Slid into the enormous ballroom filled with people for the 100 Must Read Thriller panel with Moderator David Morrell, Laura Benedict, Lee Child, Gayle Linds, and sitting in for Barry Eisler, Chris Kusneski. They each discussed essays on thriller fiction. Morrell said that Wilke Collin's Woman in White was called in its day a "novel of sensation", but the panelists also talked about Kidnapped and Treasure Island as thrillers and I certainly characterize them that way. I tend to think of them as adventure tales. I think about my novels as a bit of that as well. Mystery, adventure, noir, history. But I guess it is all about perception.
Lee Child told us that as a student in England, he found that the story of Theseus and the Minotaur could be likened to Ian Fleming's Dr. No. In fact, he said they were the same story, and when he explained it, it seemed to be so. Which could have opened up an interesting discussion on mythological structures and the hero's journey in all books, but it didn't lean that way.
After that panel, I met with my editor and we touched base and chatted. I had time to look in on another panel before I did a stint at the Mystery News table. We are all saddened by the tidings that Mystery News is closing its doors. But I appreciated the opportunity to to be a part of their last Bouchercon experience.
And then, I had a stint with fellow Minotaur authors Louise Penny and Elizabeth Zelvin (both of whom I interviewed on this blog, here and here) in front of the dealer's room with our very own bar with free drink tickets to pass out. (that's us, from left: me, Louise Penny, and Elizabeth Zelvin). Liz brought her guitar and snagged the harmonica assistance of author J. Saunders Elmore and put on a show. I set up standees of our covers and wandered about handing out bribery...er...drink tickets to encourage folks to take a look at our books. Hey, it paid off in a few sales, and you always make friends when you offer them free booze.
People were wending their way to the Anthonys but I decided to skip it. A midwestern steak was calling my name, and as I am a confirmed carnavore, I heeded the call.
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