Sleuthfest – Crimewriter’s Conference

This past weekend I went to Sleuthfest sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America. I have most of a novel completed and my friend Mike Dennis suggested that I attend to get the lay of the publishing land, get inspired and surround myself in atmosphere.

My novel is in the suspense genre so Sleuthfest is a natural destination. This conference covers everything from plotting to publishing . Here’s a sample of what went on in one of the 4 conference rooms over a 2-day period.

The highlight of the conference was listening to Dennis Lehane. Even those amongst us who don’t like anything crime can appreciate the fabulous stories of Dennis Lehane. He wrote “Gone Baby Gone” and “Mystic River.” He is as masterful a storyteller as he is a writer and his talk at lunch on Saturday was entertaining and sincere.

Although the word ‘literary’ is dangerous at these conferences, in my opinion Dennis Lehane’s stories transcend genres – making them the best of both worlds.

I am not familiar with the work of Meg Gardiner, but I must be in a minority. She was the other guest of honor at Sleuthfest.

Something that I found interesting was the phenomenon of self-published books and the skyrocketing sales they engender. Although they were discussed formally in a panel, they came up in one way or another in every panel I attended. Kindle sales were the gorilla in every living room. Everywhere people were trying to make sense of the amazing sales figures generated by unknown authors. But that’s a subject for a lengthier post. Sleuthfest is really about navigating the world of the traditional publisher, agent and writer.

Local Noir fiction writer Mike Dennis recently published “The Take” and if you like Noir Fiction, it’s a winner. I left a review for it on Amazon books. Great fast paced read from one of our own Key Westers! Click on Mike to go to his blog.

I also met Daniel Palmer who has a new book out. He was surprisingly humble and spoke at length about his own writing struggles.

I bought his book (along with about 9 others) and will be happy to read and report on it when I’m through reading it.

This is Detective Sgt. Joe Matthews, the cop who finally solved the Adam Walsh murder – the case that changed the way we live. Here he is talking to a fan. Click on image to go to his website to find out more about the case.

Here’s the man who helped him write the book – Les Standiford. When these two guys gave their talk on Saturday, the room was silent. You really could feel the love for the men who don’t give up the hunt. This is the same guy who wrote “Last Train to Paradise,” one of my favorite books. Click on image to go to his website.

Everyone at the conference was incredibly inclusive with a few exceptions – like the woman who told me that a book set in Canada would never make it.

“Americans don’t care about Canada and they’ll never buy a book set there.” she said.

I better let Louise Penny know right away. She won the Agatha Award three years in a row – something never before accomplished – for her Inspector Gamache series set in a small town in Quebec.

So these conferences are a mixed bag but all in all the atmosphere is thick with love of writing and plenty of support, advice and inspiration.

For such a gorgeous hotel . . .

. . . the food was beyond horrific – lunch was pretty well inedible both Friday and Saturday. This makes the cooking of my childhood – hamburger helper, Spanish rice, etc seem practically gourmet. The best part of the meal was the coffee.

Also, the chairs were so uncomfortable that even if you had a few extra pounds of cushioning, they still made you squirm. People were constantly moving around, standing to talk, leaning up against tables just for a few moments relief.