Left Coast Crime 2025: Part One

Wendall -- every other Thursday

My first Left Coast Crime took place in Reno in 2018, where I was lucky enough to have Lost Luggage nominated for Best Debut Mystery. I can’t tell you how welcoming and kind and generous everyone was to me and James. I made so many friends there that I treasure to this day.

 

My first LCC in Reno with fellow nominees Susan Bickford, Nancy Tingley, and Kathleen Valenti. Always thrilled to see Susan at every conference and Nancy Tingley gave me a car. The friends you make!

 

Ever since then, the conference has been my favorite for its intimate feel, its kindness to authors and readers, and especially for Lucinda Surber, Stan Ulrich and all of the amazing volunteers. My heart leaps up when I spot Dotty Morefield at the registration desk, or Les and Leslie Blatt ringing the Speed Dating Bell. As Toastmaster John Copenhaver said at the Awards Banquet, it’s all about joy. 

Lucinda and Stan, the heart and soul.

This year, there seemed to be a special sense of camaraderie—we were all united by our love for books and libraries and other people who love both.

 

Today I’ll talk about my specific experience, but I want to think a bit about the conference as a whole, and conferences in general, before I write about that.

 

On route, my first glimpse of the Rockies.

Denver airport, terminal C

 

I flew from LAX to Denver and was delighted at how easy it was to hop onto the light rail train into Union Station. They have spruced it up considerably since I was last there in 1994. 

 

From the train platform.

 

A glimpse inside.

It was a brief walk up to the Westin (like my protagonist, Cyd Redondo, I do carry-on luggage only) and my room was ready.

 

View of the mountains from my room.

 

Looking the other way. I love hotels.

 

That night, I was so privileged to attend the Guest of Honor dinner as Grace Koshida’s “plus one.” Grace is one of my favorite people and a huge supporter of my writing and of so many other authors. I was thrilled to see her recognized as the Fan Guest of Honor this year. She is beloved in the mystery community.   

 

Grace's award.

 

 

 

Me and Grace.

At the dinner, in addition to sharing quips and stories with Les and Leslie Blatt, I loved meeting and speaking with Guest of Honor Manual Ramos and his wife, Flo. Sadly, I was too engaged to stop and take photos that night.

 

The next morning involved speed dating.  For any of you who don’t know how it works, there are 20 tables of 6 to 8 readers. Author partners travel from table to table pitching their work. We each have two minutes, then one minute to move and toss all our “swag” onto the tables. It’s exhausting for all concerned, but also exhilarating. 

 

My pal Matt Coyle and I (known as the “Screwball and Screwed Up” duo) have partnered almost every time, except for the year I did a stint with my husband when he was pitching The Alaskan Blonde. 

Me and Matt over the years...

...

Pitching "action shot" care of Grace Koshida.

 

I was also lucky enough to moderate this year’s Best Novel panel. Reading the books and reading and listening to interviews with these authors, then finally getting to hear them talk about their work, was a joy from start to finish. If you’ve missed any of the nominated books they’re in the graphics below. Congratulations to all of them and especially to James L’Etoile for the win.

 

The authors and their books.

On the day. They were all brilliant.

 

The “Been There, Wrote That” panel was a different matter, where Gar Anthony Haywood quizzed me, Matt Coyle, Tracy Clark, and Glen Erik Hamilton on our novels. I, apparently, knew the least about mine, since I lost. . . Still totally fun.

 

Apparently, I did not write my own novels.

 

I was also lucky to get a chance to have lunch with Annamaria Alfieri, as we were the only two MIE bloggers in attendance. We talked about life, politics, writing, and red meat, among other things.

 

I’ll write more about the panels, the dinners and drinks, and encounters with Guest of Honor and mystery goddess Sara Paretsky next time. 

In the meantime, be careful out there.

~ Wendall