Left Not-Quite-The-Coast Crime report #1

Three things I'm already sick of after only one day in Santa Fe for Left Coast Crime:
1. Turquoise
2. Navajo Rugs
3. Discussions about eBooks

I'll ignore how dry it is here and how, as someone who lives on the Left Coast, New Mexico is hardly the coast. But aside from my silly griping Santa Fe is playing a marvelous host to a very well run LCC so far.

As always the big bonus for me is getting to hang with writer friends and this time is no exception. Paling around with Rebecca Cantrell and Deb Ledford. Sharing hugs with Kelli Stanley and looking forward to our panel together. Breakfast with Stephen Jay Schwartz. Bumping in to good guys like Kenneth Wishnia and Mike Befeler who I know only from the confines of conferences is great.

I chose some panels about publishing today to see what people were saying and I have no right to be surprised that people were all a-flutter about ebooks and all that entails. Enough already. They're not coming, they're here. Some people will make a bunch of money off them, most people won't. Books will still exists.
As one agent on a panel put it when asked about the chapter 11 of Borders and the downsizing of B&N being the clarion call that bookselling is dead, "Their demise had nothing to do with publishing or selling books, it had to do with their business model. When GM went under no one said it was the end of the car."
There's more to be said on this but everyone has said it already. I'm sure I'll have something out direct to Kindle this year and I can join in the fun all the cool kids are having.

I signed two books today (wheee!) I bought a few more old pulps. The two I started picking through at dinner didn't catch me right away but they still have great covers and they were cheap.

Tomorrow brings more panels and the awards ceremony at night where we will see Rebecca and Kelli duke it out for the Bruce Alexander award (my video camera is ready) And I keep fingers crossed for Deb Ledford in the Hillerman Sky award and Rachel Brady in the Watson award.

Steve Brewer is the toastmaster and I know he'll be great at it. I'm still such a huge fan of Steve's books I'm glad to see him in the spotlight a little bit.
Other than that, not much to report. I can't sleep for some reason so I figured I'd dash out a little update. I must say I miss my girls at home. I've been out of town four times this year which is unusual for me. Daddy will be home soon girls!