SLeuthfest 2008

gp101 · Dec 2, 2007

http://www.mwa-florida.org/sleuthfest.htm

Anyone planning on attending? I'm seriously thinking about it and was hoping to hear from people who have attended in the past. Any other mystery/thriller writing conventions worth attending? I like those that are part craft-learning and part networking. Conferences where you can learn from authors who you read, and listen to the agents (and meet them, of course) that rep the genre. Any suggestions?

Bergerac · Dec 2, 2007

I attended KillerNashville this year and it was fantastic. Michael Connelly was the keynote speaker and there were many name-recognizable authors in attendence. It was fun, informative, a great place to network and there WERE agents in attendance willing to hear pitches.

It wasn't exactly held in Nashville but in Franklin a few miles to the south which, in my opinion, was a great place to hold a conference.

The conference was very affordable, too, compared to some of the giant ones.

I would guess that each conference has its own "personality" and you probably can't go wrong in attending one -- especially with a genre-giant (virtually unequalled in my opinion) like Lee Child or Michael Connelly in attendence.

Admittedly, some might flop but I was thrilled by my experience.

gp101 · Dec 4, 2007

I read about Killer Nashville. Sounded like a good one. Is it being held in '08?

Bergerac · Dec 4, 2007

Yes, in August. I'm not sure of the exact dates but it should be around mid-month.

gp101 · Jan 19, 2008

Just signed up for Sleuthfest '08. Who else is in? I'd love to meet some of the peeps from these boards. Oh... and get an agent and sell a gazillion books.

gp101 · Feb 1, 2008

Damn... like three weeks away. I can't be the only one from these boards attending.... can I?? C'mon. Anyone else going?

JJ Cooper · Feb 1, 2008

Can you record the good bits for me and send it over, mate?

JJ

narnia · Feb 1, 2008

I'd love to go but I am already attending ThrillerFest and Bouchercon ...

TF '07 was my first ever conf in this arena and it was an awesome learning experience.

I hope you have a great time!

gp101 · Feb 2, 2008

JJ Cooper said:
Can you record the good bits for me and send it over, mate?

JJ

That sounds a bit... I dunno... illegal?? But I will be happy to report back here with the highlights. Anything groundbreaking or something that I think will help us all, I will be sure to share.

gp101 · Feb 2, 2008

narnia said:
I'd love to go but I am already attending ThrillerFest and Bouchercon ...

TF '07 was my first ever conf in this arena and it was an awesome learning experience.

I hope you have a great time!

Depending on how SF goes, I might tackle Thrillerfest as well. If so, I'll keep in touch.

Maryn · Feb 2, 2008

Someone in my critique group has attended Sleuthfest in the past, and told us about it, but she attends other conventions as well and I suspect I'd be mixing them up and passing on an amalgam. She's not attending this year after having the agents who expressed interest in her book all turn it down. One more rewrite.

The only writing convention I've attended ran only two years due to poor management. The "name" authors in attendance said publicly they would not attend another and would tell writers they knew to skip this one. I guess they did.

Maryn, who got to meet some big name people

narnia · Feb 2, 2008

gp101 said:
Depending on how SF goes, I might tackle Thrillerfest as well. If so, I'll keep in touch.

Sounds great! I am attending the whole conf, hope you can make it, it was awesome last year.

:Sun:

She Raven · Feb 24, 2008

Love is Murder is usually first weekend in Chicago. Great. . . layed back. This year we had Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Carolyn Haines, Barry Eisler, Joe Konrath, and William Krueger, and Robert W. Walker, to name a few. We had pitches being accepted by Bleak House Books, Maria Carvanis Agency, Browne & Miller, Echelon Press, New Leaf, Red Sage, and Teckno/Five Star. Check out the website for this years pics. Great food, master classess, very friendly atmosphere. www.loveismurder.net

gp101 · Mar 4, 2008

Just got back yesterday. Great stuff, worth every penny. Highly recomend that if you're working on a mystery/thriller, to polish it over the next few months and attend next year's SleuthFest.

Did anyone else go this year?

rtilryarms · Mar 5, 2008

It's too bad I had a business conflict. I live in the area.

I should have thought aboput an AW get-together though. Dang I am slow.

Next time.

ToddWBush · Mar 12, 2008

I just found this thread and had no idea that Sleuthfest was literally three towns south of me. I am SOOOOO upset.

I was done with my second draft at the point and could have talked to the agents that attended, heard Lee Child... DAMN....

Ok, time to go light myself on fire.

gp101 · Mar 15, 2008

ToddWBush said:
I just found this thread and had no idea that Sleuthfest was literally three towns south of me. I am SOOOOO upset.

I was done with my second draft at the point and could have talked to the agents that attended, heard Lee Child... DAMN....

Ok, time to go light myself on fire.

Lee Child was amazing. From Day 2 on, he was hanging by the pool or around the conference somewhere, always dressed very debonairre, and was very approachable. I talked him up a couple times. Many others did too. And his two major panels were very insightful

But don't light yourself on fire. You'll miss next year's Sleuthfest. They say they want to hold it at the same venue. By then you should have your manuscript in tip-top form.

SLeuthfest 2008

gp101

Bergerac

Reading & Writing

gp101

Bergerac

Reading & Writing

gp101

gp101

JJ Cooper

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narnia

gp101

gp101

Maryn

I Tried

narnia

She Raven

gp101

rtilryarms

Crossbows and Handgonnes

ToddWBush

gp101