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Los Angeles Writers Conference
GLAWS WRITERS CONFERENCE
A conference on the craft of writing for writers of all genres and all levels of accomplishment.
Los Angeles Valley College:
11334 Burbank Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Registration & Programming information are available on the WC2 website.
I’ll be presenting on a few of the panels on Saturday the 28th. The topics I’m discussing include: Help My Laptop Has Fallen Over & Can’t Get Up! (Dealing with Writers Block), Things I Wish a Pro Had Told Me When I First Started Writing, Creating Unique Characters and Keeping Them Fresh.
And for those interested in getting a signed copy of my latest release, ELFKIND, I’ll have copies available throughout the day. You can get one from me, and I’ll sign it for you.
My publisher, Hunt Press, will be there as well, so all you writers and aspiring authors should definitely check it out.
I’m really looking forward to it. I hope to see some of you author types there as well! =)
BayCon 2014 in Santa Clara, CA
ORIGINALLY POSTED: May 23-26, 2014
How do you spell Triskaidekaphobia?… Memorial Day Weekend at BayCon in Santa Clara, CA
At least, that’s what I found myself asking over the holiday weekend. I’m not sure I ever gave myself a satisfactory answer…
I’d been looking forward to BayCon for months, given that my GLAWS author friends go on and on about the event with glowing excitement, especially regarding the BayCon goers who tend to be avid readers and SF/F/H aficionados.
In other words — the BayCon peeps are my kind of peeps.
I dare say, the convention did not fail to live up to their praise, despite the unfortunate drop in attendance due to a rash of newly competing conventions in the Bay area over the holiday weekend.
I spent most of the weekend manning the signing table, meeting lots of fun and interesting people, and sold a respectable number of books, book bags and T-shirts. My favorite visit was from Wiggles, the trained assitance pup — a sweet little black lab who reminded me of my childhood pet, Lady.
Saturday night was awesome. After the Dealer Room closed, I found myself immersed in Star Trek culture, complete with drinks at the Klingon bar, a Klingon slave auction, and even Captain Kirk on the sales block. All the money collected went to charity, including the $5 I threw down for a drink called “Revenge” served to the tune of a room full of Klingons shouting, “Revenge is a drink best served cold!”
I even got to enjoy some Taiko drumming!
I will definitely be back next year if they’ll have me. =)
Gaslight Gathering 2014
ORIGINALLY POSTED: May 2-4, 2014
Gaslight Gathering at San Diego’s Town & Country
Victoriana Musings…
I began my Steampunk weekend with a selfie in the hotel. Which means I must have been excited, because I don’t usually flip the phone on myself. I prefer to be on the other side of the lense, in search of interesting things to shoot.
The best part of the weekend was running into my friends here and there, some of whom even stopped to pose for pictures in their fun and fantastical garb.
One of my friends, Richard Foss, broke down the ins-and-outs of Victorian food and libation. He’s an amazingly informed foodie and food critic, as well as a talanted author in his own right. I could listen to him lecture for hours.
Speaking of authors, there were fewer writer panels at the convention this year, sadly. So I sat in on some costuming discussions before getting to watch some terrific writers discuss the Steampunk genre. Followed by my favorite part of the weekend — a writers’ workshop with Todd McCaffrey and Dru Pagliassotti. And of course, getting my books signed by them and Cherie Priest.
Our Steampunk Panelists from left to right: Ralph E. Vaughan, Cherie Priest, Todd McCaffrey, Dru Pagliassotti.
Of course, Dealer Room antics abounded all weekend. And I did end up spending some money… But can you blame a girl when all the booths looked so inviting with their gadgets and whats-its, doo-dads and feathered thing-a-ma-jigs? And I’d be remiss in my duties as a shopper if I neglected to mention all the pretty attire!!!
