (SinC’s 1st president). At right: Diane Vallere handing over the seal to new SinC president Kendel Lynn. I roomed with pal Diane, and I was excited to learn more about her new mystery series coming in December.

My last official duty for SinC was to introduce Jessica Ellis Laine, this year’s winner of the Eleanor Taylor Bland Grant. Now in its fourth year, this grant is to foster the next generation of writers of color. I’m happy that after it began as a one-time grant to honor African-American mystery fiction pioneer Bland, it’s continuing as a yearly $1,500 grant to attend a writers conference or do research to complete a novel.

My panel — what a fun group!

With fellow panelist Susan Spann (who writes the Shinobi mystery series) and Stacy Allen (who writes underwater archaeology thrillers).

One of two publisher gatherings. (Alas, I didn’t get a picture of the Henery Press group.) A highlight of the Midnight Ink get-together was getting to know debut author Lissa Marie Redmond, whose first novel comes out in February.

I love short stories, especially locked-room “impossible crime” mysteries, a genre most popular in Golden Age mysteries, but that I’m thrilled to see returning (more on that in a separate post). My lunch companions at the SMFS luncheon included cross-genre author Josh Pachter, Gerald So (who’s involved in running the SMFS blog), and Shelly Dickson Carr (granddaughter of John Dickson Carr and a phenomenal writer in her own right).

When you have coffee with one of your favorite authors, and they turn out to be every bit as awesome as their novels, it’s pretty damn cool! Have you read Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell novels? They capture the spirit of Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody novels, but in their own unique way.

And it was the brilliant Ausma Zehanat Khan (who writes the award-winning Esa Khattak/Rachel Getty mysteries plus a new fantasy series) who first introduced me to Deanna’s books. Bouchercon is always a whirlwind, so sadly I only got a chance to have a brief chat with Ausma.

International authors: Barry Lancet (Jim Brodie thrillers based in Japan) and Ovidia Yu (playwright and novelist from Singapore).

Meeting up with the Sisters in Crime Guppies, the online chapter that began for aspiring authors to support each other. I joined 10 years ago, 5 years before becoming a published author, and learned so much from the group. It’s always a treat to meet fellow Guppies in person. Thanks to Debra Goldstein for this photo.

Bouchercon culminates with the Anthony Awards presentation. Congratulations to this year's winners!

Best Novel: A Great Reckoning – Louise PennyBest Paperback Original:Heart of Stone – James W. ZiskinBest First Novel: IQ – Joe IdeBest Anthology: Blood on the Bayou: Bouchercon Anthology 2016 – Greg Herren, ed.Best short story: “Oxford Girl” - Megan AbbottBest Children’s/YA Novel:The Girl I Used to Be – April HenryBest Novella: The Last Blue Glass – B.K. Stevens, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, April 2016Best Critical Nonfiction Work: Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life – Ruth Franklin

Congratulations to pal Jim Ziskin for winning both the Macavity and Anthony awards for Heart of Stone!

At the airport, I ran into mystery historian Marv Lachman. One of his books is The Heirs of Anthony Boucher, a history of mystery fandom that includes a fascinating history of Bouchercon. I had the pleasure of being on a locked-room mystery panel with Marv at a previous Bouchercon. I don’t think there’s anything he doesn’t know about classic mysteries.

Farewell, Toronto! I’m drowning under my pile of books, but that’s a good problem to have!

Bouchercon 2016 in New Orleans

Bouchercon was a whirlwind this year, and not only because I fell into a Twilight Zone episode for a day (I broke my glasses!). This is the "world mystery convention," the biggest of the mystery conventions, and there were over 1,800 attendees this year. 

The day before Bouchercon began, Sisters in Crime presented a SinC Into Great Writing workshop for writers. This year the topic was Writing to our Differences: Doing Diversity Right. Walter Mosley was the keynote speaker, and he gave a brilliant talk about writing authentic characters.

Walter Mosley was the keynote speaker at Sisters in Crime’s SinC Into Great Writing workshop. He is absolutely amazing.

