Bouchercon 2015 Debrief: Day Two

In which our hero encounters lone wolves and cadaver dogs, writers with secrets, and a dream come true… almost.

There were no downed power lines Friday morning, so my journey into Raleigh took about as long as it should have the day before. Having learned my lesson with the parking, I paid for the day and double-checked the parking space number. Feeling a lot less frazzled, I made my way to the Sheraton, where I began the day with what looked to be an interesting panel, featuring one of Janet’s clients, Andrew Grant.

Lone Wolves & Loose Cannons in Thrillers, featured Andrew, Ben McPherson, Bruce DeSilva (the moderator), Jerry Ackerman, and Mick Herron. Andrew, Ben, and Mick are all Brits, which gave an interesting slant to the discussion–especially when they got into talking about James Bond. There was some confusion when Bruce introduced Jerry Ackerman. He started reading the bio for writer Jerry Ackerman when Jerry stopped him. “I’m Gerard Ackerman, FBI Special Agent. I go by Jerry, but I also write as Alistair Kimble.” Oh. Well. Nevermind. This Jerry still had some useful things to say on the topic, so no-one was bothered (at least that I could tell). Before the discussion started, Bruce got out his shot glass for every time the name “Jack Reacher” was mentioned.

As you might have guessed, the “lone wolf” or “loose cannon” under discussion is that hero figure who seems to operate on his own, even if he is part of an organization. He lives by his own rules, free of ties and responsibilities. Jack Reacher (*slurp*) is a good example of this: someone who travels around with nothing more than the clothes on his back, saving the day wherever he goes. How old is this literary figure? It goes back to the days of the knight errant, maybe even Beowulf, or even Odysseus. The panel discussed the appeal of such a figure–why does he seem to be so popular, especially since many of them have some quite unlikable traits (e.g. Sherlock Holmes). Perhaps that’s part of it: they say and do things that would have terrible consequences if done in real life. They give us, the reader as well as the writer, an outlet for that because they can ride off into the sunset without a care.

In a sense, the “lone wolf” thriller is like most children’s books where the parents or guardians are absent, so there are no authority figures around. The kids have to figure out for themselves what to do, and push the boundaries to find out how far they can go.

It seems these figures also appeal to that sense of “rugged individualism” that speaks to the American spirit, that distrust of authority. Although in the UK, it’s not so much a distrust of authority, but a willingness to stand up to wrongdoing. Brits have a strange notion of noblesse oblige, where if someone is in need of help, they feel obliged to help them.

Conversation turned to James Bond, especially in light of Daniel Craig’s recent comment that he would rather slit his wrists than play Bond again. (He later softened that and said he would do another Bond movie, but it would only be for the money–not for love of playing the character.) A number of panelists expressed frustration at the way the Bond franchise is being handled. James Bond was a product of his time, a time when the UK was in post-war decline having lost an Empire, and slowly becoming irrelevant on the world stage. The country was also struggling financially. People were still using ration cards in the 1950s. James Bond spoke to that, presenting a powerful British figure in expensive suits, leading a flashy lifestyle. When the Russians threaten the world, who does the CIA call? James Bond. The current attempt to “update” Bond, and make him more “realistic” is, the panel felt, misguided. In doing that, you lose that whole sense of what James Bond is about, what he represents.

The panel observed how the lone wolf tends to be male, and wondered if perhaps this kind of hero is, for the most part, a male fantasy. It also seems this larger-than-life hero needs a larger-than-life villain, which is why you tend to find such pairings in these kind of thrillers.

Finally, they addressed the question whether it’s responsible to be writing these kinds of books given the violence of our society. The panelists were all quick to point out that no book, movie, or video game has ever put violence into the mind of someone who was not already disposed to act violently. You can’t conflate fiction and reality, and most readers don’t. The vast majority of people who enjoy these books understand they are fiction and appreciate them for what they are. Those that use them as the basis for violence would find some other expression for their violence if such books didn’t exist. The problem is with the person, not the literature.

