Plot thickens at annual mystery conference

Mystery. Mayhem. Murder.

It’s all coming to the Lido Beach Resort Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6, when mystery readers and writers from across the state converge for the fifth annual Mystery Florida conference.

This year’s conference will feature Longboat Key authors H. Terrell Griffin and Pat Gussin, along with Wayne Barcomb, James O. Born, Don Bruns, Blaize Clement, Tom Corcoran, Tim Dorsey, Mary Anna Evans, David Hagberg, Jonathon King, Ward Larsen, James Macomber, Kristy Montee (P.J. Parrish), Bob Morris, James Sheehan, James Swain and Elaine Viets.

Griffin, organizer of the conference, said that this year’s conference has an extended Friday session, with a series of discussions with agents, book scouts, publishers and editors geared toward aspiring writers.

Then, at 6 p.m. Friday, the suspense continues with the “Mystery Mingle,” a book signing with the conference’s featured authors. The event is free and open to the public. Circle Books will have books for sale and will donate half of the proceeds to Mystery Florida.

The plot thickens at 8 a.m. Saturday with a full day of panel discussions. This year’s topics include a discussion of “Bad Guys,” a talk on how books get made into movies and “Memorable Screw-Ups: What Not to Do.” Griffin will moderate a panel discussion on “The Maltese Falcon: Has it Stood the Test of Time?” and each participant will get a free copy of the novel.
“Saturday is geared for fans as well as authors,” Griffin said.

After the conference, participants can lounge by the resort pool from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The festivities end with the patrons' dinner at 7 p.m. Saturday, at Café L’Europe, 431 St. Armands Circle.

Cost is $175 for the full conference; $125 for Saturday only; and $250 for patrons' tickets, which include the full conference and Saturday dinner.

Proceeds benefit the Longboat Library and Tingley Memorial Library, on Bradenton Beach.

FIFTH ANNUAL MYSTERY FLORIDA CONFERENCE
When: Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6
Where: Lido Beach Resort, 700 Ben Franklin Drive, Lido Beach
Cost: $125 for Saturday only; $175 for full conference; and $250 for patrons' tickets