October 26-28, 2012
Westin Hotel, Bellevue, WA
Sponsored by the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America
ECWC Workshop Details
View the summary table
FRIDAY MASTERCLASS
Writing Body Language and Dialogue Cues Like a Psychologist
Margie Lawson
Learn how to write body language and dialogue cues from a kinesics specialist. No more clichéd, trite, and overused facial expressions. Writers will learn how to write more than basic facial expressions, more than basic body language, more than basic dialogue cues, and write them so well, I'd rate them NYT!
Writers will learn how to write fresh:
- Body Language Basics: facial messages, lips, eyes, chin, full facial expression, flicker-face, gestures, posture, hierarchical zones . . .
- Body Language Clusters
- Avoidance and Deception Cues
- Vibes – beyond spidey senses and hair-raising
- Turning Points driven by subtle body language cues
- Body Language and Dialogue Cues for POV and Non-POV characters
- Body Language and Dialogue Cues with Rhetorical Devices
- Specific Emotion-driven full Kinesics Patterns for anxiety, fear, joy, sadness, lust, shock, surprise . . .
- Body Language and Dialogue Cues that include stimulus and response
Each teaching point will be illustrated with examples from bestselling authors, their excerpts dissected and analyzed.
Additional fee. Preregistration Required.
http://www.margielawson.com/
First Impressions: Sealing Your Fate at the First Page
Nicole Resciniti, Marianne Harden and Cecy Robson
Writing Craft
You have 30 seconds to sell your book. Is your first page strong enough to draw the reader in? Hook mood strong beginnings the power of curiosity and emotions what makes a really BAD first impression.
ABOUT NICOLE: Nicole Resciniti is an agent at The Seymour Agency. In addition to working with Mary Sue to negotiate clients’ domestic and foreign rights, Nicole divides her time between NJ and Naples, where she has established The Seymour Agency’s Southwest Florida Office. Prior to joining The Seymour Agency, Nicole taught in the public school system. Nicole holds degrees in biology, psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. She is a member of AAR, RWA, ACFW, SWFRW, and MENSA, and dedicated to promoting the advancement of quality fiction and nonfiction material. Nicole is co-writing THE SMART GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED for Smart Guides with Mary Sue Seymour. It is scheduled for release in May 2013. For submissions, she is open to romance, inspirational fiction, mysteries/thrillers, women’s fiction, YA, MG, picture books, sci-fi/fantasy, UF and horror. No poetry, screenplays or erotica. Very select on nonfiction, and only with authors who have an established platform. For more information, visit the website: www.theseymouragency.com
ABOUT MARIANNE: Marianne loves a good laugh. So much so, she cannot stop humor from spilling into her books. She is rarely at a loss for words, which is helpful for a writer. And it would be silly to say she didn’t fidget her way through school dreaming of faraway lands. Over the years she has backpacked through the wilds of Australia, explored the exotics of Asia, soaked up the sun in the Caribbean, and delighted in the historic riches of Europe. Her goals in life are simple: do more good than harm and someday master the do-not-mess-with-me look. She divides her time between Switzerland and Washington State, where she lives with her husband and two children.
ABOUT CECY: Cecy (pronounced Sessy) Robson is an author with Penguin's SIGNET ECLIPSE. She attributes her passion for story-telling back to the rough New Jersey neighborhood she was raised in. As a child, she was rarely allowed to leave the safety of her house and passed her time fantasizing about flying, fairies, and things that go bump in the night. Her dad unwittingly encouraged Cecy's creativity by kissing her goodnight wearing vampire fangs. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, she began writing her Urban Fantasy Romance Series, Weird Girls, in May 2009. THE WEIRD GIRLS: A Novella, debuts December 4, 2012 followed by SEALED WITH A CURSE, December 31, 2012 and A CURSE EMBRACED, July 2, 2013.
Bootcamp for Authors-Navigating the Publishing World—TWO HOURS
Amanda Bergeron and Cassiel Knight
Industry
Navigating the world of publishing can be a frustrating trip fraught with potholes and barriers. This workshop will provide an overview of things newer writers and authors need to know to safely and sanely travel within the publishing world. The presenters will give attendees tips and tricks as well as some inside information to help authors at the early stages of their careers better prepare themselves for a career in publishing.
ABOUT AMANDA: Amanda Bergeron is an assistant editor who joined William Morrow/Avon in 2008 and works with a wide range of fiction. She is looking for thought-provoking women\'s fiction that straddles the line between literary and commercial; romance of all subgenres for both Avon and digital-first imprint Avon Impulse; and historical fiction. She enjoys developing new talent and is seeking projects that explore female friendships, life issues, cultural narrative, and fascinating/significant eras. Recent and upcoming titles include Barnes and Noble Discover Pick When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt, Target Breakout Book Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello, The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees, and A Town Called Valentine by Emma Cane. She will conduct advanced reading and consultation appointments.
ABOUT CASSIEL: Champagne Book Group Senior Editor, Cassiel Knight, resides in the beautiful, and evergreen, state of Oregon with her husband of over 20 years and two female Shih Tzus, which are her children in every sense of the word. When she isn't editing, writing or reading (and that is most of the time), she can be found playing with her Shih Tzus, gardening (when the weather permits and sometimes when it doesn't) and cooking fancy meals as long as someone else does the dishes.As an editor, she's looking for stories packed with action and adventure in many genres. For her, it is not as much the genre, as it is the story. Her preference is for urban fantasy, paranormal, science fiction romance and all the good stuff in between. Write a thrilling story with kick-ass characters and there might just be a match. And if you have non-campy superhero stories or tales featuring psychic characters, bring 'em on! Preferred genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi Romance, Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Gritty/Dark Romance, but she’ll read just about anything as long as it is an exciting story.
Everything you Thought you Knew About Publishing But Didn’t: From Query to Hitting the Shelves
Liz Pelletier
Industry
Join publisher Liz Pelletier of Entangled Publishing as she takes you behind the scenes at what happens from the time your query hits an editor’s submission box to seeing your finished book on the shelves. Learn the role of interns in the evaluation process, acquisition proposal forms, acquisition board meetings and advances, how print run sizes are determined, getting your book in the front of the store, mass market distribution, and hitting the lists.
ABOUT LIZ: Liz Pelletier is the founder of Entangled Publishing, and is the co-founder and managing partner of Savvy Media Services, the parent company of Entangled, Savvy Authors, and Savvy Readers. She is both publisher and senior editor at Entangled, working with her own stable of authors, as well as overseeing the development and growth of the company's imprints, production, distribution, subrights, and marketing departments. Find her on Twitter at @Liz_Pelletier.
Letting Mad Men Write Your Synopsis—TWO HOURS
Laurie Schnebly Campbell
Writer's Life
If you've ever had trouble writing a synopsis, here's a hint: pretend you're writing an ad. An advertising copywriter for 25 years, Laurie found that the same skills which helped her sell bikes, bouquets and burgers to the public also helped her sell book ideas to her publisher. Discover how to use those "Madison Avenue" techniques to interest buyers -- whether they're editors, agents or readers -- in YOUR product.
