Left Coast Crime 2025 - Speed-Dating for Authors

For a person who prefers solitude, attending a conference is a challenge. Spending three and a half days surrounded by writers and readers at Left Coast Crime 2025 stretched my turtle nature to the max.

It began early Thursday morning when my daughter / co-author and I left our homes before dawn, and drove together to Denver. I needed to be on time.

Speed Dating for Authors is a frenetically paced event. Each table seats ten people: two authors and eight readers. The readers remain in their seats, while the authors pitch their novels, then move to the next table. 

The room was noisy, with over a hundred eager readers. Authors were given two minutes to pitch their stories. Most handed out bookmarks, and some gifted people with swag bags. My swag included two bookmarks featuring my two book series, two pieces of candy, and two cat stickers. When one series always has a cat on the book cover, I figured I couldn’t go wrong with cat-themed swag.

I teamed up with my friend and author Jeff Schmoyer. He pitched his Snack-Sized Mystery series. Watching reader reactions to his clever spiel, I gained a good idea of what caught attention - and laughs - in the midst of forty other authors.

The hosts of this crazy party rang a cowbell to let us know when our two minute pitch began and ended, and when to shift to a new table. I appreciated how some folks paid rapt attention. Others checked their phones or pawed through their growing pile of swag while we were speaking. Ah well, can’t win ‘em all. The folks who seemed eager to listen, and better yet asked questions, made it worthwhile.

We were all - authors and readers - pretty well worn out by the end of the two hours. It felt a little like running a mid-length foot race.

After a lunch break with Jeff, Deborah Brewer, and my daughter Merida Bass, I was somewhat recharged and ready to dive into attending panels.

I was glad for breaks, when I could retreat into my turtle shell (hotel room) for a few minutes.

Coming up - panels.

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