What’s Coming up for Desert Sleuths?
Check here for upcoming conferences, book festivals, and similar events at which Desert Sleuths wants to have a presence. Click here to understand what a Desert Sleuths Ambassador is. Events will be added as they arise. Signup forms will open to a new page.
If you have an event to recommend, please fill out this form.
July 2026
Mad Monster Party
Friday, July 10-12, 2026 (Glendale, AZ)
Friday 6 p.m.-11 p.m.
Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
9495 W Entertainment Blvd, Glendale, AZ 85305
Payson Book Festival
Saturday, July 18, 2026 (Payson, AZ)
Visit the official website.
Fill out the attendance form if you are going, so we can connect you with other Desert Sleuths attendees.
White Mountains Book Conference and Book Festival
Friday-Saturday, July 31-August 1, 2026 (Show Low, AZ)
Two events under one umbrella. Visit the official website.
3rd Annual Writer’s Conference: Ride the Wave of Change.
Friday, July 31, 2026
8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Art Alliance
WM 251 Penrod, Show Low, AZ
3rd Festival of Books
Saturday, August 1, 2026
9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Elks Lodge
805 E. Whipple St., Show Low, AZ
Fill out the attendance form if you are going, so we can connect you with other Desert Sleuths attendees.
August 2026
Killer Nashville 2026
Thursday-Sunday, August 20-23, 2026
September 2026
WriteNOW! 2026
Friday-Saturday, September 18-19, 2026 (Virtual)
Arizona’s premier mystery/crime writers conference for authors, readers, and enthusiasts welcomes writers from all genres. WriteNow! 2026 will be virtual.
With a focus on Craft ♦ Publish ♦ Market, there’s something for writers at all stages.
Friday, September 18: Hone your skills at our online workshop. Connect virtually withliterary agents and editors.
Saturday, September 19: Enjoy a full day of speakers, panels, and our hands-on workshop.
Visit the official webpage.
October 2026
Bouchercon
Wednesday-Sunday, October 21-25, 2026 (Calgary, Canada)
Visit the official website.
Fill out the attendance form if you are going, so we can connect you with other Desert Sleuths attendees.
Haunted Halloween
Bookmaze
1300 W University Dr. Mesa, AZ, 85201
December 2026
Mesa Book Festival
Saturday-Sunday, December 5-6, 2026 (Mesa, AZ)
Downtown Mesa
Get ready for two full days of Books and Fun! The 2026 Mesa Book Festival is a great literary getaway. To learn more, here is the official website.
Desert Sleuths will have a table to share with authors wanting to sell their own books, as well as our very own Desert Sleuths Anthologies.
Signup form for the Desert Sleuths booth is here.
Earlier 2026 Events
January 2026
Scottsdale Book Festival
Saturday, January 24, 2026 (Scottsdale, AZ)
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Scottsdale Civic Center
7380 E. 2nd Street | Scottsdale, Arizona
A free, family-friendly ‘Outdoor” celebration of books, authors, publishers, food, friends, book lovers, and community.
A day filled with inspiration, imagination, and exploration. Celebrate the magic of storytelling and the joy of reading as we bring together authors, readers, and book lovers from all walks of life.
Enjoy author talks, interactive presentations, and family-friendly activities. Wander the festival grounds, discover new stories, and explore every genre—from fiction and nonfiction to YA, children’s books, poetry, and more. Visit the official website.
February 2026
Left Coast Crime
Thursday-Sunday, February 26-March 1, 2026 (San Francisco, CA)
Left Coast Crime is an annual mystery convention sponsored by mystery fans, both readers and authors. LCC is held during the first third of the year in Western North America. Conventions have been held from Anchorage to El Paso, from Boulder to Hawaii, and various locations in between.
Our purpose is to host an event where readers, authors, critics, librarians, publishers, and other fans can gather in convivial surroundings to pursue their mutual interests. Visit the official website.
March 2026
Tucson Festival of Books (TFoB)
Saturday-Sunday, March 14-15, 2026 (Tucson, AZ)
9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
University of Arizona
1200 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85721
Activities take place on the university mall.
Mission: The Tucson Festival of Books is a premier, free-to-attend, family-friendly celebration of literature that engages our community. We present notable recently published authors from all genres to discuss big ideas and express creativity freely.
Vision: Through an annual festival and associated programs, we support, elevate, and amplify literacy so that words and imagination come to life for readers of all ages. We inspire our community to fund and utilize Southern Arizona literacy services to improve literacy rates. Visit the official website.