ABOUT LAURIE: Known for workshops that leave participants feeling like they've really rolled up their sleeves and LEARNED something, Laurie Schnebly Campbell draws on her background as a marketing pro, counselor, and novelist who's lived through everything from Second Book Syndrome to beating out Nora Roberts for "Best Special Edition of the Year." www.booklaurie.com/
Make It Hot: Writing Sex That Sells
Carrie Jackson (no photo available), Anna Alexander, Olivia Waite, Shelli Stevens, Sabrina York
Genre
As mainstream romances grow hotter, the line between erotic romance, regular romance and erotica becomes increasingly blurred. Make It Hot will define each market and discusses how to effectively target the hotter two: erotic romance and erotica. Featuring a panel made up of an editor and several popular authors, the workshop will also cover issues such as increasing the heat in your romance; writing sex scenes that are fresh, new and inventive; and the different types of erotic romance you can write. The authors and editor will share tips and techniques and address common misconceptions about the ever-changing erotic romance market.
ABOUT CARRIE: Carrie Jackson: Carrie Jackson joined Ellora's Cave in 2011, after a stint as an editor for another respected publisher. She's currently searching for big romances and spicy erotica in all subgenres. She lives in Ohio with a panoply of stubborn felines who dominate way too much of her time. www.jasminejade.com
ABOUT ANNA: Ellora's Cave Author Anna Alexander loves romance novels. Shape-shifting, paranormal, special ops, cowboys, warriors, she's all about the alpha male. The grittier the better. www.annaalexander.net
ABOUT OLIVIA: Olivia Waite is an erotic romance author for Ellora's Cave. Like everyone, she's written a draft of a sex scene where the hero took his pants off twice. Unlike everyone, she's also written a sex scene where the hero had to put his pants on first. www.oliviawaite.com/blog
ABOUT SABRINA: Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, writes naked erotic fiction for fans who like it hot, hard and balls-to-the-wall, and erotic romance and fantasy for readers who prefer a slow burn to passion. An award winning author in multiple genres, Sabrina writes for Ellora's Cave and can be found on twitter @sabrina_york, and lounging on her website at www.sabrinayork.com.
ABOUT SHELLI: Amazon Best Selling author Shelli Stevens writes various genres of romance, often hits the Kindle best seller list, and is represented by literary agent Laura Bradford from the Bradford Literary Agency. She’s a compulsive volunteer, and has been known to spontaneously burst into song. www.shellistevens.com
FRIDAY 4:00 pm
The Pitch - It's Not What You Say, But How You Say It
Anna Alexander
Writer's Life
Pitching - The most anticipated and anxiety riddled moment on the road to publication. But do not fret. In this workshop learn not only the components of what makes a great pitch but also the importance of the presentation. Bring out your passion and enthusiasm and let them lead you to those magic words, "I want to hear more."
ABOUT ANNA: Anna Alexander's literary world changed at age thirteen when a friend gave her Kathleen E. Woodiwiss's A Rose in Winter. With her mind thoroughly blown, Anna decided that one day she too would become a romance novelist. With Hugh Jackman's abs and Christopher Reeve's blue eyes as inspiration, she loves spinning tales about superheroes finding love. Anna has served on the committee for the Emerald City Writers Conference and serves on the board for the Greater Seattle RWA. Her novel, Hero Revealed, is out now from Ellora's Cave. www.annaalexander.net/
Don't Fear the Copy Editor/And I Don't!
Eilis Flynn
Industry
You've heard so many complaints and whispers about copy editors, and how they ruined so-and-so's book or made things WRONG. You don't have to fear being copy edited. Here's what copy editors do and why they do it, and how you can work with them, from the perspective of a veteran copy editor whose work has also been copy edited.
ABOUT EILIS: Eilis Flynn has been a copy editor since 1977, when she was handed a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style and told to learn it. Over the years, she's copy edited scholarly treatises for a university press, breaking news for a wire service, boring, nearly unintelligible financial works for several financial magazines, comic books, and even romance novels. www.eilisflynn.com
Do You Indie? Four Self-published Successes Tell ALL
Amber Scott, Carolyn McCray, Ann Charles, Taylor Lee
Industry
The trend is HOT. But are the numbers? From NY Times bestselling authors to debut careers, self-publishing is the new way to grow a career, get discovered and make a living. Find out from four Kindle Bestselling authors exactly what it takes to not only get that book out there in a professional way, but how to sell it the smart way. Got questions? Get answers.
ABOUT AMBER: In between naptimes and dishes, Amber Scott escapes into the addictive twists and turns her characters’ lives take. She often burns dinner, is addicted to chocolate and still believes in happily ever after. Moving from traditional publishing into self-publishing transformed her career. Her title Irish Moon peaked at #27 in the Kindle Top 100 Paid list and she is the acting Executive Director of the Indie Book Collective. She makes her home in Arizona with her two kids, husband and one day, many, many cats. www.amberscottbooks.com
ABOUT CAROLYN: Carolyn McCray, founder of the Indie Book Collective, co-author of Dollars & Sense: the Definitive Guide to Self-publishing Success, is a Kindle bestselling author who took a career from scratch and turned it into a six figure success story. Writing across the genres, she also shares industry advice on Publishing Perspectives, Digital Book World and worldwide at conferences and conventions. She makes her home in Seattle with an animal family full of characters all their own. www.carolynmccray.com
ABOUT TAYLOR: Much like her alpha heroes, Taylor Lee took her career by the horns and plowed onto romance and thriller charts, self-publishing over seven titles in under a year and hitting multiple Kindle bestselling lists. She manages the Indie Event division of the Indie Book Collective, is acting program director for the Desert Rose chapter of RWA, and somehow finds time to keep up with the voices in her head. taylorleebooks.com
ABOUT ANN: Ann Charles writes mysteries full of mayhem, fun, and romance. She has a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) from the Univ. of Washington. With her first novel, Nearly Departed in Deadwood, she won the 2010 Daphne du Maurier award and the 2011 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® award. She's been a member of SinC, the Guppies, and RWA for many moons and is the co-owner of Corvallis Press. When she's not dabbling in fiction, she's penning writing-related articles or standing on her workshop soapbox, sharing what she has learned over the years about craft, platform building, indie publishing, and self-promotion. Check her out at www.anncharles.com.
SATURDAY 8:00 am
Revision
Margie Lawson
Writing Craft
Learn hot tricks and tips for painless revision from one of the foremost writing instructors in the nation.
About MARGIE: psychotherapist, editor, and international presenter – developed psychologically-based editing systems and deep editing techniques used by new writers to multi-award winning authors. She teaches writers how to add psychological power to create page turners. In the last seven years Margie presented over seventy full day Master Classes. She taught her psychologically-anchored deep editing to over six thousand writers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Copyright and Literary Agreements for Authors
Matthew Hooper
Industry
This presentation covers: (1) Basic rules of copyright that affect authors; (2) Joint authorship issues (including editor, illustrator, and "suggestion" rights); (3) Literary agreement issues, including advances, royalties, subsidiary rights, cross-collateralization provisions, bonuses, and landmines to avoid; and (4) Option agreements.
ABOUT MATT: Matt serves as Chairman of the Arts & Entertainment Group for the law firm of Foster Pepper. In that capacity, he represents authors, production companies, musicians, and other entertainment entities with their legal needs. Matt regularly presents to authors and author organizations on Copyright and Literary Agreements (recent presentations include Hugo House and Northwest Authors Workshop). Matt has drafted and negotiated artist agreements, producer and director agreements, literary agreements, crew agreements, agency agreements, SAG and AFTRA agreements, music license agreements, distribution agreements, and related technology and entertainment contracts.
Push, Pull & POP Seamless Self Promotion
Therese Patrick & C. Morgan Kennedy
Writer's Life
Take control of your promotions using the three primary principles of marketing to work seamlessly to generate sales, and do it in only 10% of your writing time. Understand how your Author Persona is the dynamic core of your marketing plan to Push your products, Pull your readers, and create a Point-of-Purchase experience your audience will want to repeat.
