Mysteries

Left Coast’s Author-Reader Connections

I’ve yet to meet a mystery convention I didn’t love. Each offers its own benefits. Thanks to Malice Domestic’s William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for Unpublished Writers, I have a mystery writing career. I have filled my belly with free hors d’oeuvres at Bouchercon parties hosted by publishers. And Left Coast Crime offers something you won’t find anywhere else: Author-Reader Connections.

The concept is simple. Authors create an event that readers (and sometimes fellow authors) can sign up for. Attendees are allowed to add two to their schedule, but they can’t both be hosted by the same author. The ARCs can be as basic as one I offered at LCC Bellevue in 2024, “Go Off Campus with Ellen,” where I took four readers on a walk to a beautiful bay near the convention hotel, then gifted them with swag. Or you can drop some change on the event, which I’ve also done.

Not gonna lie, I go a little crazy hosting ARCs. This year, I “cut back” and participated in four rather than five. First up was A New Orleans Nightcap, which I co-hosted with debut author Michael Rigg. We both write series set in the Big Easy and Michael parades with several krewes. It was his first ARC, and he did an amazing job. H confirmed that the hotel bartender would be able to mix several signature NOLA cocktails – the first round was on us – and gifted our four attendees with fab parade swag that made my swag pale in comparison. Dig these hats from Krewe of King Arthur!

On Thursday, I joined Facebook groupmates Mindy Quigley, Libby Klein, and Raquel V. Reyes for A Very Merry Un-Birthday with the Cozy Mystery Crew, shepherded by Mindy. We played a game that was like with musical chairs but with books wrapped in layers of paper. So much messy fun.

Next up for me was Cozy Up to Ellie Alexander and Ellen Byron. Ever the perfect hostess, Ellie baked treats from two of our series that she presented to our guests in lovely boxes. I was so enamored of her charm and talents that I forgot to take photos.

I also forgot to take photos at our annual Chicks on the Case ARC, Nightcaps, Dessert, and Movie Post-Mortem with Chicks on the Case. Then again, so did fellow Chicks hosts Lisa, Marla, Jen, and Leslie. We all plead exhaustion – the event took place at 10:15 p.m.

My fellow Chicks also hosted their own terrific ARCs. I invited myself along to Visit the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory with Two Jennifers, Jen Chow and Jennifer Morita. It was so cool!

Leslie hosted Talk Story and ‘Ono Malasadas with Leslie Karst. The bakery turned out to be closed, so she took her attendees for ice cream instead. Judging from this photo, no one minded the switch!

And Marla joined up with Michele Chouinard for Book Bedazzling with Marla Cooper and Michele Chouinard. Crafter that I am, I cannot tell you how bummed I am that I missed inserting myself into this ARC.

Left Coast Crime 2027 will take place in Santa Fe, a city I’ve wanted to visit for years. Am I already researching locations for fun Author-Reader Connections? Oh, you bet I am.

But until then, I’ve come up with an event that will bring readers and authors together at Malice Domestic in April. For the last couple of years, I’ve invited anyone who stitches or knits or does another type of handiwork to join me in the Hospitality Room at lunchtime on Saturday, where we take a break from the busy con life and hang out while we craft. This year, author Mindy Carlson got in touch with me to say her MWA-Mid-Atlantic chapter would love to provide snacks for the get-together. So, I give you –

If you’re going to Malice, I hope you’ll join us. And if you’re going to Left Coast Crime 2027: The Big Chile Rides Again… keep an eye out for all of our Author-Reader Connections.

Readers, what kind of ARC would you like to attend or create? (NOTE: I’m on my way back from the Tucson Festival of Books, so I’ll probably be slow in replying.)

36 thoughts on “Left Coast’s Author-Reader Connections”

  1. ELLEN: I laughed when I read you “cut back” to doing only 4 ARCs at this year’s Left Coast Crime (LCC). I don’t know how you do it, and also go to other ARCs!