The other speakers at SinC Into Great Writing were Linda Rodriguez, Frankie Bailey, Greg Herren, and Cindy Brown (with Midnight Ink editor Terri Bischoff joining the Q&A session), who spoke about being true to both life and your books by writing characters who are racially diverse, LGBT, and with disabilities. 

SinC Into Great Writing presenters: Terri Bischoff, Linda Rodriguez, Catriona McPherson (moderator), Greg Herren, Frankie Bailey, and Cindy Brown.

On the first official day of the convention, the opening ceremonies were a blast--and unique.  A New Orleans-style parade was held inside the hotel ballroom, with each honoree riding down the aisle on their own decorated float. (Alas it was dark so my photos didn't turn out!)

My day had begun with a Sisters in Crime board meeting. I'm serving on the national board for a second year, both because it's a fabulous group and also because I've gotten so much out of the organization in my writing career that I want to give back to this wonderful community. This year is especially exciting because it's our 30th anniversary! 

Sisters in Crime board members and staff. Top row: Sarah Glass, Kendel Lynn, Lori Roy, Beth Wasson, Susan Shea, GM Malliet, Julie Hennrikus. Bottom row: Gigi Pandian, Catriona McPherson, Leslie Budewitz, Diane Vallere (incoming SinC president), Karen Pullen.

To kick off SinC's 30th anniversary, I worked with New Orleans videographer Julius Evans of Red Clay Films to shoot some interviews with Sisters in Crime former presidents and members on the morning of the SinC breakfast.

SinC has so many amazing members, and one of my highlights from this project was getting to interview Sara Paretsky. We're editing these videos, plus creating more of them, and SinC will be posting the videos throughout our anniversary year.

Creating videos to celebrate SinC 30th anniversary.

Speaking of anniversaries, my favorite panel at Bouchercon was the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine 75th anniversary panel. I love the Golden Age of mystery fiction, so it was fun to hear stories about the team who created Ellery Queen and authors I love, like Clayton Rawson and John Dickson Carr. And yes, Shelly Dickson Carr is John's granddaughter! Her first novel is great, so talent definitely runs in the family. 

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine 75th anniversary panel: Steve Steinbock, Otto Penzler, Janet Hutchings, Ted Hertel, Brendan DuBois, Shelly Dickson Carr, and James Lincoln Warren moderating.

My own panel was a discussion of the solitary process of writing a novel, and it was so interesting to chat about how different each of our processes are! Learn to be Lonely panelists: Terrie Farley Moran, Julie Hennrikus, Gigi Pandian, Kim Fay, Wendy Tyson, Kate White, and moderator Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Since we were in New Orleans, of course I had to slip out of the conference hotel to do some exploring.

Stacy Allen, my partner in crime for the Haunted History hour and the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum tour. Stacy and I are treasure hunt sisters, and I’m envious that she’s a diver so her treasure hunt thrillers feature underwater treasures!

Accidental Alchemist research at the historic New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

Apothecary wares from the 1800s at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the haunted bar in New Orleans that’s been around since the 1700s.

I donated an item I'm very excited about to Bouchercon's silent auction: an original Jaya Jones work of art by graphic novelist Dale Berry. The drawing depicts my favorite scene in Michelangelo's Ghost (Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #4), and I printed a limited edition print run of 100 copies, which Dale and I numbered and signed.

The book comes out next month, so I'll be using the printed pieces as promotions, but first and foremost, I love that I now have an amazing Jaya Jones illustration for myself that beautifully complements the stunning book cover. 

Jaya Jones original artwork by Dale Berry, donated to the Bouchercon charity auction.

A huge thanks to all the volunteers who made the convention come together seamlessly: Convention co-chairs Heather Graham and Connie Perry, Bouchercon board chair Jeff Siger, Mike Bursaw, Dave Magayna, Judy Bobalik, Jon Jordan, and the rest of the team.

