CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS John Hart John’s first novel, The King of Lies, went through six printings and spent multiple weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. His next novel, Down River, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel and spent weeks on GENERAL INFO both the New York Times and London Times bestseller list. His third novel and latest release is The Last Child. CONFERENCE DATES Friday, April 29 Saturday, April 30 Linda Lael Miller Sunday, May 1 With more than 80 novels to her credit, Linda left Washington years ago and pursued her SPECIAL ADD-ON DAY wanderlust, living in Arizona and London and Thursday, April 28 traveling the world. Now the “First Lady of the West” is glad to be back home, writing contemporary and historical bestsellers COST which have earned her numerous awards Conference $395 and accolades. Thursday Add-on $50 Thursday ONLY $90 Beth Kendrick After April 1, the cost to Beth writes fun, lively women's fiction as register increases to $435 Beth Kendrick and a series for teens under the name Beth Killian. Her titles include: Second Time Around, The Pre-Nup, Exes REGISTRATION and Ohs, My Favorite Mistake, and Register through our Fashionably Late to name a few. website at pikespeakwriters.com

LOCATION Tom Piccirilli Colorado Springs Marriott Tom is the author of more than twenty novels 5580 Tech Center Drive including Shadow Season, The Cold Spot, Co Springs, CO 80919 The Coldest Mile, A Choir of Ill Children, and the forthcoming The Last Kind Words. He's won the International Thriller Award, four For more information Bram Stoker Awards, and been nominated please visit our website for the Edgar, the World Award, and or call 719-244-6220. Le Grand Prix de L'imagination.

1 Pikes Peak Writers is proud to welcome editors and agents from across the country. These industry pros provide insight on writing from a publishing perspective. That insight may take the form of a pitch appointment, Read & Critique appointment, or Q&A panel, but no matter the format, the information is priceless.

Debra Dixon, Editor BelleBooks, Inc. Debra Dixon is president and publisher of BelleBooks and its imprint Bell Bridge Books. BelleBooks focuses primarily on Southern fiction, while Bell Bridge Books publishes a broad range of fiction including mystery/ suspense, fantasy, young adult, romance, literary and women’s fiction. Debra is the acquiring editor for , fantasy, young adult and horror. www.bellebooks.com

Brittany Hamblin, Editor

Harper Perennial, Harper Paperbacks, & It Books GENTS Brittany Hamblin is an assistant editor with Harper Perennial, Harper Paperbacks, and It Books. Her editorial interests include literary and women’s fiction,

A as well as commercial nonfiction projects about film,

pop-culture, food, travel, and fashion. Her recent titles include Molly Ringwald’s Getting the Pretty Back and Susan Henderson’s debut novel Up From the Blue.

& www.harpercollins.com

Sharyn November, Editor Firebird, Puffin Books, & Viking Children’s Books Sharyn November is senior editor at Viking Children's Books and the editorial director of Firebird Books. Firebirds Rising, the second anthology she edited for the imprint, was a World Fantasy Award Finalist for Best Anthology. She is looking for middle grade and young adult work—realistic, historical, fantasy/science fiction—anything with a strong voice.

www.sharyn.org DITORS Kristine Pratt, Editor

E Written World Communications Kristine Pratt is the Editor-in-Chief of Written World Communications, a traditional royalty-paying publisher of both Christian and general market work. They currently have five book and magazine imprints that encompass everything from original graphic novels to cozy mysteries, Christian living, and .