Desert Sleuths will have a half table to sell our anthologies and cookbook. Festival Booth hours are 9:30 – 5:30 both days. We could use 1 person in each time slot to talk with readers and sell our books. (Saturday morning first and last slots are 2 hours; Sunday afternoon final slot is 2 hours.)
May 2026
ThrillerFest
Tuesday-Saturday, May 5-9, 2026 (NYC)
The premier conference for Thriller Enthusiasts.
Visit the official website.
Sonoran Writers Conference
Saturday, May 9, 2026, (Mesa)
8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Benedictine University
225 E Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85201
Whether you’re polishing your first manuscript, building your author platform, exploring indie publishing, or honing advanced craft skills, the Sonoran Writers Conference offers dynamic sessions that meet you where you are and help you grow. Engage with expert-led panels, hands-on workshops, roundtable conversations, and meaningful networking opportunities that connect you directly with fellow writers and publishing pros.
Keynote Address: Kick off your day with Tori Eldridge, bestselling and award-winning author of the Lily Wong mystery thriller series, the standalone dark fantasy Dance Among the Flames, and the Ranger Makalani Pahukula mystery series (newest book releasing on 5/19/26).
Desert Sleuths and Tuscon SinC (TSinC) have prepared 13 sessions, filling 2 rooms throughout the day. Here is our schedule of workshops, presentations, and panels:
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- 9:00 a.m. Workshop: What I Learned from Nancy Drew—Tools for Fast-Paced Plotting, with Kris Bock
- 9:00 a.m., Panel: Unleashing Creativity through Brainstorming, with Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski (mod), Lauren Buckingham, Margaret C. Morse, Claire A Murray
- 10:00 a.m., Presentation: Find Music in Your Writing, with Suzanne E Flaig
- 11:00 a.m., Workshop, Short Stories and Anthologies: Do’s, Don’ts, and What to Expect, with Eva Eldridge
- 11:00 a.m., Panel: You Can Make it Up, But it Better be Right: The Value of Research in Fiction Writing, with Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski, Patricia Bonn, Roberta Gibson, C.C. Harrison (mod), Elaine Powers
- 12:00 p.m., Presentation: Conflict-ology: The Art of Creating Conflict Within Your Writing , with Susan Magestro
- 1:00 p.m., Panel: Critiquing, Self-editing, and What Professional Editors Look For, with Kris Bock, Claire A Murray, Suzanne E Flaig (mod), Elaine Powers
- 1:00 p.m., Presentation: How to Write the Paranormal: Choosing a Paranormal Character and World Building: A Vampire Moved in Next Door, with Margaret Morse
- 2:00 p.m., Workshop, Haunted by History and Mystery: Writing the Past from Family Secrets, Memory, and Dreams, with Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski
- 2:00 p.m., Panel, Plotting Practices — Tips, Practices, and Warnings, with Patricia Bonn, Roberta Gibson, C.C. Harrison (mod), Susan Magestro
- 3:00 p.m., Presentation: Venomous vs Poisonous Animals, We Have both in AZ, but Which is Which?, with Elaine Powers
- 4:00 p.m., Panel, Warm Up Your Writing with Cozy and Humorous Touches, with Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski, Suzanne E Flaig (mod), Margaret C. Morse
- 4:00 p.m., Presentation, Cliffhangers: Keep the Pages Turning!, with Kris Bock
Plus, there are another 30+ sessions scheduled in three other rooms! Come and learn, network, and refill your creative juices.
Visit the official website.
Crimecon
May 29-31, 2026 (Las Vegas, NV)
June 2026
ShortCon
Saturday, June 6, 2026 (Alexandria, VA)
Books & BBQ
June 13, 2026 (Mesa, AZ)
Bookmaze
1300 W University Dr. Mesa, AZ, 85201
Looking for past Desert Sleuths outings and photos?
You’ll find them here.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO BE A DESERT SLEUTHS AMBASSADOR?
We want Desert Sleuths to be noticeably present at conferences but with a small board we need members who will expand our visibility and have some fun in our name.
What’s an ambassador do?
Any combination of:
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- Bring DS and SinC buttons and postcards to place on the swag tables around the conference and picking up the leftovers at the end of the conference to return to the chapter.
- Wear your DS button and talk about the chapter and its programming to people who want to know more. If someone’s interested, collect their business card and bring it back to us for follow-up.
- Introduce yourself to National SinC staff at their table; Julie Hennrikus (Ex. Dir.) is very approachable/friendly.
- Pick up a packet of buttons from National SinC and bring back to chapter for our events.
- Help facilitate a social gathering at the conference; we’ll work on time and place (but if you have suggestions, we’d appreciate it since we can’t be there) — facilitating means greeting DS members, making them feel welcome, and wishing them the best conference from us.