CCA’s Creative Writing Club announces Jonathan Maberry Inspiring Teens Award winner

Canyon Crest Academy’s Creative Writing Club recently announced the winner of the Jonathan Maberry Inspiring Teen Awards which will be given at the 10th Annual CCA Writers’ Conference. The conference will be held online over four days – Feb. 20 - 21, and March 6 - 7. This event is the only free writing conference for middle school and high school students in the country. Registration is now open at ccawritersconference2021.weebly.com.

Kathy Krevat

(Courtesy)

The 2021 Jonathan Maberry Inspiring Teens Award will be given to mystery author Kathy Krevat who has volunteered for the conference since its inception in 2012.

The club created the award in 2016 to honor Maberry for all he does to inspire writers. The award is given annually to a writing professional who is dedicated to inspiring San Diego teens to:

 pursue their artistic endeavors with heart, enthusiasm and integrity;

 give back to their community; and

 actively improve their art.

Sophie Camilleri, president of the CCA Creative Writing Club, notes, “Kathy Krevat is truly deserving to be our 10th Anniversary Jonathan Maberry awardee. She started the conference 10 years ago with her daughter and it is due to her hard work that it is still around today. We are so thankful for her guidance and support and we couldn’t do it without her. Because of Kathy’s dedication, over 2,000 high school students have had the unique opportunity of attending an exceptional learning experience that is available nowhere else in the country.”

Krevat has been an advocate for youth arts education since her daughters were in elementary school. She was an active board member, including president of Playwrights Project (www.playwrightsproject.org) which empowers people of all ages and background to voice their stories through theater; an advisor and speaker for the Creative Writing Club’s Middle School Writing Workshops; as well as an advisor and speaker for the CCA Writers’ Conference.

Krevat is the author of the Gourmet Cat Mystery series featuring cat food chef Colbie Summers and her demanding cat Trouble. She also writes the bestselling Chocolate Covered Mystery series under the name Kathy Aarons. Her short story “One Flu Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was selected for the Crossing Borders anthology published by Down & Out Books in March 2020. She’s also a stand-up comic, performing shows via Zoom.

Jonathan Maberry will present Krevat with the award at the 10th Annual CCA Writers’ Conference on Saturday, Feb. 20. All high school and middle school students are welcome to this event.

The club is honored to have the financial support of it sponsors including: Hamilton Education, UC San Diego Extension Writing, San Diego Writers and Editors Guild, San Diego Book Awards Association, the CCA Foundation, and Jimbo’s Naturally!.

In order to continue to provide this free experience to middle school and 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.

The Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore will sell speakers’ books through a special website for attendees. They have been long-time supporters of the conference.