www.writtenworldcommunications.com

2 Andrea Brown, Agent Denise Little, Agent Andrea Brown Literary Ethan Ellenberg Agency Andrea Brown is the Denise Little is an agent with President of the Andrea the Ethan Ellenberg Agency, Brown Literary Agency, Inc. and she’s edited more than Before opening her own twenty New York Times firm, Andrea worked in the bestselling writers. Her editorial departments at agency is interested in all Alfred A. Knopf, Random kinds of fiction, including House and Dell. Andrea thrillers, mysteries, child- Brown Literary represents ren's, romance, women's authors of picture books, fiction, ethnic, science chapter books, middle fiction, fantasy, general grade, young adult, juvenile fiction, and literary fiction as nonfiction, and graphic novels. long as it has a strong narrative. In nonfiction, they are interested in current affairs, history, health, science, www.andreabrownlit.com psychology, cookbooks, new age, spirituality, pop- culture, adventure, true crime, biography and memoir. Please no poetry, short stories or screenplays. Sandra Bond, Agent www.ethanellenberg.com Sandra Bond Literary Sandra Bond has had her own literary agency in Jill Marsal, Agent Denver for twelve years. Marsal Lyon Literary Sandra works with both Jill Marsal is a founding first-time and previously partner of the Marsal Lyon published authors, and her Literary Agency and has clients include writers of been in the publishing adult fiction in various industry for over 15 years. genres, young adult fiction, In fiction, Jill looks for and many categories of general fiction, women's nonfiction. In fiction, she is fiction, Southern fiction, most interested in rep- stories of family or multi- resenting adult commercial and literary fiction, and generations, paranormal, young adult and middle grade fiction including romantic suspense, cate- fantasy. She does not represent adult fantasy, gory romance, mysteries, science fiction, romance or poetry. In nonfiction, she and thrillers. On the nonfiction side, Jill's areas of is looking for science, history and narrative nonfiction interest include current events, business, health, self- written for the general public by credentialed writers help, relationships, psychology, parenting, history, and who have a platform. narrative nonfiction. www.bondliteraryagency.com www.marsallyonliteraryagency.com

Natalie Fischer, Agent Joanna Volpe, Agent Bradford Literary Coffey Literary Agency Natalie Fischer is an agent Joanna Volpe has been with with the Bradford Agency. Coffey Literary Agency since She is interested in January 2008. She is commercial fiction, esp- interested in: nonfiction for ecially children's literature kids and teens, chapter (from picture books to books to young adult novels, young adult/teen), multi- adult romance (historical, cultural fiction, historical paranormal), fantasy (urban fiction, paranormal fantasy, ), romance (contemporary magical realism, horror, dark and historical), science literary fiction, women's fiction/fantasy in young fiction, thrillers, historical, and adult or romance only, fairy tale/legend spin-offs, and commercial nonfiction (pop culture, environmental, "beautiful dark" novels. She will also consider select foodie). She is also interested in graphic novels for memoir. kids/teens. www.bradfordlit.com http://nancycoffeyliterary.com 3 AUTHORS & SPECIALISTS Hilari Bell Ronald Cree Hilari Bell writes science fiction and fantasy for Ronald Cree attended the University of Colorado, children and teens, including the Raven Duet and where he studied television production and mass the Goblin Trilogy. She loves writing fantasy and media communications. He began writing Desert science fiction because, "Being able to shape a Blood 10PM/9C (Simon Pulse, 2005) as part of a whole world to support your story lets you do class project taught by Anthony and Agatha more with it. And let’s face it, SF and fantasy are Award-winning author Rhys Bowen. Since 2001, cool!" Ronald has created websites for several popular Hollywood actors, including Nicholas González, Fleur Bradley Eva Longoria, and Nathan Marlow, among others. Writing as F.T. Bradley, Fleur recently found a home for her middle grade series with Harper Todd Fahnestock Children's—look for Double Vision in 2013. Many At the 2004 Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Todd of Fleur's short stories have appeared online and and his writing partner, Giles Carwyn, struck a in print, in places like Discount Noir, The Thrilling chord with their collaborative fantasy novel, Heir Detective, Shred of Evidence, Versal and Stories of Autumn, and landed a three-book contract with for Children. Originally from the Netherlands, she HarperCollins for the Heartstone Trilogy: Heir of now lives in Colorado with her husband, two Autumn, Mistress of Winter, and Queen of daughters, and too many cats. Find her on the Oblivion. Todd resides in Englewood, Colorado in Web at: www.fleurbradley.com an old Victorian house with his beautiful and talented wife Lara and their precocious children. Carol Berg He is working on his next novel, Fairmist. Former software engineer Carol Berg never expected to become an award-winning author, but Maria Faulconer her hobby of writing epic fantasy novels got out of A San Francisco native, Maria Faulconer is hand. Her eleven novels have won the Geffen, published in magazines, journals and anthologies the Prism, and multiple Colorado Book Awards, for children and adults. Her children's book, and the 2009 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Arianna and the Strawberry Tea, was selected as Literature. Amazing for one who majored in math a shelf-talker for Barnes and Noble and promoted and computer science to avoid writing papers. on Live! With Regis & Kathie Lee. Her latest book, A Mom for Umande, will be released by Dial Becky Clark Books for Young Readers in the fall of 2012. She Becky Clark is a popular blogger, entrepreneur, is a regular contributor to Colorado Springs Style speaker, and author of wildly divergent books— Magazine. for example, An UnCivil War—The Boys Who Were Left Behind (middle grade historical fiction); David Macinnis Gill Reading Maniac—Fun Ways To Encourage David Macinnis Gill is an associate professor of Reading Success (a guide for parents of reluctant English education at the University of North readers); and The Lazy Low Cal Lifestyle Carolina at Wilmington, specializing in young Cookbook. Her BeckyLand blog can be found at adult literature. He is a past president of ALAN http://beckyland.wordpress.com and her healthy (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents). His first living website is www.lazylowcallifestyle.com novel, Soul Enchilada, was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Kirkus Best Book, and a Bank Deb Courtney Street College Best Books of the Year selection in Deb Courtney has a degree in fiction from the 2010. Black Hole Sun is his second novel. University of South Florida, where she was a Saunders Scholar in fiction. She has published Bonnie Hagan several short stories, has written freelance for Bonnie spent three years as the PPWC Pitch such publications as The Tampa Tribune and Coordinator, and is now serving as the Tampa Bay Business Journal, and is a frequent Conference Director for PPWC 2011. For the last speaker at writers’ events across the state of eight years, she has been a leader and participant Colorado. Deb blogs at in a weekly improvisational writing group. Bonnie http://conversationalshoplifter.blogspot.com writes fantasy and young adult novels and is looking forward to becoming published.

