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FREE Writing Workshops
Books ‘n Authors ‘n All That Jazz VI
Weatherford College Alkek Fine Arts Center
April 25, 2009
Register Early!
Sessions fill up quickly!
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Sherri Knight: Looking For the Black Sheep - Every Family Has One
Do you have a relative with a colorful past? Have you wanted to chronicle your family's history in an interesting informative way? Is it worthy of publication? Tips are given for research and writing a story or book based on central characters who are not only real people with a real history but they are your kin. Information given includes using research resources available in Texas, deciding whether to include undocumented family stories, plus learning how a narrative nonfiction can bring your family's story to life.
About the presenter: A sixth-generation Texan, Sherri Knight spent 30 years in the classroom, which brought many awards including Teacher of the Year, Fulbright-Hays Summer Abroad Scholar, and Texas Exes Award for Excellence in Education - University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Knight's first effort, Tom P's Fiddle, A True Texas Tale, is a biography of her great-great uncle who ran afoul of the law in Hill County in the 1880s. The book was selected as one of three finalists in the nonfiction category at the North Texas Book Festival in 2008.
Laurie Moore: Writing Snappy Dialogue: How to Avoid the Pitfalls to Boredom
Workshop back by popular demand for the fourth consecutive year! Two sessions scheduled: 9-10 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
Are you tired of reading "he said, she said"? Would you rather eat broken glass than be told your book lacks spark? Do you long to write snappy dialogue? Then, Laurie's workshop is for you! Laurie is the author of seven mystery novels, two of which have been nominated for Edgar Awards, a Christopher, the Mark Twain Award and the Amelia Bloomer Project. You'll be given a list of what not to do, as well as examples of dialogue that works; not to mention a few practice exercises to reinforce your own creativity. Be there, or be boring. As Romantic Times put it, "Moore's writing wears spurs--and it sparks, too!" Note: Laurie's presentation uses examples from her own work and other murder-and-mystery writers. Some language may be graphic and represent street-wise adult conversation.
About the presenter: Laurie, a former law enforcement officer and DA investigator, and currently a practicing attorney with a law office located in the Cultural District of Fort Worth, sets her mysteries in the Fort Worth Police Homicide Unit and the Tarrant County Constable's Office: Constable's Run (endorsed by Larry Hagman); Constable's Apprehension (Edgar Award nominee); The Lady Godiva Murders; The Wild Orchid Society; Constable's Wedding (endorsed by Ruta Lee) and Simmering Secrets of Weeping Mary - A Deuteronomy Devilrow Mystery, written under Laurie's pseudonym, Merry Hassell Frels (endorsed by Kenny Rogers and nominated for an Edgar Award, as well as a Christopher Award, a Mark Twain Award, the Amelia Bloomer Project and accepted by the Accelerated Reader for testing in schools). Laurie has a daughter, a destructive Siamese cat, and a sneaky Welsh Corgi. She serves on the board of the DFW Writers' Workshop in Euless, Texas, and still carries an active police commission. www.lauriemooremysteries.com
Joan and Stephen Neubauer: Getting Your Book in Print: How-To's from Two Publishers
A down-to-earth, practical, and humorous presentation about how to publish. The two owners of WordWright Publishing, a royalty publishing and writer "incubator" business for more than 20 years, will cover the entire process, including the idea, writing, editing, cover design, printing, distribution, royalties, and PR. They draw upon their extensive experience in the industry and explore the many available publishing options that can help writers find publishing success. Topics: the many avenues open to authors to achieve publication; what to look for in a publisher and what to avoid; what you do to promote sales and what the publisher does; key elements of what is a "good deal." Participants will gain a basic understanding of how to bring a book to the marketplace.
About the presenters: Joan and Stephen Neubauer of WordWright Publishing are both published authors themselves, most recently of a haunting collection of true-life stories of "things that go bump in the night," Shadow Dancing, which contains stories of real-life encounters of "shadow people." Also, Joan's Bristol Gazette Series are novels set in the American Revolution, stories of the heroic men and women of the time. See www.wordwright.biz for more information.
