2017 Authors
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FRANK BEDDOR
Literary sleuth, world creator and cosplay madman Frank Beddor dared to expose the true story of Wonderland in the New York Times–bestselling young adult trilogy The Looking Glass Wars. To satisfy the awakened curiosity of his readers he continued to tell the story of Royal Bodyguard Hatter Madigan’s adventures during his search for the lost princess, in the Eisner-nominated graphic novel series Hatter M. The Looking Glass Wars won the Benjamin Franklin Award for best YA audiobook in 2007. Frank’s latest investigation into his alternate Wonderland is his new book, Hatter Madigan: Ghost in the H.A.T.B.O.X., following thirteen year-old cadet Hatter Madigan and his fellow cadets on their adventures at the Millinery Academy. Frank lives and cosplays in Los Angeles where he is now developing the Broadway musical of The Looking Glass Wars in Los Angeles. Writing Workshop The Social Media Story Telling Revolution Famed author Frank Beddor is putting together a revolutionary way to deliver his story telling talents to today’s digitally obsessed teenagers. Knowing his audience no longer prefers to consume media through traditional methods, like books, he is adapting to meet their preferences. Featured Books Hatter Madigan: Ghost in the Hatbox (MS) Looking Glass Wars: Crossfire (MS/HS) ALLY CARTER Ally Carter writes about spies, thieves, and teenagers who are always trying to save the world. She grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and knows more about cows than maybe any YA author in the world. Writing Workshop Plot a Movie, Write a Book There are some things that all good stories have in common. We'll use examples from popular movies to help you understand your story and get a first draft on paper. Featured Books The Gallagher Girls Series (YA) Embassy Row Series (YA) SOMAN CHAINANI When Soman was ten years-old, he randomly predicted a fire in his uncle's house and ever since then, his parents have been a little scared of him. When he is not predicting house fires, Soman enjoys playing tennis -- a sport he thought he would play professionally until all the other boys got bigger than him. Now he has a complex about being skinny and works out too much. If you meet him, ask him about his secret TWILIGHT obsession because he's afraid to talk about it in public. Writing Workshop The Dark Side of Fantasy Have a taste for darkness, wickedness, and lust in your magic? Do you secretly root for the Voldemort and Darth Vaders to win at the end of their stories? Then this is the workshop for you -- an exploration of how to break free of hero/villain conventions, embrace the deepest darkness within your characters, and ultimately find a new balance of Good and Evil. Featured Book The School for Good and Evil (MS/HS) ALLY CONDIE Ally Condie doesn't know how to whistle or snap her fingers properly. She loves Michael Phelps and wishes he were her brother. Her real brother is a foot and a half taller than she is and likes to hold things over her head (literally) so she can't reach them. She loves running and traveling and is kind of bad at both because she's injured and hates airplanes. One time author Brendan Reichs laughed at her when she fell on her face walking on an ice-covered sidewalk in Vermont, but she didn't even care because she held on to her lunch leftovers and saved their lives and ate them later. Writing Workshop My workshop is about the elements of story and how to put them together using the things you love anyway--like sports, music, art, etc. Write what you know AND what you love! Featured Books Summerlost (MG) Matched (YA) Atlantia (YA) Crossed (YA) Reached (YA) ANN DEE ELLIS Ann Dee Ellis was born in Provo, Utah. She has eight older brothers and sisters who made her get them ice water every ten minutes and scratch their backs for a nickel an hour. In fifth grade she entered a writing contest and lost. She also had a boyfriend named Ryan*. He didn’t know he was her boyfriend and he liked a girl named Lori and they started “going together.” This was sad. In junior high, Ann Dee had another boyfriend named Luke*. Like Ryan, he also didn’t know he was her boyfriend. They were together all the way through high school. When he finally found out about the relationship, they broke up. Besides having a steady boyfriend who didn’t know he was her boyfriend, Ann Dee played soccer and basketball. After high school, Ann Dee went to Brigham Young University where she studied English and had several other fake boyfriends. She also went to graduate school and decided she wanted to be a