What happens when you gather 650 crime writers, readers, editors, publishers, bloggers, and their friends under one roof for three days? A whole lot.
In the scores of formal sessions, authors answered questions about their protagonists, plot problems, where to set crime stories, how to fit humor (and sex) into tales of murder, what other authors they read, and just about anything else you can think of. At the bar and in the hospitality suite, people talked about the contracts they were (and weren’t) getting, what publishers want (guaranteed best sellers, please), and how their e-book ventures are doing.
In fact, the real take away for me this year has to do with the continually changing fate of the so-called midlist author, the talented, dependable author who hasn’t (yet) broken out of the pack but who’s good enough to see print and get encouraging reviews. The bigger imprints used to give midlist authors time to build followings, but in this tight economic climate, they’re impatient for profits. For awhile, it looked as though the midlist writers would disappear into self-publishing or e-book-only careers. But there may be something good beginning to happen. Small, indie presses seem to be stepping up, buying some books and bringing them to market. If I sound tentative, it’s because I don’t have data to back up my impression, only anecdotes exchanged over wine in a hotel bar in Sacramento so far. But if it’s correct, it would please a lot of authors, agents, and readers.
Authors I saw, met, talked with at Left Coast Crime? Too many to mention them all, but here are a few to illustrate the depth and breadth of this annual con: Cindy Sample (who co-chaired the whole thing), Rhys Bowen, Ann Parker (who won an award for historical mysteries), Rebecca Cantrell, Kelli Stanley (who also won an award), John Lescroat (who was honored) and Jackie Winspear (also honored), Doug Lyle, and Jess Lourey. The next time you’re looking for a good book to read, you won’t go wrong with something by any one of them, by the way!
