By R.A. King
North Carolina mystery, thriller, and crime writers rejoice: Bouchercon 2015 will be held in Raleigh!
This annual convention, which has moved from state to state since 1970, is named in honor of Anthony Boucher, a writer, editor and reviewer of mystery fiction. It’s one of the biggest mystery genre conventions in the world.
At each Bouchercon, writers, publishers, authors, fans, and booksellers are invited to mingle and unite in their passion for mystery writing. The program includes but is not limited to panel discussions, presentations, and lectures by experts and enthusiasts of the mystery genre.
This year, North Carolina’s own Margaret Maron will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Maron is the author of the Deborah Knott series, among other notable books. American Guests of Honor include Kathy Reichs and Tom Franklin; International Guests of Honor include Zoë Sharp and Allan Guthrie. Tar Heel favorite Ron Rash will also be on hand as a Local Guest of Honor.
This year, Bouchercon is collaborating on a short-story anthology contest titled Murder Under the Oaks, which will be published by Down & Out Books in Raleigh. The deadline is midnight on March 1. For details, click here.
Bouchercon, which is run largely by volunteers, will be held October 8-15. The North Carolina Writers’ Network will be there with a booth, so be sure to stop by and say “hello.”