Cairol Dawson Worley: Poetry - It Ain't All Flowers and Sunsets
What is "poetry"? It's whatever you're passionate about. Through this short session, participants will explore various types of verse and discuss perspectives of traditional and contemporary poets. Ms. Worley will present samples of poetry style and guide participants through the creation of their own poems, using examples from both traditional and contemporary poets. She will share information about Internet sites, Texas Poetry Society, and contests, as well as Internet workshops.
About the presenter: Cairol Dawson Worley is a native Texan, born and raised in Fort Worth and surrounding areas. She was first published at the age of 16 and has since been published in the Vinegette Magazine, The Litterae Magazine, Christian Writer's League Magazine, The Poetry Press' A Poetry Collection, Parade Magazine, and Positive Parenting Magazine. She also has written articles on various subjects including "Diabetes and Your Calico Cat" and "The ABC's of Parenting." Cairol attended Texas Christian University and TCC In the Spring of 2004 Cairol placed 2nd Place for the General Edmond C. Lynch Memorial Award, and 3rd Place for The Holcomb College Award in the 'Poetry In the Schools' awards of the Poetry Society of Texas.
In 2004 her poetry won 1st Place for "Vanishing" and 2nd Place for "Big Boned Woman" in the Lu Spurlock Award. in the Trinity Writer's competition. In 2006 she was selected as one of the top 10 out of 804 entries for the "Serial Novel Contest" sponsored by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Texas Christian University Press and was acknowledged at Bass Hall on October 25th of the same year. In 2006, her poetry was conjoined with the brilliant photography and painting of another local artist Thuy Saliba. Cairol recently finished her first psychological thriller novel centered around three generations of serial killers who are fixated on one family. Mind on Fire is a novel set in Fort Worth.
When she is not writing, Cairol is a court-qualified mediator for the courts.
10:15 am - 11:15 am
Tacy Ellis: Children's Workshop: Building Character
Youth or youthful writers will want to attend this workshop on writing descriptively to introduce and build characters within written works, from short stories to novels. The workshop, by Tacy Thurn Ellis, author of Goat Tales: The Izzy Journals, is directed toward children and teenagers but would benefit any writers who wish to attend. Excerpts of the book will be read, her characters discussed, and the audience will actually create its own character. Tacy's special assistant, a live goat, will serve as a basis.
About the presenter: Tacy Thurn Ellis, author of Goat Tales: The Izzy Journals, holds her masters' degree and teaches all levels of English in Woodson, Texas. This is the second year she will present this charming workshop with her lovely assistant.
Deborah K Frontiera: Creating Short Stories (for Adults and Children, ages 4th-grade and up)
A short workshop on short story writing designed for interested adults of any age (with or without child) and children in 4th grade and up. Students in K-3rd grade may attend with a parent. Ms. Frontiera will outline an easy story map for plotting short stories, tips for using it, and participants will "group write" a story to demonstrate its use. Also included will be tips for parents of young children on how they can help their children develop creativity and become a "scribe" for their children's stories.
