HallowRead brings Romance, SteamPunk, Paranormal, Horror authors to Ellicott City

Short of a formal fall wedding or a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl, there aren’t too many occasions where a Maryland man may sport his kilt without drawing attention. But this weekend, the bonny attire should fit nicely in the highlands of Ellicott City, as the historic hamlet hosts more than two dozen authors for a literary convention called HallowRead.

The brainchild of local author Rachel Rawlings, HallowRead will bring 26 authors to Howard County to showcase their wide-ranging work in the styles of Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Erotica, SteamPunk Fiction, Paranormal Prose and Sci-Fi Romance.

HallowRead is Rawlings first attempt to organize a writers convention; however, she hopes to make the gathering an annual event.

For lack of a better term, HallowRead is a movable conference. Venues for the readings, book signings and various panel discussions include the Trolley Stop, The Howard County Historical Society, the Fire Museum and the Emory Methodist Church.

A full list of writers and scheduled events (and the costs) are listed on the conference website, offering attendees several options for meeting authors from near and far. Convention guests includes local writers such as Laura Kaye, Joya Fields, Cat Miller, Sharon Buchbinder and K.B. Miller. C.J. Ellisson (Death’s Servant, Vampire Vacation) will also be on hand. Shéa MacLeod (Sunwalker Saga) is traveling all the way from Portland, Oregon.

Rawlings specifically chose Ellicott City for its charm and accessibility.

“The town is an intricate part of the event,” Rawlings said.. “Readings and panels will be held at some unique and interesting locations, including the second floor of Cocoa Lane and the back room of the Diamondback Tavern (rumored to be the most haunted spot in Ellicott City).”

The author of the popular Paranormal Maurin Kincaide series, Rawlings said she has appeared at mega-conventions in New York and Chicago but found they were overwhelming and included things not directly related to the writing field. “This (event) will be more intimate. Attendees will have a chance to really talk one-on-one with our panelists. Plus opportunities to socialize with our featured authors abound.”

Making HallowRead convenient and affordable were two of Rawlings primary concerns.

“Conferences offer an author exposure, but they can be so expensive. By the time you pay to get there (drive or fly) and pay for the hotel, meals, etc., you can be looking at $1,500 or more. I wanted to do something smaller and more affordable, and Ellicott City is a natural. There is plenty to see and do here, and the business community greeted us with open arms.”

Bookstores and coffee shops are the usual haunts where writers and readers congregate to connect. One of the more intriguing events set for Friday evening is the SteamPunk Author Tea.

P.J. Schnyder (Sing for the Dead) and other authors who specialize in the SteamPunk variety will assemble for readings, a talk-back session and a Victorian tea at Tea on the Tiber.

English teas are an important part of the SteamPunk scene.

“The SteamPunk culture comes with a style all its own,”Rawlings explained. Between Black Watch kilts, high leather boots and tinted welding goggles, “it’s kind of like Mad Max and Victoria of England had a baby.”

Rawlings’ allusion to Mad Max may have underscored an unintended point.

Stevenson University professor Sharon Buchbinder – a longtime writer and regular conference guest – observed that men tend to dominate the fields of horror and science fiction writing. Male writers, she said, are also well represented at larger conventions and writing festivals. Conversely, HallowRead will feature mostly women writers.

 

“Horror and Sci-fi are both male heavy genres. It’s like the boys like to get together and see who can gross the other guys out,” she said. “Women tend to gravitate more to romance. That’s why I enjoy writing Mystery Romance. Horror, Sci-fi and Mystery all fit easily under the umbrella of romance.”

Best-selling author Laura Kaye – a Maryland based fantasy/thriller writer – agreed with Buchbinder’s observation about the flexible nature of Romance, noting the fashion is also the most popular style of fiction. Kaye enjoys the Mystery angle, but she has also found a niche audience in Romances built around virile young men covered in artistic ink.

“My Hard Ink series deals with a group of Special Services soldiers – five of a 12-man unit – who survive (the war). It’s located in a fictional tattoo shop in east Baltimore. I got the inspiration from working the last eight years around military men. Plus I love tattoos, so I am writing what I know.”

Tea and tattoos are fine for adults but a little rough for pre-teen tastes so HallowRead will offer a free program for children.

The junior event will be held at the Fire Museum on Friday at 4:30 pm. K. B. Miller and Elizabeth Kirke will give readings, while youngsters enjoy cookies and a chance to win some books.

Also on tap (and free of charge) are two outdoor movies at the Wine Bin. The first of these (on Friday night) will feature the premiere of something appropriate to the occasion by a Baltimore based movie company. The second (on Saturday night) will be a screening of the 1932 horror film classic, Dracula.

Screening Dracula is a nice consolation for conference-goer’s who were unable to obtain tickets for this weekend’s sold-out performances of the stage play Dracula. The play is being presented through Oct. 31 at the ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute by the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company.

Between the films, the stage production, and interacting with fans amidst the ambiance of Ellicott City, Laura Kaye said she is looking forward to this coming weekend.

“Conferences allow me to rejuvenate and connect with my readers. I love to read Romance, so I write what I love.” Kaye added, “Romance is a hopeful genre. In the end you know that everything will work out for the best.”

As we ended our interview, Kaye extended an invitation for me to stop by and say hello during the meet and greet on Saturday evening. When I regretfully declined – explaining that I was scheduled to cover a mixed marshal arts event at the Baltimore Arena – Kaye started to laugh.

“You know, mixed marshal arts is one of the fastest-growing genres in romantic fiction.”

That would make sense, since at least one MMA fighter I know of always enters the ring wearing a Black Watch kilt.

HallowRead takes place this weekend, October 25-27, at various venues in historic Ellicott City, Mayland. Ticket packages for this event range in price from $25 to $75. For more information, visit Hallowread.

Please note that aspiring writers who attend the conference will also be able to drop their best efforts off for the Fangoria Short Story Contest. Writers can hand in their short stories (5,000 words or less) to Thomas DeFEO of Fangoria Saturday Oct. 26th (writers may also submit online).

The winning entry will be featured in an upcoming issue of Fangoria Magazine. The normal $5 submission fee will be waived for all HallowRead ticket holders.