4 AUTHORS & SPECIALISTS CONTINUED

Laura Hayden Eden Lane Trained as an engineer, Laura Hayden loves Eden Lane is a journalist and producer. She hosts numbers. She's written thirteen novels for five a weekly program devoted to the Arts and publishers under two names while living in six Humanities, In Focus with Eden Lane, in its third states. (Let's not go into how many genres those year on Colorado Public Television (PBS affiliate novels cover.) She's also served as the KBDI). Eden continues to work as a political conference director for six of PPWC's 19-year correspondent and contributing producer for other history, and was PPW's first president. Her news and community affairs programs, both upcoming book is a paranormal thriller called locally and nationally. Angel, written with Nicole "Coco" Marrow (wife of TV star / rapper, Ice-T) which will be released Karen Albright Lin by Forge in September. Karen Albright Lin is an editor, speaker, and author of screenplays, novels and literary Elizabeth Hand cookbooks. She has received over 25 writing A couple of years after seeing Patti Smith awards (solo and collaborative, finals to first perform, Elizabeth Hand flunked out of college place) including Moondance Film Festival, and became involved in the nascent punk scenes BlueCat, All She Wrote, Lighthouse Writers, in DC and NYC. She is the author of many Boulder Asian Film Festival, SouthWest Writers novels, including Winterlong, Waking the Moon, Contest, Pikes Peak Writers Contest, and Glimmering, and Mortal Love, and three Colorado Gold. Her scripts have been considered collections of stories, including the recent Saffron by directors James Cameron, Barry Sonnenfeld, and Brimstone. Her fiction has received the HBO, and Syfy. She’s worked with indie producer Nebula, World Fantasy, Mythopoeic, Tiptree, and Ellisa Kannon, and co-wrote scripts (one recently International Horror Guild Awards, and her novels produced) by indie director Erich Toll. have been chosen as New York Times and Washington Post Notable Books. Susan Mitchell Susan Mitchell has a degree in English from J.A. Kazimer Northern Arizona University. Her work has Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, j.a. kazimer appeared in literary magazines including George escaped at a young age, and now lives and and Mertie’s Place, Poetry Motel and writes in Denver, Colorado. Books include The Wordwrights. She writes and produces television Body Dwellers (Solstice Publishing, 2011), The commercials, promotions and programs locally. Junkie Tales (Obscure Publishing, 2010), Stolen She has also written and produced projects for Kidneys, Dead Hookers & Other Nursery Crimes TLC, as well as regional ABC, NBC and CBS (Obscure Publishing, 2010), and her forthcoming affiliates. Susan is the Vice President of Pikes funny fairytale noir novel, F**ked Up Fairytale Peak Writers and the Faculty Director of PPWC. (Kensington, 2012). She is currently completing a darkly humorous series. Pat Kennelly Pat Kennelly graduated from Goddard College Chris Mandeville with a BFA in Creative Writing. Her poems and Chris Mandeville is a writer of fantasy, science prose have appeared most recently in The fiction and young adult novels, and is working on Denver Post, Messages From the Hidden Lake, her first book-length nonfiction project, 365 Ways Poetry While You Wait, Alembic and The Irish to Tickle the Muse: Exercises to Break Through American Post. Any Writers Block. She's taught writing workshops on a variety of subjects including 52 Ways to Get DeAnna Knippling Unstuck, The Writer's Journey, World-Building, DeAnna Knippling is a freelance writer in Improv Writing, How to Pitch Your Manuscript, Colorado Springs. Her first book, Choose Your "First Pages," Tools for Character Building, and Doom: Zombie Apocalypse, was published in "Accessorize, Traumatize, Analyze and Eulogize November 2010 by Doom Press. Visit Doom Your Character." Currently Chris is President of Press online at www.doompress.com and Pikes Peak Writers and is in her ninth year of DeAnna at www.deannaknippling.com service on the Board of Directors.

