Bouchercon2026: Calgary

Bouchercon2026: Calgary

1:45pm MDT

Audio Books as a Cottage Industry: Pros and Cons of Recording Your Own Books Glen 206 Bouchercon 101 Glen 201 In A Previous Life: Careers that Morphed into Fiction Macleod D Mysteries Set at Special Occasions Glen 203 Welcome to Canada: Five Canadian Writers Debate, politely of course. Glen 208 North of the Border Investigations: What happens When Things Go South Macleod BC

3:00pm MDT

Best 2025 Humor Mysteries/Thrillers Glen 201 Delayed Redemption Glen 206 Double Timelines and Unusual Narratives Macleod D Field of Dreams Glen 203 Fire Behavior and Arson Investigations for Writers Macleod BC Misdirections and Red Herrings that Don’t Cheat Glen 208

4:15pm MDT

Crime Writing Around the World, Part 1 Glen 208 Hands, Hearts, and Help: Fellow Travelers on the Pilgrimage Glen 203 Make the Most of a Wilderness Setting Macleod D Walking on the Gritty Side Glen 201 What Happens When a Writer Changes Genres? Macleod BC Women Holding It Together Glen 206

6:30pm MDT

Cozies & Cocktails Exhibit Hall

7:00am MDT

Author Speed Dating Macleod D

9:00am MDT

Celebrating Strength in Mid-Grade and YA Stories Glen 206 Closed Communities: Looking in, Looking Out Glen 208 Digging Deep Macleod D Introducing the Steele Curry Collection Macleod BC Rural versus Urban Glen 203 The Spark that Lights the Fire Glen 201

9:45am MDT

Book Signing: Mark Greaney Macleod A

10:15am MDT

Bouchercon 101 Macleod D Bouchercon Anthology #1 Glen 201 Crafting Domestic Violence Characters Glen 208 Start as You Mean to Go On Glen 206 Writing Cold: Northern Imagination Glen 203 The Hidden Load-Bearing Principles of a Murder Mystery Plot Macleod BC

11:30am MDT

Cozies, the Next Generation Macleod D Dying with Laughter Glen 206 In Pursuit of Phantoms Macleod BC Notes From the Checkout/Sales Desk Glen 203 The Past is not the Present Glen 208 Young Sprouts and Mature Trees: Writing Dialogue for Younger and Older Characters Glen 201

1:45pm MDT

Anthony Nominees Anthology and Short Stories Glen 201 Bones and Flesh Glen 206 Joys and Pitfallsof Collecting Crime Fiction and Non-Fiction Glen 203 Locked Rooms, and Cyphers, and Maps, Oh My Glen 208 Rising Out of the Slush Pile Macleod D Spotlight Interview: Kevin Sands Macleod BC

3:00pm MDT

Anthony Nominees Non-Fiction and YA Glen 201 Best in Show Glen 203 Commercial Success Without Social Media: Is that Even Possible? Glen 208 Editors as Co-Conspirators: The Accomplices You didn't Know You Needed Macleod BC Relatable Villians Glen 206 The Past is Another Country: Balancing Research and Reader Engagement Macleod D

4:15pm MDT

Spotlight Interview: Mark Greaney Exhibit Hall

7:00pm MDT

Opening Ceremonies Exhibit Hall

8:30pm MDT

Anthology Celebration Exhibit Hall

7:00am MDT

Debut Author Breakfast Exhibit Hall

9:00am MDT

Bold Heroines who Make Bad Decisions, but We Love Them Macleod D Bouchercon 101 Glen 201 Celebrating the Heist Caper, Successful or Not Glen 203 Debut Publishing Glen 206 Submitting to Anthologies and Short Story Publishers Glen 208 The Dawn of Modern Forensics Macleod BC

9:45am MDT

Book Signing: Kathy Reichs Macleod A

10:15am MDT

Anthony Nominees Paperbacks, E-Books, Audiobook Originals Glen 201 As Real as it Gets: What’s Harder to Write, Fiction or True Crime? Macleod D Dark, Scary Thrillers Glen 203 Deadly Canada Glen 206 Hop, Bounce, Flip, Pounce, Lunge, Trip, Ricochet, Duck Macleod BC Nuts and Bolts of Archival Research Glen 208

