Tucson is beautiful. Something is wacky with the weather because I travelled from downcast Los Angeles to sunny Tucson and still returned to a rainy SoCal. Really, though, the hotel setting for Left Coast Crime (LCC) was so surreal and pretty!
Majestic mountains, fluffy floating clouds, and impressive cacti surrounded me! I even saw a cactus with a rose growing on it!
Of course, I didn’t go for the secluded location. I went to see people–and they didn’t disappoint either! It’s always great to find your group: writers & readers, for me. I met up with fellow Chicks on the Case bloggers, Crime Writers of Color friends, Sisters in Crime Siblings, and admired authors.
Here are a few tips I got from this conference go-around:
- VOLUNTEER. It was amazing how many people I spotted while at the registration table–and I got to have some lovely chats.
- LAYER. Thank goodness I packed a jacket because it was nippy in the evenings. It would’ve helped more if I’d worn it. As it was, I had to trek back to my room to grab it.
- VENTURE. Preferably outdoors. Conferences are all indoors, and it’s nice to get that quiet space and breath of fresh air.
- EQUIP. Bring your own writing implement. I decided to use the hotel’s pens for jotting things down–and they kept dying on me.
- SCHEDULE. If there are really great people you want to chat with, reach out to them beforehand. That way, you actually end up connecting. (The exchanging of cell phones is also helpful for this.)
Overall, I had a wonderful time. Yay for LCC! Next up: Malice Domestic in April.
P.S. While I love blogging, I feel that I can’t keep up like I used to. I’m going to experiment with posting on a more sporadic basis (every other week? once a month?). This way, I get more writing done and some “me” time.
P.P.S. I’m still blogging at Chicks on the Case, so find me there! We have posts up on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
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