Crime on the Comstock

Crime on the Comstock News: January 2018



Howdy!

Welcome to all our new registrants since the last newsletter. Only about two more months until Left Coast Crime in Reno, Nevada!


Lefty Award Nominations

Our thanks to all who submitted their nomination forms. The Lefty awards will be voted on at the convention and presented at a banquet on Saturday, March 24, at the Nugget Casino Resort. We are delighted to announce the Lefty nominees.

Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery Novel. The nominees are:
  • Donna Andrews, Gone Gull (Minotaur Books)
  • Ellen Byron, A Cajun Christmas Killing (Crooked Lane Books)
  • Marla Cooper, Dying on the Vine (Minotaur Books)
  • Cynthia Kuhn, The Art of Vanishing (Henery Press)
  • Cindy Sample, Dying for a Diamond (Cindy Sample Books)
Lefty for Best Historical Mystery Novel (Bruce Alexander Memorial) for books covering events before 1960. The nominees are:
  • Rhys Bowen, In Farleigh Field (Lake Union Publishing)
  • Jennifer Kincheloe, The Woman in the Camphor Trunk (Seventh Street Books)
  • Renee Patrick, Dangerous To Know (Forge)
  • Priscilla Royal, The Proud Sinner (Poisoned Pen Press)
  • Jeri Westerson, Season of Blood (Severn House Publishers)
Lefty for Best Debut Mystery Novel. The nominees are:
  • Susan Alice Bickford, A Short Time To Die (Kensington)
  • Kellye Garrett, Hollywood Homicide (Midnight Ink)
  • Wendall Thomas, Lost Luggage (Poisoned Pen Press)
  • Nancy Tingley, A Head in Cambodia (Swallow Press)
  • Kathleen Valenti, Protocol (Henery Press)
Lefty for Best Mystery Novel (not in other categories). The nominees are:
  • Matt Coyle, Blood Truth (Oceanview Publishing)
  • William Kent Krueger, Sulfur Springs (Atria Books)
  • Louise Penny, Glass Houses (Minotaur Books)
  • Terry Shames, An Unsettling Crime for Samuel Craddock (Seventh Street Books)
  • James W. Ziskin, Cast the First Stone (Seventh Street Books)
Press Release

Questions about the Lefty Awards?
Email Awards Co-Chairs Lucinda Surber & Stan Ulrich

Hotel Convention Rate Deadline — February 20th

The cut-off date for our convention rate of $209 at the Nugget Casino Resort is February 20, 2018. Can’t find your hotel code? Email Registrar Stan Ulrich.

Crime on the Comstock Panel Programming

The Left Coast Crime Panel Team is busily organizing the panels. Our goal is to send the panel notifications out to panelists the last week in January, and to post the panel schedule sometime the week of February 5th.

This year we are featuring two exciting new additions to programming! Those who are interested must sign up to reserve a spot in advance.

One Shots
Fifteen minute presentations held throughout the day in a dedicated room, held by attendees with particular and interesting information or specializations they’d like to share! For example, Nadine Nettmann, author of the Sommelier Mysteries (and herself a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers) will give attendees a crash course on wine. If you’re interested in signing up, please email your name, presentation, and credentials to Chantelle Aimée Osman.

You Had Me At…
Authors! Time to meet new readers. Five minute slots will be offered throughout the day in a dedicated room for you to read the first page of your novel (novella, or short story, up to 800 words), just enough to provide a respite from the busy conference and get new readers interested and wanting more! If you’re interested in signing up to read, please send your name and the title of the work you’ll be reading from to Chantelle Aimée Osman.

Crime on the Comstock Events

At Left Coast Crime 2018 we are offering four opportunities outside the normal panel and book signings for authors and readers to interact.

Meet the New Authors Breakfast
All authors who have a first mystery, crime, thriller, or suspense novel published between March 20, 2017, and March 25, 2018, are eligible to present at the Meet the New Authors Breakfast, Friday, March 23rd, hosted by Mike Befeler.
New Authors: Email Mike Befeler at mikebef@aol.com.
Participants: All LCC registrants are welcome.

Author Speed-Dating
Author Speed-Dating will take place Thursday March 22, from 9:00–11:00 AM, before the panel programming begins, and is a fun way for authors to connect to a new set of readers. The time frame and setup allows 44 authors to circulate and 160 fans to sit and enjoy the 2-minute pitches. Les and Leslie Blatt will be our Speed-Dating Hosts.
Authors: Email Lucinda Surber if you would like to date 160 new fans! In order to give all authors a chance at something, for right now please choose either Author-Hosted Tables or Author Speed-Dating, but not both. (This rule may change later depending on how many volunteer for each event.)
Participants: First come, first seated!