5 AUTHORS & SPECIALISTS CONTINUED

Chris Myers Brenda Speer Chris Myers’ work has appeared in the PPW Brenda Speer has been practicing law for 22 NewsMag and has won several awards including years and has honed her area of emphasis, the Paul Gillette, as well as being named a semi- intellectual property law (copyright, trademark and finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. patent law), through both private law firm practice She’s taught writing workshops for PPW, and is an and in-house legal department service. As a solo adjunct professor at Colorado State University. practitioner, she provides legal counsel to artists, She holds a master’s degree from the University entertainers, innovators and companies in the of South Florida. Chris acquired an agent at the creative, technological and business arts. She is 2010 PPWC to represent her young adult fantasy. an avid champion in protecting her clients’ valuable brainchildren. Phil Nutman In addition to fiction, Philip Nutman also has Robert Spiller written and edited 50-plus comic books and over a Robert Spiller is a long time mathematics teacher dozen screenplays. Widely regarded as an expert and author of the Bonnie Pinkwater mystery on fantastic fiction and film, he has lectured at The series. His protagonist teacher/sleuth uses School of Visual Arts in New York City, Roger mathematics and her knowledge of historic Williams University, RI, Dusquesne University, female mathematicians to solve murders in the Pittsburgh, PA, and several high schools. Phil is a fictional town of East Plains, Colorado. Robert Bram Stoker nominee and is currently at work on lives with his wife in Colorado Springs and is numerous publishing, film and TV projects. retiring from teaching this year to write full time.

