CCWC, My Trade Show by Laurie Stevens

Many of my best resources as an author have come from my fellow authors: publishing information, promotional opportunities, and much more. The California Crime Writers Conference is where I network, discover new resources, plus have the added bonus of making new friends with whom I have so much in common.

CCWC is like my trade show. From learning that noir protagonists usually always fail from their weaknesses to examining a crime scene recreated by the actual investigator, attending the CCWC allowed me to be immersed in my trade. The crime scene re-creation last year was incredibly interesting because, although the actual detective and coroner were present, they let the conference attendees “solve” the case. Imagine a large room with two “dead bodies” and various clues positioned in key locations. The law enforcement personnel gave us some background on the case and then told us to decipher what had happened. They assured us that the real-life clues were replicated in the room. So there we were, taking notes and observing each item, wondering which one would be pivotal to solving the crime. Was it the door that was locked from the inside? Was it the position of the murder weapon on the floor? Was it the location of the victim’s belongings? What a fascinating workshop--with the real investigators standing by and watching us with some amusement. Because it was a murder case with a twist, I was thrilled to have “solved” it successfully. Apparently, many of my fellow mystery writers were also thrilled, (which means, perhaps, that we are all in the right business).

The reason the crime scene workshop made an even bigger impact on me was because the detective showed the surveillance video from the actual crime scene. That part was so eerie and profound because we could see both the real suspect and the victim -- people, not characters in a book. We, attendees, were able to witness the crime play out. I have to say it put an entirely different spin on the session, and it touched all of us in attendance.

Because my suspense series leans heavily toward psychology and forensics, the time I spent in that particular session side-by-side with the investigators was invaluable. There was such a dichotomy, from playing pretend investigator to watching a real human imploding on a video. The whole experience was something I won’t forget.

With all that said, the most important benefit I took away from the CCWC was affirmation. Writing is a very solitary profession. When you surround yourself with people who think like you and who are working toward similar goals, you realize you are part of one very special community. It made me happy to be a part of it and that is why I won’t be missing CCWC 2015.

Laurie Stevens is the author of the award-winning psychological-suspense Gabriel McRay series. To learn more about Laurie, visit her website at www.lauriestevensbooks.com