ABOUT THERESE: Therese Patrick is an active member of RWA for ten years. For Rose City Romance Writers she was a past treasurer, on the newsletter staff, and has been a coordinator with the Golden Rose Contest teams since 2003. A former Business Operations Consultant and Technical Writer she was part of the start up team for a national electrical services company. Ms. Patrick is a mother of four daughters, lives in Oregon, she writes contemporary romance and memoir. She is an active blogger since 2009 and is marketing both her fiction and memoir. http://terripatrick.wordpress.com/
ABOUT C. MORGAN KENNEDY: C.Morgan Kennedy has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from Otterbein College. Marketing and Entrepreneurship were her MBA focus. Throughout her fifteen year career in Corporate America, she has worked in international and large account sales, corporate training, and product marketing. She is currently a Product Marketing Manager for a $20 million global product portfolio. Ms. Kennedy is based in Portland, OR. http://authormarketing101.blogspot.com/
Tree of Life--Growing Character Arc
Jude Bown
Writing Craft
Create full-fledged character sketches and plot direction from the ground up. Pull internal and external motivation for a character’s goal from the gnarly roots underground. Experience the conflicting ripple effect of travelling through a knothole into a changed world. Branch out with story characters who bear or add weight. Apply forces of nature. Learn the secret of unforgettable characterization hidden amongst the leaves. Bask in the brilliant warmth of the happily ever after sunshine. One planted seed, watered with a minimal amount of time, will harvest depth-defying characters that readers cannot resist.
ABOUT JUDE: Jude Bown is an award-winning contemporary romance writer currently working on a series that takes place in a quirky Montana town (like the one she grew up in) filled with sassy women, sexy men and a whack-a-doodle-do rooster. Jude is a renowned speaker and has presented over 1,200 seminars, to 85,000 participants in America, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and Ireland. She loves baseball, music, Mexican food, and toenail polish. www.judebown.com/
Worldbuilding from an Intelligence Point of View
Rhonda Beardsley
Writing Craft
Your setting is a character of its own. It can push characters to kill, love, despair or feel great joy. Everything in your story stems from and hinges on the world you build it in. When the stakes are high (life, love, money, freedom) the first thing any real organization (military or private) does is do a country study or some version thereof. These studies expose where potential conflicts may arise for those wanting to travel in some new land. As a writer you are after those potential conflicts in your own worlds. They ground your writing in reality and keep the cardboard out of your characters. This course is to provide you with new insights for how seemingly unimportant general conditions can change your setting drastically. There are over forty key items real world intelligence professionals know before anyone goes near new territory. You will be given the perspective to look at your world and apply these criteria like an intelligence analyst would. Links to real world country studies will be provided along with how to understand them and apply that type of information gathering to your world making it fuller, more believable and roiling with conflict for you to capitalize on.
ABOUT RHONDA: Rhonda Beardsley was real world military intelligence for 11 years. She has lived or worked in over 22 countries and had assignments doing everything from threat briefs for combat mission aircrews to briefing foreign weapons and tactics to commanders, foreign dignitaries and other intelligence agencies. She spent four years learning how to read cultural indicators and predict conflict in nearly any situation. At the ECWC she will provide a quick checklist format used by the Central Intelligence Agency to teach you a few simple ways to find almost unlimited seeds for conflict in any world you want to build. Also, at the end of the class she will have a Q&A to ask whatever you like about what “real” intelligence personnel do.
SATURDAY 9:30 am
Homicide Investigations—TWO HOURS
M.A. Taylor—no photo available
Genre
This class will take writers on the journey of a homicide investigation. Many of the popular crime shows on television are grossly inaccurate. This class will enable writers to infuse accurate realism into their stories.
ABOUT M.A.: M.A. Taylor spent more than twenty years in law enforcement. After seven years with the California Highway Patrol (CHP), she became a Special Agent for the California Department of Justice (DOJ), spending over a decade in Narcotics...including assignment to a Federal DEA-HIDTA Task Force. Margaret's areas of expertise range from surveillance to wiretaps to tribal gaming, sexual predators, investigations and more. http://www.MATaylor1010.com
The Power of Desire—TWO HOURS
Susan Wiggs
Writing Craft
The title of the workshop sums up the driving force of every good love story, or every good story, period, whether for print or screen. Readers cannot resist a story of the hero pursuing his heart’s desire. Bestselling author Susan Wiggs will present concrete, usable techniques for the writer to incorporate this concept in your fiction. NOTE: Susan’s novel Table for Five (Mira, February 2012; $7.99) will be referenced in depth to illustrate the ideas presented. Participants are encouraged to read it in advance of the workshop.
ABOUT SUSAN: Susan Wiggs has been published by Avon, Tor, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Warner and Mira Books. Her novel The Charm School was voted one of RWA's Favorite Books of the Year. She is the proud recipient of three RITA awards for Lakeside Cottage, Lord of the Night and The Mistress, and is often a finalist for the prestigious award. http://www.susanwiggs.com/
Career Tune Up for the Published Author
Jane Porter
Writer's Life
Change is inevitable and every career goes through ups and downs. In Career Tune-Up, Jane Porter will discuss why published authors need to regularly assess their careers, evaluate goals, and understand the rapidly changing marketplace. Jane will share advice on how to tune-up one's career for optimum success and what to do next if it’s time to branch out, adopt a pseudonym or reinvent yourself.
ABOUT JANE: The bestselling author of 30 Harlequin Presents and 7 women’s fiction titles, Jane Porter is a four time RITA finalist in 2002, 2003 and 2010. Jane’s July 2006 release, FLIRTING WITH FORTY was picked by Redbook Magazine as its Red Hot Summer Read for 2006 and went back for seven printings in six weeks before being optioned for a Lifetime TV movie starring Heather Locklear. Jane holds an MAF in Writing from the University and has three current releases, including, The Good Woman, her Sept ‘12 trade fiction from Berkley. http://www.janeporter.com/
Chat with Cherry Adair
ABOUT CHERRY: New York Times bestselling author Cherry Adair has carved a niche for herself with her sexy, sassy, fast-paced, action adventure novels which have appeared on numerous bestsellers lists, won dozens of awards and garnered praise from reviewers and fans alike. She is hard at work on two new series -- CUTTER CAY and LODESTONE as well as a new T-FLAC novel. http://cherryadair.com/
Navigating the Waters of Social Media
Laurie London, Shelli Stevens & Margaret Mallory
Industry
Confused about social media and how it applies to you? Not sure how to get started? Whether you’re a published author, a soon-to-be published author or a brand new writer, find out how to use social media to build your platform and boost your career. Three social-media-savvy authors who write contemporary, paranormal, and historical romance will help you navigate the waters.
