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March 21-24, 2002
Portland, Oregon
Doubletree Columbia River Hotel
Guests of Honor
Laurie R. King
Steven Saylor
Fan Guest of Honor
Don Herron
Publisher Guest of Honor
Dennis McMillan
Toastmaster
G. M. Ford
Many thanks to Nancy Wirsig McClure and Stu Shiffman for the donation of their artwork
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Laurie R. King: Guest of Honor
Laurie R. King was a winner of both the 1993 Edgar and John Creasey Awards for her first novel, A Grave Talent, the first of the series featuring Kate Martinelli, a SFPD homicide detective (other books include With Child and To Play The Fool). Her other series is a historical series, teaming Sherlock Holmes with young apprentice Mary Russell, and includes the highly acclaimed The Beekeeper's Apprentice.
King has averaged a book a year since she began writing, and has also earned the Nero, Nevermore and Gail Rich awards, and gained two other Edgar nominations. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in religious studies and theology, and theological ideas permeate a number of her books. The honorary doctorate she was awarded by the Church Divinity School is proudly displayed next to her other awards.
King is a third-generation native of San Francisco. and she currently lives in Northern California.
Steven Saylor: Guest of Honor
Steven Saylor is the author of the popular Roma Sub Rosa mystery series set in the ancient Rome of Julius Caesar, featuring Gordianus the Finder. His books have been published in English, French, Dutch, German, Spanish, Czech, Russian, Finnish, Norwegian, Portuguese and Polish, and have won numerous awards.
Saylor has a degree in history and is an expert on Roman politics and life (appearing the Greystone documentary series: Rome: The Great Empire). His recent novel, A Twist at the End, involves O. Henry as a young man, in solving a series of murders in Austin, Texas.
Saylor has also been a newspaper and magazine editor, literary agent and autobiographical essayist. He was born
in Texas in 1956 and graduated with high honors from the University of Texas in Austin. He now divides his time
between homes in Berkeley and Austin.
G.M. Ford: Toastmaster
G. M Ford is the author of six novels featuring private detective Leo Waterman. Set in Seattle, they give the reader a unique (and often humorous) look at the city and the Pacific Northwest. His most recent novel in this series, The Deader The Better, was nominated for the 2000 Shamus Award. (His debut novel, Who In Hell Is Wanda Fuca?, also gained Shamus and Anthony award nominations.)
His newest series (starting with Fury) features Frank Corso, a true crime writer working for the third-rate Seattle Sun.
Formerly a creative writing teacher, he possesses an articulate wit that makes him well suited to the job of
toastmaster. Ford is a New York native, but has resided in Seattle for the past two decades.
Don Herron: Fan Guest of Honor
Left Coast Crime’s Fan Guest of Honor is a sterling member of mystery fandom. Founder of the Maltese Falcon Society of San Francisco. The meetings at the notorious Rathskeller are legend among Bay Area Mystery Fandom.
Herron was chairman of the first modern Bouchercon (Bouchercon 13), held in San Francisco in 1982. (He came up with the name "The World Mystery Convention".) It was the largest mystery convention to date with over 750 paid memberships. He helped out on the first Left Coast Crime, spending long hours on the layout on the program book.
Herron has edited several biographical works on such diverse authors as Phillip K.Dick, Stephen King, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard. (One of his most recent works a biography on Charles Willeford, Willeford, was published by LCC Guest of Honor Dennis McMillan.) Another of Don’s best known works is a literary guide to San Francisco published by City Lights, a must for the Californian bibliophile.) And his Dashiell Hammett Tour of San Francisco is so popular that Don has the distinction of being an answer on Jeopardy.
Most people don’t know about Don’s most dangerous job. His Day Job. No he isn’t a G-man or a member of DA’s office.
It’s more dangerous than that…he is a cabbie on the streets of San Francisco.
Dennis McMillan: Publisher Guest of Honor
Since 1983, Dennis McMillan Publications has published important and vital works of noir fiction. In the process he set the standard for quality in small press production. His interests lie in literature that forever lurks in a shadowy, marginal world outside the easily classifiable.
McMillan's books include the highly collectable first of Ghostway by Tony Hillerman, Night Dogs by Kent Anderson (set in Portland, by a Portland author), and Willeford by Don Herron, LCC 12's Fan Guest of Honor. He also published a 19 volume Fredric Brown collection in the Detective Pulp series.
