During the last weekend of September, I attended the Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity (C3) conference in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The C3 is an annual book lovers’ event for fans and writers of horror, mystery, suspense, thriller, fantasy, and paranormal.
Attendees were greeted with a tote bag of goodies, including a copy of Prose ‘n Cons magazine, a notepad and pen set, and an anthology of stories written by attending authors.
The conference schedule had something for everyone: four master classes; keynote speakers F. Paul Wilson and Heather Graham; and panel discussions on topics from creating memorable characters, world building, and balancing humor with murder.
For example, panelists on “Taboos in Fiction: Is Anything Off Limits” talked about using fiction as a tool for bringing social issues to the forefront, like domestic violence, which is featured in the Let Me Just Say This series by B. Swangin Webster. Another popular panel was a forensic presentation by John French, a crime scene supervisor with the Baltimore Police Department, and Dana Kollman, a forensic services technician with the Baltimore County Police Department. Current methods of collecting evidence, conflicts of jurisdiction, and whether or not TV crime shows are accurate with police procedures—they’re not!—was discussed, followed by a Q & A.
One of the last panels of the conference was called “Buzz Your Book.” Attendees and authors presented their elevator pitch with feedback and suggestions from the audience.
The next C3 will be held at the Sheraton Columbia Town Center in Columbia, Maryland, September 30-October 2, 2016. I plan to be there.
—Paula Lanier
Paula Lanier is currently working on a mystery novel and resides in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Thank you Paula, for your kind words about our little Con. We miss you already – you were a big part of the fun! And hope you bring the whole Northeast Chapter with you.
Thank you so much. We had a blast and I can’t wait to see you again next year! Always a fabulous time!
I always have a great time at this con and this year was no different. Thank you for mentioning my novel and I can’t wait to see you at this year’s conference at its new location!
This was my second C3 and I second everything Paula said. This conference has become a don’t miss” for me, in no small part because of the friendliness of the participants, and how easily I have come to know many of them. Already looking forward to next year.
This is one of my favorite conferences to attend. The atmosphere is warm, open and engaging. I’ve made a lot of great connection. See you next year, Paula!