AuthorCon III – A Scares That Care Charity Event in Williamsburg – April 12-14
“Scares that Care” AuthorCon III
Friday, April 12 – Sunday, April 14
Friday 4 – 9 pm
Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday 10 am – 3 pm
Scares That Care presents AuthorCon III – Williamsburg is almost upon us! Not ONLY will there be over 150 authors, but there is some other amazing events happening! They will have the film festival, Psycic and Medium Dakota Lawrence, literary agent Becky LeJune teaching a workshop for writers, a “celebrity” murder mystery presented by A.G. Mock, author of “Now is the Time of Monsters.” All this along with readings and Q&A panels! Visit scaresthatcare.org to get your tickets today a three day ticket is only $30!!!
Event is family friendly but note Film Festival content may include strong language, depictions of violence, sex, nudity and substance abuse. Trigger Warning! Content may include topics of cancer, suicide, and death. Parental discretion is advised. Film schedule listed below.
AuthorCon III three day convention focuses on some of the best and brightest authors in the business.
Every year, Scares That Care gives a gift of $10,000 to three individuals: a breast cancer patient, a burn victim, and a sick child. See their recipients here. Schedule for the weekend below…
Events & Activities:
- Writers Workshop
- Film Festival (see list below)
- Murder Mystery (SOLD OUT)
- Psychic & Medium (additional ticket, limited number)
- SATURDAY MORNING: “Ask an Agent!” (additional ticket, limited number left)
- Celebrity Guests (see names below)
FRIDAY, April 12
4:00pm to 5:00pm – Opening Ceremonies and Award Presentation (First Floor, Auditorium):
Brian Keene, Joe Ripple, and the rest of our staff and volunteers welcome all Guests of Honor,
vendors, and attendees, give you important information for the weekend, and present the second
annual Wilburn-Thomas Award and the eleventh annual crystal award. Attendance by all is
strongly encouraged.
5:00pm to 9:00pm – Vendors (Ballroom and Promenade)
5:00pm to 9:00pm – Silent Auction (First Floor, Auditorium)
5:00pm to 10:00pm (Friday)– International Film Festival (First Floor, Amphitheater)
- 5:00pm – Looky-Loo (USA)
- 6:33pm – All In A Days Work (USA)
- 6:38pm – The Nightmare Adorable (USA)
- 6:59pm – The D Work (USA)
- 7:04pm – Ready to… (USA)
- 7:20pm – Extreme Gravity (Spain)
- 7:26pm – Stationary Bike (UK)
- 8:00pm – The King Opera House: A Paranormal Documentary (USA)
- 9:08pm – Godsend (USA)
- 9:29pm – The Head Harvester (Spain)
- 9:33pm – Envy (USA)
- 9:46pm – Draculas Super Scary Halloween (USA)
- 9:51pm – Obsession (Australia)
7:00pm – An Evening with Psychic and Medium Dakota Lawrence (Second Floor, Room 17): In
this group setting, renowned psychic and medium Dakota Lawrence will conduct live readings
regarding loved ones, participant’s lives, and more. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available
for purchase online. Please note that participants will be chosen at random, and a ticket does not
guarantee a reading.
9:30pm – Grady Hendrix Presents… The Return of PAPERBACKS FROM HELL (First Floor,
Auditorium): Because you demanded it, the worldwide phenomenon makes its return to Scares
That Care! See the show that everyone is talking about… if you dare. This is a ticketed event.
Tickets are available for purchase online.
10:00pm – Singeasy (First Floor, Amphitheater): Join KJ Steph to perform your favorite Karaoke
hit or bring in your favorite 5-minute soliloquy!