11:30am MDT

Anthony Nominees Best Hard Cover and Best First Novel Glen 201 Changing Face of Short Fiction Glen 203 Crime Writing Economics: Royalties, Advances, and the Big Break Myth Glen 208 Crime Writing with a Social Conscience Glen 206 International Thrillers Macleod D Spotlight Interview: P.J. Vernon Macleod BC

1:45pm MDT

Crime Around The World, Part 2 Glen 203 I Have Your Back: Camaraderie and Character Development Glen 201 It Can’t Be Just Money: What Motivates Private Investigators? Glen 206 Location, Location, Location Glen 208 Spotlight Interview: Abir Mukherjee Macleod BC

3:00pm MDT

Atmospheric Antagonist: How Setting has Moved from Background to Character Glen 206 Bouchercon Anthology #2 Glen 201 Co-writing Journey: Join Jeff Ayers in a conversation about co-writing with Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung Exhibit Hall Keeping Young Readers Glen 203 Podcast Predictions Glen 208 Rave Reviews: Reviews and Recommendations Macleod BC

4:15pm MDT

Spotlight Interview: Kathy Reichs Exhibit Hall

7:00pm MDT

Author Fair Macleod D

9:00pm MDT

Underrepresented Authors Reception Macleod Lobby

9:00am MDT

Cognitive Dissonance of Noir in Non-traditional settings Glen 203 Hosting a Bouchercon Glen 201 How Far Outside Normal does Something Have to be to Be Paranormal? Glen 208 What does Query Mean Today? Glen 206 What has Replaced the Cold War in Espionage Novels? Macleod D Book Signing: Louise Penny Macleod Lobby

10:15am MDT

Deep in the Heart of Cozies Glen 206 Forensic Toxicology and Treatment of Poisoning Glen 203 Hollywood Confidential Glen 208 Mysteries/Thrillers and …: Why Crime Fiction Plays Well With Other Genres Macleod D Spotlight Interview: Jennifer Hillier Macleod BC The Fast Pace of Thrillers Glen 201

11:30am MDT

General Members Meeting Exhibit Hall

1:00pm MDT

Special Exhibit of the Steele Curry Mystery, Espionage, and Thriller Collection Lobby

1:30pm MDT

From Mean Streets to Dark Web Alleys Glen 206 Humor Across the Board Glen 201 Spotlight Interview: Vicki Delany Macleod BC Sustaining a Detective Character Across a Series Macleod D The Beat Goes On Glen 208 Through the Speculative Lens Glen 203

2:45pm MDT

AI Possibilities and Pit Falls Macleod BC Could We Please Stop for Just a Minute? Glen 208 First Contact Macleod D Psychology Meets Fiction: Writing Evil vs. Mental Health and Circumstances Glen 203 Selling books in a Challenging, Chaotic Marketplace Glen 206 Tones and Moods: Haunted Houses, Liminal Spaces, and Gothic Ambiance Glen 201

4:00pm MDT

Spotlight Interview: Louise Penny Exhibit Hall

7:00pm MDT

Saturday Showcase: Auction & Awards Exhibit Hall

9:00pm MDT

Pub Night Trivia Exhibit Hall

9:00am MDT

Authentic and Rich Characterization Glen 206 Best Side Kicks: the Ones Readers Remember Even if They Forget the Protagonist’s Name Macleod D Different Genres; Different Headspaces Glen 203 Hosting a Bouchercon Glen 201 No Inspiration Left Unturned Glen 208 Pay it Forward Macleod BC

10:15am MDT

Converting Real People, Places and Events into Fiction Macleod D Long Distance Trucking Glen 206 Out of this world Glen 203 White Collar Crimes: Commit a Crime from the Comfort of your Home. Glen 208 Writing and Reading for Joy Glen 201

11:30am MDT

Closing Ceremonies with Guest of Honour Panel Exhibit Hall