Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention


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TORONTO
MINUTES
BOUCHERCON STANDING COMMITTEE
11 AM, Saturday, October 9, 2004
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The meeting was called to order at 11am by Thom Walls, Chair of the Standing Committee. He welcomed all present to the meeting and thanked them for attending.

Elizabeth de Vries was appointed the recording secretary for this meeting.

The following members of the Standing Committee were present:

Bouchercon ’04 Toronto Al Navis
Bouchercon ’05 Chicago Sonya Rice
Bouchercon ’06 Madison Mary Helen Becker and Al Abramson
Bouchercon ’07 Anchorage Dee Ford

Members at Large:
Thom Walls (02/03/04)
Gary Warren Niebuhr (03/04/05)
Elizabeth de Vries (04/05/06)

The Chair called on Al Navis for a report on the current Bouchercon. Al reported that approximately 1350 people were in attendance and that all were enjoying themselves. Everyone was pleased that the Dealer Room has aisles. Panel topics have been praised as was the 20 on the 20 track. Due to its location, the Alibi Lounge was being underutilized. Al praised his organizing committee for their dedication and hard work.

Al gave a brief preliminary financial report – basically the income totaled approximately $315,000, and expenses so far are about $300,000. As to the topic of finances, Al stated that he used his personal dollars to start up this Bouchercon as he received no monies from the Las Vegas or any other previous Bouchercon. As a consequence, Toronto will give any surplus monies to their designated literacy program.

Al also pointed out the lack of a financial report from the Las Vegas Bouchercon, in spite of such a report being mandated by the By-Laws.

Sonya Rice gave the report on the status of the 2005 Bouchercon. September 1 – 4, 2005 at the Sheraton Twin Towers, Chicago. Sign up is going well and she said that the committee liked the idea of the “20 on the 20” track and is considering keeping it. Guest of Honor: Dennis Lehane International Guest of Honor: Jonathan Gash. Body of Work Honorees: Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini. Toastmaster: Harlan Coben.

Al Abramson gave the report of the 2006 Bouchercon which will be held September 28 – October 1, 2006 at the Concourse Hotel in Madison. Guest of Honor will be Nevada Barr, Fan Guest of Honor will be Jim Huang and a Life Achievement Award will go to Robert B. Parker.

Dee Ford gave the report on the Anchorage Bouchercon in 2007. It will be held the last weekend in September and she said that there will “Probably be no snow”. Hotel rooms will be at the Hilton Hotel and the convention itself will be held at the Anchorage Convention Center (which she said they got for free!) The committee will also be coordinating the “Authors to the Bush” program and is starting to look for volunteers for that program.

The following amendment, submitted by Bill Gottfried (10/19/03) was discussed and will be voted on at the Chicago Bouchercon.

Existing: IX. The following process shall be used to amend the Bouchercon Bylaws.
  1. Initial presentation (year One)
    1. Changes shall be presented in writing to the membership through the Bouchercon updates and program packet.
    2. Changes shall be discussed at the Bouchercon business meeting
  2. Adoption (Year Two)
    1. Changes shall be considered for adoption at the Bouchercon following the initial presentation
    2. Changes shall be presented in writing to the membership through the updates and program packet
    3. A written ballot shall be presented to the membership of the Bouchercon in the adoption year
    4. Changes will be adopted if the written ballots show a two-thirds majority vote in favor of adoption.

NEW: By-law changes may be brought to the annual business meeting for adoption by a majority vote

The following Standing Rule change was proposed by Elizabeth de Vries (08/04)

NEW: Standing Rule II, F: The most junior member-at-large will serve as the recording secretary during their first year on the Standing Committee.

Motion was made by Gary Warren Niebuhr and seconded by Al Navis. Motion was passed by acclamation.

Proposed Standing Rule Changes With Regard To Anthony Awards:
  • First, moved and seconded by Rick Kovalcik and Susan Mozzicato to change Standing Rule VIII.C to substitute “ninety” for “sixty”. The rule will now read: Within ninety days of the end of each Bouchercon, the Conference Committee Chair must pass on the membership list from the previous Bouchercon to the Chair of the Standing Committee and the next three Bouchercon Conference Committee Chairs.
  • Second, moved and seconded by Rick Kovalcik and Susan Mozzicato to change Standing Rule VIII.B to substitute “ninety” for “sixty”. The rule will now read: Within ninety days of the end of each Bouchercon, the Conference Committee Chair must provide each Standing Committee member with an accounting of the finances of the Bouchercon.
  • Third, moved and seconded by Jan Burke, Sally Fellows, Rick Kovalcik, and Dina S. Willner to change Standing Rule VII.C.1 to: Starting by February 28th and continuing until at least April 30th, the Conference Committee shall solicit nominations from members of the current (next to be held) Bouchercon and that of the immediately preceding Bouchercon. Each person, whether they are a member of one or both Bouchercons, shall be allowed to make up to five equally weighted nominations in every category.
  • Fourth, moved and seconded by Jan Burke, Sally Fellows, Rick Kovalcik, and Dina S. Willner to change Standing Rule VII.C.2 to: The Conference Committee shall count the nominations cast for each award category for eligible nominees. The five eligible nominees receiving the most nominations shall be Anthony Award nominees. If there is a tie including fifth place, all the tied eligible nominees will be listed. However, the Conference Committee may eliminate the fourth and fifth place eligible nominees if they receive fewer than five percent of the nominations cast in the category. The first three eligible nominees, including any ties, shall always be listed.
  • Fifth, moved and seconded by Jan Burke, Sally Fellows, Rick Kovalcik, and Dina S. Willner to add a new Standing Rule VII.C.3 renumbering subsequent rules as necessary.
All five motions were unanimously passed.