ABOUT LAURIE: Laurie London is the author of the SWEETBLOOD series, paranormal romance from HQN Books. The first book in the series won the Emerald City Opener before it sold. Her latest book, SEDUCED BY BLOOD, came out in August 2012. Armed with a business degree, Laurie worked for a Fortune 500 company as a programmer/tester and an underwriter, but now she writes full time from her home near Seattle, where she lives with her husband and two teenagers. When not writing, she can be found running, reading, sewing, making jewelry, knitting, mucking stalls, volunteering or riding her horse. Please visit her website at www.LaurieLondonBooks.com
ABOUT SHELLI: Shelli is a New York Times Bestselling Author who read her first romance novel when she snatched it off her mother's bookshelf at the age of eleven. One taste and she was forever hooked. It wasn't until many years later that she decided to pursue writing stories of her own. By then she acknowledged the voices in her head didn't make her crazy, they made her a writer. Shelli currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her daughter, where she writes various genres of romance. She's a compulsive volunteer, and has been known to spontaneously burst into song. http://www.shellistevens.com/
ABOUT MARGARET: Margaret Mallory started out as a Midwest girl. Except for two years in Africa, she grew up in small towns in northern Michigan, where her dad was a county extension agent. She received degrees from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan Law School, and then headed to Washington, DC to save the world. When that failed, she packed up and moved to the Pacific Northwest for no reason except that it was beautiful and far from her last jobs and boyfriends. She admits to having a vague notion of finding herself a park ranger with a dog. The man she met was not a park ranger, but he was willing to get the dog. Marriage and children soon followed. Margaret spent many rewarding—but rather wearing—years in jobs devoted to improving services for abused children and care for the elderly. Not long ago, she surprised (shocked?) her friends and family by abandoning her legal career—and steady job—to write novels. She is thrilled to spend her days writing stories of love and adventure, instead of going to endless meetings. After all, she has always loved romantic tales, heroic deeds, and happy endings. And, at long last, she can satisfy her passion for justice by punishing the bad and rewarding the worthy—in the pages of her novels. With her two children off to college, Margaret spends most of her time working on her next books. She loves to hear from readers at http://www.margaretmallory.com.
SATURDAY 10:30 am
Chat with Victoria Alexander
ABOUT VICTORIA: New York Times bestselling Historical Romance author Victoria Alexander has written twenty-four full length novels and six novellas. She has nominated twice for the prestigious RITA award, was given a Career Achievement Award in 2009 from RT Bookclub, and was named Historical Storyteller of the year in 2003. www.victoriaalexander.com/
The Art of Handselling: A Bookseller's Tips for Signings and Social Media
Alicia Aho
Writer’s Life
Whether you're published, self-published, or submitting your manuscript, marketing is an ever-increasing part of a writer's job. Booksellers are masters of the art of handselling -- the one-to-one recommendation that can make or break a sale. Come learn ten years' worth of tips and tricks that will help you with readers, editors, agents, and social media.
ABOUT ALICIA: As Olivia Waite, Alicia Aho writes strange and steamy historical novellas for Ellora's Cave. Before she became an author, she spent ten years working in bookstores across the Pacific Northwest. www.oliviawaite.com
Dealing with Goal, Motivation, and Conflict in Your Own Life: Optimizing the Writing Process while Keeping Motivation High
Rebecca Zanetti and Åsa Maria Bradley
Writer’s Life
Real life is full of conflict, distractions, and obstacles. We’re told to include goal, motivation and conflict in our books--but how do we deal with such issues in our lives? Sometimes it’s hard to keep our motivation up and reach our writing goals. In this workshop, two authors share how they learned to increase their productivity--without increasing their writing time--and still keep the motivation and joy of writing high. Learn their secrets to how to optimize your creativity and writing, while still having time for those pesky conflicts elements like kids, spouses, pets, diets, and full time jobs--
and still keep a smile on your face while doing it all. Well, at least for most of the time.
ABOUT REBECCA: Rebecca Zanetti is a college professor by day and romance author by night. Currently she’s busy writing the sexy Dark Protector Series from Kensington Brava, which has received excellent reviews. Publisher’s Weekly declared FATED a "recommended spring read,” and CLAIMED to be a thriller with “true strengths: sizzling sex scenes and a memorable cast.” The fifth book in the series will be released this fall. When Rebecca isn't writing or teaching, she golfs in the summer and snowmobiles in the winter with her outdoorsy husband and kids. To find Rebecca on the web, drop by her website: http://rebeccazanetti.com/.
ABOUT ÅSA: When Åsa Maria Bradley is not teaching college physics, she gets paid for writing nonfiction while pursuing a publishing contract for her contemporary and paranormal romances. Her work has appeared in a variety of magazines and one of her essays was included in Random House’s FEMALE NOMAD AND FRIENDS: TALES OF BREAKING FREE AND BREAKING BREAD AROUND THE WORLD. She’s also a regular contributor to the literary blog Bark. Åsa lives in Eastern WA with her British husband and a used dog of indeterminate breed. Visit her on the web at http://asamariabradley.com.
SATURDAY 11:30 am
Results-Oriented Business Tactics for Authors
Andrea Heuston
Writer's Life
As an author in today's market, you must embrace being more than just a creator of fiction if you are to be a success. You must wear many hats and have a variety of skills to succeed. Results-Oriented Business Tactics for Writers delves into the areas of business where a writer must focus their time and attention, but also helps you focus on making things happen. This seminar will help you figure out how to stay resolutely focused on the core principles of your business…and yes, writing is a business!
ABOUT ANDREA: Andrea Heuston, CEO & Creative Principal of Artitudes Design Inc. and Visual Quill, is a leader in the graphic design industry with over 20 years of experience. Andrea’s business savvy and expertise have helped her provide core messaging for clients from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses, and everything in between. Andrea serves on the Board of Directors for Olive Crest and is a representative on the national advisory board of the Key4Women program for 2011-2012. She is a recipient of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” award and sits on the NW Next Leader’s Council. She is a member of the Seattle Rotary and was honored by the Women Business Owners organization as a 2010 Nellie Cashman award finalist for excellence in business and community involvement. All business aside, Andrea spends her free time with her husband and their two children, enjoying their second home in Ocean Shores. She enjoys nothing more than taking long walks along the beach collecting sea glass, reading novels and cooking. www.artitudesdesign.com
Your Words, Your Way: Go Indie with Amazon
Jon Fine—no photo available
Industry
A one hour “teaching” panel focused on the tools and services that enable DIY authors to quickly and easily publish in print and digital forms, and on the range of programs Amazon offers to help enhance sales after publication. Programs discussed include CreateSpace, Kindle Direct Publishing, Author Central, Author Pages and a range of other tools to help authors increase the visibility of their titles to Amazon’s millions of customers.
ABOUT JON: Jon P. Fine is director of Author and Publisher Relations for Amazon.com, focusing on Amazon’s publishing programs and author services, and coordinating outreach to the author and publishing communities, including Amazon’s author giving program for non-profit literary organizations. He joined the company as associate general counsel for media and copyright in January 2006, and subsequently led business development for Brilliance Audio following its acquisition by Amazon in 2007. Prior to Amazon, he served as VP and Associate General Counsel for Random House, Inc., where he directed legal affairs for the Alfred A. Knopf division as well as for Random House of Canada. He previously served as Senior Media Counsel at NBC, handling content and associated issues for NBC News, Saturday Night Live, and other divisions; as counsel at King World Productions for Inside Edition and other programming; and as a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton, where he focused on copyright, libel, internet and other media-related matters. He is a graduate of Cornell University and of the University of Virginia School of Law. Following law school, he served as Judicial Clerk for United States District Judge Sam C. Pointer, Jr.
Eight Essentials of Great Dialogue and How they Can Help in the Revision Stage
Pam Binder
Writing Craft
When Michelangelo was asked how he had sculpted his masterpiece, David, he replied, “I looked at the stone and removed all that was not David.” Dialogue is the fastest way to improve your fiction. Overwritten dialogue sticks out of a manuscript like an obnoxious uncle at Thanksgiving. Learn the eight essentials needed in order to create memorable characters.
