Attending mystery conventions such as Bouchercon are good for many things:

Reconnecting with author friends
Reconnecting with fans
Learning about what’s going on in the business
Getting re-motivated
and, of course, just getting out of the office.

Another thing I love about them is that I meet new people. Here are a few authors I met this week that you might want to check out (I’m listing them in alphabetical order):

Larry Beinhart: author with me on the Papa Don’t Preach panel (about religion in crime fiction) who knows more about why humans need religion than I know about anything.
Kate Charles: also on the religion panel. I’ve read her wonderful books before, but hadn’t actually met her. She thinks the church is a perfect background for murder mysteries.
Dan Fesperman: Was kind enough to give me a ride back to Baltimore from DC after a party. Has many interesting stories about his days as a reporter.
Nadia Gordon: A new face on the Sisters in Crime board. Also writes under the name Julianne Balmain.
Chris Kuzneski: also on the religion panel, and told us so convincingly that terrorists blew up his car that the entire room gasped. It, of course, wasn’t true.
Mary Jane Maffini: Was with me on the Otherside panel, about keeping amateur sleuths real. Very funny, and very smart.
Priscilla Royal: on the religion panel. Knows all sorts of interesting tidbits about 13th century Christians, including interesting sexual practices. (ask her)
Daniel Stashower: award-winning author of novels and mystery-related non-fiction who made me laugh out loud when we talked.

Of course I saw many old friends, too, but can’t start naming them, or I’ll leave someone out. It seems there is no end to good writers these days.

So if you’ve read all of the L’il bloggers books, and need someone new, try out some of the folks above. You’re sure to enjoy the read…