Trouble in Tucson Newsletter
February 22, 2023
Update on Trouble in Tucson Events
Author Speed-Dating
Author Speed-Dating hosted by Les & Leslie Blatt will take place Thursday, March 16, from 9:00–11:00 AM.
Authors: All Speed-Daters have been confirmed and a Wait List established.
Fans: First come, first seated!
Meet the New Authors Breakfast, sponsored by Sisters in Crime
Authors who have a first mystery, crime, thriller, or suspense novel published in 2022 are eligible to present at the Meet the New Authors Breakfast, Friday, March 17th, hosted by Mike Befeler and assisted by Les and Leslie Blatt.
REMINDER to New Authors: If you haven’t already heard from Mike Befeler, please email him at mikebef@aol.com with your title and publication date.
Fans: All LCC registrants are welcome.
Author-Hosted Tables
Partner with another author to host a table at the Lefty Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 18. Convention attendees will sign up to sit with you at dinner. Table favors and decorations optional.
Author-Hosts: Information has been sent to everyone who has emailed so far. There are tables still available. Email Lucinda.LCC@gmail.com with BOTH of your names and email addresses. You will receive a return email with more information.
Fans: When you register, look for the Author-Hosted Table signup sheets near Registration, first come, first served.
Author-Reader Connections
Authors: Author-Reader Connections are open to all authors. For all the information about setting up a Connection. email <connections@leftcoastcrime.org>. The deadline for requesting a Connection is Friday, March 1.
Fans: View and sign up for Author-Reader Connections on our Connections page. Only registered attendees can sign up to attend Connections. You may sign up for a maximum of two Connections, and no more than one per author.
https://leftcoastcrime.org/2023/Connections.html
Continuing Conversation
On Friday and Saturday a Continuing Conversation will take place in the Joshua Tree room. The room will be set up with four chairs at the head table of three tables arranged in a U-shape. As each new person arrives, someone will rotate off. You can talk about books, pets, food, or whatever you like! Everyone is welcome to join in: authors, bloggers, and readers. There will be open seats at two additional tables on either side of the head table as well as audience seating. Bring a drink and/or snack and enjoy the conversation. To sign up as one of the rotating seats at the head table, visit this Google Sheet to see what slots are open and email Lucinda.LCC@gmail.com with the time you would like. To sit at an open seat or in the audience, just come to Joshua Tree on Friday or Saturday from 9:00-Noon or 1:30-5:00.
Trouble in Tucson Needs You!
As an all-volunteer organization, LCC can’t run conventions without volunteers like you! There are plenty of volunteer opportunities for everyone. To volunteer for any of the opportunities listed below, please email <volunteer4lcc@gmail.com> with the Volunteer Job(s) you would like along with some times you are available. We still need LOTS of volunteers.
Registration
Sign up for a two-hour shift helping Registrar Stan Ulrich and Registration Captain Dotty Morefield manage the registration table. We need both experienced Registration volunteers and those who have never done this fun job of welcoming convention registrants and handing out the envelopes and book bags. We need volunteers for two-hour shifts on Wednesday (3:00–5:00 PM), Thursday (8:30 AM – 5:00 PM), Friday (8:30 AM – 4:00 PM), Saturday (8:30 AM – 4:00 PM), Sunday (8:30–10:30 AM). If you would like to volunteer for Registration, please note some time blocks you would be available.
Volunteer Table
Sign up for a two-hour shift helping Volunteer Coordinator Lucinda Surber distribute and collect Panel Room Packets and fill in for any volunteers who don’t show up. We need volunteers for two-hour shifts on Thursday (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM), Friday (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM), Saturday (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM), Sunday (8:30–10:30 AM). If you would like to help out at the Volunteer Table, please specify some time blocks you would be available.
Panel Room Timekeeper/Monitor
Sign up for a shift managing a panel room. We still need 32 volunteers for this fun and important job! Responsibilities include picking up the Panel Packet and arranging the panelist name tents before the panel, holding up signs so the Panel Moderator knows how much time is left before the end of the panel, and escorting the panelists to the signing space after the panel. Written instructions will be provided. If you are interested, please email <volunteer4lcc@gmail.com> for a list of panels in search of volunteers.
Special Event Volunteers
We need a few volunteers to help with Speed Dating (Thursday early morning), New Author Breakfast (Friday early morning), and the Banquet (Saturday evening). Volunteering will not interfere with attending the event yourself. If you are interested, please email <volunteer4lcc@gmail.com> with the event you would like to help with.