Malice Domestic 2016: Photos from the Traditional Mystery Convention

This year's Malice Domestic took place in Bethesda, MD, April 29 - May 1. The honorees this year were Victoria Thompson (Guest of Honor), Katherine Hall Page (Lifetime Achievement Award), Linda Smith Rutledge (Fan Guest of Honor), Barbara Peters and Robert Rosenwald of the Poisoned Pen (Poirot Award), Doug Greene (Amelia Award), and Hank Phillip Ryan was Toastmaster. What fun!

The welcome reception was followed by the signing for the new Malice Domestic Anthology: Murder Most Conventional. I was honored to have a new Jaya Jones short story, "A Dark and Stormy Light," selected to appear in the anthology. 

With Kathryn Leigh Scott at the anthology signing.

Featuring Jaya Jones short story “A Dark and Stormy Light.”

The impossible crime mystery sub-genre is big in Japan. Thanks to Steve Steinbock for bringing these to Malice to share with his fellow locked-room fans!

The best thing about Malice Domestic is the community of readers and writers who have a shared passion for mystery fiction. There are so many wonderful people I only get to see a couple of time a year, plus meeting new friends, so the long weekend is a treat. 

P.J. Coldren brought me a t-shirt, because the image reminded her of Dorian the gargoyle from my Accidental Alchemist mysteries.

At the Malice hotel bar with Ellen Byron, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Nadine Nettmann, Terri Biscoff, Annette Dashofy.

I love attending panels because I always come away with new discoveries. Shelly Dickson Carr's page-turner RIPPED was one of my favorite discoveries from this year's Malice. Shelly is the granddaughter of John Dickson Carr, one of my favorite authors, so I was intrigued. After picking up her book, I learned that talent runs in the family!

Shelly Dickson Carr, author or Ripped.

Outside the Sisters in Crime breakfast with Frankie Bailey, Catriona McPherson, and Beth Wasson (SinC’s Executive Director).

SinC president Leslie Budewitz with the Raven Award given to Sisters in Crime by Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards earlier that week.

Diane Vallere presenting this year’s Dorothy Cannell Guppy Scholarship, which pays for a member of the Guppy Chapter of SinC to attend Malice Domestic.

One of the dangers of conventions is staying indoors the whole time, but I slipped out of the hotel for lunch with Midnight Ink authors and friends.

Edith Maxwell, Terri Bischoff, Catriona McPherson, Dru Ann Love, Aimee Hix.

With Tracy Weber.

Linda Joffe Hull, Tracy Kiely, Nadine Nettmann.

The Agatha Awards were given out at the Saturday evening banquet. Time to dress up!

The Henery Press crew before the banquet.

Before the banquet: Kendel Lynn and Diane Valere. With Sybil Johnson.

Celebrating with Cindy Brown (in purple) for her Agatha nomination for her debut mystery, MacDeath. With Priscilla Caporaletti-Bean, Susan Boyer, Cindy Brown, and Nancy West.

With Susan Boyer, in our cute MacDeath-themed hats from Cindy Brown.

Hank Phillipi Ryan presenting the Agatha awards, Art Taylor accepting his Agatha for Best First Novel, and Martin Edwards accepting his Agatha for Best Nonfiction.

Dan Stashower with Barb Goffman and her Agatha Award for Best Short Story.

Doug Greene with his Amelia Award teapot. Doug runs mystery publishing house Crippen & Landru, has written and edited numerous nonfiction essays and books, and is an expert on the locked-room genre.

This year's Agatha winners were: Best Contemporary Novel: Long Upon the Land, Margaret MaronBest Historical Novel: Dreaming Spies, Laurie R. King Best First Novel: On the Road with Del and Louise, Art TaylorBest Nonfiction: The Golden Age of Murder: The Mystery of the Writers Who Invented the Modern Detective Story, Martin Edwards Best Short Story: “A Year Without Santa Claus?” by Barb Goffman Best Children’s/Young Adult: Andi Unstoppable, Amanda Flower 

Left Coast Crime 2016: A Lefty Award for The Accidental Alchemist!

Left Coast Crime

Dori the gargoyle had fun with the book bag we got when we checked in.

I'm honored to have returned home from Left Coast Crime in Phoenix with the Lefty Award for Best Mystery set in the LCC Region (western US) for The Accidental Alchemist!Here are some photos from the long weekend.

