THE GOOD: It was fun seeing Beth Fedyn, Maggie Mason, Ted Hertel, Ted Fitzgerald, Thom Walls, and Steve Stilwell–all veterans of DAPA-EM.
My favorite panels were “Get Lost In the Plot: Short Stories,” “True North: A Vince Flynn Tribute,” “Small and Indie Press,” “Everybody Knows Your Name: Legacy Writing,” “Under the Sun or Below Zero,” and “The Modern Gumshoe.”
The most moving moment of BOUCHERCON 53 for me was hearing Alexander McCall Smith wax eloquent on what the death of the Queen meant to him.
THE BAD: Getting to BOUCHERCON 53 was hellish. When I first booked my flights on Delta Airlines to Minneapolis, they were direct flights from Buffalo to Minneapolis and returning from Minneapolis to Buffalo. Two weeks later, Delta sent an email saying my flights were no longer “direct.” Now, I was flying from Buffalo to Detroit, then Detroit to Minneapolis. The return flight would be from Minneapolis to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Buffalo.
No way was I going to fly to Altanta–a 1000 miles out of my way–to get to Buffalo. I managed to get that changed to Minneapolis to LaGuardia Airport in New York City–and then flying backwards to Buffalo.
When I landed in Detroit, I was at Gate 70. Then I found out my flight to Minneapolis was at Gate 23–a mile away. Even with the moving sidewalks, it took time and effort to travel that distance. When I landed in Minneapolis, I took a cab to the Hilton, checked in, and then had to begin my usual search for a store that sold distilled water for my CPAP. Fortunately, there was a Target store about three blocks away.
THE UGLY: The Hilton “Business Center” on the Second Floor consisted of one antique computer…with the sign OUT OF ORDER taped to the screen. So I had no access to the Internet and my blog while I was at BOUCHERCON 53 (I’m sure you all figured that out). I should have brought my iPad…Had I But Known!
The Dealers’ Room was a joke. I can remember the days (decades ago) when dozens of dealers showed up with great books and buyers crowded the aisles. This Dealers’ Room had four book sellers swallowed up in a large room. One dealer specialized in vintage paperbacks, the others mostly featured current hardcovers for the few BOUCHERCON attendees who wandered in. Very sad.
The flight from Minneapolis to LaGuardia Airport experienced “turbulence” which freaked some passengers out. Plus, the flight crew decided NOT to distribute the usual drinks or snacks even when the turbulence calmed down. The Friendly Skies aren’t that friendly anymore.
All in all, BOUCHERCON 53 was enjoyable and informative. Plenty of good, free books! GRADE: B+
I’m glad you were able to salvage some fun from what sounds like a rough trip. I can’t believe how awful air travel has become and have no desire to ever fly again. The Detroit airport is such a design disaster that plans were afoot to build a replacement even before it was finished. Nothing came of that but they did then go and name the place after the idiot responsible for the whole fiasco which was both galling and somehow appropriate. It was a huge controversy around here for years and everyone still complains about it.
At least you picked up a nice copy of Arthur Conan Doyle’s horror stories. That will make for some great Halloween reading.
Byron, when Delta bought Northwest and added dozens of additional gates to their terminals, it created the nightmare of forcing travelers to go to connecting gates a mile away. Yes, great minds think alike: I’m planning on featuring that Arthur Conan Doyle book of horror stories as an FFB in October!
There is a train up an escalator that takes you most of that distance. I am sorry if no one pointed that out to you.
Patti, I saw the train overhead but had no idea how to get up there. The mile journey from Gate 70 to Gate 23 took me a while to walk, but fortunately my lay-over before the flight to Minneapolis was a couple hours.
Yes, always confer with local friends when faced with airport idiocy. Glad about all the good, sorry about the bad (including dealers, perhaps unwilling to pay or go through their own hoops). Some of the books with small or arty calligraphy in your photo aren’t too clear…I’ll have to go look what that Boucher volume might be…
Todd, the book you’re referring to is Marvel Lachman’s classic THE HEIRS TO ANTHONY BOUCHER: A HISTORY OF MYSTERY FANDOM. Yours truly shows up on pages 55, 57, 58, 119, and 240-241.