Banquet Menu Choice
When you registered you picked among three entrées for the Awards Banquet. We are sending out emails asking you to confirm whether you still plan to attend, and if so, to let us know if you would like to change your earlier selection. Menu change requests are due February 28.
Uninvited Guest
The Covid virus is still lurking so you are encouraged to take personal protective measures. Masks are not required, instead use your own judgment and be safe. LCC will not be verifying vaccination status this year.
Ground Transportation to El Conquistador Hilton
- A1 Town Cars: 520-203-2218
Online Reservation Form
When making your reservation, let them know if you will have extra luggage or passengers and they will send an SUV instead of a sedan. Advance reservation required. Cost $59
- Express Taxi: 520-240-0344
Make your reservation a few days in advance. No shows will be charged. Driver will meet traveler inside terminal with a name sign. About $100
- Tucson Stagecoach: 520-889-1000
Online Reservation Form
This is a shared ride service, driver drops each person off in turn. Advance reservation required. Cost $36
Mobility Scooter Rentals
American Mobility delivers and picks up mobility scooters and other devices to the El Conquistador. Prices and information available by phone (520) 276-4696 or on their website
https://americanmobility.com/rentals.
2280 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, Arizona 85705
Silent Auction Information
Each Left Coast Crime Convention raises money to support a local literacy organization with funds raised through a silent and live auction. The LCC 2023 recipient is Make Way for Books, an early literacy nonprofit that provides programs, services, and resources to more than 18,000 young children, parents, and educators throughout southern Arizona each year. All proceeds from our auctions go to Make Way for Books. Anyone — reader, writer, bookseller, librarian, blogger — may donate items to the silent auction. You can either mail your Silent Auction donations to yourself at the hotel or bring them with you. We’ll be accepting donations on Wednesday, March 15 from 3:00-5:00 PM, on Thursday morning while setting up the Silent Auction Room, and on Friday morning as well.
Sponsorship at Left Coast Crime
Left Coast Crime encourages organizations to sponsor a variety of events such as the Opening Reception, the Awards Banquet, the Friday “Meet the New Authors” breakfast, the Saturday breakfast, and the Hospitality Room. Other options include sponsoring one of our Guests of Honor or supporting Left Coast Crime by sponsoring products such as the convention book bag or name badge holder.
Our thanks to Sisters in Crime for sponsoring the Meet-the-New Authors Breakfast on Thursday morning. Authors who have a first mystery, crime, thriller, or suspense novel published in 2022 will to present at the breakfast hosted by Mike Befeler and assisted by Les and Leslie Blatt.
Our thanks to Kensington Books for sponsoring Saturday in the Hospitality Room. The schedule of the Kensington authors who will appear in the Hospitality Room on Saturday to sign books and meet fans can be found here.
Books for Book Bags
We are happy to accept crime fiction and non-fiction books for distribution to all attendees in our book bags. There is no charge, but you will need to ship the books to arrive by March 8, 2023. We accept any quantity of books, but prefer not to have more than 200 copies of a single title; multiple titles are recommended if you would like to place a book in every bag. In order to make book distribution work for both the participants (who will love receiving your books) and the booksellers (who will plan to bring different books to sell), we ask that you provide the title(s) and number of books you would like to donate.
Please email Lucinda Surber if you are interested in learning more about our sponsorship opportunities or donating books for our book bags.
Tucson Side Trips
Destination & Conference Services will be offering five tours for Left Coast Crime attendees and their guests. All tours are four hours long and include round-trip transportation from El Conquistador Tucson, admission fees, taxes, service gratuities, and bottled water. All five tours will be offered the following days and times. There is a 12-person minimum for each tour.
UPDATE: None of these tours have met the minimum enrollment of 12 people. If you are interested, please make your reservation now! If tours do not meet the minimum enrollment they will be cancelled and registrants will be offered another tour or a refund.
Dates & Times
◉ Tuesday, March 14, 2023: 1:00–4:00 PM
◉ Wednesday, March 15, 2023: 1:00–4:00 PM
◉ Thursday March 16, 2023: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Tour Options
◉ Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: $119
◉ Sabino Canyon: $99
◉ Biosphere 2: $199
◉ San Xavier del Bac Mission and downtown historical tour: $79
◉ Pima Air & Space Museum: $119
Please download the flyer with all the details about the tours. Information for making your reservation is on the final page.
Left Coast Crime 2024: Seattle Shakedown
in Bellevue, Washington
When: April 11–14, 2024
Where: Hyatt Regency Bellevue
Room Rate: $169 for April 9–14, plus two nights before and after (subject to availability).
More Details: To be announced soon!
Registration Is Now Open: https://leftcoastcrime.org/2024/