Readings:
5:30pm – 6:15pm: Tom Deady and JP Behrens (Second Floor, Room 8)
5:30pm – 6:15pm: Rowan Hill and Cindy O’Quinn (Second Floor, Room 15)
5:45pm – 6:30pm: Larry Hinkle and Michael T. Clark (Second Floor, Room 11)
6:00pm – 6:45pm: Bridget Brave and Jenny Allen (Second Floor, Room 12)
6:30pm – 7:15pm: Ben Young and Mike Duke (Second Floor, Room 8)
6:30pm – 7:15pm: Sidney Williams and Sawney Hatton (Second Floor, Room 15)
6:45pm – 7:30pm: Kenneth W. Cain and Chase Will (Second Floor, Room 11)
7:00pm – 7:45pm: Stevie Kopas and Jessica Eppley (Second Floor, Room 12)
7:30pm – 8:15pm: Lucas Milliron and Anton Cancre (Second Floor, Room 8)
7:45pm – 8:30pm: Jeff Strand and Justin Lutz (Second Floor, Room 11)
8:00pm – 8:45pm: John Wayne Comunale and David Simmons (Second Floor, Room 12)
8:30pm – 9:15pm: R.J. Roles and M. Ennenbach (Second Floor, Room 8)
Panels:
5:45pm – 6:45pm: Writing The Badge, The Bus, and The Bars – Amanda Headlee, John Lynch,
Ronald Malfi, and Scares That Care’s Joe Ripple lead this Q&A on the correct way to write law
enforcement procedure, tactics, and investigations; correctional facility rules and regulations; and
EMT procedures for medical emergencies and trauma. (Second Floor, Room 18)
6:00pm – 7:00pm: Zombacon – Join the authors of the new Zombacon anthology (Robert
Poff, Matt Wildasin, Nathan D. Ludwig, Jessica Eppley, Rowland Bercy Jr., Dorian Jack Sinnott,
Donna A. Latham, C.I.I. Jones, Steve Clark, Cat Voleur, David Simms, Anton Cancre and
Megan Stockton) for an exclusive presentation and signing! (First Floor, Rooms A & B)
6:15pm to 7:15pm: The HWA Presents, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The
Bram Stoker Awards But Were Afraid To Ask – James Chambers and L. Marie Wood take your
questions on the Horror Writers Association’s Bram Stoker Awards, including the history and
behind the scenes process of the industry’s most prestigious honor. (First Floor, Center Lounge)
7:30pm – 8:30pm: Black Horror: Twenty Years Later – In 2004, the first panel focusing
exclusively on black horror writers was held at Horrorfind (the precursor to Scares That Care).
Now, twenty years later, original panelists Chesya Burke, Wrath James White, L. Marie Wood,
and Maurice Broaddus are joined by Candace Nola and Vaughn Jackson to discuss what has
changed… and what hasn’t. (First Floor, Rooms A & B)
SATURDAY April 13, 2024
10:00am to 6:00pm – Vendors (Ballroom and Promenade)
10:00am to 5:00pm – Silent Auction (First Floor, Auditorium): Winners will be announced at
5:00pm sharp.
11:00am to 1:00pm – Ask An Agent (First Floor, Center Lounge) – Literary agent Becky
LeJeune (Bond Literary Agency) hosts this workshop for writers of all levels. Learn how to pitch
your manuscripts to an agent, how to write the perfect query letter, and much more. This is a
ticketed workshop. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Noon to 7:00pm (Saturday) – International Film Festival (First Floor, Amphitheater) - 12:00pm – Stutter (Germany)
- 1:58pm – Stationary Bike (UK)
- 2:22pm – Ready to… (USA)
- 2:38pm – Godsend (USA)
- 3:09pm – The King Opera House: A Paranormal Documentary (USA)
- 4:17pm – Looky-loo (USA)
- 5:49pm – Obsession (Australia)
- 5:59pm – Extreme Gravity (Spain)
- 6:05pm – The D Word (USA)
- 6:10pm – Envy (USA)
- 6:23pm – All In a Days Work (USA)
- 6:28pm – The Nightmare Adorable (USA)
- 6:49pm – The Head Harvester (USA)
- 6:53pm – Draculas Super Scary Halloween
1:30pm to 5:00pm – Horror Writers Association Lounge (First Floor, Center Lounge): A quiet
place for HWA members to get away from the crowds and network and talk shop. Not an HWA
member? Stop on by and find out what the organization has to offer!