writer. After a long time, Ann Dee met a boy named Cameron. He can break dance. He was her first boyfriend who knew he was her boyfriend and didn’t break up with her. It was true love. And so they were married. She now has five children. She also occasionally teaches writing classes and she's scared of seaweed and very large dogs. Her first book is called This is What I Did: and it’s about a boy. Her second book is called Everything Is Fine and it’s about a girl. Her third book is called The End or Something Like That and it’s about life and death and her fourth book coming on Summer of 2017 is about a girl named Olivia who loves tuna fish and Dorito sandwiches. *Names have not been changed. Writing Workshop How the worst moments of your life can become the best moments of your novel. Featured Books The End of Something Like That (YA) Everthing Is Fine (YA) This Is What I Did (YA) ELIZABETH EULBERG Elizabeth Eulberg grew up the youngest of four kids. She spent a lot of her childhood making up stories in her head to keep her company. Now she gets to do that for a living. She can play the piano, guitar, clarinet and drums...just not all at the same time. She loves music as much as she loves reading and will often break into song. You've been warned. Writing Workshop Important aspects of character development and developing plot/outlining. Featured Books The Great Shelby Holmes (MG) Just Another Girl (YA) - Released 3/27 LORIE ANN GROVER When Lorie Ann Grover grew to six feet tall, everyone knew male dancers in the ballet company would have a hard time lifting her off the floor. Instead of plies and pirouettes, she now Repulses the Monkey, becomes the White Tiger Who Plays With Tail and stands as the Immortal Fairy Who Points the Way when she practices weapons tai chi. In her Doc Martens. Sitting down to write novels and board books, she commiserates with teens and laughs with babies. And vice versa. Writing Workshop Hit with Gratitude: From Fact to Fiction When trials hit, how do we run in triumph? When we have a blind spot for blessings, how do we embrace gratitude? Novelist Lorie Ann Grover leads those interested in writing stories arising from their own life experiences. With young adult novels springing from her own history, she'll guide workshop attendees in capturing their memories, then assist them in turning their writing into fiction, and finally experiment with the verse format. Featured Books Hit (YA) Firstborn (YA) DEBORAH HOPKINSON Three important things about author Deborah Hopkinson: 1. She has a dog named after a character in the Hunger Games; 2. She uses her dogs in books, but not people she knows; 3. When she gets writer's block or needs inspiration, she takes her dogs for a walk. (Yes, she will share pictures of dogs in her workshops.) Writing Workshop Imagining Past Lives: Titanic Writing Workshop What was it really like to be on board the Titanic? What was it like to lose a loved one -- and then have to break the news to family far away? Join author Deborah Hopkinson for this writing workshop where we imagine what it would be like to be on board the ship everyone called "unsinkable." Whether students like to write fiction or nonfiction, this exercise in putting yourself in someone else's shoes will help young authors hone key writing skills. Featured Books The Great Trouble (MS) Titanic: Voices from the Disaster (MS/HS) A Bandit's Tale (MS) Courage & Defiance (MS/HS) VARIAN JOHNSON I'm a twin. I love green and red gummi bears. Before becoming a writer, I worked as a structural engineer designing bridges. Writing Workshop Finding Your Voice This workshop is designed to help you find your unique voice. We'll use some fun written exercises to cover topics including point of view, tense, style and word choice. Featured Books The Great Greene Heist (MG) To Catch a Cheat (MG) Spirit Animals The Return (MG) JENNIFER LONGO Jennifer Longo lacks something super important for most fiction authors - a great imagination. Or any imagination. At all. Luckily, she's getting really good at slightly modifying the events of her own life and those of the people in it just enough so that her novels are often described as "completely unrealistic" - because they are mostly true. This makes going home for Thanksgiving with the people whose lives she's used for material kind of awkward but honestly, when she remembers to change people's names it works out pretty well. Except for when her dad was all, "What?! I'm totally not a communist!" and Jen was like, "No, Fred, you are not - but Wade is." Also, that dad character is most readers' favorite - so everyone wins! Writing Workshop