Larry Gandle talked about putting in a bid for Bouchercon to be held in Orlando in 2008. However at this time there is concern about the possibility of hurricanes in the area at the time of the convention and insurance is not available. Discussion on this matter was tabled until next year’s business meeting. One possibility that was lightly touched on, was moving Bouchercon on a one-time only-basis to another time of year. This was tabled to the Standing Committee.

Tom Schantz suggested a single Bouchercon web page, one that would have links to the individual conventions. The profits (if any) from Bouchercon could be used to set up and maintain the site. Robin Burcell strongly supported this as she feels that the registrants of Bouchercon should be reminded that they are members of an organization, not just bystanders in a convention. That as participants they need to be educated in the nomination and voting process. We need to emphasize that the membership dollars is not just a ticket to attend panels and visit the Dealer Room. Jan Burke remarked that we have to look at ways to increase participation in the nomination and voting process for the Anthony Awards. Al Navis said that this year, his committee had tried having the voting done by e-mail. There was concern about people couble voting, but it was pointed out that checks could be put in place.

Everyone seemed to agree on the benefits of having a permanent Bouchercon website, and that this is going to have to be utilized to a greater extent than have the individual committee’s websites. Also mentioned was the possibility of having a professional conference organizer in charge of the conventions.

Elaine Viets questioned on what the procedure was when a Bouchercon chair violates the by-laws.

Jan Burke and Dina Willner reported that they will continue to work on the assumption of the Bouchercon trademark by the Standing Committee.

As there was only one nominee this year, Dina S. Willner was named to be the newest Member-at-Large of the Standing Committee.

Thom Walls thanked Al Navis and his Toronto committee for putting on such a wonderful Bouchercon. He then turned over the Chair of the Committee to Gary Warren Niebuhr, who thanked Thom for his years of service on the Committee

The meeting was adjourned at 1:55pm.
Names of Note:
Allen J. Hubin
Ann & Jeff Smith
Art Scott
Barbara Peters
Bernard Cornwell
Beth Fedyn
Beverly De Weese
Bill Crider
Bill Pronzini
Bill S. Ballinger
Bruce Pelz
Bruce Taylor
Cap'n Bob Napier
Carl Hiaasen
Charlotte MacLeod
Chris Steinbrenner
Colin Dexter
Colin Wilcox
Dennis Lehane
Diana Gabaldon
Don Sandstrom
Donald A. Yates
Donald Westlake
Dorothy Salisbury Davis
Ed McBain
Edward D. Hoch
Ellery Queen*
Elmore Leonard
Gary Warren Niebuhr
Geoff Bradley
George C. Chesbro
George Pelecanos
Gregory McDonald
Hal Rice
Hammond Innes
Harlan Coben
Helen McCloy
Ian Rankin
James Ellroy
James Lee Burke
James Sallis
Jane Langton
Janet Hutchings
Janwillem van de Wetering
Jeremiah Healy
Jim Huang
Joan Kahn
Joe Gores
John D. MacDonald
John Nieminski*
Jonathan Gash
Joseph Hansen
Julie Smith
June Moffatt
Lawrence Block
Lee Child
Len Moffatt
Lew Buckingham
Linda Toole
Lindsey Davis
M.C. Beaton
Maggie Mason
Marcia Muller
Margaret Millar
Marvin Lachman
Mary Higgins Clark
Mary S. Craig
Mary Willis Walker
Max Allan Collins
Michael Connelly
Michael Gilbert
Nancy Buckingham
Natasha Cooper
Nevada Barr
Ori Hardy-Sayles
Otto Penzler
P. D. James
Parnell Hall
Peter Lovesey
Peter Robinson
Ralph McInerny
Reginald Bretnor
Reginald Hill
Rev. Robert E. Washer
Robert Adey
Robert B. Parker
Robert Barnard
Robert Bloch
Robert L. Fish
Ruth Cavin
Ruth Rendell
Sara Paretsky
Simon Brett
Sparkle Hayter
Stanley Ellin
Steve Stilwell
Sue Grafton
Thomas Perry
Tom Fontana
Tony Hillerman
Val McDermid
Walter B. Gibson
William Campbell Gault
William F. Deeck
William Kent Krueger
William Link


* In abstentia