7:00pm – Celebrity Murder Mystery (Second Floor, Room 18): Presented by “Now is the Time
of Monsters,” a dark new thriller from A.G. Mock, coming Summer 2024. You are cordially
invited to … a surprise celebrity murder! But beware, because the killer is among you! Be an
active participant and help solve the case. Light fare and cash bar. This is a ticketed event.
Tickets are available for purchase online.
9:00pm (approximately) – Breast Cancer Walk (First Floor Lobby and Bar area)
9:30pm – Singeasy (First Floor, Amphitheater): Join KJ Steph to perform your favorite Karaoke
hit or bring in your favorite 5-minute soliloquy!
10:30pm – The Gross-Out Contest (First Floor, Auditorium): A bevy of your favorite horror
authors square off once again in the literary world’s most vile, hilarious, and incendiary
showdown. Each contestant has five minutes to gross out the crowd and impress host Brian
Keene, bouncer Zach Rosenberg, and judges Bryan Smith, Bridgett Nelson, and TBA. Adults
Only. No One Under 18 Permitted. No Phones or Recording Devices. Attendee Discretion Is
Strongly, Strongly, Strongly Advised.
Readings:
10:15am – 11:00am: Dorian J. Sinnott and Nikki Nelson-Hicks (Second Floor, Room 8)
10:30am – 11:15am: Tommy B. Smith and Jeremy Megargee (Second Floor, Room 11)
10:30am – 11:15am: Justin Holley and David Simms (Second Floor, Room 17)
11:00am – 11:45am: Thomas R. Clark and C.W. Briar (Second Floor, Room 12)
11:15am – Noon: L. Marie Wood and Carol Gyzander (Second Floor, Room 8)
11:30am – 12:15pm: Scott Cole and Kenzie Jennings (Second Floor, Room 11)
11:45am – 12:30pm: Bryn Grover and Caytlyn Brooke (Second Floor, Room 17)
Noon – 12:45pm: Katherine Silva and Ally Wilkes (Second Floor, Room 12)
12:15pm – 1:00pm: Gage Greenwood and Marie Lestrange (Second Floor, Room 8)
12:30pm – 1:15pm: P.D. Cacek and Stephen Mark Rainey (Second Floor, Room 11)
12:45pm – 1:30pm: Gemma Amor and L.P. Hernandez (Second Floor, Room 17)
1:00pm – 1:45pm: Andrew Van Wey and Russ Colchamiro (Second Floor, Room 12)
1:15pm – 2:00pm: Wrath James White and R.J. Benetti (Second Floor, Room 8)
1:30pm – 2:15pm: Ronald Kelly and David Niall Wilson (Second Floor, Room 11)
1:45pm – 2:30pm: Joseph Pesavento and Andrew Najberg (Second Floor, Room 17)
2:00pm – 2:45pm: Zach Rosenberg and Bert Edens (Second Floor, Room 12)
2:15pm – 3:00pm: Chesya Burke and John Urbancik (Second Floor, Room 8)
2:30pm – 3:15pm: Kristopher Triana and John Lynch (Second Floor, Room 11)
2:45pm – 3:30pm: Elizabeth Broadbent and Tara Tokarski (Second Floor, Room 17)
3:00pm – 3:45pm: Nathan McCullough and D. Alexander Ward (Second Floor, Room 12)
3:15pm – 4:00pm: Michael Cisco and Preston Fassel (Second Floor, Room 8)
3:30pm – 4:15pm: Laurel Hightower and Todd Keisling (Second Floor, Room 11)
3:45pm – 4:30pm: LM Kaplin and James Noll (Second Floor, Room 17)
4:00pm – 4:45pm: Kalvin Ellis and j.e. pittman (Second Floor, Room 12)
4:15pm – 5:00pm: Ben Farthing and Edmund Stone (Second Floor, Room 8)
4:30pm – 5:15pm: Stephen Kozeniewski and Wile E. Young (Second Floor, Room 11)
4:45pm – 5:45pm: Paul Tremblay, John Langan, and Ronald Malfi (Second Floor, Room 17)
5:00pm – 5:45pm: Anthony J. Rapino and William Gray (Second Floor, Room 12)
5:15pm – 6:00pm: Tony Evans and Kev Harrison (Second Floor, Room 8)
5:30pm – 6:15pm: Clay McLeod Chapman and Adam Cesare (Second Floor, Room 11)
6:00pm – 6:45pm: Terry Hooker and MJ Mars (Second Floor, Room 12)
6:15pm – 7:00pm: Chris Panatier and Derik Cavignano (Second Floor, Room 8)
Panels:
10:15am – 11:15am: Writing With Razors – Can a writer ever go too far or are there truly no
limits? Kenzie Jennings (Moderator), Scott Cole, Rebecca Rowland, Wrath James White, Dacia
M. Arnold, JP Behrens, and Samantha Eaton discuss. (First Floor, Rooms A & B)
10:45am – 11:45am: Bad Publisher Survival Strategies – Wile E. Young (Moderator), L.P.
