What? Bouchercon? Didn’t that just happen somewhere a ways up north? Aren’t we done with that?

Not even close.

My countdown clock is ticking big time now. You see, just this time next year… Bouchercon’s coming to Baltimore.

I drive past the convention hotel every day now - the Sheraton Baltimore City Center. For some crazy, unfathomable reason, they have yet to unfurl the acres of welcome banners, unharness that Hon hospitality, and unroll the…uh…massive…lolling…uh…tongues?…of red carpet…

Anyway, you get the point. We’re less than a year away from bringing crime at its best to Baltimore!

Crime fiction, that is. Charm City has quite enough crime crime of its own, thank you very much.

But don’t let that keep you away, crime (fiction) fans! In fact, there’s plenty of time to address any concerns you have to the fabulous Ruth Jordan, convention organizer extraordinaire. She hosts a blog site with updates on the coming event here.

Not that you can’t find everything you’d ever want to know on the official Charmed to Death website.

With guests of honor Laura Lippman (the American/native guest) and John Harvey (the International guest), you can already tell this is going to be a con worth attending. Add to it a full schedule of panels beginning Thursday morning and the culminating Anthony Awards Brunch on Sunday… you may not even have time to find some crabs to pick, much less carve out touring time for Edgar Allan Poe sites of interest, Hamden Hon-spotting in true John Waters style, and Fells Point’s greatest attraction (for me), the Mystery Loves Company bookstore.

You’ll have to squeeze it all in somehow, along with, perhaps, a side trip to Fort McHenry where the Star Spangled Banner was penned. And crabs. You really have to make time for some crabs.

The best part of getting all revved up about Baltimore Bouchercon now? There’s still time to make suggestions. What would you like to add to make sure we’re all really Charmed to Death next October 9th - 12th?