Howdy, folks! Lisa here, posting from the 2024 Worldwide Mystery Conference in Nashville, TN. Having a fabulous time, although to be honest it’s just a teensy bit overwhelming at times with all the events and fabulous authors and panels and Apple steps. We’re not even midway through here, but here’s a random photo tour so far–more to come from Ellen on Monday!

Of course the first thing I had to do when I arrived was get coffee. On the way I greeted one of the wooden horses (thank you, Kind Stranger, for the photo). Regular reader friends will note that this is as close as I usually get to horses. (Kind Stranger wanted me to kiss Old Nellie here (?), but I declined):

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is quite a place. I haven’t been here in 15 years or so. It has changed a lot. Can’t describe, other than Disney on steroids with biospheres and many, many Apple steps:

This is a night view from my hotel room. But all the dazzling lights shut off around 1 am–wish you could see them, but there’s sort of a Dream Girls backdrop with a multi-starred night sky and the colors change all the time. Probably why locals call Nashville “Nashvegas.”

I was delighted to find a Carvel ice cream shop next to Starbucks. They have all the classic Carvel items, but also a sundae that combines the soft ice cream with extra-frosted Cinnabon (next door to Carvel). East Coasters, please intro Tom Carvel and Cookie Puss and the chocolate crunch filling to our West Coast friends who have no idea what they’re missing:

One of the highlights from last night’s opening ceremonies: Our very own Chicks Emerita and CWOC co-founder Kellye Garrett accepting the award for The David Thompson Special Service Award on behalf of Crime Writers of Color (pictured here with her co-founders, our good friend Gigi Pandian and Walter Mosley):

Let no one say that cozies aren’t popular at Bouchercon–just a snippet of the rapt audience for the author readings at Cozies & Cocktails, an event created by our very own Ellen Byron and Raquel Reyes:

Um…Jack Daniels gum in the gift shop? Well, okay:

Fortunately our ever-intrepid Madam President of Sisters in Crime (and fabulous author and our amazing panel moderator yesterday for Yesterday When I was Young) Kelly Oliver and I ran into each other. I was able to point her in the correct direction for Starbucks and she pointed me toward my own hotel room block. It’s a maze here, I tell ya–I think the dizzying pathways morph as fast as the colors as night.

Why is Nikki Bonanni smiling here? She practically forced me to try Nashville Hot Chicken. You know, a No-Thank-You helping. We agreed it was less hot than maple-ish. Hey, Nikki, we did it! Special thanks to our friend Mary Monnin, who threw a fun event last night with her fellow Curators in Crime.

Here is my lovely author-speed-dating partner MK Dean, author of the Ginny Reese Mysteries. 2 minutes each to pitch our books as a team, table by table, to about 150 readers first thing in the morning. Les and Leslie Blatt, great job organizing and running the event, as always. There’s another session with different authors on Saturday morning, for those who haven’t signed up yet. MK and I got really good at that bell timing. I thanked everyone for coming to my “launch party” for THE JIG IS UP, which came out last week. Photo and stuffie courtesy of Kim Keeline.

And of course as soon as Ellen’s author signing is over, she and I are going on the jungle boat ride. (Okay, maybe not a jungle, but whatever it is.) The water is very green and murky and there could be crocodiles. We are ready. Connie Berry (our moderator yesterday for the Leavin’ on a Jet Plane panel) and Lynn Denley-Bussard are going first, just in case. Bon voyage, ladies!

Guess I’d better wrap up, because I’m already late in posting today (my apologies!) and there are friends to see and meet and books to buy and panels to attend. If El and I disappear, either the crocs got us or the fried pimento mac and cheese balls did…See y’all soon now!