update: Sept 18 2006

Hello again from the homeland. Well, I’ve a few news notes on Charmed to Death. First we are getting the committees in order.

Our Anthony Award committee is set. We’ve asked and been able to appoint Patricia and Soren Pederson (who’ve done it before) and John Purcell (who agreed to do anything). We all agree that balloting will end at 12:00 noon the Saturday of our convention.

There will be news soon on the panel committee and our designated charities.

Mike Bursaw is our Dealer Room Chair. Mike runs Mystery Mike’s in Indianapolis and has been in the dealer room for the last several years. We will have an info page for potential dealers up shortly after the Madison Convention has ended.

Chairing a Con is a tricky thing. As we all get ready to descend upon Madison we must begin to look forward to and support Alaska in 2007. I know I’m looking forward to seeing Anchorage and am sure that Dee Ford and Dana Stabenow will make sure we all have a damned fine time. As the co-chair of 2008 I want all the folks who’ve made Bouchercon a part of their lives to have Moose and bush pilots on their minds for the next 13 months. At the same time I want people to know that Baltimore is well in hand. I hope you do and I hope this blog is helpful.

Ruth Jordan

News From the Front

Charmed to Death is excited to announce an addition to our Guests of Honor list. For the 2008 convention we are bringing back the “Distinguished Contribution to the Genre” Guest of Honor. Last used in Philly in 1998 this honorific is meant to be a bow for a body of work both significant and individual.

Mystery fans everywhere will have no trouble matching the above criteria with our guest. In 2008 it will have been 51 years since the first story released under his own name was published. In that time he has created four of mystery’s most famous recurring characters; Matt Scudder, Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner and Keller. Within these series as well as without he has created an awe inspiring cannon of work. You know what Bern? He did change our life. An inspiration to writers and readers everywhere, we welcome Lawrence Block, a man synonymous with mystery to Charmed to Death.

Mr. Block will be joining Laura Lippman, John Harvey, Barbara Peters, Robert Rosenwald, Mark Billingham and Thalia Proctor as a guest of honor. We hope you’ll join them all in Baltimore.

Ruth