Unless you’re a real mystery buff, it’s most likely you’ve never been to a mystery writers conference. I’d like to tell you about the Left Coast Crime Conference I recently attended. There are many of these conferences, the biggest of them Malice Domestic and Bouchercon.

This year the Left Coast Crime Conference was held in Santa Fe in one of the oldest adobe hotels, across the street from the oldest cathedral in the West. Santa Fe and New Mexico offer an unforgettable eyeful of scenery.

Five hundred mystery writers — and fans –all milling about in excited conversation in the La Fonda lobby was overwhelming. It looked as though everybody knew each other and were catching up and making shopping and dinner plans. I’d driven a rented RV from Bakersfield with my dog Lily to get there.  I was determined not to have a shy attack in the hallway when I had come this far. I made myself put a brave face on and wade into the mix. I was there to meet writers and learn how to sell my debut mystery No Dice.

Nine-tenths of the audience were  women of a certain age, many wearing pants with elastic waists and comfortable shoes. Few young people. Perhaps it was just because it was Santa Fe, but a noticeable number of the few men who were there were wearing Western costumes, suede jackets with fringe, cowboy boots and hats.

The conference offers ways for writers and fans to interact from Breakfast with New Writers to Breakfast with Established Writers. But the panels are the main chance for writers to talk about the craft of mystery writing, the different genres, the nuts and bolts of forensics and police procedure, new trends, and the writer’s life. And agents who are looking for good new work.

There were  fifteen panels Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to choose from. A Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Martin Cruz Smith. Of course, there’s the Saturday evening awards banquet. Important conversations happen mingling in the lobby between panels and events.

I was asked to chair a panel called “Mysteries with a Social Conscience”.  My book No Dice features murder in Santa Monica where development politics are blood sport. I wrote about  a politician’s murder and the dark dance of big money and big ideas that change the landscape forever.

In reviewing books by my fellow panelists, the connection to social conscience was less clear, but they were all clever speakers and found ways to tie in. One thing about writers is that most are highly articulate — and they love to talk about writing and the craft.

I thought you had to be invited to place your book in the Booksellers’ room.  I’ll know better next time. I came away from the conference with a marked up program book noting all the authors I didn’t know that I’d met and whose books intrigued me. So many good books. So many writers kind and generous to a newbie novelist  like myself.

There was a book signing room next to the booksellers room and a table where writers laid out snazzy book marks, business cards and clever promotional materials. At one panel I attended — Hot Spots for Crime in Canada — the three women writers, Barbara Fradkin, Vicki Delany, and R.J. Harlick were wearing Canadian hats: a toque, moose antlers, and the bunny ears you see in French Canadian Easter celebrations. I was pleased to win a quiz and my reward was a bottle of maple syrup.

As a Canadian, I make a special effort to talk to Canadian writers and fans and read mysteries set in Ontario, the Far North, and British Columbia–actually all over Canada.  Since the entire country of Canada is one-tenth the size of the U.S. their readership for excellent books is small. The Canadian Mystery Writers’ Association has a June conference called Bloody Words that’s tempting me to go north.