About the presenter: Deborah Frontiera grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. After stints in Colorado and Kansas, she and her husband and their four daughters moved to Houston, TX in 1985. There Deborah began her teaching career in Houston ISD. She began writing poetry in college. Her first book, It's OK to be Afraid of the Water, published by Front Row Experience in 1985, grew out of her experiences teaching her own and many other people's children to swim. She was chosen for Houston I.S.D.'s Project A.C.C.E.S.S. writing curriculum before she had finished her probationary years. That led to experiences planning and conducting teacher workshops and being video-taped in her classroom. She began writing her fantasy trilogy, The Chronicles of Henry Roach-Dairier, in 1992, finished it in 1998 and finally saw it in print in the fall of 2000. A second edition of the trilogy was released in the fall of 2004. Eric and the Enchanted Leaf: The First Adventure was released in the fall of 2004, and was an Honor book for the Texas State Reading Association's Golden Spur Award in 2005. The second in the series, Eric and the Enchanted Leaf: A Visit with Canis Lupis, was published in the fall of 2005, and won the North Texas Book Festival's award for children's books in 2007. The third in the series, Eric and the Enchanted Leaf: A Night with Echo, was released by Llibrary Integrated Solutions and Associates, publishing arm, Kam Publications, in Dec. 2007. Deborah has had poems published in two anthologies, Voices of Michigan II and Suddenly V. Other poems and articles have appeared in a variety of publications. Writing, speaking, and conducting workshops will ultimately replace teaching as her full-time work. www.authorsden.com/deborahkfrontiera
Rickey Pittman: Writing About the Civil War
About the presenter: Rickey E. Pittman, Grand Prize Winner of the 1998 Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition, is originally from Dallas, Texas. The author and freelance editor earned a BA in New Testament Greek and an MA in English from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. After moving to Monroe, Louisiana, Pittman was added to the Louisiana Roster of Artists in 1998. Working closely with regional art councils, he was commissioned to write historical plays for Franklin (1997) Madison (1998) and Webster (2007) parishes. In addition to his freelance journalism, editing, and nonfiction writing, he has published short stories, poetry, and a novel, Red River Fever. He has a short story collection, Stories of the Confederate South and a children's book, Jim Limber Davis: A Black Orphan in the Confederate White House, and The Scottish ABC book, all published by Pelican Publishing. Three more children's books will be published in 2009.
Pittman is a Civil War re-enactor and a public speaker on issues and topics related to writing and to the Celts and the War Between the States. Pittman is also a guitarist/singer, traveling and performing original and period music relating to the Civil War and the Scots-Irish. Pittman is a certified Secondary Gifted English teacher and currently teaches freshman composition for Virginia College Online, Louisiana Delta Community College and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Neil Evans - Screenwriting Basics
Short class consisting of discussions on the needs and requirements of writers for television and for the Independent Film Business. These days of doom and gloom require a new injection of light-hearted, comic orientated FAMILY television shows.The pendulum of films of violence and murder mysteries is finally swinging back and beginning writers should be prepared for the opportunities that will be wide open for them.
About the presenter: Richard Neil Evans is an old graduate of the UCLA film school and wrote and directed films for the Religious film division of the LDS church, of which he is still a script consultant. He lives in Weatherford and keeps his hand in the writing business by helping writers with the North Texas Writers Guild with its two meetings a month at the Lark Bookstore in Hudson Oak. He just completed his first novel and hopes to have it published this year and perhaps made into a film. (He needs the money.) With his own quote: "All I ever wanted to be was a simple, ordinary multi-millionaire. Is that asking too much?" With his timely advice, perhaps you can do the same.
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Katie Andrews: Book Promotion 101: Tips for landing ink, airtime and other coverage for your masterpiece
Whether you've already published your book, are about to publish your book or have just begun the writing, it's important to think about getting the word out. If the thought of dealing with the media or potentially hiring a publicist or promoting your title has you frenzied, you'll want to make plans to attend this valuable workshop presented by Katie Andrews, project consultant for Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists. During this presentation, you'll learn more about why publicity is important, how to hire a publicist, tips for going it alone, how book publicity works and a host of other important media relations topics. Andrews will also host a Q&A session at the end.
About the presenter: As a project consultant for P&P, Katie Andrews works with authors and publishers to customize publicity campaigns that meet the unique needs of each project, while offering guidance about the role media relations will play in the overall publicity efforts for books. She frequently attends writer's conferences and seminars across the state of Texas. Katie is a former contributor to Celebrate Austin and Your Address Magazines. She is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in English. She can be reached at: kandrews@phenixpublicity.com.