Lone Wolves & Loose Cannons in Thrillers. L-R: Bruce DeSilva, Gerard Ackerman, Andrew Grant, Mick Herron, and Ben McPherson

I’ve read some of Andrew’s books, so once the panel was over, I took the opportunity to shake his hand and thank him for his comments (he was an excellent panelist, fielding the questions with full and informed answers). I asked him whether he writes as a British or an American author, since he splits his time between London and Chicago. He told me that at first he didn’t feel qualified to write as an American, but now, with four books under his belt, he’s getting more comfortable with writing in an American context. His protagonist, David Trevellyan, is British, so it’s natural for him to think and speak as a Brit. I noted that there were some Britishisms, and even references to British TV shows in his second novel, DIE TWICE, that Americans probably wouldn’t get–how did these slide by his US editor? He said they discussed them and decided that American audiences could either figure out their meaning from the context, or look them up.

I took a moment to get my bearings after looking up at Andrew Grant (that man is tall), then went down to the lobby to see if there was anyone there I knew. The lobby areas of both hotels appeared to be the place for meetings. Not just authors catching up, but agent/editor/client business meetings, too. It was in the lobby of the Sheraton that Janet called for my assistance. She was in the middle of a meeting, and needed someone to help one of her clients, Loretta Sue Ross, who had just checked in. This was Loretta’s first Bouchercon, and since I had been here a day, I was already a veteran compared to her. I hadn’t decided on my next panel, and Loretta was on my list of people to meet, so I gladly responded to the call.

I found Loretta near the registration desks, and spent the rest of the morning showing her around and chatting about books (she’s a Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams fan–woohoo!) and the fact she drove 1,300 miles all the way from Missouri to be there. And she wasn’t even on any panels, or doing any signings. That’s how worthwhile Bouchercon is!

Loretta then left to get her phone from her hotel, and I decided to drop in on the Bouchercon General Members Meeting. This is where Bouchercon attendees get to hear reports from the various committees responsible for conducting Bouchercon business, and also vote on board member nominations and future Bouchercon hosting bids. This year, Dallas bid for Bouchercon 2019, and Sacramento bid for Bouchercon 2020. Representatives of those regional Bouchercon groups presented their plans, telling us how large the convention area will be, what transportation will be available, and the proximity of food and alcohol (of course). Both bids received unanimous approval. For those interested, here’s where the next five Bouchercons will be:

2016: New Orleans, LA (September 15-18)

2017: Toronto, Canada (October 12-15)

2018: St. Petersburg, FL (September 13-16)

2019: Dallas, TX (October 31-November 4) 50th Anniversary!

2020: Sacramento, CA (TBD)

Bouchercon 2015 General Members Meeting

As I wandered through the Marriott on my way to the next panel, I noticed bright lights and camera. “Bookwatch,” a show on North Carolina Public Television, was filming an interview. Of course “Bookwatch” would be here!

The next panel I went to was called What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of the Working Cadaver Dog, hosted by Cat Warren, Kate Flora, and Corporal Brad Kirby of the Durham Sheriff Department, along with his dog, Dreyfus. Dreyfus is cross-trained in both cadaver and explosives/firearms detection, and Cpl. Kirby gave us a demonstration of Dreyfus’s skill. To simulate a cadaver, I believe he used an object with a couple of drops of human blood on it (the dogs know the difference between human and non-human blood). He then let Dreyfus loose to do his thing, which he did successfully.

Cat Warren, who trains cadaver dogs, then talked about the kinds of things we, as writers, ought to know about the training and work of the cadaver dog. Such as:

• Dogs can be cross-trained to detect, for example, explosives or human remains. The dog is usually trained to know which to look for. If Dreyfus is wearing his harness and is told to lie down, he knows he is about to look for human remains. If he’s not wearing his harness, and is told to sit, he knows he is about to look for explosives. While looking for explosives, he will pass over human remains, and vice versa.
• The scent from a body can take a few weeks to rise, so cadaver dogs will often be taken back to the scene after a couple of weeks to double-check.
• Cadaver dogs can detect scent in water down to about 240-260 feet. “Volatiles” rise in water, which makes detection a little easier.
• Frozen bodies don’t give off a scent, which you should know from taking meat out of the freezer.
• People think cadaver dogs get depressed since all they ever do is look for dead bodies. This idea circulated particularly after 9-11, but it’s complete nonsense. To the dogs, they’re doing their job. Indeed, it’s a game to them. Cadaver dogs aren’t trained to look for live bodies.

What the Dog Knows. L-R: Cat Warren, Kate Flora, and Corporal Brad Kirby

My last panel for the day was called Political Espionage Thrillers: Pre- and Post-Edward Snowden, with Gayle Lynds, Marc Cameron, Mark Greaney (the moderator), Susan Ella MacNeal, and Terry Shames. As well as being writers, each of the panelists either does, or has, worked in some capacity for a US government agency, and has been granted some level of Top Secret security clearance. So they all know more about this topic than they are at liberty to say…!

