This coming week shall be bittersweet for those of us who treasure the memories and deep friendships formed at the Bristol UK based CrimeFest writers conference. Founded in 2008, this year sadly marks its final conference. Though its central venue shifted from one hotel to another, and our Murder is Everywhere family evolved a bit, the CrimeFest vibe shall forever beat soundly in our hearts.
Michael wrote about its history on Thursday, and Ovidia has described her feelings eloquently. I share their thoughts, but decided I can best reveal my sense of loss by reposting the blog I first wrote in June 2013 after attending my first CrimeFest, as my last to honor all those memories. Here it is:
I am so tired. What a long day. I’m struggling to stay awake as I type this. It’s tougher than being up until the wee hours of the morning on Mykonos. We are in Bristol U.K.—that being the royal “we” as in the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel, venue for CrimeFest 2013. Stanley, Annamaria, moi, Caro, Yrsa, and Michael are all here. But you probably already knew that if you read Stan’s post on Thursday.
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| Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel |
Yesterday (Friday) was particularly tiring with eight panel appearances among us, and Yrsa kicks off today’s (Saturday’s) program with a panel at 10AM.
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| Just a wee bit of available breakfast buffet. |
A lot of interesting folks here and the conversation has been non-stop, substantive, and sobering. Although using the word “sober” in the context of any reference to a writer’s conference is highly suspect. (I’m sure Yrsa will have more on that subject on Monday.)
We should have declared this a “hiatus” week and posted gems from our past blogs as we do when so many of us attend the Bouchercon convention. But none of us thought that far ahead, except for Caro who gets a gold star on her permanent record card for diligence. But as I’m about to fall face down on the keyboard (stone cold sober, but exhausted), I’ll sign off now with a few photos of the good times we’re having.
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| Yrsa |
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| Caro |
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| A fan with Bill Gottfried |
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| A fan's fan with Toby Gottfried |
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| It takes a village...uhh, meritage |
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
––Jeff
Jeff's Events
Thursday, May 15 – Sunday, May 18
CrimeFest
Bristol, UK
Thursday, May 15, 2:40 p.m.
CrimeFest Panel
Panelist, Murder is Everywhere: Evil Crimes in Foreign Climes, with Heidi Amsinck, Michael Ridpath, Ovidia Yu, and Stanley Trollip (moderator)
Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel
Bristol, UK
Saturday, May 17, 1:40 p.m.
CrimeFest Panel
Moderator, Not All 999: Police Procedurals Across Time and Place, with panelists Tara Collins, Mark Ellis, Solveig Palsdottir and Stanley Trollip of Michael Stanley
Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel
Bristol, UK
Wednesday, September 3 – Sunday, September 7
Bouchercon
Author Panels yet to be assigned
New Orleans, LA
Posts
From AA: I only got to come that once. Seeing all those smiling faces dulls some of the pain of the losses the photos bring to mind. Of the conference itself, but mostly of the people we’ve lost. Of Bill. And of Leyton, who called you while we were all together. A phone call that was about a great gift he was giving me, that broke my heart. I’ll never stop missing him.
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