ABOUT PAM: Pam Binder is the President and Program Director of PNWA. She is an advisory board member for the Writer's Program at the University of Washington, won 2011 Best Instructor Award where she teaches in UW’s Popular Fiction extension program. Pam, an Award Winning and New York Times Bestselling author, found her agent at the 1999 PNWA Summer Conference. Pocket Books has published five of Pam's Historical, Fantasy Romance novels, including the New York Times bestselling anthology, A Season in the Highlands. http://www.pambinder.com/
Chat with Susan Andersen
ABOUT SUSAN: Susan Andersen was raised in Seattle, Washington with her two older brothers. She trained as a dental assistant, although she did not like working for dentists. After she turned 30, Andersen felt that she might have the "life experience to string an entire book together." Her first novel, Shadow Dance was published in 1989. Her novels are known for being funny as well as containing "sexy sizzle and great characterization." She has been nominated three times for Romantic Times Magazine's Reviewers' Choice Awards, winning in 1998 for Baby, I'm Yours. She is a New York Times, USAToday, and Publisher's Weekly best seller and has also been named a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award winner. She has appeared ten times on the list of 10 novels picked as Amazon.com Editor's Choice (in 2001, 2002 and 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009,2010). Her novel, Coming Undone was nominated for a RITA award. http://www.susanandersen.com/
In it for the Long Haul
Stella Cameron
Writer’s Life
What does it take to build a durable career in this business? Join Stella Cameron for a relaxed, no-holds-barred conversation in which she’ll discuss what it takes to create--and sustain--a thirty year career, from reinvention to financial planning, and more!
ABOUT STELLA: Stella Cameron is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Court of Angels Series, the Bayou Books and many others. There are fourteen million copies of her books in circulation worldwide. She is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest Literary community. She lives in Washington State. www.stellacameron.com
SATURDAY 3:00 pm
Presentation Mastery
Lindagail Campbell
Writer’s Life
Learn to present yourself and your ideas on any topic with greater confidence, clarity, and credibility. Whether you make presentations one-to-one, on the telephone, or to groups of any size from 1 to 1,000, the success of your interactions depend upon how you structure and deliver your message. Gain new perceptions and skills to make your presentations more dynamic, educational, compelling, and memorable, regardless of your current level of experience as a public speaker; from novice to pro. By the end of this workshop, you will know how to design and sequence your presentations to deliver your message and achieve your outcome.
ABOUT LINDAGAIL: Lindagail is an internationally acclaimed NLP Master Trainer. In the past 20 years she has taught NLP, Presentation Skills, and Storytelling to over 5,000 students across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and in Europe. She is a keynote speaker, communication consultant, and peak performance coach. Her former clients include Hewlett Packard, Kodak, the US Forest Service, Providence Hospital, KPS Health Systems, Bonneville Power, Boeing, Nike, State of Oregon, Digimarc and AT&T. She has been a guest on television and radio as an expert in NLP. Lindagail is a certified NLP Master Practitioner and holds numerous certifications including Advanced Language Skills, Trainer Training, NLP in Health, NLP in Business, and Words that Change Minds. She is trained in Hakomi Psychotherapy, and is a Guild Certified Teacher of the Feldenkrais Method®. Recognizing the power of well-told stories, Lindagail has been telling stories professionally since 1991. http://www.nlporegon.com/
Nonlinear Thinking for Creativity
Terrel Hoffman
Writing Craft
Linear Thinking is Logical Thinking. It follows a straight line. A, B, C, D and so on. Linear thinking is Analytical Thinking. Critical Thinking. It’s the perfect kind of thinking for the Editor’s mind. Plots have a linear flow from beginning, through the middle, to the end. Makes perfect sense, right? But is that way of thinking best for writing the first draft or the first revision? Perhaps not. Nonlinear thinking, on the other hand, is creative thinking. It’s like a tangled net, with intersections, knots, and loose strings. It’s messy and intangible and impossible to quantify. And yet for most of us, that jumbled mess is where the magic happens. Learn some of the skills and techniques that allow us to master our creativity.
ABOUT TERREL: A life coach, Terrel Hoffman believes in the power of coaching to help clients overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams. She is a RWA PRO & belongs to several RWA chapters, including her home chapter, GSRWA. She chairs ECWC’s 2012 Workshops committee. Terrel holds a BS in Physics from San Jose State University. When she is at home, Terrel serves at the whim of two feline autocrats. Terrel writes Steampunk and contemporary paranormal romance. www.terrel.com
Beyond the Uniform: What Makes Your Cop Tick
M.A. Taylor—no photo available
Genre
Do you think cops are born or made? Ever wonder where or how a cop develops his or her swagger? Beyond the Uniform will help participants understand the developmental path of becoming a police officer. That knowledge can then be applied to their law enforcement characters.
Whether you believe cop mentality is ‘developed’ or ‘created’, I will show how the mind-set is planted at the application process, nurtured by Academy life and field training and finally cast and set by on-the-job-experience.
ABOUT M.A.: M.A. Taylor spent over twenty years in law enforcement. Seven years with the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and over seventeen as a Special Agent for the California Department of Justice (DOJ). Margaret worked over ten years in Narcotics, with four of those years assigned to a Federal DEA-HIDTA Task Force. Among her many other assignments she worked Gaming, Sexual Predators, DNA Cold Cases and much, much more. Margaret has many areas of expertise visit her website for more information. http://www.MATaylor1010.com
You're Killing Me! Trauma and Medicine for Writers
Crista McHugh
Genre
Sound medical facts and terms will add a new level to your medical and trauma scenes. A real-life doctor will go over basic injuries, recovery times, common medical treatments, and give you the real low-down on what life is like in an ER.
ABOUT CRISTA: Crista McHugh is a multiple award winning Fantasy and Paranormal Romance writer. A former Air Force medical officer, she currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with her husband and daughter, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends. www.cristamchugh.com
Self Editing Bootcamp
Carrie Jackson—no photo available
Writing Craft
Join Ellora's Cave editor Carrie Jackson in this in depth exploration of how you can hone your self editing muscles. Learn to identify and wrangle your personal writing issues so you can polish your submission to perfection. We'll discuss the common errors that capture an editor's attention and share tricks and strategies to root them out of your manuscript. Topics include dangling or misplaced modifiers, unnecessary or misused words, redundant or repetitive words, head hopping, consistency, choreography, sentence structure, clarity and more. Bring your first few pages so you can ‘play along’ with Carrie’s editing exercises.
ABOUT CARRIE: Carrie Jackson: Carrie Jackson joined Ellora's Cave in 2011, after a stint as an editor for another respected publisher. She's currently searching for big romances and spicy erotica in all subgenres. She lives in Ohio with a panoply of stubborn felines who dominate way too much of her time.
Building Suspense in Your Plot
Pam Binder
Writing Craft
Join Pam Binder in this interactive workshop that teaches the fourteen techniques designed to help you build suspense. Everything from springing surprises, imposing deadlines or employing a character’s phobias are discussed and explored.
ABOUT PAM: Pam Binder is the President and Program Director of PNWA. She is an advisory board member for the Writer's Program at the University of Washington, won 2011 Best Instructor Award where she teaches in UW’s Popular Fiction extension program. Pam, an Award Winning and New York Times Bestselling author, found her agent at the 1999 PNWA Summer Conference. Pocket Books has published five of Pam's Historical, Fantasy Romance novels, including the New York Times bestselling anthology, A Season in the Highlands.
