Tucson Festival of Books, Here I Come

Jeff—Saturday

Next weekend, March 2-3, is the Tucson Festival of Books, a celebration I’ve long wanted to attend, but one conflict or another has always kept me away.  This year is different and I can’t wait to be there.  Authors and readers rave about it. It’s very different from Bouchercon or other crime genre conferences, because it draws from all aspects of the literary arts.

Frankly, I have a soft spot in my heart for the book festival format, for it was at Miami Book Fair International that I met our founder, Leighton Gage, who dragooned me aboard this mighty mystery ship MIE.

As of this moment only one thing stands between me and Tucson: the Mexican border.  No, I’m not suggesting Tucson is in Mexico. I’m saying I’m in Mexico. Cabo San Lucas to be precise.  Here’s a picture of it from a magazine.  That’s about all of it that I saw—the picture—but that’s another story for another time. 

Now, back to Tucson.

I’m looking forward to my panels, but one in particular has me clicking the heels of my boots together. (Yes, boots.  It is, after all, Arizona.)  On Saturday morning at ten, Martin Walker, Michael McGarrity and I face interrogation by Aimée Leduc’s creator, Cara Black. Hopefully, it won’t be in French.  

This is how TFOB describes itself and it’s mission:

“The Tucson Festival of Books is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to advancing literacy and education in Southern Arizona. We are largely dependent upon sponsorships and contributions to support this event; all programs are offered free-of-charge to the public during festival weekend. The Tucson Festival of Books will be held on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 2019 on the beautiful University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. The festival enters its eleventh year as the third largest literary event in the country attracting more than 140,000 participants during the weekend. All proceeds from the festival are donated to local nonprofit organizations that support improved literacy in Southern Arizona. More than $1,800,000 has been donated since the festival began in 2009.”

And here’s the link to its website providing details for having a terrific weekend among book folk. I can’t wait, and hope to see many of you there!

—Jeff

My Upcoming Events

March 2, 4:00 PM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – Student Union, Tucson Room

Panelist “Masters of the Police Procedural,” with Tim Johnston and Peter Leonard, moderated by Anne Segal.

March 3, 10:00 AM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – Integrated Learning Center, Room 120

Panelist “CSI Publishers Row,” with Michael McGarrity and Martin Walker, moderated by Cara Black.

March 3, 1:00 PM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS – Koffler, Room 218

Moderating “A Legal Thriller Conversation” with Phillip Margolin and Harriet Tyce

March 3, 2:15 PM

Tucson, AZ

TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS

Author Signing at CLUES UNLIMITED exhibition venue

March 29, 4:00 PM

Vancouver BC, Canada

LEFT COAST CRIME –Hyatt Regency Vancouver

Moderating “International Settings” with Alice K. Boatwright, G.M. Malliet, Sujata Massey, and S.J. Rozan

THE MYKONOS MOB book tour begins:

April 2, 7:00 PM

Seattle, WA

THIRD PLACE BOOKS (Lake Forest Park)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 6, 3:00 PM

San Francisco, CA

BOOK PASSAGE (Ferry Building-Embarcadero)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 7, 3:00 PM

Orange, CA

BOOK CARNIVAL              

Author Speaking and Signing

April 10, 7 PM

Pasadena, CA

VROMAN’S (East Colorado)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 12, 7 PM

Dallas, TX

Interabang (Preston Oaks)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 16, 7:00 PM

Scottsdale, AZ

POISONED PEN BOOKSTORE

Author Speaking and Signing

April 24, 6:30 PM

Houston, TX

MURDER BY THE BOOK

Author Speaking and Signing

April 26, 7:00 PM

Denver, CO

TATTERED COVER (East Colfax)

Author Speaking and Signing

April 29, 7:00 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

MYSTERY LOVERS BOOKSHOP

Author Speaking and Signing

May 1, 6:30 PM

New York, NY

MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP

Author Speaking and Signing

May 2, 7:00 PM

Naperville, IL

ANDERSON’S BOOKSHOP

Author Speaking and Signing

May 3, 7:00 PM

Chicago, IL (Forest Park)

CENTURIES & SLEUTHS  BOOKSTORE

Author Speaking and Signing

May 4, 2 PM

Milwaukee, WI

BOSWELL BOOK COMPANY

Author Speaking and Signing

May 9, 5:00 PM

BRISTOL, UK

CRIMEFEST—Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel

Panelist on “Nobody Would Believe it if You Wrote it: Fake News, Post-Truth and Changing Words,” with Fiona Erskine, William Shaw, Gilly Macmillan, moderated by Paul E. Hardisty

May 10, 5:10 PM

BRISTOL, UK

CRIMEFEST—Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel

Panelist on “Sunshine Noir,” with Paul Hardisty,  Barbara Nadel, Robert Wilson, moderated by Michael Stanley

October 31-November 3

DALLAS, TX

BOUCHERCON 2019---Hyatt Regency Dallas

Panel Schedule Yet to be Announced