Surrey International Writers' Conference: from Forensics to Romance
Traditionally, there are night owl sessions at the SIWC, and this year is no exception. Friday was Third Annual Shock Theatre hosted by Vancouver mystery writer Michael Slade. Michael's show revisited old horror stories. The star-studded cast included Diana Gabaldon, Anne Perry, and Jack Whyte.
The stars dramatized two unrehearsed scripts. The sound effects come from the laptop of kc dyer; every time a glitch happened, and they did so frequently, the audience laughed indulgently.
In the first skit, a man has miniature human heads growing out of his skin. He cuts them off with a straight razor, but he dies anyway. In the second story a rapidly growing chicken heart absorbs a city, and the protagonists fail in their attempt to escape in an airplane.
The pumpkin that was to be smashed for a sound effect cracked but did not break, so Sam the sound man had to throw it down again.
This evening, Saturday, those still energetic enough to attend evening offerings had to choose between a forensics presentation by the Vancouver Police Museum and a cocktail reception by the Romance Writers of America.
The SIWC has something for every taste, indeed.
The stars dramatized two unrehearsed scripts. The sound effects come from the laptop of kc dyer; every time a glitch happened, and they did so frequently, the audience laughed indulgently.
In the first skit, a man has miniature human heads growing out of his skin. He cuts them off with a straight razor, but he dies anyway. In the second story a rapidly growing chicken heart absorbs a city, and the protagonists fail in their attempt to escape in an airplane.
The pumpkin that was to be smashed for a sound effect cracked but did not break, so Sam the sound man had to throw it down again.
This evening, Saturday, those still energetic enough to attend evening offerings had to choose between a forensics presentation by the Vancouver Police Museum and a cocktail reception by the Romance Writers of America.
The SIWC has something for every taste, indeed.