Winter 2010 crime fiction conventions warm the hearts of mystery fans

The Mystery Series Examiner and Nora Roberts Examiner have decided to collaborate this month to offer relief to their readers who live in the frozen North.  They are suggesting upcoming conventions that can provide an escape to warmer climes and better times. Mystery series fans can check out future escape possibilities from a series of conferences and conventions already planned for them in 2010.

Bruce Cook and Craig Johnson at Left Coast Crime in 2008.
(Creative Commons Attribution licensed photo by Mark Coggins)

The always informative blog, In Reference to Murder, includes a full, up-to-date listing of these events and is an excellent choice for year-round information. Singled out below are just some of the events scheduled to be held during the colder months.

If a Florida getaway sounds appealing, Sleuthfest, sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, might be the answer to winter woes. Scheduled for February 26-28, 2010, the Guests of Honor at this Boca Raton event are David Morrell and Stephen J. Cannell.

A visit to Los Angeles from March 11-14, 2010 offers the opportunity to attend "Booked in L.A," the  Left Coast Crime convention. Jan Burke and Lee Child are Guests of Honor. Janet Rudolph is the Fan Guest of Honor, and. Bill Fitzhugh is Toastmaster.

Sunny skies for the 2009 Tucson
Festival of Books (Creative
Commons Attribution licenced
photo by kretyen )

A trip to Tucson, Arizona from March 13-14, 2010 for the Tucson Festival of Books should be warm enough for everyone. Among the authors present at this second annual event will be Sandi Ault, Cara Black, C.J. Box, Robert Crais, Gillian Flynn, Timothy Hallinan, J.A. Jance, Peter and Elmore Leonard, Louise Ure and Betty Webb

Arlington, Virginia, in the sunny South, is the location for Malice Domestic This convention for fans of the traditional mystery will be held April 30 - May 2, 2010. Parnell Hall will be the Guest of Honor and Rhys Bowen, the Toastmaster. Mary Higgins Clark will receive the organization's Lifetime Achievement award.

These escapes should provide mystery readers with comfort through the cold winter months. They should also keep in mind several other important events occurring later in the year. CrimeFest will bell held in Bristol, England from May 20-23, 2010.Thrillerfest takes place in New York City from July 7-10, 2010. Bouchercon meets in San Francisco, California from October 14-17, 2010 and Noir Con occurs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from November 4-7, 2010,