So, where were we? Up to the Colin Cotterill interview. Tons o' fun. After it, booksigning, general hanging about, then the St. Martin's Press party, to which Kelli Stanley arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. I got to hang out there with Qiu Xiaolong, one of my favorite people. The food -- a recurring theme in St. Louis, where they really know how to eat -- was pulled pork on potato pancakes, and sliders. Meat, it's big there.

Then the opening ceremonies and awards -- all but the Anthonys -- and then something new at Bouchercon, a nine pm panel: Sex, Violence, and Bad Language -- Everything That Makes a Book Great. Scott Montgomery moderated, and then panelists were Christa Faust, Chris Holm, Scott Phillips, John Rector, Benjamin Whitmer, Jonathan Woods -- and me. I was a cut-and-paste typo; no one was exactly sure how I got listed to be on that panel, and I offered to drop off, but the organizers said no, do it, so I went ahead and did it. It was a laugh riot, I have to say. But also, some good points made. Especially by Christa, who parsed the difference between erotica and porn, and between violence and "torture porn." According to her definition -- and I agree -- if you can skip the scene entirely with no effect on story or understanding of character, it's porn; if the way the sex or violence is carried out makes a difference to the reader's understanding of story or character, it belongs in the book. Christa comes on a little wild, but she's a damn smart dame.