WonderCon 2014
ORIGINALLY POSTED: April 18-20, 2014
ComiCon International’s WonderCon in Anaheim
Another wonder-filled weekend in Anaheim…
WonderCon 2014 seemed so much larger than it did in previous years. It’s just a matter of time before it’ll be as difficult to score an Anaheim ticket as it is to score one for San Diego. It’s no longer the well-kept secret of San Diego refugees. That, or there are just so many more of us shut out of the San Diego con, despite our hours lurking in the virtual waiting room on ticket-purchasing day.
A huge, heartfelt thank you to my dear friend Rebecca for my San Diego ticket this year. It’s been 6 years since I’ve been able to get in. I can hardly wait. She was the first one to go with me so many years ago. It’s apropos she’s the one to help me get BACK IN.
Meanwhile, WonderCon was a completely different experience for me this year, because I spent half of it behind a book signing table. The whole weekend was a payoff for all of those grueling hours I spent working on ELFKIND. I felt as if I’d finally grasped some of the stars I’ve been reaching for.
Thank you to my friends, and everyone else who stopped by to say “hello”!
I did manage to squeeze in a few wonder-filled WonderCon moments when I wasn’t manning the table…
Most memorable was the Salem panel, complete with Shane West (nice!) and the show runners, Adam Simon and Brannon Braga, answering questions and giving us a sneak peek at the new WGN series. I’ve since been watching it air on Sunday evenings, and I’m truly impressed with the writing. I’m pleased they are incorporating so much research into the dramatization. The actors are amazing, bringing it all to life, with fabulous costuming and dark, gritty cinematography. I’m crossing my fingers they get a second season!
Any other Faceoff fans out there? I’ve been watching this SyFy show from its inception. Cat and Nico were on the most recent season. They were at the con, showing off their skills, and I even got a fun greeting from Nico, who almost made it to the finale show. Both he and Cat are impressive artists. I enjoyed watching them on the show, and now I can say I watched them live in action as well!
I squeezed in the Nerdist Panel and a visit to the Nerdist booth, since I’m always all about Chris Hardwick and company. Unfortunately, I didn’t get his autograph due to my own book signing commitments, but I got one from Jessica Chobot. Yay! =)
Star Wars definitely represented this year, including a visit from my friends, The Darkside Riders!
And of course the Dealer Room abounded with excitement as it always does. Some of the shots I collected are down below, including one of the artist who created the little Minion I took home with me. =)
LA Times Festival of Books 2014
ORIGINALLY POSTED: April 12, 2014
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC
The start of my spring book signing tour for newly released ELFKIND…
It was a perfect, sunny, breezy-hot day at the USC campus this year…
After the USC Trojans opened the ceremonies with an impressive display of brass and tympony, I spent the morning checking out the other booths and buying, well, BOOKS.
Then it was my turn to take a seat at the GLAWS booth signing table. It wasn’t an event geared toward genre fiction, or SF/F/H in general, so I expected it to be slow. So imagine my surprise when one of my co-workers stopped by my signing station to buy a book and say hello. (Thank you, Taffy!!!)
I sold some book bags to the poor folks lugging stacks of books around, and handed out a lot of postcards that afternoon. And my Amazon numbers went up the next couple of days, so the e-Readers definitely followed through.
I truly appreciate the folks who came back for a second look and bought themselves an e-Book. I feel so blessed when anyone gives me a chance!!!
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books 2013
ORIGINALLY POSTED: April 20, 2013
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, USC Campus
I Read, Therefore I AM…
I hopped the Blue Line to USC’s campus early in the morning to partake of the largest book festival in Southern Californial – the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.
While there, I spent most of my time wandering up and down rows of vendor booths and meeting with friends and collegues. In previous years, I was able to attend more panel discussions and autograph tables, and I wish I’d had more time to do that this year as well.
As it was, I had my marketing cap on as I perused what other authors, editors and publishers were doing to promote their work. These days, authors have to be marketers and publicists as much as anything else, and we often lament the writing time lost upon the altar of self promotion.
I spent some time at the GLAWS booth with my fellow Greater Los Angels Writers Society folks, just taking in the activity swarming around the booth (it was busy!) and helping out what little bit I could.