Finding Fiction in The Fascinating Truth of Your Life The best inspiration for amazing stories is often in the places, people, and events in your own, every day life. Just don't forget to change the names. Featured Books Six Feet Over It (MS/HS) Up To This Pointe (MS/HS) SHANNON MESSENGER Shannon Messenger graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts where she learned--among other things--that she liked watching movies much better than making them. She's studied art, screenwriting, and film production, but realized her real passion was writing stories for children. She's the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of the middle grade series, KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, and the SKY FALL series for young adults. Her books have been featured on multiple state reading lists, published in numerous countries, and translated into many different languages. She lives in Southern California with her husband and an embarrassing number of cats. Find her online at shannonmessenger.com. Writing Workshop World Domination: How to breathe life into a world of your own creation! Whether you write Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or Contemporary, your story has a world. And the more vibrant that world is, the richer your story will be. But how do you start? And where do you find ideas? And how do you write it without falling into the trap of "info dump"? This workshop will give you some handy tricks to make an ordinary setting feel extraordinary. Featured Books The Keeper of the Lost Cities (MG/YA) Keeper: Exile Keeper: Everblaze Keeper: Neverseen Keeper: Lodestar JENNIFER NIELSEN Things the world needs more of, according to Jennifer A. Nielsen: Peace, Naps, Mtn Dew, Books. Things the world needs less of: Spiders. Avoiding nasty tropical spiders is pretty much the reason she lives in Northern Utah. Oh, also, that's where her husband and three kids are. That's important too. Writing Workshop "The Unputdownable Page" Maybe "unputdownable" isn't a word, but it sure sounds like something that should describe your story, right? Let's talk about some of the elements that will keep your readers awake all night, eagerly turning the pages of your story! Featured Books The Scourge (YA) Mark of the Thief (YA) A Night Divided (YA) ALYSON NOEL Alyson Noël is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of 24 novels including the series: THE IMMORTALS, RILEY BLOOM, SOUL SEEKERS, and BEAUTIFUL IDOLS. Alyson’s books are often inspired from her own life experiences, and she’s undergone past-life hypnosis, a shamanic journey to the Lowerworld, and enrolled in psychic development classes all in the name of research. When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, traveling the world, catching up on her favorite TV shows on her DVR, or contemplating a new haircut. She lives in Southern California with her husband, where she is currently working on her next book. Learn more about Alyson and her books at: www.alysonnoel.com Follow her on Twitter: @AlysonNoel Writing Workshop How To Write a Book An interactive workshop with lots of Q&A-- in this session Alyson will share the story of how she wrote her first novel and the 25 that followed. Featured Books Unrivaled (HS) Blacklist (HS) Five Days of Famous (MG) SARAH REES BRENNAN I grew up in Ireland and the first thing my schoolteachers taught me to say in Irish was 'Can I go to the bathroom?' I'll tell you how to say it, if you like! I fear seaweed and I only like books which have some humor in them--if the characters never laugh, I don't care if they cry. Writing Workshop How to find inspiration in everyday life This workshop will walk students through the process of writing Sarah's own novels. Included in the workshop - a very interactive session with a lot of Q&A to answer the audience's concerns and interests. Featured Books Tell the Wind and Fire (HS) Unspoken (HS) BRENDAN REICHS I am very uncomfortable around cakes, clowns, and people who start singing without any warning. Like, don't do that. I laughed my head off when Ally Condie slipped on ice in Vermont and landed in a pile of her leftover crepes. Last year for an MFA costume party I dressed as Boba Fett and carried a hairdryer as a weapon. I cried when I was rejected for The Amazing Race. I have over a hundred episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on VHS and still watch them on a VCR. Writing Workshop What Not To Do A very practical workshop on the "Don'ts" to avoid when writing a first novel. Featured Books Nemesis (HS) Virals (MS/HS) MARGARET STOHL My husband builds robots and I love