Left Coast Crime was heaven. Hawaii smells like flowers and the ocean was warm, even on moonlight swims; my cheeks hurt from laughing on the Liars Panel; I learned things that will make me a better writer at the Novel Plotting Panel; and The Reek of Red Herrings won the Bruce Alexander Award (my fourth - I'm only saying that deep inside my own website because it's so braggy. But it's true.). All that an ukulele music too.