Voice: What It Is, What It Isn't
Terry McLaughlin
Writing Craft
Agents and editors say they're looking for two things: story and voice. Story can be revised and reworked in any number of ways, but voice can only be one thing: yours. In this hands-on, interactive workshop, discover what that voice is as the first step toward living with it, loving it, and using it.
ABOUT TERRY: Award-winning Harlequin author Terry McLaughlin has been a three-time Golden Heart finalist, a RITA finalist, a nominee for the National Readers Choice Award and the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award. She holds a Masters Degree in English, has taught writing at the university level, and has presented workshops throughout the United States and in Australia and New Zealand. You'll find book excerpts and more at www.terrymclaughlin.com.
Anna Alexander, Calinda B, Cecilia Grant, Debby Lee, Darlene Panzera, Brady
Writer’s Life
How do you get that first book written, marketed and published when you’ve got kids, husbands, jobs, and numerous other obligations? How do you even find the time to write? In his panel discussion, six of GSRWA’s most-recently-published authors talk about how they managed to see their books get into the hands of readers. This year, we have an amazing assortment of paths to publication with everything from small presses, electronic publishers and traditional Big Six houses. We’ll hear about how each author worked at improving her craft to get to publication, time management, entering contests, finding an agent, branding and marketing, the editing process and more.
ABOUT ANNA: Anna Alexander’s literary world changed at age thirteen when a friend gave her Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’s A Rose in Winter. With her mind thoroughly blown, Anna decided that one day she too would become a romance novelist. With Hugh Jackman’s abs and Christopher Reeve’s blue eyes as inspiration, she loves spinning tales about superheroes finding love. www.AnnaAlexander.net
ABOUT CALINDA: Calinda B makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with the love of her life and her two cats. In addition to writing, Calinda B creates fine art and music, and enjoys scuba diving, kayaking, and bike riding. She is currently working on the third book in The Wicked Series, A Wicked Whispering. A Wicked Awakening and A Wicked Beginning have been nominated for Best Erotic Romance of 2012. www.calindab.com, http://blog.calindab.com
ABOUT CECILIA: Cecilia Grant always knew she’d do something with that English degree. After waiting tables, composing software Help files, and answering the carpool-lane-violators hotline, she’s delighted to be writing stories. Her January 2012 Regency, A Lady Awakened, was praised by Library Journal as “a stunning debut,” by All About Romance as a Desert Isle Keeper, and by Booklist as “a romance to treasure.” Her second book, A Gentleman Undone, followed in June. www.ceciliagrant.com
ABOUT DEBBY: Debby Lee is a member of several RWA chapters and The American Christian Fiction Writers. She has two short stories published and looks forward to the release of her first novella from Barbour Publishing titled, One Evergreen Night in A Cascade Christmas in September 2012. She is happily married and lives in Washington state with her family. booksbydebbylee.com
ABOUT DARLENE: A graduate of Writer\'s Digest and The Christian Writer\'s Guild writing programs, Darlene is a member of RWA\'s Greater Seattle and Peninsula chapters. She is the winner of the "Make Your Dreams Come True" contest sponsored by Avon Books which led her novella, THE BET, to be published with Debbie Macomber's FAMILY AFFAIR release d June 2012. She now has a second contract with Avon Books, a division of HarperCollins, for the full length novel. www.darlenepanzera.com
ABOUT KIRA: Kira Brady was born and raised in Seattle, where she developed an imperviousness to rain and a dry sense of humor. She became fascinated by historic, haunted cities while studying urban environments at the University of Pennsylvania, and came back home, Prince Charming in tow, to write about her favorite city and its deluge of supernatural creatures. When not writing, she can be found drinking inordinately large mugs of tea, knitting wool socks, and raising a wee heroine-in-training. http://blog.kirabrady.com/
SUNDAY 9:30 am
Sympathy for the Devil: Dark Heroes in Popular Fiction
Laura Navarre (no photo available)
Writing Craft
Using clips from blockbuster films, we'll explore dark heroes and heroines in popular fiction, from J.R. Ward's urban fantasy to Philippa Gregory's Tudor historicals to Daniel Craig's icy James Bond and classic dark heroes like Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights.
ABOUT LAURA: Laura Navarre writes dark medieval and Renaissance romance spiked with political intrigue. Her latest releases are BY ROYAL COMMAND (Harlequin/Carina) and THE RUSSIAN SEDUCTION (Affluent Press, writing as Nikki Navarre). Laura holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction and won the PNWA award for romance.
Ebook Self-Publishing 101
Mark Coker
Industry
While the ebook revolution has taken the publishing industry by storm, many new and established authors are not quite sure just how to get started. Others, who embraced the change and jumped in with both feet, are dismayed by the lack of success they believed was coming their way. In this 2-hour workshop, Mark Coker, the founder and CEO of Smashwords—the world’s largest publisher and distributor of ebooks—will provide a primer on ebook publishing basics without any of the unnecessary technical jargon. Mark’s session will begin by providing market share data on the rise of ebooks, move into the opportunity that is available to all authors, and provide guidance on ebook creation and marketing strategies. Attendees will leave this workshop with a newfound sense of knowledge that will equip them with the tools they need to masterfully prepare, publish, market and distribute their masterpieces.
ABOUT MARK: Mark Coker is the founder of Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com), an ebook publishing and distribution platform serving approximately 40,000 independent authors and publishers around the world. Smashwords gained international attention for its simple but radical idea: Provide a free service that enables any author anywhere to publish their ebook in seconds, making it available for immediate sampling, sale and distribution to a worldwide audience via major online ebook retailers and mobile smartphone platforms. http://www.smashwords.com
Writing Bestselling Fiction: Using Emotion to Power Up the Story
Jane Porter
Writing Craft
Our romance readers expect an emotional experience when they pick up our books and it’s our job to deliver a compelling and supremely satisfying story. How do we do that? Through infusing our characters with depth and emotional integrity. In this workshop, Jane Porter will share six tools for writing emotion as well as her favorite tips and techniques for powering up the story.
ABOUT JANE: The bestselling author of 30 Harlequin Presents and 7 women’s fiction titles, Jane Porter is a four time RITA finalist in 2002, 2003 and 2010. Jane’s July 2006 release, FLIRTING WITH FORTY was picked by Redbook Magazine as its Red Hot Summer Read for 2006 and went back for seven printings in six weeks before being optioned for a Lifetime TV movie starring Heather Locklear. Jane holds an MAF in Writing from the University and has three current releases, including, The Good Woman, her Sept’ 12 trade fiction from Berkley.
From the Very First Line: Seducing the Reader into Turning the Page
Darynda Jones
Writing Craft
While we all want to grab our readers by the throat and never let go, perhaps extreme force that invites a criminal investigation is not the way to go. Darynda will discuss beginnings. What goes into them. What does not. And how to seduce your reader into turning the next page.
ABOUT DARYNDA: NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones won the 2009 Golden Heart in the paranormal category for her manuscript FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. After the Golden Heart final, she pimped herself as best she could, landed an amazing agent and has sold 8 books to St. Martin's Press. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.
Unraveling Romantic Suspense
Mary Burton
Genre
Join Bestselling author Mary Burton as she unravels the mystery of writing a killer romantic suspense. She’ll delve in character, conflict, blending/balancing romance and suspense, drafting, and literary devices that make prose pop. She’ll also share techniques that she’s found very effective.