I was thrilled to celebrate two new book releases from fellow GLAWS authors, Ace Antonio Hall and Mike Robinson. I got my personal copies signed, giddy with excitement for their accomplishments, and eager to partake of their good fortune myself in the future. (Which is no small feat when you’re patiently awaiting word back from your editor!)
There were a lot of small press booths making a good showing this year. It appears the old publishing paradigm is continuing to shift, not unlike the music industry in recent years. Red Phoenix Books was one such booth, where I paid a visit to a couple of my author friends, DeAnna Cameron and Claudia Alexander.
WonderCon 2013 — CONVENTION PANELS, DAY 3
ORIGINALLY POSTED: March 29, 30 & 31, 2013
WonderCon in Anaheim, CA
I Wonder, Wonder, Wonder… CONVENTION PANELS, DAY 3
My final day at the convention opened with a peek at Joss Whedon’s latest project of Shakespearian proportions – Much Ado About Nothing. He introduced the cast after apologizing for Nathan Fillion’s absence (boo!), then joined them for a Q&A about the movie he filmed in his Los Angeles home over the course of 12 days.
Eric Eisenberg did an amazing write-up of this panel for CinemaBlend.com. Check it out here if you want more details and a look at the trailer!
Next up… More Nerdist you say? Fantastic!
Because if you think a nerd girl like me can get too much Nerdist, you’re wrong. I was there with bells on when Chris Hardwick stepped up to moderate a panel discussion and field Quemments with participants from new and upcoming antics at Meltdown.
Paul Provenza and Troy Conrad talked about the Nerdist Channel version of Set List – a stand-up comedy challenge drawn from topics projected onto a screen onstage.
Also, Matt Bennett, co-star of Victorious, talked about his newest project Nerdy Jobs.
The Nerdist blog coverage of this panel gives you even more information. Just go here…
Oh, and we were all glad to hear Chloe was feeling better!
My last panel of the con was a Q&A with the cast of CW’s new show Arrow. As a fellow ARCHERY ENTHUSIAST, I’ve been enjoying the show so far, so I was really pleased to see how many cast members came out to meet their fans. Alas, I didn’t get a wrist-band for the autograph signing, but I stopped by the DC booth after the panel to nab a couple of photos (below).
What nerd girl doesn’t love a man in leather wielding a bow and doling out heavy hits to bad guys from a motorcycle?!!! I’ve got my own bike, Oliver. Let’s ride!
When asked, Stephen lamented over the fact that they don’t let him do as much on the bikes as he’d like, despite the many other stunts they let him do on set.
Considering they’ve got Dr Who cast members popping in and out most weeks, I’m hooked on this show now for the long run. John Barrowman plays Tommy’s father, and they just had Alex Kingston guest as Laurel’s mom.
Other stellar guests include Manu Bennett as Slade and Kelly Hu as China White. (Loved you in X-Men, Kelly.) Plus, Thea called Roy “Speedy” in a recent episode (nudge-nudge), and series writer Marc Guggenheim hinted we might be seeing more from Deathstroke. Whoot!
As for the cast members present at WonderCon…
I’ve been a fan of Paul Blackthorne since he played Harry Dresden in the Dresden Files. (I was bummed when they canceled that show. I read a couple of Jim Butcher’s Dresden books and really enjoyed them.)
Stephen Amell is doing a great job as our dark, complicated hero. He’s certainly working hard to fulfill the role. Not to mention the writers are adding some dimension to Willa Holland’s role in later episodes. I’m looking forward to seeing it all play out.
They’re planning to twist things up for Colin Donnell as well, which should make things interesting with him and John Barrowman. He busted out an Arrow parody song for convention-goers with his amazing voice. I guess word had gotten out after the cast’s 2012 holiday party, and someone had the sense to ask for an encore. Well done, Colin.
So, what’s next for Arrow, you ask? Check out the COMIC BOOKS and KEEP WATCHIGN THE SHOW to find out!