cats, so now I live in a house with two cats and four robots and they fight all the time. So far the cats are winning. Writing Workshop To be announced Featured Book Black Widow: Red Vengeance (MS/HS) SUZANNE YOUNG Suzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program series. Originally from Utica, New York, Suzanne moved to Arizona to pursue her dream of not freezing to death. She is a novelist and an English teacher, but not always in that order. Suzanne is the author of THE PROGRAM, THE TREATMENT, THE REMEDY, THE EPIDEMIC, THE ADJUSTMENT and ALL IN PIECES. Writing Workshop Finding Inspiration Featured Books The Program series (HS) All in Pieces (HS) ALLEN ZADOFF Allen Zadoff is the author of the THE UNKNOWN ASSASSIN series, a page-turning thriller about a teenage assassin that has been optioned for film by Sony Pictures. Kirkus Reviews called I AM THE WEAPON "fast, furious, and fun." Allen, on the other hand, is "slow, irritable, and mildly entertaining at parties". You can visit him on the web at www.allenzadoff.com. Writing Workshop Action, Suspense, and Thrills! How to create great stories using the techniques of thriller writers. Featured Book I AM THE WEAPON-THE UNKNOWN ASSASSIN #1 (HS) |
2016 Authors
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Frank Beddor
To satisfy the awakened curiosity of his readers Frank Beddor continued to tell the parallel adventures of Royal Bodyguard Hatter Madigan’s search for the lost princess in the graphic novel series Hatter M. He lives in Los Angeles. A Hollywood film producer whose credits include There’s Something About Mary, Frank is currently developing The Looking Glass Wars as a Broadway musical. Frank loves coffee flavored Häagen-Dazs ice cream topped with peanut M&M’s. He would be King Kong if he could be any character in film history. While studying at the University of Utah he was invited to train with the U.S. ski team. He became the first International Ski Federation World Champion in combined freestyle skiing and did the ski stunts for John Cusack’s character in the cult classic movie Better Off Dead. He then went on to act in other movies, appearing opposite Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher in Amazon Women on the Moon. Check out the following books by Frank: Hatter Madigan: Ghost in the H.A.T.B.O.X. (MS) Looking Glass Wars: CrossFire (HS) Workshop Information: The Social Media Story Telling Revolution Famed author Frank Beddor is putting together a revolutionary way to deliver his story telling talents to today’s digitally obsessed teenagers. Knowing his audience no longer prefers to consume media through traditional methods, like books, he is adapting to meet their preferences. Millennials read books on devices and seek other media via various platforms on these devices. Each platform has a specific language, media type and super stars who dictate what to consume—and customers can quickly set apart the real from the fake. Taking this into consideration, Frank is combining his creative strength of writing fantastic stories for this age group and pairing it with a newly born type of creative talent, digital and social media creative directors. Together they will put out the first multi-platform story series, PCH and Hatter Madigan: Ghost in the Hatbox. Come discover how Frank integrates digitally based plot points into his stories. Characters have their own social media accounts with posts containing various types of text, images, videos, audio clips, .gif’s, etc that are literally part of the story. A collection of websites, blogs and apps will be woven into the story and continuously referenced. Readers will be directed to switch from device to device and from platform to platform to consume the entire story. Learn how these digital elements are thoughtfully and skillfully created for each platform’s uniqueness as well as how the character’s authentic voice will be represented – all of which is essential to these “transitions” and to the overall success of a new form of story telling. S.A. Bodeen S.A. Bodeen grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm where, among other things, she milked cows, has been covered—multiple times— in cow manure, and learned to drive a stick shift at the age of eight. She has lived in a mud hut in Tanzania and once puked near the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro during an electrical storm. She has lived in eight states, two African countries, and one remote Pacific atoll. A Green Bay Packer stockholder, she is not ashamed that she owns two Cheeseheads. Check out the following books from S.A. Bodeen… The Detour (upper MS/HS) The Compound (MS/HS) The Raft (MS/HS) Shipwreck Island (MS) Workshop Information: Quelching the Quit: how to find the story when you think you never will Martha Brockenbrough Martha Brockenbrough is the author of The Game of Love and Death, Devine Intervention, Finding Bigfootand more books for kids and teens. She’s the founder of National Grammar Day, a former high school teacher, and she used to dry her hair out of the sunroof of her mom’s car back in the day where seatbelts were optional. Check out the following books from Martha… THE GAME OF LOVE AND DEATH (late MS/HS) DEVINE INTERVENTION (MS) Workshop Information: HELP! I CAN’T FINISH THIS STORY Writing a whole story or book is hard. Getting to The End feels great, though. And it’s important not just for your story, but for your life. Martha Brockenbrough will share secrets for finishing the draft so you have something to edit later. Royce Buckingham Royce was caught out on his bicycle in black ash rain after Mount St. Helens exploded. He once played baseball in the Kingdome, which exploded years later. He studied English literature in England, near where an airplane exploded. And he grew up near a nuclear plant that manufactured plutonium for one of the atomic bombs that exploded in World War II. Strangely, he still likes explosions in stories and writes lots of action, thriller, and adventure tales. Check out the following books from Royce… The Terminals (HS) The Dead Boys (MS) The Goblin Problem (MS) Demonkeeper (MS) Workshop Information: Writing Your Second Book What happens after you’ve written a story and declare, “I love doing this”? The answer is: you write your second story! Now things get serious. There are techniques to improve, mistakes to learn from, rules to be followed and broken. All writers who want to make a hobby or career out of writing need to get that first one out of the way. This workshop will focus on what we should learn from our first try and how to implement our newfound knowledge to make our second go twice as good! Justina Chen Justina Chen has lived in Seattle, Shanghai, and Sydney, which makes her worried about where she will live next: Syria, No. Sorrento, yes. She is infected with a serious case of wanderlust, and is now-not-so-secretly obsessed with French Fries, Orphan Black, Frye boots, coconut black tea, and hello, kitty. (Yes. Hello, kitty. Do not judge.) Check out the following books from Justina… A Blind Spot for Boys (MS/HS) Return to ME (MS/HS) North of Beautiful (MS/HS) Girl Overboard (MS/HS) Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) (MS/HS) Workshop Information: You Had Me At Halo (and Hello): crafting an attention-grabbing opening So you want to hook your reader? Award-winning author and former speechwriter for the President of Microsoft Xbox, Justina Chen will share the tips she uses to woo readers in her novels…and enthrall audiences of 40,000 people. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to craft surprising opening lines, wield magical objects, and layer in moments of truth to catch and keep reader attention. Kimberly Derting Kimberly Derting once wanted to be a “foxy lady trucker” but changed her mind when she took 7th grade journalism, and hasn’t looked back since. These days, she watches entirely too much TV, orders 20-pound boxes of Nerds gumballs off the internet, and loves to complain about the rain even though she lives in the Pacific Northwest! Check out the following books from Kimberly… THE COUNTDOWN (The Taking, book #3) released May 10th (HS) THE BODY FINDER (HS) THE PLEDGE (late MS/HS) THE TAKING (late MS/HS) Workshop Information: Coming soon… Carl Deuker Carl Deuker once worked in Los Angeles. At the time, a serial killer was loose in the downtown area. He woke up one morning, got out the Los Angeles Times, opened up and saw a police artist’s drawing of the killer . . . and it was Carl. He got on the bus to go to work, wondering if he was exaggerating the likeness. About ten minutes into the bus ride, the bus pulled to a stop. Seconds later the doors burst open and LAPD surrounded him, pulling Carl off the bus, demanding identification. You’ll be glad to know that Carl is not a serial killer, but that was one long, long day as he was questioned two other times. Check out the following books from Carl… Payback Time (HS) Gym Candy (HS) Runner (HS) High Heat (HS) Night Hoops (HS) Workshop Information: Fast writing is good writing. Working with a group, participants will produce either an adventure story or a comic story. Each participant will be responsible for one section of the story. Participants will learn