Interview with Austin S. Camacho, Team Member of the 2018 C3 Convention

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, October 5^th thru the 7th. 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 sixth C3 Con. In past years we’ve had wonderful keynote speakers

2017  Peter Blauner and Jonathan Maberry

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 Jamie Freveletti (bestselling thriller author) and Keith DeCondido (bestselling science fiction and fantasy author who has novelized a multitude of TV, movie and comic book characters.)

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 presentations.

Jamie Freveletti will teach a one hour class on “Writing Conflict in Thrillers” at this year’s C3 Con! Jamie was tapped by Robert Ludlum’s estate to take over his Covert One series.

New York Times bestseller John Gilstrap will offer a class called "Whose Story Are You Telling? The Critical Role of Point of View."

Another NY Times Bestseller, Rebecca York, will give a class on self-editing.

And John Dedakis, a former CNN Senior Editor turned mystery writer, will give his popular class, “How to Write a Novel."

DL: There’s a lot to the conference. Anything new this year?

AC: I’m glad you asked. For the first time we will present a Noir at the Bar event, which is free and open to the public. Ten authors will read from their thrilling work.at 7:30pm. We hope readers and fans will gather for the free readings and a cash bar. The authors will be competing for an engraved trophy of sorts, so you can bet they will be performing their best! Attendees will choose the winner.

Also, C3 Con attendees, and those who come to the books signings and Noir at the Bar will be able to participate in a charity raffle. The C3 Con is partnering with the Howard County Library System's Project Literacy - a highly successful adult basic education initiative. HCLS Instructors and volunteer tutors have taught 8,400 adults since 1987 through free, one-on-one tutoring and class sessions. To raise funds for this worthy cause we they will raffle off several book-related gift baskets. Every dollar collected for the baskets will go to the HCLS Project Literacy.

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 October 5 – 7 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 genre fiction to get up close and personal with authors who write it. 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.