Aaron Ritchey Angel Smits Aaron Ritchey has 20 years of experience working Angel Smits' third novel A Message for Julia was the 12 steps and has written a dozen complete released in December of 2010 by Harlequin manuscripts despite the intrusions of reality, Super Romance. Her two previous novels, both spiritual torture, mental anguish, and a family filled paranormal romances, were published by Imajinn with sleepless little babies. With over a million Books. Her work has won numerous awards words on the page, he is in conversation with top including Romance Writer's of America's Golden agents about representation, has flirted with Heart Award, as well as the Paul Gillette Award serenity and has come to enjoy the writing three times from Pikes Peak Writers. Angel's process, even in the face of rejection and failure. background as a geriatric social worker has given her a glimpse into many varied lives and Linda Rohrbough generations, and provides her with plentiful Linda Rohrbough has more than 5000 articles and stories and characters. seven books to her credit, along with awards for both fiction and nonfiction. Her last book, co- Morgen Leigh Thomas authored with her surgeon, was Weight Loss At the impressionable age of eleven, Morgen Surgery with the Adjustable Gastric Band. Her first Leigh Thomas read Sybil and promptly struck out novel, The Prophetess One: At Risk, and her on a quest to learn everything there was to know iPhone app, “Pitch Your Book,” are coming out in about the human psyche, with an ever-deepening Spring 2011. Visit Linda on the Web at: interest in the darker aspects of human behavior. www.LindaRohrbough.com This quest led her to a master’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in social psychology Barbara Samuel and deviance. Morgen's fiction and creative non- Barbara Samuel fell in love with food and fiction stories have appeared in Twilight Times, restaurants at the age of fifteen, when she landed Apollo’s Lyre, The S’Peaker, The Lorelei Signal, a job in a Greek café and served baklava for the and Mystic Signals. She is a copywriter, first time. She sold her first novel in her twenties, university instructor, and yoga teacher. and has since won a plethora of awards, including two Colorado Book Awards and six prestigous The Colorado Springs Marriott RITAs, one of which was for The Lost Recipe for Happiness in 2010. Barbara travels While the CS Marriott may have had many names over the years, PPW is proud to call them internationally, presenting workshops, hiking our partner, sponsor, friend and host for hundreds of miles, and of course, eating. 18 Pikes Peak Writers Conferences.

6 PPWC 2011 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS REALITY ROUND-UP FRIDAY 9:15 AM TO 11:15 AM Thursday, April 28—Special ADD-ON Day 8:30 AM Thursday Check-in Paranormal Investigation Bev Sninchak 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Morning Workshops Do you want to incorporate the spirit 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Lunch on Your Own realm in your writing? Learn the methods of investigation and Hotel Buffet Available ($10) see authentic equipment Afternoon Workshops demonstrations with Paranormal 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Investigator Bev Sninchak.

Write the Fight! Friday, April 29 Marti Verlander Triple black belt karate expert (and 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM Conference Check-in the first woman accepted as the 9:00 AM to 11:15 AM Workshops and Reality personal student of the Taika, Seiyu Oyata), Marti Verlander will arm you Round-Up with the information you need to 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM Lunch with Guest Speaker develop vivid, authentic fight scenes. Tom Piccirilli 1:15 PM to 5:20 PM Workshops and Read & Cowboy Up! Peter Husak Critique Appointments Team up with team roper Peter 6:30 PM Chuck Wagon Dinner with Husak whose experience with the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo and his Guest Speaker Linda Lael own cattle ranch will give you an Miller inside look at the real cowboy lifestyle. Saturday, April 30 CSI Fact vs Fiction 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM Breakfast Buffet Tom Adair How do police find invisible 8:00 AM Late Check-in evidence? Whose fingerprints do 8:30 AM to 11:50 AM Workshops, Panels, and Pitch the police really have access to? This workshop will discuss the Appointments realities of forensics and crime 12:15 PM to 1:45 PM Lunch with Guest Speaker scene investigation contrasted against the depictions in popular Beth Kendrick media. 1:45 PM to 2:15 PM Book Signing Look at All That Blood! 2:30 PM to 5:50 PM Workshops, Panels, and Pitch Tom Adair Appointments Discover how bloodstain patterns are used to reconstruct violent 7:00 PM Awards Banquet with Guest murders by examining real life case Speaker John Hart studies. Learn how to accurately convey them to your reader. The Kilted Age Sunday, May 1 Renaissance Scots This group of living history 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM Breakfast Buffet educators recreates life in 17th 8:30 AM to 11:50 AM Workshops and Panels century Highland Scotland. Come discover these weavers, smiths, 12:00 PM Grab n’ Gab Boxed Lunch and claymore-wielding warriors. Happy Trails! 7 PITCH APPOINTMENTS