First, the panelists were surprised by how many people were surprised about what Snowden revealed. Terry said she is not only surprised at how naive Americans are about what’s going on, but she is surprised and disturbed with how little the government does with what it knows. One thing all the panelists agreed on was that the conversation on surveillance spawned by the information Snowden revealed is good, but this is overshadowed by the fact that Snowden’s lack of discrimination led to many agents being burned, and many losing their lives. For that, he is rightly condemned as a traitor. He could have taken a moral stand with regard to eavesdropping without also revealing the names and locations of US agents. But he chose not to do that.

As I noted earlier, each of the panelists, with the exception of Susan who writes historical fiction, has privileged knowledge about top secret US programs. It seems that even if the information they know becomes declassified and public knowledge, they are still prohibited from speaking about it. And even when that prohibition is lifted, many get into the habit of secrecy. There are World War II veterans who still won’t talk about things that used to be classified but are now public knowledge, even though they are no longer obliged to keep silent.

Has Snowden affected how they write? For the most part, no. Maybe the window dressing’s a little different, and there are things that have come to light that could affect plots, but fundamentally, they are still writing stories about good versus evil.

Political Espionage Thrillers: Pre- and Post-Edward Snowden. L-R: Gayle Lynds, Marc Cameron, Susan Ella MacNeal, Terry Shames, Mark Greaney

Janet had planned for us to meet up after this panel, along with fellow blog commenter, Donna Everhart. Loretta and I found Donna, but no Janet. After waiting a little while, wandering the halls of the Marriott, we decided to head over to the Sheraton, and Janet’s adopted watering hole (Jimmy V’s). And that’s where we found her, not in the bar I hasten to add, but in the lobby having a meeting. We talked and wandered around until Janet was finished doing her agent-y thing.

As soon as we entered Jimmy V’s, Janet asked if her table was available (the one in front of the main desk), and if Grace could serve us again. The manager politely informed Janet that, in fact, Grace was not wait staff; she was a bus person (someone who clears and cleans tables, for those not familiar with the term). “Nevertheless,” insisted Janet, “can’t we give her a promotion for the evening?” Somehow, Janet got her way. I don’t know how. Maybe it was her smile and winning personality…

So, Grace became our server, and I asked her for food recommendations. “I haven’t eaten a lot of the food here,” Grace said, “but I have had the mac and cheese–it’s very good.” And she was right.

As the afternoon wore on, we were joined at our table by Patrick Lee (nytba), and Jim Ringel, also one of Janet’s clients. To my delight we were also joined by literary agent extraordinaire Barbara Poelle! Barbara represents a lot of notable writers including Lauren DeStefano (nytba), Sophie Littlefield, and C.J. Lyons (nytba). She also writes an agony aunt-type column for Writers’ Digest called “Funny You Should Ask…” which is hilarious and worth the cover price of the magazine alone. It has been one of my ambitions to share a table with Barbara Poelle and Janet Reid, so this was almost a dream-come-true. Barbara couldn’t engage with us long because she had to meet with someone. That someone turned up, so Barbara sat with her at the table next to ours and had her meeting, while we carried on our conversation. On reflection it was a bit surreal, but I suppose the whole idea of drinking and chatting with bestselling authors and publishing professionals was already kind of mind-blowing for an aspiring author like me.

Barbara Poelle and Patrick Lee (nytba). Sorry for the shaky picture. I was clearly overwhelmed. 🙂

Before too long, the afternoon wore out, and the manager approached Janet to inform her that they needed Grace to return to her real job for the evening rush. Janet relented, but not before giving Grace a hug and thanking her for her service.

Earlier, I had purchased a copy of Donna Andrews’ latest, LORD OF THE WINGS, for my wife, a big Donna Andrews fan. Janet, who is a friend of Ms. Andrews, told me she could persuade Donna to sign it. And lo and behold, who should turn up at our table!

Unfortunately, Donna couldn’t stay, but that was okay. We carried on for a few more hours until we decided to call it a night. One of the moderators for a panel tomorrow had fallen ill and wasn’t able to attend, and the organizers had asked Janet to take her place. Janet wanted to spend some time preparing for that, and we were all tired anyway.

So that ended day two of Bouchercon.

Come back tomorrow for my third and final day…