The Opening Ceremonies

Lefty nominees Matt Coyle, Gigi Pandian, Josh Stallings

Gigi Pandian and Diane Vallere

Sisters in Crime

Sisters in Crime photo booth

Sisters in Crime board dinner

Panels

Misc. Fun

Melissa Lenhardt, Nancy Cole Silverman, and Cindy Brown.

Lunch with Vera Chan and Gary Phillips.

And late-night fun with some party crashers.

The Awards Banquet

With my Lefty Award for The Accidental Alchemist

instagram LCC 2016 Catriona Jess Gigi

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Bouchercon 2015

Bouchercon is the World Mystery Convention for mystery writers and readers to get together each year. "Murder Under the Oaks" took place in Raleigh, NC, from October 8 - 11, 2015. I attend mystery conventions like this one as both a writer and a reader. With my author hat, I have business meetings to attend, panels where I'm a presenter, and book signings where I get to meet amazing readers. But as a mystery fan, the coolest thing about conventions is getting to hang out with other writers and readers to chat about mysteries.

Back row: Gigi Pandian, Debra Goldstein, Martha Reed (departing), Julie Hennrikus, Beth Wasson (executive director), Frankie Bailey (departing), Lori Roy, G.M. GM Malliet, Laura DiSilverio, Susan Shea, Diane Vallere, Simon Wood (departing) – Front: Sarah Glass (web maven), Cari Baker Dubiel, Hank Phillippi Ryan (departing), Leslie Budewitz (incoming president), Catriona McPherson (last year’s president)

SinC President Catriona McPherson handing the “Seal” to incoming President Leslie Budewitz.

I’m one of the new members of the Sisters in Crime board of directors, so the morning before the convention kicked off, I attended my first SinC board meeting (more details about the board and our roles can be found here). Are you a member of Sisters in Crime? If not, why not? Here’s why you should join.

This year’s Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award winner, Vera Chan, was introduced at the Sisters in Crime breakfast. One of my roles on the SinC board is to facilitate this fantastic award, which is now a yearly $1,500 grant, so let me know if you have any questions about it!

It’s always a treat to hang out with Diane Vallere and Kendel Lynn. I met the two of them early in my writing journey. Kendel is now the editor of my Jaya Jones treasure hunt mystery series, but before that, the three of us collaborated on Other People’s Baggage, a collection of three interconnected mystery novellas. We’re still friends after writing a book together, so I know these pals are the real deal.

Big thanks to Karen Pullen for arranging the Guppy Lunch, and to Jim Jackson for making sure we all introduced ourselves to put faces to the names we know on the online group.

And thanks to Art Taylor and Gerald So for arranging a lunch meet-up for the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

Harriette Sackler (moderating), Art Taylor, Barb Goffman, Gigi Pandian, John Shepphird.

I spoke on a short story panel along with three of the authors up for Anthony awards for Best Short Story this year, so as you can imagine, we had a great discussion. We talked about the rising interest in short fiction, what draws us to this form, the craft of writing short stories, favorite stories that inspired us, and of course I brought up my love of locked-room “impossible crime” short stories.

Raleigh is a foodie town, so there were many cute restaurants to check out, including the Happy & Halecafe with organic salads and green juice right across the street from the hotel. (Zoe Faust and Dorian the gargoyle would be pleased.)

Three of this year's Anthony winners: Art Taylor, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Lori Rader-Day. The Anthony Awards were voted on by attendees and announced on the last evening of the convention.

Another award given out during the ceremony was the David S. Thompson Award, presented by the Bouchercon Board to recognize extraordinary efforts to develop and promote the mystery and crime fiction community. Bill and Toby Gottfried were given this year’s award. The Gottfrieds live not far from me, so I’m lucky I get to see them on a semi-regular basis at Janet Rudolph’s Literary Salons.

Huge thanks to the team who worked behind the scenes to make the convention a success.Last year was a blast, too, and I'm already looking forward to next year in New Orleans -- hope to see you there!