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2012 Bouchercon, World Mystery Writers Convention, 4-7 October, Cleveland Ohio

Aloha everyone. I attended the 2012 Bouchercon in Cleveland (my home town) this month, and thought I'd pass on an interesting fact I discovered. The convention had 1500 attendees, is held in a different city each year, and they pic the "Anthony Awards" for mystery writers (i.e. best novel, best first novel, best nonfiction mystery, etc.) I got to meet and attend panels by some prominent authors like Clevelands, Les Roberts, Mary Higgins-Clark, and point in fact Elizabeth George, who writes British mysteries with her characters, Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Barbara Havers. Her books have been made into television series on BBC and Hallmark featuring her mysteries, and she was on of the quests of honor at the convention.

I especially wanted to meet Elizabeth George, who is originally from Warren Ohio; home of Chan author Earl Derr Biggers. Well, she signed my book and we spoke. I found it interesting she did not know that the author of the Charlie Chan novels was from her own home town. Another interesting fact I discovered...she's never read a Charlie Chan novel! I of course, highly recommended the novels and will send her a copy to read of The House without a Key. I was one of many people in line for her book signing, so I graciously did not hold her up and parted with the traditional, "Thank you so Much". Just sharing my adventure with everyone. Aloha Lou

Re: 2012 Bouchercon, World Mystery Writers Convention, 4-7 October, Cleveland Ohio

Hi Lou,

Thank you for sharing information about this special mystery event. It sounds like you had a great time at the 2012 Bouchercon in Cleveland.

Meeting all those great authors, like Elizabeth George. Like yourself, I am surprised to learn that Ms. George is unaware that Earl Derr Biggers is from her own home home. What a surprise. Had she even heard of him? Did she know who Charlie Chan was? Hopefully, Ms. George will read the Biggers' novel that you send her.

Mahalo for sharing information about this cool event.

Steve

Re: 2012 Bouchercon, World Mystery Writers Convention, 4-7 October, Cleveland Ohio

Dear Lou,

Thank you (so much) for sharing this story with us. Yours was certainly one of those special moments in life that does not offer itself very often! You may have opened an interesting door for Ms. George, and I hope that you may hear back from her regarding the book you are sending out to her. Maybe there is some "mysterious" element present in the drinking water of Warren, Ohio...?

Thank you, again, Lou, for sharing this with us!



Sincerely, and Aloha,
Rush

Re: 2012 Bouchercon, World Mystery Writers Convention, 4-7 October, Cleveland Ohio

"Oh the pain, Oh the pain" as Dr. Zakary Smith of Lost in Space would say! One last comment on the 2012 Bouchercon. Had I been a better student of Rush's website, I would have read in the STUDY, Miscellaneous article #24, titled "Collecting Mystery Fiction" -- an article from 1982, The Armchair Detective, by Otto Penzler! Mr. Penzler was at the Bouchercon, and sat on a panel, "BUCKET LIST-Books to read before you kick the bucket". Highly recommend you read if interested in collecting/buying any Chan mysteries. Had I read it, first, I'd known he was there and would have attended his panel. Second, I would have bought the VERY FINE, with DUST JACKET, FIRST EDITIONS of The House without a Key (Book 1), and Keeper of the Keys (Book 6). In the article (1982) he lists a price of $250 for Book 1 and $100 for book 6. That was in 1982--30yrs ago. I could have had them for the same exact price today, plus 50 percent off with another purchase! More importantly, I missed the opportunity to chat with a distinguished Chan-fan, Mr. Otto Penzler, proprietor of the world famous MysteryBookShop in NY and with six bookshelves of Charlie Chan editions a true Chan fan. The aphorism(quote) to Rush's study reads, "Knowledge only gained through curiosity." I'll definitely remember that next time!