✦What’s a pitch appointment? It’s an 8-minute block of time in which you get to sit across a table from an editor or agent and pitch them your manuscript. Think of it as a face-to-face query letter. A pitch appointment is your chance to talk about your manuscript at a high concept level and see if the other party is interested. ✦How do I get an appointment? When you register for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference you have the chance to sign up to pitch your manuscript. You’ll be notified of the details of your appointment a few weeks prior to conference. ✦Who should I pitch to? When you register, you have the opportunity to list your top three choices of editors and agents. Do your research! Read their bios in this brochure and check their websites for the most current information about what types of manuscripts they’re looking for. ✦Can I have more than one appointment? Sorry, but in order to ensure that as many of our attendees as possible have the opportunity to pitch, we limit these appointments to one per attendee. ✦How much does a pitch appointment cost? There is no charge for a pitch appointment for registered conference attendees (not including “Thursday ONLY”). ✦Please note that registering for conference does not guarantee you an appointment. Appointments are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so register soon! ✦IF PITCHING, ATTENDEES SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED A MANUSCRIPT but should not bring the manuscript to the appointment in anticipation of giving it to an editor or agent. READ & CRITIQUE APPOINTMENTS

✦What’s a Read & Critique appointment? These appointments take a few different formats, but all three include the reading of the first page of your manuscript to a faculty member who provides immediate insight and feedback. ✦How do I get an appointment? When you register for the Pikes Peak Writers Conference you have the chance to sign up for a Read & Critique appointment. You’ll be notified of the details of your appointment a few weeks prior to conference. ✦Can I have more than one appointment? Sorry, but in order to ensure that as many of our attendees as possible have the opportunity to read, we limit these appointments to one per attendee. ✦How much does a Read & Critique appointment cost? There is no charge for a Read & Critique appointment for registered conference attendees (not including “Thursday ONLY”). ✦Please note that registering for conference does not guarantee you an appointment. Appointments are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so register soon! ✦What are the different Read & Critique formats? Read & Critique X Read & Critique 1-2-3 Read & Critique Author

Attendees read the opening Opening page of attendees’ Attendees read the opening page of their own manuscript to manuscripts are read page of their manuscript to an an editor or agent who then anonymously to a panel consisting author and participate in a provides feedback. of an agent, an editor, and an conversation about their book author who provide feedback. in a round table environment.

Other attendees are welcome Other attendees are welcome to This session is closed to other to sit in and listen. sit in and listen. attendees. 8 WORKSHOPS — SEE THESE AND MORE AT PPWC 2011 Newcomer Orientation Bestselling Mystery Manuscript Management Let our experienced hands show A NYT bestselling author talks Project management you the ropes to get the most out about mystery and suspense and techniques to help you move of your conference experience. answers your questions. your writing forward.

Conversational Shoplifter Mythbusting Editors Words, Words, Words! Understand why dialogue has to Q&A with editors who will either They’re the building blocks of sound more real than reality, and confirm or deny the biggest prose. Find out how to make how your best bits can be lifted publishing myths. words add nuance and from real life. personality to your writing. What Is This Thing Called The Second Logline Voice? Phil Nutman’s Nightmares! Learn how to develop and use Learn to expose the attitudes, A festival of short films with "the second logline" to give your beliefs, and intelligence of your insights from the screenwriter. book extra pizzazz when talking POV character – regardless of to agents and editors. your own narrative voice. The Dreaded Synopsis Make the process of synopsis Crafting Unsympathetic Word Play in Poetry writing less dreadful with this Characters This practical workshop will step-by-step process. From Heathcliff to Hannibal encourage beginning poets to Lecter, unsympathetic get started on a poem, The Best Medicine characters pack a punch! Learn experiment with wordplay and Add humor to your fiction how to effectively create and use find a new approach to poetry. writing and discover the uses of them. humor in pacing and plot. From Pitch to Published Speed Pitching A look at the process writers go Food in Fiction Practice your pitch and get through, from finding an agent to Trace the roots of food writing, feedback with our team of securing a book deal. and learn how to layer food experienced “catchers.” (and recipes) in without Titillate Me, But Do It Fast! overwhelming the story. Writing Success through the High Concept for novelists, Twelve Steps nonfiction writers, and Nonfiction Proposal Learn the power of the 12 steps screenwriters. Learn how to Discuss commercial potential, of recovery for removing blocks make your hook excite & invite. researching your market, writing and turning action into the proposal, and making the inspiration. Where Does My Book Fit? most of your sales pitch. Genre got you baffled? Even Mythbusting Agents newbies will talk genre like pros Putting on the Moves Q&A with agents who will either after this workshop. In this writer’s guide to body confirm or deny the biggest language, learn why some publishing myths. Step Up Your Writing people dominate, and how a A Step-Outline is a great tool for person’s darkest secret Culture Building writing with direction in mind. motivates their behavior and Working in teams, attendees Learn the techniques of Step- social interaction styles. explore culture, conflict, and Outlining to strengthen your world-building in SFF settings. story-planning in a fun, Turn Articles into Money interactive environment. Making Kindle Downloads How to Fail as a Writer and Don’t get left out of the online Keep Going YA vs MG revolution! Discuss successful Learn how to submit your work, Discover the crucial differences uploads, article formats, online survive rejection, and increase between young adult (YA) and audience marketing, and your chances of success. middle grade (MG) fiction. platform development.