Hernandez, Chesya Burke, Tim Meyer, and Todd Keisling discuss what to do and how to survive
when your publisher turns out to be a dud. (Second Floor, Room 18)
11:30am – 12:30pm: Valancourt Books Spotlight – Grady Hendrix (moderator) talks with
Valancourt Books about their origins, their successes, and what the future holds. (First Floor,
Rooms A & B)
11:45am – 12:45pm: Guerilla Marketing For Indie Authors – Sonora Taylor (Moderator) grills
Aron Beauregard, Daniel J. Volpe, Carver Pike, and Kristopher Triana on the secrets to their
success as indie authors. (Second Floor, Room 16)
Noon – 1:00pm: Folklore and Horror – From Mothman to The Wicker Man and The Blair Witch
to The Bell Witch, folklore has always informed horror. Carol Gyzander (Moderator), Michael
T. Cisco, John Langan, Laurel Hightower, Matt Blazi, Dakota Lawrence, Nikki Nelson-Hicks,
and Tony Evans discuss some of their favorites, and what – if any – has influenced them.
(Second Floor, Room 18)
1:00pm – 2:00pm: The Future of LGBTQIA+ Horror – Representation for the LGBTQIA+
community has never been higher in horror than it is right now. But what comes next? And with
all of the social and political turmoil on the horizon, will things regress? Anton Cancre
(Moderator), Eric LaRocca, Norman Prentiss, Angelique Jordonna, Ally Wilkes, Jason Nickey,
and Dorian J. Sinnott discuss. (Second Floor, Room 16)
1:15pm – 2:15pm: Best of 2023 – Yes, we’re into 2024, but your To Be Read Pile has books
published five years ago. Mona Kabbani (Moderator), Jenny Allen, Craig Wesley Wall, Bert
Edens, Kalvin Ellis, Erica Summers, and Tara Tokarski discuss their favorites from last year.
(Second Floor, Room 18)
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Crowdfunding 101 – Stephen Kozeniewski (Moderator), Sherrilyn Kenyon,
Jennifer L. Collins, and Sirrah Medeiros discuss tips and tricks for crowdfunding your projects.