how being part of a writing community encourages . . . writing! Kevin Emerson Kevin is the author of fourteen novels including BREAKOUT, the EXILE series, and the ATLANTEANS trilogy. A former science teacher, Kevin is also a drummer and singer. He has won a spelling bee, lost a beauty pageant, and once appeared in a Swedish TV commercial. He lives in Seattle, where he has taught writing workshops to kids and teens through Richard Hugo House and Writers in the Schools. Check out the following books from Kevin… Breakout (MS) Exile (MS/HS) Encore to an Empty Room (MS/HS) Workshop Information: How to Plot like a Pro It’s happened to all of us: you have a great idea for a story, some amazing character or dynamite moment, you’ve even written a few pages, but now… what’s next? How do you take that inspiration further, through twists and turns, all the way to the finish line? How do you balance action with character development, tension and surprises? In this workshop you will learn the secrets to a great plot, to thinking about a story as a whole, and to actually finishing that amazing idea you’ve been dreaming about. April Henry April can get out of handcuffs (even behind her back) with only a bobby pin or hair clip, and April can also get out of duct tape. April buys nearly all her clothes on e-Bay and can’t parallel park. She has held a variety of odd jobs, including German translator, cleaning lady, and a brief stint as the girl who jumps out of a cake. She took a knife throwing class that also included ax throwing. Her maternal great-grandfather was in an arson gang. April holds a purple belt in kung fu, an orange belt in kajukenbo, and a one-stripe belt in Brazilian jiujitsu. She wrote an episode for the phone app Zombies, Run! She has fired an M-5 machine gun on an FBI gun range. In fact, it was the first gun April ever shot. She still has a postcard Roald Dahl sent her in 1972. Check out the following books from April… Girl, Stolen (MS/HS) The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die (MS/HS) Body in the Woods (MS/HS) Workshop Information: How to keep a story going. Participants will begin by creating a character. Colleen Houck Colleen Houck’s favorite meal is a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate malt. Speaking of food, she once threw up going backwards on a carnival ride and her vomit hit the back of the head of the guy in front of her. Shepretended it wasn’t her. When she laughs hard she snorts. She convinced her brothers and sisters they could fly if they jumped from a tall dresser. Her four year old sister broke out her two front teeth. In middle school Colleen was too embarrassed to use the pencil sharpener so she bit off the wood with my teeth. Colleen likes cake. Check out the following books from Colleen… Reawakened Tiger’s Curse Workshop Information: The Hero’s Journey Roll the dice in a choose your own adventure type of quest where we analyze archetypes, vent on villains, and pay homage to heroes. We’ll discuss how the hero’s journey is used in comics, movies, books, mythology, and more! If you’re a natural storyteller or just love books and reading, this workshop will inspire your creative side. But come prepared, we’re going to talk about everything from Star Wars to Snow White, from Indiana Jones to The Wizard of Oz, and from Harry Potter to The Lord of the Rings, so grab some popcorn and join in the fun! Kazu Kibuishi Kazu Kibuishi is one half of the Kibuishi Brothers duo, known in grade school as being among the best video game players around. Even now as the bestselling author of Amulet and a father of two, he still finds time to destroy opponents in Destiny after the kids go to bed. Check out the following books by Kazu… Amulet 1: The Stonekeeper Amulet 2: The Stonekeeper’s Curse Amulet 3: The Cloud Searchers Amulet 4: The Last Council Amulet 5: Prince of the Elves Amulet 6: Escape From Lucien Amulet 7: Firelight (All ages) released Spring 2016 Workshop Information: Making comics and graphic novels. Kazu will be speaking about the process of creating Amulet and demonstrating digital painting techniques. Lish McBride * Has never, not once, saved the princess in the original Mario Brothers. (It is her secret shame.) * Has been vegetarian since she was about 18, but has a tattoo of a porkchop on her leg. Also, has the nickname “meat loaf.” * When she changed her last name through the court system, accidentally misspelled her middle name. * Has a cat named Captain Ninja Fish who has been known to ride the occasional weiner dog. Check out the following books by Lish… Hold Me Closer, Necromancer Necromancing the Stone