Bcon: Brits, wits and drunken twits

The suitcase is unpacked. The receipts are stowed for the taxman. The liver is drying out. You doubt me? Well, look at yours truly, the shameless hussy, right, with Parnell Hall. Actually, I was stone sober when that pic was taken. Such is Parnell's charm. We're back from the annual Bouchercon group grope and its adjunct tour of our Michigan homeland. Sorry I have been so en retard in getting back on line here. I have a Bcon hangover, meaning it is hard to revisit the scene of the crime. And hey, so many other hearty bloggers have done so with more verve and panche than I can muster at this late date.

So what were the highlights? Seeing old buds -- J.A. Konrath , Elaine Viets ,Elaine Flinn , Rick Mofina , Kent Krueger , and Reed Farrel "One L" Coleman. And meeting new buds Julia Spencer Fleming , Ken Bruen , Marcia Talley , David Ellis, Lee Goldberg,, Jon Jordan, David Montgomery, Eddie Muller and Huron-cum-Eagle Bryon Quertermous. Oh yeah, and getting bumped up to the concierge level where Harlan, hangs out.

And the low lights? Sending Blake Crouch a drink from across the bar and finding out later the lad has a taste for $25-a-shot scotch. Just kidding, Blake. Oh yeah...and we lost the Shamus for the third straight time. And Kelly was accousted in the bar by a drunken woman who wanted to know where "the Florida one" was (I had gone up to bed) and then told Kelly "the Florida one" was "offensive" and "hated by everyone." Man, some broads just can't handle their booze. Anywho, congrats to the winners -- you can see them at Thrilling Detective. It was worth going to just to see honoree Sara Paretsky's killer hat and Steve Hamilton trying to dance on stage.

But enough name-dropping. You want to see the hard evidence, right? Okay, here's some of our snapshoots. The names have not been changed to protect the guilty.

Hunka hunka burning love: Us with Eddie Muller and Ken Bruen.




Motley crew: Rick Mofina, me, Will Thomas, Julia Spencer Fleming and Blake Crouch.

Okay, five card stud, everything wild but twos: Kelly (in fedora) playing poker with Jim Fusilli, S.J. Rozan, agent Dominck Abel and a few other reprobates.



Reed Coleman, Michelle Martinez and moi.




At right, Julia, Laura Lippman, Ken Bruen and Barry Eisler at Lee Child's Reacher Creature party



A glowing Elaine Viets with her editors, just after winning the Anthony Award.




Blake Crouch and Jon Jordan of Crimespree Magazine.






And last, but certainly not least. A stranger in the night.


A good time was had by all....