(First Floor, Rooms A & B)
2:15pm – 3:15pm: Trans Defense Force – Scares That Care’s own Jocelyn Abrams and Joe
Ripple offer tips and tricks for situational awareness and self-defense, specifically tailored to the
trans members of our community. (Second Floor, Room 16)
2:30pm – 3:30pm: Bloodbound Books 2024 – Marc Ciccarone, S.C. Mendes, Joseph Sale, John
McNee and Lucy Leitner reveal what’s forthcoming from this independent horror stalwart for
- (Second Floor, Room 18)
3:30pm – 4:30pm: Melodic Screams – Horror fiction and music have a long, symbiotic
relationship and often influence one another. Thomas R. Clark (moderator), Paul Tremblay, John
Wayne Comunale, David Simmons, David Simms, Jessica McHugh, Tommy B. Smith, Justin
Lutz, and Jeremy Megargee discuss how – if at all – music influences them. (Second Floor,
Room 16)
3:45pm – 4:45pm: Book Influencers 101 – What makes a reviewer want to review a book? How
and where do they present their reviews to get the biggest audience? Chaz Williams (Moderator),
Kirsten Craig, Eve Bullett, Sonja Ska, Elizabeth Gonzalez-Collazo, Heaven Ferguson, and Carli
Long discuss all this and more! (Second Floor, Room 18)
4:45pm – 5:45pm: Trauma In Fiction II – Back by popular demand, Candace Nola (Moderator),
Eric LaRocca, Kristopher Rufty, L. Marie Wood, Katherine Silva, Megan Stockton, and Carver
Pike discuss how trauma is used in fiction, why it is used, and the benefits of doing so. (Second
Floor, Room 16)
6:00pm – 7:00pm: Vintage Horror – Mark Sieber (Moderator), John Langan, Kristopher Rufty,
Jeff Strand, PD Cacek, David Dodd, and Douglas Ford discuss that cool old stuff you just can’t
find anymore. (Second Floor, Room 16)
SUNDAY April 14
9:00am – 10:00am – Worship Service (First Floor, Rooms A&B): Maurice Broaddus and Zach
Rosenberg lead this non-denominational service, open to members of all faiths and specifically
geared toward horror fiction professionals and fans.
10:00am to 3:00pm – Vendors (Ballroom and Promenade)
Readings:
10:15am – 11:00am: Douglas Ford and C.I.I. Jones (Second Floor, Room 8)
10:30am – 11:15am: Dacia M. Arnold and Amanda Headlee (Second Floor, Room 11)
10:45am – 11:30am: Samantha Eaton and Jessi Ann York (Second Floor, Room 12)
11:15am – Noon: Sonora Taylor and Jessica McHugh (Second Floor, Room 8)
11:30 – 12:15pm: E. C. Hanson and Paul Lubaczewski (Second Floor, Room 11)
11:45pm – 12:45pm: Shawn Burgess and B.C. Lienesch, (Second Floor, Room 12)
Panels:
10:30pm – 11:30pm: My Writing Process – Michael T. Clark (Moderator), Clay McLeod
Chapman, AG Mock, CW Briar, Rowan Hill, Derik Cavignano, Chase Will, and Stuart Bray
discuss their individual writing processes – the ups and down, struggles and triumphs, what
works for them… and what doesn’t. (First Floor, Rooms A & B)
1:30pm – 2:30pm: The Twenty-Fifth Annual Yell At Brian Keene Panel – Brian Keene, Jake
Lerner, Joe Ripple, Joe Ripple, Sonora Taylor, Angel Hollman, and the rest of the Scares That
Care staff welcome your feedback in this open forum, so that we can implement it next year.
Please don’t really yell at Brian, though… (Second Floor, Room 18)
**Film Festival: Content May include strong language, depictions of violence, sex, Nudity and substance abuse. Trigger Warning! Content may include topics of cancer, suicide, and death. Parental discretion is advised. Please allow yourself plenty of time, the films may run a little quicker. We have films that are feature films as well as shorts.
Celebrity guests of honor include Paul Tremblay, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Grady Hendrix, Aron Beauregard, Daniel J. Volpe, Carver Pike, Bryan Smith, Eric LaRocca, L. Marie Wood, John Langan, Michael Cisco, Kristopher Rufty, Chesya Burke, Clay McLeod Chapman, and R.J. Benetti.
Tickets are only $30 for the 3 day event Purchase tickets!
What is Scares that Care? Scares That Care mission each year, is to raise $30,000 to present $10,000 each to THREE families.
- A family with a sick child
- a member battling breast cancer
- someone who has suffered burns
Scares that Care is an all volunteer organization and all net proceeds go directly to the families they support. 2023 will be the ninth year Scares for Cares has been raising money for individuals and families who are experiencing hardships as a result of their medical conditions.
Meet Ryan, Jordan and Dawn, the 2022 recipients.
Meet Lucius, Dannielle and Mid-Atlantic Burn Camp, the 2023 recipients.
Meet Kylie Sainz and Christy Aviles, the 2024 recipients.
How can you support the Charity Event? Attend Authorcon III, you can go all three days or just one day.
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