Everyone's at Bouchercon . . . .

By now they've all arrived: they've checked in and greeted friends old and new. Many of my online friends are there already, and I can't wait to meet them in person.

But alas, I only leave in the morning, so my arrival will be different, like Cinderella coming late to the ball. Not quite so dramatic, of course, since it's not as though everyone will be gathered in one room and will turn to stare at my entrance. Although, in my nervousness, that's how I picture it.

The most anxious thing, I suppose, is that there are some things that I simply can't predict, no matter how hard I try or how much I think about it. Unexpected things give life its luster, and yet I try to make them safe and knowable. I try to see the scenario in my mind and say, "It will be like this."

But the one thing I'm certain of is that my pictured scenario will be wrong--how can I predict a scene which contains people I've never met?

That's the exciting part. Putting faces with all the wonderful names from book covers, from DorothyL, from my publishing house, from friendly e-mails.

I'm terrified.

I can't wait.