– ITINERARY
– PITCH AN AGENT
– FORENSIC CRIME SCENE EXCURSION
– THE INDIE ALTERNATIVE PANEL
ITINERARY
We aim to announce the 2022 itinerary in February.
In the meantime, for a taste of what to expect, visit PAST CRIMEFEST WEBSITES.
PITCH AN AGENT
Are you an aspiring author looking for an agent? If so, CRIMEFEST looks forward to announcing it will once again be hosting their PITCH AN AGENT strand. Top agents will be at CRIMEFEST and aspiring crime writers will have ten minutes to pitch their manuscripts to each of them simultaneously in a private session. Consider it speed dating for an agent meets BBC’s Dragon’s Den (aka Shark Tank in the USA). PITCH AN AGENT is only open to delegates who have not previously participated, are not commercially published, are without an agent and who have registered for a Day or Full CRIMEFEST Pass. (Unless the buyer also signs up for a Day or Full CRIMEFEST Pass, a £10 refund fee will be charged for incorrect bookings.)
Participants will be required to submit the first 3,000 words of their manuscript, together with a brief synopsis (of up to 1,500 words). All the PITCH AN AGENT slots have previously sold out, so BUY TICKETS early to avoid disappointment.
FORENSIC CRIME SCENE EXCURSION
Have you always wanted to get your hands dirty at a crime scene? Maybe that’s not the best way of putting it, but with hopes of CRIMEFEST’s special tour returning, that’s what you’ll be able to do. We anticipate The University of the West of England to once again offer delegates special access to their Crime Scene experts who train Forensic Science students and police.
Subject to confirmation, the trip will be to the Glenside Hospital Museum, in the church within the grounds of the old Bristol Lunatic Asylum, with its fascinating exhibits on the history of the asylum. Alternatively will be at the cutting edge of forensic technology within UWE’s newly refurbished set of labs, where there is lots of room to do more practical tests; this will give participants the chance to be really hands-on.
The forensic experts will take participants from the discovery of a body (they’ve promised to provide one for us – we’re assuming it’s not real!), and through the gathering and processing of information. Delegates will be briefed on the scene and will identify clues and get hands-on experience of searching for evidence, testing for fingerprints, identifying blood and other substances as well as getting to use mysterious pieces of forensic kit. Forensics experts will also be on hand to guide you through and answer specific questions. You even get to keep your forensic outfit.
The trip includes transport to UWE’s campus, which is about half an hour away. A minibus will pick up delegates at 9:30am outside the convention hotel and deliver them back at 12:30, in plenty of time for the first panel. Tickets are limited in order to ensure a great experience for all participants, and are only available to CRIMEFEST pass holders.
Visit CRIMEFEST’s TICKET page to register.
THE INDIE ALTERNATIVE PANEL
Increasingly authors are going it alone and self-publishing their books because the financial rewards can be significantly greater than the traditional path. Also, publishing houses are now using the sales figures of self-published authors as a tool to seek out new talent. Recognising this development, CRIMEFEST organises a panel to give four independently published authors a chance to discuss their work. If you are a self-published crime writer and are interested in participating on this panel then visit THE INDIE ALTERNATIVE page for more information or to sign up.