    I enjoyed the CMC “Unbirthday” event. I knew 3 of the hosts (you, Libby and Raquel). It was nice to meet Mindy. The games were fun, and you al provided nice swag.

    But I couldn’t go to the Chicks on the Case late night nightcap since attendees can’t go to more than one ARC with the same author! The Chicks always had me laughing and having a fun time in 2024 & 2025.

    FYI, the first ARC took place at the Portland LCC in 2015. I fondly remember the Happy Hour gathering hosted by authors Becky Clark & Peg Brantley. In fact, Peg posted a photo of the ARC on FB yesterday,, the 11th anniversary. We still keep in touch and that’s also where I met my long-time pal Laurie Sheehan.

    So ARCs are great to both meet new authors & get to know authors on a more personal level

    I love Santa Fe, and I am sure you will come up with some great ARCs in 2027!

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    1. ooh! That sounds wonderful! I am imagining all kinds of themes. Stop me before I spend a fortune creating a spectacular, over the top idea!

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  3. Ellen,

    These all sound so wonderful, fun, freeing, exciting, awesome…. The list goes on and on.

    I wish some of the other conventions did things like this. Such creativity, new and old friends alike, adventures, swag is always optional for me….

    I am hoping to join you this year’s event. I will probably be planning my new author breakfast page in the junk journal I’m creating on my writing forays, to put together when I get home Sunday afternoon.

    What could an ARC be at Malice? It would be tricky because the hotel is in MD, and nothing we could showcase is near. But…. For fanatics, a visit to Fahrney’s pen shop in DC. A mystery reader’s walking guide (if we can find anything in Bethesda). The Tastee Diner in Bethesda. Walking down Embassy Row. Depending on allotted times, maybe the fringes of DC. Let me do some research of what’s close to the hotel!

    Can’t wait to see the chicks who are coming this year. I hear I might get to meet Marla for the first time. Yay!

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  4. There’s a Whole Foods near the hotel?
    I love all the ARC and I’m jealous that we were only allowed to go to two. There were a few I wanted to go, but the walking prevented me.

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  6. Going to my first conference – Malice – next month, so I’m just getting into the swing of things. ARCs sound fabulous! Sadly, I could not craft my way out of a wet paper bag!

    My daughter is in the theater community in the DC area (and in my mind, if it’s on a metro line, it’s in the DC area). I’ll check with her and see what’s going on that weekend in the performing arts scene that might be a fun field trip one evening.

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  7. ARCs are one of my favorite things about Left Coast Crime. I had a blast at the foturne cookie factory. I got a bag of “magic” fotune cookies that we had fun with after the banquet. Everyone got one that really fit. Ask Robin Burcell about hers.

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  8. Yes, Left Coast Crime is such a marvelous convention–amazingly well organized and always so much fun, the ARCs being one of the main reasons why. It is a reader/fan con, after all, so how terrific to have so many events geared specially for those readers. Which is why I always try to host or co-host at least two each year.

    But hosting five (or even just four)? You are truly amazing, dear Ellen….

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  9. Ellen, as Grace said, we love going to ARCs but it is hard to choose sometimes since we are only allowed to go to one per author. Yours are the best I’ve been to because you make a celebration out of every one you host! Thanks for the very fun LCC “Unbirthday” party with Mindy, Libby and Raquel!

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  11. I saw you guys doing your ARC that first night and I almost came over and said hi to you before I realized what you were doing. I love ARCs. It’s so fun to see what everybody comes up with! The book bedazzling was something I had seen on social media.And by the way, if anyone wants to join us for Crafternoon bedazzling at Malice, I will have enough supplies to share!

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  12. You know I’ll be joining your crafting group again! I just found out I’ll need a carpel tunnel procedure which will require a 2 week break from knitting, but it also means no heavy lifting so it will be delayed until after my April travels! BTW, I see it’s being called Crafternoon – there’s a fun series starting with The Crafternoon Sewcial Club by J C Williams that I really enjoyed.

    Isn’t Santa Fe known for Native American crafts & jewelry? An ARC that visits a studio &/or store would be great!

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