One final romp in the Exhibit Hall before going home…
It was nice to see some fellow NERDS come out to play at the Con. Ivan was doing interviews on the Exhibit Hall floor, and I’m pretty sure I saw Moogega outside in the parking lot.
And of course the artwork and autographs abounded. The cast of Arrow, Peter Mayhew, Richard Hatch, Frank Cho and Brent Anderson were the tip of the iceberg…!
WonderCon 2013 — CONVENTION PANELS, DAY 2
ORIGINALLY POSTED: March 29, 30 & 31, 2013
WonderCon in Anaheim, CA
I Wonder, Wonder, Wonder… CONVENTION PANELS, DAY 2
I was really excited to hit the Con on day 2. It was even crazier on the Exhibit Hall floor, and the Arena was packed. I started the day up on the 3rd floor with a panel for History Channel’s new scripted program, Vikings.
Folks, I freaking LOVE this show so much I skipped a bunch of autograph opportunities and a Hobbit panel to see the amazing cast up close and personal. A huge THANK YOU! to History Channel for creating this terrific exploration of some of the historical figures of my own personal ancestry, their culture and its mythos.
When I was in Norway, I spent a lot of time in the Viking Ship Museums in Oslo. This show brings this heritage to life against the compelling dramatization of Ragnar Lothbrok’s exploits in 9th century Scandinavia.
And no wonder this show is good. It’s created and written by none other than Michael Hirst, who is also responsible for bringing us Elizabeth and The Tudors.
Up next for me was a true Mad Genius… Guillermo del Toro. I’ve always considered him an inspiration to aspiring authors, producers, creators et al. He never disappoints if you’re lucky enough to see him speak, and I’m not just talking about the amazing sneak peeks he brings with him.
The first time I saw him in San Diego, it was as if he was talking right to me, at a time when I was utterly discouraged with the publishing industry and ready to quit writing. He said, You cannot let anyone else tell you what story to tell. It has to come from your heart. It has to mean something to you or it will never mean anything to anyone else. His words, his passion and the timing of it all made me cry. And because of him, I’m still writing almost every day.
Thank you, Guillermo, from the bottom of my heart, for restoring my passion with your words and your creativity.
Pacific Rim: I AM SO THERE. IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME!
In fact, according to FirstShowing.net, 2013 is going to be a HUGE year for Sci Fi in general. I couldn’t agree more, and I’m absolutely thrilled about it.
The Revolution cast made an appearance to promote their season on NBC. I’ve not seen the show yet but what I saw and what I’m reading is good. I’m going to have to check it out.
I’ve been waiting (im)patiently for Cassandra Clare’s book turned film, Mortal Instruments, City of Bones. I still need a signature in my 1st ed. hardcover BTW, so I guess I’ll have to troll for signings in the LA area while I wait for the movie to finally open.
We got to see a special extended trailer at the con, and it was awesome. I think I’m really going to enjoy this movie as much as I enjoyed the book.
Then Bruce Campbell stepped out on stage to a standing ovation. He’s done so much for Geek fandom throughout his career it’s hard to narrow it down. All I can say is… I had to watch the new Evil Dead trailer from between my fingers. Wow. To the Horror fans out there, you’re in for a real treat. This is not your grandmother’s Evil Dead!
Fede Alvarez did it right. There’s no CGI here.
Our friends Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg came out to promote their new end-of-the-world parody, This is the End. It’s packed with cameos from all kinds of fun actors, including our Harry Potter darling, Emma Watson. It stars Jonah Hill, James Franco, Seth Rogan, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, and my Train Your Dragon/Sorcerer’s Apprentice favorite – Jay Baruchel.
Yet again I finished up the convention for the day with a round of perusing in the Exhibit Hall. Saturday is always the best day for people watching and costume envy…
Artist Alley was awesome. Check out my write-up on that here… ARTISTS’ ALLEY!
Star Wars, Battlestar & Batman… Oh my! Check out my write-up on that here… EXHIBIT HALL!
Catherine Cruzan 