Marv was generous to me in that book but for some reason called MDM Mystery and DETECTION Monthly. Rodney Dangerfield has nothing on me.
Bob, Marv writes about my suggestion that MDM stood for Medical Diagnosis Monthly because so many letters centered around medical conditions (p. 119).
Jackie: “So why did you sign up for San Diego?”
Sounds less than great. The travel is a nightmare. We got rerouted once from West Palm Beach to Tampa on a very small plane, then to Detroit and back to JFK. In Detroit we had to go from the A concourse to the F (or whatever the designation is, it was far), but luckily one of those guys with the carts gave us a ride.
Frankly, Bouchercon no longer seems worth the money they charge for the few panels we really like, the free books, and seeing the few friends who are left. The odds of our going to another one (our first was in New York in 1977), the last in Dallas in 2019) are small. One possible exception is if it is in reasaonable driving distance. I drove to Raleigh and Toronto, but doubt I’d drive that far again. Maybe Philadelphia or D.C.
Jeff, tell Jackie that the answer is Diane. Diane has never been to San Diego and she would like to visit it. And there’s an outside chance that Patrick and Katie might join us in San Diego. Plus, I owe Maggie Mason a dinner. Because of the Business Center fiasco in Minneapolis, I had no way of communicating with anyone. I was supposed to take Maggie to lunch or dinner, but that never happened.
Jackie again: “This is a perfect example of why he needs a f##king phone!”
Jeff, I will resist having a cell phone as long as I can. And, I made it to Minneapolis and back without a cell phone. Usually, I’m traveling with Diane who does have an iPhone so I’m covered. This time, Diane and her sister Carol from Ohio went to a Family Reunion while I frolicked in Minneapolis!
Stick to your guns on cellphones, George. I’ll admit they’re great as hand-held computers, and I do have one. But as for their use as an actual phone I’d rather use tin cans connected with string.
Michael, you and I are on the same page. I find cell phone sound terrible. And I don’t like the idea I’m being tracked with my every move, purchase, and search documented. Duck, Duck, Go is NOT the answer.
G I also resisted using a cell phone, and said I would NEVER text. I am now dependent on the cell, especially when travelling, but thats me. You have the right to make your own decisions. Don’t be bullied if its not right for you
Maggie, I’ve gotten through 73 years without a cell phone, I think I can make it a few more without one. Plus, when we travel, Diane has her iPhone. It was great seeing you at BOUCHERCON! Start planning our dinner in San Diego!
George, I feel sorry for your bad experiences at and on the way to the con.
I’ve written about it before: I missed the chance to get to a US con. It was just too expensive from Germany in the “Good old days when the $ was worth more than 3 Deutsche Mark.
But I haave fond memories of the Worldcon/Eastercon 1984 where I even met Donald Wollheim’s family – and of course many SF authors and a lot were willing to sign my book list.
Wolf, everyone was friendly to me at BOUCHERCON. The writers I interacted with were sociable and talkative. The fans, although with a few weird exceptions, showed enthusiasm and energy. I’m looking forward to the BOUCHERCON in San Diego next year!
I enjoyed the Minneapolis Bouchercon as well, George, except for my last half hour there on Sunday morning.
Following unanswered calls and phone tree Hell for the bellman and valet, when I finally got someone at the front desk, I was told that was because it was SOOOO busy. When I got down to the surprisingly empty lobby and outdoor drive-up, I went ballistic and suggested to the guy actually at the front desk – not the one I talked with – that they should spend some of the money they were saving on housekeeping to hire someone to answer the phones, help patrons with luggage, and valet cars when conventions are ending.
Other than that, I had a great time.
Beth, when I checked out around 9:00 A.M. on Sunday, it was very busy at the Front Desk. But, I got the sense during my stay at the Hilton that they were short staffed. My room only got cleaned once. The most enjoyable part of BOUCHERCON in Minneapolis was dinner with you!