ABOUT MARY: Mary Burton’s southern family has always enjoyed tall tales and a good yarns. She has written twelve historical romances for Harlequin Historicals, four short romantic suspenses for Silhouette Romantic Suspense and Kensington/Zebra released her 6th romantic suspense, BEFORE SHE DIES, this year. Mary resides in Virginia where she enjoys yoga, cooking and hiking. www.maryburton.com
SUNDAY 11:00 am
Writing Forsoothly--Diction in Historical Fiction
Cait Donnelly
Genre
Diction in Historical Fiction You want to write a medieval romance, a Viking-era murder mystery, a Tudor time-travel. You’ve done your homework on the politics, clothing, buildings of your period--but what about the language? This workshop will give you valuable tips on writing ‘in period’ without getting your dialogue tangled around your misericord. Topics include: A (very)Brief History of English, Problem Verbs and Pronouns, and Avoiding Anachronisms.
ABOUT CAIT: Cait has a BA in Linguistics from UC Berkeley, with minors in English and German; a master’s degree from UC Davis (EPDA), and a blue-card membership in the Society for Creative Anachronism. She has studied nineteen languages, including Middle English, Middle High German and Medieval Latin. An active PRO member of GSRWA, KOD and FF&P, she currently lives in the Northwest with two cats and an Alaskan Malamute. www.caitdonnelly.com
The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success
Mark Coker, Carrie Jackson (no photo available)
Industry
Mark Coker, the founder and CEO of Smashwords—the world’s largest publisher and distributor of ebooks—will lead a 60-minute workshop covering the best practices of the most successful ebook authors. Attendees of the workshop will receive a foundation on current trends that are (re-)shaping the publishing industry; an overview of the explosion of ebooks; advice on how to make the transition from p-books to e-books; tips on proper formatting, pricing, distribution and marketing; and guidance on the steps authors can take to maximize the discoverability and sales rank of their ebooks.
ABOUT MARK: Mark Coker is the founder of Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com), an ebook publishing and distribution platform serving approximately 40,000 independent authors and publishers around the world. Smashwords gained international attention for its simple but radical idea: Provide a free service that enables any author anywhere to publish their ebook in seconds, making it available for immediate sampling, sale and distribution to a worldwide audience via major online ebook retailers and mobile smartphone platforms. http://www.smashwords.com
ABOUT CARRIE: Carrie Jackson joined Ellora's Cave in 2011, after a stint as an editor for another respected publisher. She's currently searching for big romances and spicy erotica in all subgenres. She lives in Ohio with a panoply of stubborn felines who dominate way too much of her time. www.jasminejade.com
Building Conflict From The Head Down
Laurie Schnebly Campbell
Writing Craft
Great conflict comes from not only the situation, but from within the characters themselves. This workshop offers tools for shaping basic personalities into heroic, appealing characters...who'll naturally wind up in conflict. Explore the various types and subtypes--ideal for creating clashes between genuinely likable people--and see which will offer the best opportunities for conflict that's built in right from the start.
ABOUT LAURIE: Known for workshops that leave participants feeling like they've really rolled up their sleeves and LEARNED something, Laurie Schnebly Campbell draws on her background as a marketing pro, counselor, and novelist who's lived through everything from Second Book Syndrome to beating out Nora Roberts for "Best Special Edition of the Year." www.booklaurie.com
Fights: Farce, Fact and Fiction
Rhonda Beardsley
Genre
Fights are like making love. If done properly a reader can tell more about a character in those few minutes that you can in chapters worth of backstory. This class is to give authors insight into the various story enhancing opportunities they have when using weapons and fight scenes. Teaching authors to see more than just a knife or sword and teaching them how to investigate and exploit those opportunities as they choose gives them one more tool in their box to creating detailed realistic fiction. This class is also geared to help authors avoid blatant credibility killers when possible. Various weapons will be demonstrated and available to be handled after the formal part of the class. At the end of the course there will be a Q & A with the instructor, a martial arts instructor and two experts on historical firearms and archery.
ABOUT RHONDA: Rhonda Beardsley spent 11 years in military intelligence learning and teaching various combat techniques and tactics. After that she spent 4 years as an emergency medical 911 operator out of a trauma unit in Seattle. At the ECWC she’ll talk about some common modern and historical weapons and the injuries they actually cause. She’s going to cover what works, what doesn’t and what would work better for writers. She will be doing demonstration. Attendees will get to handle various weapons and she is bringing along some experts on black powder firearms, historical archery, and hand to hand combat. At the end of the class, attendees have nearly half an hour to ask her and her guests all the questions you can fit in and examine and handle her collection which includes dueling pistols, manacles, and swords, just to name a few.
Pass Me the Tiara - How to Effectively Use Writing Contests to Market Your Manuscript
Shannon Kennedy, Anthea Lawson, Crista McHugh, Amy Raby, Sally Brandle
Writers Life
Every published author starts as an unpubbed writer struggling to learn their craft. Sometimes, the road we travel seems like the old joke that my grandfather used to tell. He always walked five miles to school, barefoot, uphill – in the snow. Then, he walked five miles home, barefoot, uphill - in the snow. We write our books, slaving over each word. We seek help from critique partners and critique groups that hopefully understand our genre and what we’re trying to accomplish with our words and our story. Then, we rewrite and polish each phrase until it can’t possibly be any better and we ask the quintessential question – WHAT NEXT? This panel of contest experts will discuss the ups and downs of writing contests and how to be sure that you’re ready to submit to one. How do you choose the right contest for your manuscript? What is the proper etiquette when you win or lose in a contest? Bring your questions to contest winners, judges and published authors who used contests to help sell their books.
ABOUT SHANNON: Moderator Shannon Kennedy writing as Josie Malone has been involved in contests as an entrant, a first-round judge for the Golden Heart and other prestigious RWA contests and this year as the coordinator of the Emerald City Opener. Her manuscript, A Man’s World was a top finalist in the 2009 PNWA Contest. The Daddy Spell won third place in the 2008 Golden Pen contest. Both books subsequently sold to SirenBookStrand. One of her young adult novels won the 2008 Emerald City Opener. Shannon will explain how to analyze feedback from judges and use those critiques to make your book the best it can be, regardless of genre. www.josiemalone.com
ABOUT ANTHEA: Anthea Lawson has seen both sides of the contest coin -- as a finalist in the PNWA Literary contest and the RWA Golden Hearts, and more recently as a first-round judge for several top-notch RWA contests. She will share insights into common issues she sees in contest entries, and ways to polish your entry without taking the life out of it. Called "a new star of Historical Romance" by Booklist, Anthea has won readers with her combination of spicy love scenes and elegant prose. Her first novel, PASSIONATE, was a Best First Book finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA awards. anthealawson.com/
ABOUT CRISTA: Crista McHugh knows all about contests and is eager to pass on her knowledge. She has finaled in and won more than twenty contests. She says, “Growing up in small town Alabama, I relied on story-telling as a natural way for me to pass the time and keep my two younger sisters entertained. She currently lives in the Audi-filled suburbs of Seattle with my husband and daughter, maintaining her alter ego of mild-mannered physician by day while she continues to pursue writing on nights and weekends. Crista is an active member of the Romance Writers of America (including the FF&P , Greater Seattle Chapter, ESPAN, Passionate Ink, and the Seattle Eastside Chapters), Absolute Write, and Romance Divas. www.cristamchugh.com
ABOUT AMY: Amy's debut fantasy romance series beginning with ASSASSIN'S GAMBIT is coming out from NAL/Penguin in 2013. ASSASSIN'S GAMBIT won the Emerald City Opener in 2010 and finaled in the Golden Heart in 2011. Her fantasy romance FLOOD AND FIRE, part of a different series, is a 2012 Daphne finalist. Amy reads almost every genre of romance and judges contests in a variety of categories. http://amyraby.wordpress.com/
ABOUT SALLY: Sally Brandle isn't published yet but she\'s on her way using contests. She will explain how she chooses the appropriate contests for her manuscripts. sallycraft@comcast.netABOUT REBECCA: Rebecca J. Clark is a sucker for a happy ending. She loves the feeling she gets after reading a great romance novel—just for that moment, everything is right in the world. When she’s not writing, she works as a personal fitness trainer and group exercise instructor where she teaches Pilates, Zumba and yoga. All the exercise supports her Cheetos and chocolate habits. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of 25 years, two kids, a German shepherd beast the size of a farm animal, two rats who come when they're called, two cats who plot to kill the beast and eat the rats, and a gecko. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys reading, watching Criminal Minds reruns on TV, and doing absolutely nothing.