Company profile: Phenix & Phenix is a boutique literary public relations firm that has been serving the unique publicity needs of authors and publishing houses since 1994. P&P's client list includes a wide range of authors, such as Philip Carlo, Stephen Baldwin, Les Parrott, Vicki Courtney and Wendy Walker; publishers such as St. Martin's Press, Chicken Soup for the Soul, William Morrow, TOR/Forge, FSG/Sarah Crichton Books, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson; and best sellers such as Crucial Conversations, The Ice Man and Revolve. Over the past three years, P&P has added 19 titles to its overall tally of 30. P&P also frequently works with literary agents and is on the list of recommended publicists at top distributors around the country. For more information, please visit www.phenixpublicity.com.
Rickey E. Pittman: How to Write Children's Books
Children's books are not just for kids any more. Libraries, schools, teachers, and adults are collecting and creating them. In this workshop, award winning children's author and learn how to write a children's book, how to write your query letter to send to a publisher, and how to best market and promote your book. The author will discuss various types of children's books and why, if you want to influence your world, you should be a children's author.
About the presenter: Rickey E. Pittman, Grand Prize Winner of the 1998 Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition, is originally from Dallas, Texas. The author and freelance editor earned a BA in New Testament Greek and an MA in English from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. After moving to Monroe, Louisiana, Pittman was added to the Louisiana Roster of Artists in 1998. Working closely with regional art councils, he was commissioned to write historical plays for Franklin (1997) Madison (1998) and Webster (2007) parishes. In addition to his freelance journalism, editing, and nonfiction writing, he has published short stories, poetry, and a novel, Red River Fever. He has a short story collection, Stories of the Confederate South and a children's book, Jim Limber Davis: A Black Orphan in the Confederate White House, and The Scottish ABC book, all published by Pelican Publishing. Three more children's books will be published in 2009. Pittman is a Civil War re-enactor and a public speaker on issues and topics related to writing and to the Celts and the War Between the States. Pittman is also a guitarist/singer, traveling and performing original and period music relating to the Civil War and the Scots-Irish. Pittman is a certified Secondary Gifted English teacher and currently teaches freshman composition for Virginia College Online, Louisiana Delta Community College and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Laurie Moore: Writing Snappy Dialogue: How to Avoid the Pitfalls to Boredom
Workshop back by popular demand for the fourth consecutive year!
Are you tired of reading "he said, she said"? Would you rather eat broken glass than be told your book lacks spark? Do you long to write snappy dialogue? Then, Laurie's workshop is for you! Laurie is the author of seven mystery novels, two of which have been nominated for Edgar Awards, a Christopher, the Mark Twain Award and the Amelia Bloomer Project. You'll be given a list of what not to do, as well as examples of dialogue that works; not to mention a few practice exercises to reinforce your own creativity. Be there, or be boring. As Romantic Times put it, "Moore's writing wears spurs--and it sparks, too!" Note: Laurie's presentation uses examples from her own work and other murder-and-mystery writers. Some language may be graphic and represent street-wise adult conversation. Some material may not be suitable for younger persons.
About the presenter: Laurie, a former law enforcement officer and DA investigator, and currently a practicing attorney with a law office located in the Cultural District of Fort Worth, sets her mysteries in the Fort Worth Police Homicide Unit and the Tarrant County Constable's Office: Constable's Run (endorsed by Larry Hagman); Constable's Apprehension (Edgar Award nominee); The Lady Godiva Murders; The Wild Orchid Society; Constable's Wedding (endorsed by Ruta Lee) and Simmering Secrets of Weeping Mary - A Deuteronomy Devilrow Mystery, written under Laurie's pseudonym, Merry Hassell Frels (endorsed by Kenny Rogers and nominated for an Edgar Award, as well as a Christopher Award, a Mark Twain Award, the Amelia Bloomer Project and accepted by the Accelerated Reader for testing in schools). Laurie has a daughter, a destructive Siamese cat, and a sneaky Welsh Corgi. She serves on the board of the DFW Writers' Workshop in Euless, Texas, and still carries an active police commission. www.lauriemooremysteries.com
C.J. Critt: The Write Stuff
Drawing from real world experiences and guided exercises, "The Write Stuff" turns procrastinators and perfectionists into instant authors. Award-winning writer and performance artist, CJ Critt,s taff writer for Radio Disney, Cable Ace Award winner, Audie nominee, and one of AudioFile magazine's "Best Voices of 2008," will model examples of autobiographical material, offer writing prompts to trigger uncensored writing, and all participants will read aloud their newly created works in a supportive and lively environment of sharing and self validation! Class is intended for adults, high school age and up.