Stellar Interviews The Big Black Moment Riding the Wave of Suspense Unlock the secrets of a Exploring your character’s Keep tension high by using successful interview, how to emotional crisis – a pivotal plot page-turning techniques like prep, how to pitch the work, and moment. foreshadowing, ticking clock, what to do after the interview. 9 and raising the stakes. SPECIAL THURSDAY PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS For the third year running, PPWC is proud to present our popular pre-conference programming on Thursday, April 28. Attendees may register for Thursday as a stand-alone day or as an add-on to their conference registration for a 45% discount. Sign up for one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop when you register.

Morning 9:00 - 12:00 Afternoon 1:00 - 4:00 GOAL, MOTIVATION & CONFLICT THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY with Debra Dixon with Barbara Samuel Learn to use the critical fiction- The male adventure has been thoroughly writing elements goal, motivation and conflict to explored in books such as The Writer’s Journey, give dimension to your characters and direction but does a female character approach the call to to your plot. In this workshop, Deb will show adventure the same way? How does she you how to use GMC to plan a road map to keep navigate the steps of her heroic journey? Join your story on track. GMC isn't just great for Barbara in a discussion of the female journey plotting—it can also be used to develop from Victoria Lynn Schmidt's book 45 Master characters, sharpen scenes, pitch ideas to an Characters for insights and empowering tools to editor, and evaluate whether an idea will plot your woman-centered novel. work. It can help you discover why certain scenes aren't working and what to do about it. WRITING YOUR LIFE — Come learn this proven method from the person WHAT'S YOUR ANGLE? who literally wrote the book on it. with Karen Albright Lin Whether you're writing a memoir or want SCREENWRITING to use your real life in writing fiction, this with Phil Nutman workshop will walk you through a step-by-step What are the essential elements for approach to discovering the story power in your writing a successful screenplay? Using own experiences. Gain hands-on experience examples from a big-screen film, along with the writing short vignettes that could ultimately lead actual screenplay, Phil will go step-by-step to essays, memoirs and book-length creative through each element. Regardless of the genre nonfiction, as well as to short stories and novels. you write, in this complete screenwriting primer Discover what you have to say that might be you'll get an overview of everything you need to fascinating to others! This workshop will be know to write an effective screenplay. hands-on, so come prepared to write. You are also welcome to bring pages from your work-in- PITCH PERFECT progress for the opportunity to workshop, but with Bonnie Hagan, Chris Mandeville having a work-in-progress is not required. & PPW Staff What do you say when you pitch your PAM MCCUTCHEON’S book to an agent or editor, or when an author WRITING THE FICTION SYNOPSIS you admire asks "what are you writing?" What with Angel Smits should you not say? What kinds of questions This workshop will walk you through the should you be prepared to answer? Do "elevator process of writing a synopsis of your book, from pitches" really happen? In this interactive targeting your market, to adding tone, to workshop you'll learn all the ins and outs of tightening by choosing just the right words. pitching your manuscript, be able to ask Using movies as examples, Angel guides you questions of seasoned pitchers, get hands-on through the sometimes frustrating waters of practice honing your "logline," and see pitching synopsis writing to develop your book’s theme, demonstrated live. In addition, you'll have the determine what elements of plot and character opportunity to practice your own pitch in a small should be included, choose which method to use group and receive immediate feedback from to begin your synopsis, and format it properly. experienced PPW staff.

Please check out pikespeakwriters.com and go to the Thursday page for additional information on what to bring, and other related details including cost and registration. 10