Here are some random thoughts about this year’s Bouchercon in Calgary, Canada.

1. I’ve always wanted to go to Calgary because that was my father’s first stop when he emigrated from England in the 1920s. He later came to the United States (legally) and became a naturalized citizen.
2. Quite a few of my friends are skipping this year’s convention for one reason or another so this will give me plenty of time to mingle with those friends that are attending and to meet new ones. If you see me at the convention, please come up and say “hi.”
3. I’ll be presenting the Barry Awards on Thursday, the 22nd during the Bouchercon Opening Ceremonies.
4. On Friday, the 23rd at 3:00 pm, I’ll be moderating a panel called Rave Reviews. The panelists and I will talk about our favorite recent books. We’d love to have you attend if you are in Calgary. See below for the handout that gives more information about the panel and our choices.
5. There are two authors that are attending that I’ve never met. One is Tanya Scott from Australia whose first novel STILLWATER was one of my favorites from last year. The sequel to that novel has just been announced and I look forward to reading it. The other is Stella Sands who writes the Wordhunter series which I much admire. Both STILLWATER and WORDHUNTER were nominated for Barry Awards.
6. This Bouchercon is honoring the memory of Steele Curry, a great friend and an avid fan of good mystery and thriller fiction. He passed away in November of 2024 and was a resident of Calgary. A panel on Thursday morning will explore the 8,000 volume collection that he donated to the University of Calgary.