About the presenter: CJ Critt is an ace narrator and accomplished writer. As the recognized voice behind Patricia Cornwell and Janet Evanovich audio books, Ms. Critt is known as the "Spoken Word Queen." Critt is a staff writer at Radio Disney, a frequent solo artist (Dallas Theater Center, McKinney Avenue Contemporary Theater, and various literary events), and has recorded over 150 novels for Recorded Books and Harper Collins. Her popular Write Stuff workshops keep her busy, as well. www.cjcritt.com
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Tacy Ellis: Writing Your First Novel: Just Do It!
About the presenter: Tacy Thurn Ellis, author of Goat Tales: The Izzy Journals, is the presenter. She holds her masters' degree and teaches all levels of English in Woodson, TX.
Rosemary Poole-Carter: Bringing the Stage to the Page: Using Playwriting and ActingTechniques in Novels
Enrich your novel writing and enchance suspense by using a playwright's three essential ingredients - dialogue combined with action, props that contribute to characterization and plot, and subtext for emotional undercurrents. Create memorable heroes and villians by borrowing an actor's techniques for getting into character with dramatic flair.
About the presenter: Rosemary Poole-Carter writes with a Southern gothic touch. Her work includes the novels Women of Magdalene, Juliette Ascending, and What Remains and the plays Mossy Cape, Death Behind the Tabloids, and The Little Death. Rosemary was the girl who stared out the window while a story played in her head; the teenager who cast her unwitting boyfriends as characters in her dramas; the mother who rocked and read to her children and wrote while they slept; the novelist and playwright who still daydreams, holds her loved ones, writes into the night, and appreciates parallel structure.
http://poole-carter.info
Joan and Stephen Neubauer: Pitch Your Book to the Publisher, One-on-One Consultations (Call 817-598-6273 for an appointment for your individual session)
So you have an idea for the next "Great American Novel?" Publishers Joan and Stephen Neubauer want to hear from you. Schedule an individual one-on-one consultation with the Neubauers of WordWright Publishing, a royalty publishing house based in Alpine, Texas. A publisher of more than 100 books, WordWright nutures the writer through the writing and publishing processes. See www.wordwright.biz for more information about the Neubauers and their publishing house and see if Joan and Stephen can help YOU get your work on bookshelves. Call 817-598-6273 for an appointment for your individual session with these publishers who want to make you a successful writer! Says Joan: "We look for energetic, curious authors who want to learn about how to create a wonderful book, promote it, and sell it. We are equally committed to finding and nurturing the first-time author as we are to bestseller publishing. At WordWright we're an author incubator and we help new authors understand the world of publishing. We teach and help you along the way so you can achieve your dream of publication. We actively work with our authors to help promote them and their books by securing book signings and presentations."
About WordWright: a U.S. publishing corporation based in the mountains of West Texas. The company was formed in 1980 under stewardship of Chief Executive Officer, Joan R. Neubauer. From the beginning Joan approached the business in a much different manner than traditional publishing houses. As an author herself, she learned many things about the publishing industry that she liked and disliked. She often found things that made her say, "If I ran a publishing company I would never treat my authors like this." These battle cries became the basis of WordWright.biz, Inc. WordWright has authors based in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Publishes most genres of Fiction and Non-fiction of interest to general readers; does not publish children's books or cook books.
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