CCA’s Creative Writing Club announces 10th Annual CCA Writers’ Conference and special anthology

Canyon Crest Academy’s Creative Writing Club recently announced the dates for the 10th Annual CCA Writers’ Conference. It will be held online over four days – Feb. 20 and 21, and March 6 and 7, 2021. This event is the only free writing conference for high school students in the country.

Author Greg van Eekhout

(Courtesy)

Sophie Camilleri, president of the CCA Creative Writing Club, says, “After the success of last year’s virtual conference, we are excited to announce that the 10th anniversary conference will also be online. This enables us to reach more high school students, not only in San Diego, but across the country.”

To celebrate its 10th conference, the club is publishing an anthology of short stories by speakers and students who have attended the conference in the past. Students’ stories will be selected by authors Nancy Holder and Greg van Eekhout.

“Thousands of young writers have attended the Canyon Crest Academy Writers Workshop, and I’m excited to see them show off their talents and imaginations to a wider audience,” said van Eekhout, who is the author of seven novels for audiences ranging from adult to middle grade, including his latest science fiction adventure, Voyage of the Dogs. His work has been nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story and the Andre Norton Award for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Holder is a New York Times bestselling dark fantasy and horror author. She has sold more than 80 novels and 200 short stories, essays, and articles, and has received five Bram Stoker awards from the Horror Writers Association among many other honors.

Emails inviting submissions have been sent to all previous student attendees, but some addresses are inactive. Previous student attendees interested in submitting to the anthology should send an email to ccawritersconference@gmail.com for more information.

In order to continue to provide this free experience to high school students, the CCA Creative Writing Club is looking for individual and corporate sponsors. Individuals can Sponsor a Student for as little as $25, or become a Gold Sponsor for more. Sponsors can email ccawritersconference@gmail.com for more information on how to contribute.

Students interested in the conference should follow @ccawritersconf on Twitter, ccacreativewriting on Instagram, or CCA Writers Conference on Facebook. Registration will begin in January 2021.

The Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore will sell the anthology and speakers’ books with a portion of the proceeds going to the conference.

The 10th Annual CCA Writers’ Conference will be held online from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Feb. 20 and 21, and March 6 and 7, 2021. The event is for high school students only, and is free. Registration is required.