Annnnd, I'm back...

Bouchercon Albany edition was  a great experience - got to catch up with many people I hadn't seen in years since I missed that last two B'cons (I think). I forget some, but here's a short list: Simon Wood, Jon Jordan, Russel McLean, Gerald So, and Bryon Quertermous. Great conversations with Con Lehane and Sean Chercover as well. Who am I forgetting? I guess if I knew, I wouldn't be forgetting them.

There were great panels (including the one I was on, many thanks to Sam Reaves, moderator). BTW, best moderators? James Lincoln Warren and Catriona McPherson need mentioning. Went to more panels than I've ever attended before. A few awkward moments when authors focused too much on repeating their titles. , but that's par for the course, no? Excellent moment when moderator Russel McLean opened a panel to audience questions by reminding the audience that a question "is a sentence with an interogative at the end". This, to forstall speechifying. The audience clapped.

Was The Egg a great place to hold a conference in? No. It's just about the most awkward building I've ever been in. I swear I left rooms and heard gears churning, moving those rooms and reconfiguring the floorplan. Never knew if I was supposed to head left or right or keep going straight ahead. Felt like leaving breadcrumbs. Of course, there was also no place to actually get bread inside the Egg. Or anywhere near it from what I could tell. Perhaps someone will tell of how they found the secret passage leading to a magic elevator that brought you to a mystical food court...

On the other hand, Albany has a nice museum with a great collection of Hudson River School paintings. They also had a "Mystery of the Albany Mummies" exhibit. Couldn't figure out what the mystery was though I suspect the spirits of those two mummies are confused as Hell to be caught wandering in Upstate New York.

Glad to be back home.