SUNDAY 12:30 pm
Industry Panel
Mark Coker, Smashwords CEO; Cassiel Knight, Editor at Champagne Press; Liz Pelletier, founder of Entangled Publishing; and authors Stella Cameron, Ann Charles, Jami Davenport, and Anthea Lawson
Industry
ABOUT MARK: Mark Coker is the founder of Smashwords (http://www.smashwords.com), an ebook publishing and distribution platform serving approximately 40,000 independent authors and publishers around the world. Smashwords gained international attention for its simple but radical idea: Provide a free service that enables any author anywhere to publish their ebook in seconds, making it available for immediate sampling, sale and distribution to a worldwide audience via major online ebook retailers and mobile smartphone platforms. http://www.smashwords.com
ABOUT CASSIEL: Champagne Book Group Senior Editor, Cassiel Knight, resides in the beautiful, and evergreen, state of Oregon with her husband of over 20 years and two female Shih Tzus, which are her children in every sense of the word. When she isn't editing, writing or reading (and that is most of the time), she can be found playing with her Shih Tzus, gardening (when the weather permits and sometimes when it doesn't) and cooking fancy meals as long as someone else does the dishes.As an editor, she's looking for stories packed with action and adventure in many genres. For her, it is not as much the genre, as it is the story. Her preference is for urban fantasy, paranormal, science fiction romance and all the good stuff in between. Write a thrilling story with kick-ass characters and there might just be a match. And if you have non-campy superhero stories or tales featuring psychic characters, bring 'em on! Preferred genres: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi Romance, Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Gritty/Dark Romance, but she’ll read just about anything as long as it is an exciting story.
ABOUT LIZ: Liz Pelletier is the founder of Entangled Publishing, and is the co-founder and managing partner of Savvy Media Services, the parent company of Entangled, Savvy Authors, and Savvy Readers. She is both publisher and senior editor at Entangled, working with her own stable of authors, as well as overseeing the development and growth of the company's imprints, production, distribution, subrights, and marketing departments. Find her on Twitter at @Liz_Pelletier.
ABOUT STELLA: Stella Cameron is the New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Court of Angels Series, the Bayou Books and many others. There are fourteen million copies of her books in circulation worldwide. She is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest Literary community. She lives in Washington State. www.stellacameron.com
ABOUT ANN: Ann Charles writes mysteries full of mayhem, fun, and romance. She has a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) from the Univ. of Washington. With her first novel, Nearly Departed in Deadwood, she won the 2010 Daphne du Maurier award and the 2011 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® award. She's been a member of SinC, the Guppies, and RWA for many moons and is the co-owner of Corvallis Press. When she's not dabbling in fiction, she's penning writing-related articles or standing on her workshop soapbox, sharing what she has learned over the years about craft, platform building, indie publishing, and self-promotion. Check her out at www.anncharles.com.
ABOUT JAMI: Jami Davenport is a multi-published author of over a dozen contemporary and erotic romances under two pen names. Her most recent release is Forward Passes, the second book in her popular Seattle Lumberjacks Football Series, published with Boroughs Publishing Group. All of her books are digitally published with small publishers, and Jami wouldn't have it any other way. As an IT professional with thirty-plus years of experience, Jami fully embraces digital publishing. Small presses give her the flexibility to write what she loves without the pressures of traditional presses, while continuing to work and enjoy her day job. Jami has degrees in Business and Education and was formerly a high school business teacher. After several years as the computer training coordinator for the Washington State Legislature, she has spent the last decade-and-a-half coordinating IT for the Washington State Senate, managing and serving on projects, and assisting in the design and implementation of many of the Legislature’s in-house and public-facing applications.
ABOUT ANTHEA: Anthea Lawson has seen both sides of the contest coin -- as a finalist in the PNWA Literary contest and the RWA Golden Hearts, and more recently as a first-round judge for several top-notch RWA contests. She will share insights into common issues she sees in contest entries, and ways to polish your entry without taking the life out of it. Called "a new star of Historical Romance" by Booklist, Anthea has won readers with her combination of spicy love scenes and elegant prose. Her first novel, PASSIONATE, was a Best First Book finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA awards. anthealawson.com/
Romancing the Research
Heather Greye—no photo available
Genre
Love it or hate it, research will provide an added layer of authenticity to your story and help ground your readers. This workshop will cover how to start a research project, how to identify sources and how to store your research. This workshop will cover how to think about your research needs and will explore the variety of resources available to writers. The processes covered in the workshop is appropriate for writers of all genres.
ABOUT HEATHER: Heather Greye is a librarian by training and has worked as a professional researcher for more than five years. A background in history and science have also helped to bulk up her research experience. By day, she’s constantly identifying new ideas and new sources for her research. By night, she combines a lifelong people-watching habit with what-if scenarios on the page. www.heathergreye.com
Layering & Texturing Your Novel
Cherry Adair
Writing Craft
Cherry will show you how to layer dialog, action, narration and exposition to make your words sing on the page.
ABOUT CHERRY: New York Times bestselling author Cherry Adair has carved a niche for herself with her sexy, sassy, fast-paced, action adventure novels which have appeared on numerous bestsellers lists, won dozens of awards and garnered praise from reviewers and fans alike. She is hard at work on two new series -- CUTTER CAY and LODESTONE as well as a new T-FLAC novel.
Getting Sassy with Subtext
Christine M. Fairchild
Writing Craft
Often in life what we say and what we mean are two different things. So too, good dialogue in fiction doesn’t always say things directly. Indirect dialogue is more interesting because it creates questions, tension of what’s to come. In other words, it creates suspense. That’s why Subtext is so effective in storytelling and is the sign of a master writer. This class will discuss how to layer subtext into dialogue, both internal and external, and where you get the most bang for your phrase. We’ll cover: character development through subtext; tying subtext to plot; the difference between using subtext in internal vs. external dialogue; the most common subjects to address with subtext; 3 easiest versions of subtext and how to apply them.
ABOUT CHRISTINE: A former journalist, Christine M. Fairchild offers 25 years exp. as a writer/editor. She’s conducted celebrity interviews (XFiles, SciFiMall.com), edited for technical giants (Microsoft, Hitachi), and served as a marketing/readability specialist for consumer products (DHL, Cingular, AT&T). As an editor and ghostwriter, she’s worked on non-fiction, novels and screenplays. She offers free tips & tricks at: http://EditorDevil.blogspot.com
