Canada Calling: Bloody Words

If you find yourself in or can get yourself to Toronto, Ontario for 2012 June 1 to 3, head for the Hilton Toronto Downtown for the 12th Annual Bloody Words Convention.

Visit the Scene of Crime Room where you view the evidence, read police statements and make your best guess about who-done-it. A bag of goodies to the person who gets it right.

Panels and guests abound. Guests this year are 

• Guest of Honour: Linwood Barclay
• International Guest: Gayle Lynds
• Master of Ceremonies: Rick Blechta

Open microphone with agents answering your questions about publishing.

Forensic Jeopardy, where a team of 4 authors takes on a team of 4 readers from the audience to see who knows more forensic facts.

The State of New York v Peter Pan: a play that’s a mash-up between Law & Order and Peter Pan.

In addition to the annual Arthur Ellis awards for Canadian Crime Fiction, this year a new award, the Light Mystery Award will be given for the first time. The LMA is for books that make us smile. The short list for this award are

• Janet Bolin, Dire Threads (Berkley Prime Crime)
• Alan Bradley, A Red Herring without Mustard (Doubleday Canada)
• Gloria Ferris, Cheat the Hangman (Imajin Books)
• Mary Jane Maffini, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder (Berkley Prime Crime)
• Phyllis Smallman, Champagne for Buzzards (McArthur & Company)

So even if you can’t make it to Toronto, have fun reading Canadian light.