 LCC 2026 Co-Chair: Michele Drier
Michele Drier, born in Santa Cruz, is a fifth-generation Californian. Her great-great grandfather arrived in San Francisco in September 1849, from New Brunswick. During Michele’s career in journalism — including the San Jose Mercury News — she won awards for producing investigative series. Michele is the past president of the Guppies chapter of SinC, past president of Capitol Crimes, currently is the president of the NorCal chapter, and co-chaired Bouchercon 2020. Her books include the Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries, the Stained Glass Mysteries series, and an eleven-volume paranormal romance series. [website]
 LCC 2026 Co-Chair: Ana Manwaring
Ripped from the headlines, Ana Manwaring’s newest novel, Kickback, A Dafne Olabarrieta Mexico Mystery, is set against government corruption, kidnapping, and murder. Her JadeAnne Stone Mexico Adventures series has won several awards. Saints and Skeletons, A Memoir of Living in Mexico — the real adventure — was shortlisted for the CIBA Journeys Award. On her recent research trip to Mexico, Ana visited both the state and federal D.A.’s offices, two hospitals, and the bus station where protagonist Alex was run down by a contract killer — and lived. When not writing suspense, Ana produces North Bay Poetics, a monthly poetry event and has published three poetry chapbooks. She teaches creative writing and is SinC NorCal’s VP. [website]
L CC 2026 Advisor: Janet Rudolph
Janet Rudolph is known as “The
Mistress of Mystery.” She
is the writer/producer for Murder on the Menu®,
director of Mystery
Readers International, editor of
the Mystery Readers Journal, a teacher of mystery fiction,
and has been a columnist for most of the mystery periodicals.
She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the
International Association of Crime Writers, the British
Crime Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and the
American Crime Writers League. Janet has been the Fan Guest of Honor at Left Coast Crime, Malice Domestic, and Bouchercon. She
blogs at Mystery
Fanfare and Dying
for Chocolate. Janet was a founder of Left Coast Crime and serves on the Left Coast Crime National Board.
LCC National: Lucinda
Surber & Stan Ulrich
Email Lucinda Surber | Email Stan Ulrich
 Lucinda & Stan
joined the LCC family
with Left Coast Crime 2011: The Big Chile in Santa Fe, and were co-chairs (with Bill & Toby Gottfried) for 2014: Calamari Crime in Monterey, and chaired LCC 2022: Southwest Sleuths in Albuquerque. They also kept things afloat virtually with the 2021 Unconvention. They serve
as the Lefty Awards Co-Chairs for Left Coast Crime. Stan, a retired
lawyer, is President and Treasurer of Left Coast Crime Conference,
Inc., and Lucinda is Secretary. Their first mystery convention was Bouchercon
2007 in Alaska, and they’ve
enjoyed exploring new places and meeting fellow mystery
enthusiasts at Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime ever
since. Lucinda & Stan were the Fan Guests of Honor at Bouchercon 2015 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Together Lucinda and Stan are Stop,
You’re
Killing Me!, a two-time Anthony award-winning web resource
for lovers of mystery, crime, thriller, spy, and suspense
books. Lucinda and Stan try to give away as many books as they
can, but still seem to have piles everywhere. Stan & Lucinda serve on the Left Coast Crime National Board.
Meet-the-New-Authors Breakfast Chair: Mike Befeler
 Email Mike Befeler
Mike hosts the annual Meet-the-New Authors Breakfast at Left Coast Crime when everyone is invited to have breakfast with the new authors and hear a bit about their books. Mike is the author of fifteen books including six novels in the Paul Jacobson Geezer-lit Mystery Series and recent standalones: Unstuff Your Stuff; Court Trouble: A Platform Tennis Mystery; an international thriller, The Tesla Legacy; and Death of a Scam Artist. Mike is past-president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. After a thirty-nine year business career, he retired into writing. He grew up in Hawaii, spent many years in Boulder, Colorado, and currently lives in Lakewood, California, with his wife Wendy. In addition to mystery writing, Mike is a professional grandpa, being entertained daily by his young grandson. [website]
Speed-Dating Co-Chairs: Les & Leslie Blatt
 Les & Leslie Blatt host the annual Speed-Dating event on Thursday morning. Les Blatt is a retired (and recovering) journalist. For over 15 years, he has written weekly reviews of classic mystery books for his Classic Mysteries blog and podcast, both of which are now on hiatus — he hopes they will return soon to the web. He and his wife, Leslie are active at several mystery conferences each year. Leslie Blatt is a retired School Library Media Specialist. In her 40 years of being in schools, she worked with all grade levels. Mysteries were always a major theme in her library as a resource for inquiry teaching, as well as getting kids to read. Mysteries have always been a favorite genre for Leslie since she was young, beginning with Nancy Drew. Les & Leslie serve on the Left Coast Crime National Board.
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