McMillan has lived and published in San Diego, Missoula, Volcano (on the big island of Hawaii), Miami, San Antonio
and Tucson. He lived in Kailua-Kona (on the Kona Coast of Hawaii) for a while, designing and manufacturing Hawaiian shirts.
The Doubletree Columbia River, site of Left Coast Crime 12, overlooks the Columbia River in north Portland. Many of
us have worked on science fiction conventions at this hotel, and we have a good working relationship with the folks
there. (And a hotel that holds a 1600-person OryCon will give us plenty of room for a Left Coast Crime half that size.)
There are two restaurants and two bars on site, and it’s just across the street from a large shopping complex with
several more restaurants.
The hotel is located next to Interstate 5 and has plenty of free parking, as well as a free airport shuttle. (We’ll
have more information on how to get to the hotel in the next progress report.) Due to a county ordinance, the entire
facility is non-smoking, except for the bars and private sleeping rooms.
Reservations can be made now by calling the hotel directly at 503-283-2111 or the national reservation center at
800-222-TREE. Be sure to mention you’re with “Left Coast Crime”, to make sure you get the correct rate.
(Doubletree is part of the Hilton family, so you can collect Hilton Honors points while attending LCC 12.) The room
rate for Left Coast Crime 12 is $99 a night (for up to four people), plus tax (which is currently 11.5%). If you
request a river view room, there’s an additional $10 a night charge. (There’s no charge if you end up with one by chance.)
We've been very impressed with the interest that's been shown by the professional mystery community in appearing on
the LCC program. We are looking forward to being able to program the professionals who express an interest in being on
program and who have purchased their Left Coast Crime convention memberships.
We have a great guest of honor line-up and a wonderful variety of writers from which to build a program. What we
need to know now is which literary professionals are members of, or will be joining, the convention. We want
programming ideas from all of these, as well as all the other attendees. As this is the first Left Coast Crime for
Portland, we are interested in ideas that have worked well at other conventions, and in ideas that haven't been seen
before. Are there items that would lend themselves well to the Pacific Northwest? Let us know.
Programming will include panel discussions and signings, readings, workshops, and an item that has proven popular
elsewhere: the 15 minutes of fame, where writers share what interests them.
Ideas or questions may be shared with us via our email address, LCCProgram@home.com
We look forward to hearing from you, and look forward to hosting our first Left Coast Crime in Portland.
We are planning a wonderful array of food for the hospitality suite at Left Coast Crime, including a theme night
of desserts from various mystery books and a wine tasting. We will have more information, including a schedule, as
we get closer to the convention. If you have any ideas or would like to volunteer, please don't hesitate to call
503-620-3441 or send email to laceyax@bigfoot.com.
Make sure your plans include being at the convention during the evenings. Friday night, we expect to have a
Retro Reception from 8PM to 10 PM that will include desserts, live entertainment and the Dennis McMillan "Memorial"
Hawaiian Shirt Contest. The details are still in development, but it promises to be a fun event.
Saturday evening will include the Lefty & Spotted Owl Awards (and possibly others), as well as our Charity Auction
to benefit the Oregon Literacy Project. Our hospitality suite will be open and well-stocked every evening to provide a
place to socialize and enjoy the company of like-minded people.
To honor our Publisher Guest of Honor Dennis McMillan’s colorful career in Publishing and Fashion, Left Coast Crime 12
is staging a Hawaiian Shirt Contest. Many prizes will be awarded. The rules are simple: Wear a Hawaiian shirt (polo
shirts and muu-muus don’t count) on Friday, March 22, and you are automatically entered in the Contest.
LCC’s roving panel of judges will espy your entry and take notes. The shirts will be judged in various categories
that include “Traditional”, “Mystery Theme”, “Portland-inspired” and “Hangover Cure”. (Plus any new and outstanding
categories that our esteemed tribe of Judges can come up with.)
Prizes will be awarded Friday at the Reception. You need not be present to win but it helps!
Left Coast Crime 12 will present the Lefty Award for the most humorous mystery novel published in 2001. Any
registered member (attending or subscribing) of the convention may submit nominations (no more than five) in writing.
Nominations must be received by January 15, 2002. A list of finalists will appear in the last progress report.
Send nominations to the convention email address, or mail them to:
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HOTEL
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PROGRAMMING
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HOSPITALITY
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EVENING EVENTS AT THE CONVENTION
Friday: The Dennis McMillan Hawaiian Shirt Contest
Saturday: The Lefty Award
Lefty Award
c/o Left Coast Crime 12
PO Box 18033
Portland, OR 97218-0033