Yes, I’m still wringing mileage out of BCon

George Easter has posted his report of the convention on the Deadly Pleasures website, warning all that he will drop many names — and quite cheerfully, at that. Although I must say that I like to think I hang with an all-ages crowd, being more of an old soul than a lot of my peers…

Carole Barrowman, a regular contributor to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was also at the convention and files her amusing take on the proceedings.

Then there’s Selina Walker, known to many as the publishing director of crime and thrillers at Transworld, who has contributed her first report to the Bookseller (with one due out soon in the Guardian.) She talks to many of the genre’s leading lights, and even offers up her take on the names to watch:

So now follow my tips for 2006. The coolest cats–the writers other crime writers want to be–are Harlan Coben and Dennis Lehane. The young guns with the most committed fans are Ken Bruen, Simon Kernick and Jason Starr. The new kid on the block is Harley Jane Kozak. And the crime-writing stars of tomorrow? Step up Lee Child, Barry Eisler and Laura Lippman.

Now, this may be an age or track record related thing, but dontcha think the whole idea of "crime writing stars of tomorrow" is that, um, they are actually still new at this? Or have just begun their careers? Eisler I agree with, but my shortlist of up-and-comers is probably waaaaay different. It’s the same criticism I leveled at Kate Miciak during BEA when she spent her allotted time during the Editors Buzz Forum on Child and Karin Slaughter instead of on the dozens of Bantam Dell authors who aren’t getting seven-figure deals and massive marketing campaigns. Which isn’t to say they aren’t deserved or necessary — they are — but a little perspective never hurts.