Kia Dennis Tells Us What She Did with Her WCYR Grant

As a recent transplant to Ontario, I was thrilled to find WCYR and attend my first meeting in February 2020 (you know, way back when people left their homes and congregated in groups. Those were the days!) I met several interesting writers, learned a ton about how to make money self-publishing, and discovered WCYR writing grants.

As a crime writer, there are several conferences each year I yearn to attend, although budget constraints usually limit me to one, if that. This year I had planned to attend ThrillerFest with the publishing grant from WCYR, however, I was fortunate enough to win a free pass to the conference. Instead, due to the grant, I was finally able to attend the Writer’s Police Academy virtual conference. It’s usually held in Wisconsin over a long weekend, and a significant expense.

At the conference, I learned a great deal about police and forensics work, as well as the many other professionals that law enforcement calls upon in a police investigation. I also connected with several new authors, one of which I’d already virtually met at ThrillerFest a month earlier. Although WPA is usually very hands on, the instructors did a great job providing visuals and some live demonstrations, including showing the conference goers how to lift fingerprints from a variety of surfaces. The virtual conference format made it possible for me to attend this year, but only increased my desire to attend the conference in person once things get back to normal.

Kia Dennis has been a member of WCYR since January 2020. Her first book, Pursuit of the Truth, will be published by Harlequin Intrigue in February 2021. Learn more about Kia at www.kdrichardsbooks.com or on Twitter at @kiadwrites.

Interested in Applying for a WCYR Grant?

The grant application period runs from January 1 to April 30. Find out more about how to apply here.