Countdown to Conference: 10 Reasons to Attend PPWC 2014 (That You Might Not Already Know)

By M.B. Partlow


1. Mark Leslie Lefebvre is Director of Self Publishing and Author Relations for Kobo. An advocate for booksellers, print on demand, ePublishing, and independent authors, Mark has given talks about writing, book-selling and publishing throughout the US and Canada, as well as in Paris, London, and Frankfurt. Yeah, and he's a published author, as well.

2. Can I interest you in a Carriger or a Ryan? Perhaps a Firespider? This year, the bar at the Marriott is crafting special drinks in honor of each keynote speaker, only available for the duration of conference.

By OCAL, clker.com

3. HOT DAMN Designs is hosting a reception on Friday night in the library next to the bar. Free and open to everyone. Grab a drink and head in for the Kim and Jennifer show! Giveaways, fun and...are those cover models in the corner that you can take your photo with?

4. The chocolate cake is back for dessert at Saturday night's dinner. Yum!

5. A dead body! On stage! If you haven't signed up for Murder in Aspen Leaf, part of the Thursday Prequel, you'll miss the chance to see our murder victim make her acting debut. Please, do not call 9-1-1. Unless you find a second body.

By OCAL,clker.com

6. The shoes. Realistically, there's nothing more fun than the betting pool on how tall our conference director will be in her tallest heels of the weekend. And if anyone has a radar gun, we'll clock how fast she can move in those stilettos.

7. Becky Clark has offered (threatened might be a better word) to present part of her Thursday workshop using interpretive dance.

8. Deb Courtney is running another fabulous on-site flash fiction contest. Bring your mad writing skillz and wait for the prompt. Pencils down when Deb calls time.

9. Chuck Wendig's beard. Some say it's the source of his power.

10. MK and Brian Meredith onstage in their underwear! That got your attention. In a very special workshop on Sunday, Lights, Camera, Kiss, our fearless leader and her equally fearless husband have volunteered to play the cover models for a photo shoot. I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a kilt involved.

Here's our fearless leader, herself, talking about Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2014:

About the Author: MB Partlow, 2013 Programming Director for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference, is hard at work getting fantastic speakers and participants for the conference.  You can reach her at programming@pikespeakwriters.com or find more information on the 2013 Pikes Peak Writers Conference at pikespeakwriters.com.

PPWC 2014 Q&A - Chuck Wendig

Conference prices go up March 23! Now's the time to register at the lower price!

Chuck Wendig, Author, Keynote

1. What was the defining moment that made your realize you wanted to be an author?

Reading one novel: BOY’S LIFE, by Robert McCammon.

2. What is the one thing you cannot work without? What is your creative vice?

No coffee means stabby-stabby.

3. If you could 'revive' any literary figure from the past for a one hour conversation, who would you choose?

I hear Ben Franklin — not a literary figure precisely, but a writer just the same — had fascinating thoughts on beer and coffee.

4. What is one of your more notable or unusual conference or convention experiences?

Discovering I have a secret but very vocal cache of fans in the fantasy world known as “Australia.” (The conference: GenreCon!)

5. If we asked your friends and family to compare you to a cartoon character, which would they choose, and why?

Bill the Cat? ACK.

6. What is one thing would you like aspiring authors to know about the road to success?

“Aspiring” is a meaningless word. That’s the lesson. Do not aspire. Merely do. You wanna write? Write. You can aspire to do all manner of things, but it only counts when you commit to the act and finish what you begin.

About the Author/Keynote: Chuck Wendig is a novelist, screenwriter, and game designer. He is the author of such novels as BLACKBIRDS, MOCKINGBIRD, THE BLUE BLAZES, and UNDER THE EMPYREAN SKY. Author of the Writer’s Digest guide, THE KICK-ASS WRITER. He is an alumni of the Sundance Screenwriter’s Lab and is the co-author of the Emmy-nominated digital narrative COLLAPSUS. He lives in Pennsyltucky with wife, son, and two dopey dogs. You can find him on Twitter @ChuckWendig and at his website, terribleminds.com, where he frequently dispenses dubious and very-NSFW advice on writing, publishing, and life in general.