The Heirs of Anthony Boucher Marvin Lachman

Left Coast Crime (1 1–)
Many attendees took the opportunity of their first Alaska trips to spend a few extra
days seeing scenery and wildlife; some reported seeing moose on the streets of
downtown Anchorage. To encourage Alaska’s native population to read, the local
branch of Sisters in Crime organized a project called “Authors to the Bush,” in which
writers volunteered to go in small planes to remote settlements to promote reading.
Linda Billington chaired this convention in which Michael Connelly was US Guest
of Honor, Lindsey Davis was British Guest of Honor, and Andi Shechter was Fan
Guest of Honor.
Recognizing Portland, Oregon’s damp climate, Left Coast Crime 2002 at the
Columbia River Doubletree Hotel was called “Slugs and Roses.” Bryan Barrett and
Thom Walls were co-chairmen. Laurie R. King and Steven Saylor, known primarily
for their historical mysteries, were Guests of Honor. Don Herron was Fan Guest of
Honor, and G. M. Ford of Seattle the Toastmaster. Mary Mason saw fewer collectors
in the book room, though many who attended took the time to visit the world-famous
Powell’s bookstore. Few hospitality suites received as high ratings as the one at
the Doubletree.
Left Coast Crime returned to the Pasadena Hilton in 2003. One 1991 problem that
had not been solved was annoying spillover of sound when the main ballroom was
split into two meeting rooms without soundproof dividers. Otherwise, this LCC was
a success, enjoyed by its largest crowd to date, about 600 people.
Robert Crais was Guest of Honor; Sue Feder was Fan Guest of Honor; Jerrilyn
Farmer was Toastmaster. The famous radio play “Sorry, Wrong Number” was recreated
at the Pasadena Library, with attendees bused there and back. Los Angeles writer-fan
Paul Bishop had an interesting conference. After a panel “Cops vs. Coppers,”
regarding the US police and their British counterparts, he went to compete in the
Los Angeles Marathon, finishing the twenty-six-plus miles in three hours forty-three
minutes. He also received “hate mail” from the wife of a judge who was in attendance
at his panel. She thought he was being disrespectful to the law, despite his twenty-six
years service as an LAPD officer.
The Doubletree Hotel in Monterey, scene of 1997 Bouchercon, was the locale for
the equally successful 2004 Left Coast Crime, with about 850 attending. Bill and
Toby Gottfried were co-chairs. Sharan Newman and Walter Mosley were the Guests
of Honor. Newman did a slide show on the art, history, and costuming of 12th century
France, the setting for her historical mysteries. Bryan Barrett and Thom Walls
were Fan Guests of Honor. Gillian Roberts was Toastmaster, and Richard Lupoff
received a Lifetime Achievement Award. A new award was instituted, the Bruce Alexander
History Mystery Award, in honor of the writer who had died three months
before LCC. The committee also instituted a one-time award, the Otter, for the best
mystery set in the Monterey area. The auction benefitted the Friends of Sea Otters,
and the opening reception was at the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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