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May 2012: Homicide with Steve Roberts
Steve Roberts is very well known in the criminal investigation community and often consults and instructs concerning police procedures with agencies in the U.S. He has also worked on movies as the police expert and is acknowledged in several fictional mysteries for helping authors with correct police procedure. He will be talking about homicides, but from the…
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March 2012: Maggie Jagger’s Pitching Workshop
Pitching to agents and editors is part of writing life, no need to hyperventilate over it. We will first hone a synopsis, then we take turns pitching and hearing pitches. If you don’t want to pitch, then bring the first three pages of your ms. We will first split into small groups to gently critique…
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January 2012: Care and Feeding of the Romance Writer with Tammy Plunkett
Romance writers spend a great deal of time sitting in front of a computer. This has huge implications for our body, mind and spirit. We are hunched over a keyboard, often brushing crumbs off our chest, and we push through an action scene that has our adrenaline pumping as if the gunman were chasing us,…
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November 2011: Tax for Artists with Julia Stanley, CA
There are a variety of expenses writers can claim on their taxes. This workshop will provide an overview of what is allowed and what isn’t. Julie Stanley, CA, is a manager with Ginsberg Gluzman Page & Levitz, LLP, where she has gained a wide range of experience. She has worked with not-for-profit organizations, small businesses…
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October 2011: Using POV to Create Emotionally Powerful Scenes with Opal Carew
As writers, we know all about POV, right? We know the difference between first person, third person, omniscient, camera eye view, etc. We know how to climb into a character’s head and immerse the reader in the story through that person’s perspective. Make the reader see what that character sees, feel what that character feels. …
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September 2011: Toning Up a Sagging Middle & The Movie Eye: Choosing the Right Scenes
ORWA presents a special day of workshops with New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries. Starting at 10 am, two workshops will be given: Toning Up a Sagging Middle The Movie Eye: Choosing the Right Scenes About Sabrina Jeffries New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries is a New Orleans-born, Thailand-reared novelist with a doctorate in…
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August 2011: If the Self-pub Shoe Fits… with Teresa Morgan
Digital self-publishing exploded in 2011 with news of the success of authors like J.A. Konrath, Amanda Hocking, and E.V. Mitchell (Julianne Maclean). Self-publishing for the Kindle, Nook, Sony eReader, iPad and other digital devices, is easy… and complicated. It has big advantages and deep pitfalls. In this workshop, you’ll learn more about this intriguing new…
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July 2011: Getting Past the Hook with Molly O’Keefe
Readers still love them. Editors still want them. This highly interactive workshop will break down the appeal of the classic plot lines and characters that romance readers crave and we’ll discover ways a smart writer can use classic hooks to create unexpected and unforgettable stories. About Molly O’Keefe Multi-published Toronto author Molly O’Keefe‘s first…
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April 2011: Practice Makes Perfect Pitching Workshop with Maggie Jagger
Maggie Jagger will lead a practice makes perfect pitching workshop. Pitching to agents and editors is part of writing life, no need to hyperventilate over it. We will take turns pitching and hearing pitches. If you are so afraid that you don’t want to come to this meeting, you can pretend to be an editor…
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February 2011: Rob Fleck: Canada’s First “Top Gun” CF-18 Pilot
In this fascinating workshop, Rob will tell us about his experiences in the Canadian Air Force where he was one of the first to fly and instruct on the CF-18 Hornet and was Canada’s First Top Gun. After a stellar career in the Air Force, Rob returned to civilian life and flew private and coprorate…
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October 2010: Plotting with Sharon Page
Sharon, a USA Today bestselling author, will be speaking about what she’s learned. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn techniques and exercises to help you improve your story from the ground up. The author of ten books, Sharon Page is the USA Today bestselling author of The Club, published by Bantam Dell and writes erotic romance for…
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September 2010: Stephany Evans, President of FinePrint Literary Management
With a background in theater, film, and painting, Stephany Evans began agenting in 1990 with Sandra Martin/Paraview. In 1992, she formed her own agency while serving as editor for alternative health, healing, and personal growth magazine, Free Spirit. Stephany is the ghost author of five published books, in the areas of memoir and spirituality. In…
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May 2010: Plotting and Scene & Sequel with Sherry Lewis
Sherry Lewis will give a full morning of Plotting – teaching authors to start from nothing and end up with a fully plotted book. In the afternoon she will cover Scene and Sequel – GMC, conflict and disaster, and how to use scenes to pace your novel. Both workshops are interactive with brainstorming exercises. An award-winning…
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April 2010: The Business of Writing with Claire Delacroix
Writers write, but we are also in business. Join bestselling author Deborah Cooke (aka Claire Delacroix) for a workshop on how publishing works. Learn how the money works, how to recognize and make the most of opportunity, how to chart your way free of stormy waters, and how to plan for success when you’re not…
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March 2010: A Spotlight on Avon with Amanda Bergeron
Presented by Amanda Bergeron, Editorial Assistant at Avon-Harper Collins Avon has been publishing award-winning books since 1941. It is recognized for having pioneered the historical romance category and continues to bring the best of commercial literature to the broadest possible audience. Amanda will talk about the romance industry, what Avon’s looking for and the editorial process…
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January 2010: Kickstart Your Characters with Mary Jane Maffini
In this economy the best investment you can make is in your characters. Learn how to make them deeper, richer, and more fun to be around for you and your readers. After all, that’s a lot of words to spend together. Background enrichment, dialogue, and other potent tools will form the basis of this snappy…
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November 2009: Delivering the Goods: Creating a Believable Happily Ever After by Joanne Roc
Want to provide fiction that has your reader sighing with satisfaction? Want to avoid an ending that seems rushed? Or are you simply having trouble wrapping up all those threads? If so, then Joanne Rock’s workshop, Delivering The Goods: Creating a Believeable Happily-Ever-After, will help you write an ending to remember. Three-time RITA nominee, Joanne…
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September 2009: A Perfect Marriage: Plot & Pace by Eve Silver
Too fast? Too slow? Too cliche? Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, the end goal is the same: create a plot with depth and drama that flows at a perfect pace. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore techniques for both plotters and pantsers, key points of plotting, methods for adding layers and depth, and…