Author-Hosted Tables
Partner with another author to host a table at the Lefty Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 24th. Convention attendees will sign up to sit with you at dinner. Table favors optional.
Authors: Partner up with another author to host a table and email Lucinda Surber with both of your names. In order to give all authors a chance at something, please choose either Author-Hosted Tables or Author Speed-Dating but not both. (This rule may change later depending on how many volunteer for each event.)
Participants: When you register, look for the Author-Hosted Table signup sheets near the registration desk.

Author-Reader Connections
One of the best things about Left Coast Crime is the chance to get to know your fellow readers and writers. But sometimes, during the excitement and flurry of activities, it’s not always easy to find time to meet your favorite writer. For Left Coast Crime 2015: Crimelandia, Co-Chair Bill Cameron launched Author-Reader Connections to provide an easy forum for readers and authors to enjoy some time together. An Author-Reader Connection might include a snack or a drink, a swim at one of the three hotel pools, or a walk together on or near the hotel grounds. These Author-Reader Connections are free, and in some cases may include some special benefits from the authors.
Authors: Author-Reader Connections is open to all authors even if already signed up for Author Speed Dating or Author-Hosted Tables. Email Lucinda Surber for more information.
Participants: We will announce some Author-Reader Connections in the next newsletter, along with directions for signing up.

Book Room Operations at Crime on the Comstock

All authors at LCC 2018 will have the opportunity to have books for sale in the Book Room. Dale Johnson of Cross Genre Books is our Book Room Chair. We are currently working with Sundance Books and Music to clarify the list of publishers they will be carrying. In the next newsletter we should have complete information about making sure your books are available in the Book Room.

“Traditionally Published” Authors
Sundance Books and Music, a Reno independent bookstore, will be in the Book Room selling traditionally published books, those returnable through major publishers or distributors like Ingram or Baker and Taylor. Once the list of publishers in confirmed, we will be asking you to submit up to three titles you would like Sundance to feature.

“Indie-Published” Authors (self and small press)
Cross Genre Books will be handling consignment sales for authors published through alternate avenues that are not returnable. Authors will need to bring or ship their own books to the convention. Details about consignment sales are available in the Consignment Form. If you have questions, please contact Cross Genre Books at crossgenrebooks@gmail.com.

Crime on the Comstock Sponsorship Opportunities

Left Coast Crime encourages publishers and organizations to sponsor a variety of events such as the Opening Ceremony, the Awards Banquet, the Saturday Breakfast, and the Hospitality Suite. Other options include sponsoring one of our Guests of Honor or supporting Left Coast Crime by sponsoring products such as the name badge holder. Please email Lucinda Surber if you are interested in learning more about our sponsorship opportunities.

Books for Book Bags
We are happy to accept crime fiction and non-fiction for distribution in the book bags. There is no charge, but you will need to ship the books to arrive in Reno between January 15th and March 12th. Any quantity is accepted. We prefer not to have more than 200 copies of a single title; multiple titles are recommended if you would like to place a book in every bag. In order to make book distribution work for both the participants (who will love receiving your books) and the booksellers (who will plan to bring different books to sell) we ask that you provide the title(s) and number of books you would like to donate. If interested, please email Lucinda Surber for shipping details.

Advertise in the Crime on the Comstock Program Book

Attention Authors! Please encourage your publisher to advertise in the Left Coast Crime Program Book. There are sizes and prices for every budget. Don’t be left out! The deadline for reserving ad space is February 3, 2018. http://www.leftcoastcrime.org/2018/Advertising.html


Good-bye to Honolulu Registrants

Now that the Lefty nomination period is finished, those of you who attended LCC 2017 in Honolulu and are not registered for LCC 2018 will be removed from this newsletter distribution list. Interested in receiving occasional news about future conventions? Sign up for the Left Coast Crime eNews List.

Not sure if you are registered for LCC 2018? Check our Crime on the Comstock List of Attendees. Visit the LCC 2018 Registration Page to register.

Left Coast Crime 2019:
Whale of a Crime

March 28–31, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Guests of Honour: C.J. Box & Maureen Jennings
Fan Guests of Honour: Don & Jen Longmuir
Toastmaster: Cathy Ace
Visit the Whale of a Crime website for all the details and to register.