Today’s guest, Austin S. Camacho, is a mystery author and also is part of the team that puts on the Creatures, Crimes & Creativity Con, September 8th thru the 10th. He says it’s the Mid-Atlantic’s book lover event of the year and he’s here to tell us why.
DL: How did you come up with the name for the conference?
AC: We chose the name Creatures, Crimes & Creativity Con (C3 Con for short) to indicate the genres we embrace. Creatures and crimes appear in: suspense, mystery, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy and paranormal fiction. We gather readers AND writers those genres. Our attendees have become a little community, and we hang out on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/452670518248659
DL: How did this conference come to be?
AC: We’ve attended and enjoyed writer’s conferences all over the country like Bouchercon, Thrillerfest, DragonCon etc. After all that travelling we wanted to see something like that closer to home. It’s a great opportunity for writers to meet their fans, and for avid readers to meet their favorite authors.
DL: How long has your conference been held? When did it debut?
AC: This is the fifth C3 Con. In past years we’ve had wonderful keynote speakers
2016: Reed Farrel Coleman and Alexandra Sokoloff
2015: Heather Graham and F. Paul Wilson
2014: John Gilstrap and Rebecca York
2013: Jeffrey Deaver and Brian Keene
This year we’re blessed to have Peter Blauner (bestselling thriller author and executive producer of the TV show Blue Bloods) and Jonathan Maberry (bestselling science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction.)
DL: Why would writers want to attend the C3 Con?
AC: First, it’s great promotion. Published authors get to spend time with their fans, and to expose new readers to their writing by presenting on panels. Their books will be available in our on-site bookstore and there will be two book signs open to the public. Their name and a link will be posted on the C3 website. They will be pictured in the C3 program book. And a video interview is included that authors can use on their own web sites after the Con.
Also they can learn a great deal from the panels and presentations. And it’s a priceless opportunity to network with successful authors and other industry professionals.
DL: And why would readers and fans want to attend?
AC: Readers and fans will enjoy panels and presentations from favorite authors, including our keynotes. They can have more contact with the writers at the meals all weekend, which are included in the registration fee. Plus, each attendee will receive a goodie-bag filled with cool stuff including books, magazines, and our exclusive anthology filled with stories written by attending authors. They can collect autographed books at the two giant book signings. And we hold a Twitter contest where someone will win a gift basket of wine, coffee and a Kindle Fire.
DL: You’ve mentioned panels and presentations. Can you tell us about some of them?
AC: We work hard to have panels that appeal to both writers and avid readers. You can see the entire schedule with all the panels listed at http://creaturescrimesandcreativity.com/?page_id=368 .
I will mention a couple of special presentation.
Jeffery Deaver will give a session called: Bringing It All Together: An Example of Writing a Thriller. The international best seller and current president of the Mystery Writers of America will walk us through his process for planning and outlining, actually writing a book, editing and polishing, and getting feedback. Get the how-to from a master of the craft.
Michaela Hamilton, Executive Editor at Kensington, will also give a one-person presentation. She'll offer the insider's view of the submission and acquisition process at her press. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn how the publishing industry REALLY works.
DL: Okay, down to the nitty gritty. What does all this cost?
AC: Registration for all 3 days is $285, which includes Friday dinner, three meals Saturday and Sunday breakfast. You can also register for one day only for $150. There are no extra charges for any of the presentations or panels.
DL: And give us the details of where and when, and of course how to register.
AC: Gladly. Again, it’s September 8 – 10 at the Sheraton, Columbia Town Center, 10207 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, Maryland. More details and registration is at http://creaturescrimesandcreativity.com.
Remember, the C3 Con is intended to be a meeting place for fans and avid readers of the genres of fiction we represent to get up close and personal with authors in those genres. So if you love to read any of this stuff, or if you write these kinds of books and want to make contact with fans (and make new fans) this is the Con for you.
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