Vicki Doudera here, and I’m back from Long Beach, California and my first Bouchercon. For those of you who are wondering what the heck I’m talking about, Bouchercon is the World Mystery Convention, held annually in the fall for writers and fans. The first one took place in 1970 in Santa Monica, California, and recent ones have been held in Cincinnati, Albany, Anchorage, and St. Louis.

Bouchercon is named for Anthony Boucher, a writer, editor, and critic of science fiction and mystery.According to the convention’s website, Boucher “championed many crime-writing greats long before the mainstream literary establishment recognized their talents, and remained an indefatigable fan and insightful reviewer of every category of crime fiction. He helped found Mystery Writers of America in 1946 and served as its president in 1951”

Bouchercon has grown over the years to be a giant gathering, and, speaking as a first-timer, it’s somewhat overwhelming. But  I had a wonderful time, met up with old writing buddies, connected with some readers and made many new friends.  What more could a crime writer ask for?