Firebug Workshop Information: Let’s Make Something Monstrous! Sometimes you want a villain that’s a little less human, and a little more WHAT IS THAT THING? You want werewolves, or vampires, or mutants–or perhaps a tentacled horror straight out of Lovecraft. Or what about a human who’s lost their humanity? After all, we can be monsters, too. In this workshop we will discuss creature building. Whether you want a loveable yeti or a bloodthirsty cyborg, we’ll talk about how to make sure even your creatures have great character. William Ritter William Ritter has been married for ten years. On his wedding day, which was a lovely, classy affair, he had dark blue hair and his wife had deep purple. The bouquet was an arrangement of blue and purple flowers to match. Check out the following books by William… JACKABY (MS/HS) BEASTLY BONES (MS/HS) released September 22nd Workshop Information: Creating Characters with Character. Nuancing a character’s personality, physicality, motivations, and perceptions to develop a more complete, 3-dimensional person. Heidi Schulz Heidi Schulz once spent a summer working on a traveling carnival and can now tie a balloon faster than anyone she knows. She is suspicious of giraffes, loves dogs, and think chickens make nearly perfect pets. Heidi loves secrets, puns, and cleverness. Her Patronus is pie. Check out the following books by Heidi… HOOK’S REVENGE (MS/HS) And a new book! HOOK’S REVENGE: THE PIRATE CODE (MS/HS) Workshop Information: Raise Your [Authorial] Voice! Authorial voice can be a tricky concept. At the end of this session, participants will be able to answer: What is “voice”? How does it vary from person to person and/or work to work? How can writers develop their own? Students should come prepared to write. Tamara Ireland Stone In standard Silicon Valley-native fashion, Tamara got her first job building Atari game systems in her parents’ garage. She used the money to buy a bunch of Atari games and a pair of Nikes. Later, Tamara worked at Taco Bell, where she learned how to fold a burrito (a skill she uses regularly) and to aim a sour cream gun at other people with near-perfect precision (a skill she rarely gets to show off). Tamara put herself through college by breaking up fun parties. Today, she’s blissfully married. She enjoys live music, the kind of travel that changes her, and sitting on my couch watching movies with her kids. Ask Tamara what song is stuck in her head right now. She almost always has one. And it’s probably embarrassing. Check out the following books by Tamara… Every Last Word (MS/HS) Time Between Us (MS/HS) Time After Time (MS/HS) Workshop Information: Have a story in you, but not sure where to start? Does the standard three-act structure leave you with more questions than answers? Overwhelmed by the idea of writing a whole novel? In this workshop, you’ll learn how to apply an easy-to-understand screenplay writing structure to your novel or short story. We’ll break popular movies down into fifteen parts to help you understand how to start, where to go next, and how to keep your readers turning pages. |
2015 Authors
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Royce Buckingham
Author Bio Royce Buckingham is a working author who has ten published novels, including two international bestsellers and the Sasquatch Award winning middle grade book The Dead Boys. His recent releases include his 2014 YA novel The Terminalsand his 2015 adult novelImpasse. Royce has also sold a screenplay to 20th Century Fox and written a storyline for an Xbox video game. He played baseball in the Kingdome (Mariners old stadium) when he was a kid. He grew up next to a nuclear plant. He loves books where kids get eaten. He once had a puppy named Tuppy and later a dog named Milo after the main character from The Phantom Tollbooth. Workshop Information Setups and Payoffs – Why they are the most important thing in the universe. Audiences all want to be hooked. They’re like hungry fish. But with so much bait dumped into the water these days, how do you get them to strike? And when they nibble, how do you set the hook? The answer is: Setups and Payoffs. Small and large, short term and long, creation of opportunities and fulfillment of promises are what drive stories. This is eerily like what a successful writer does to cultivate a long-term career. In this session, author Royce Buckingham will discuss the importance of setting up and paying off in a scene, chapter, novel, and, ultimately, the writing profession. Royce will offer examples, techniques, and practical advice from a decade of writing novels for major publishers. 3 things you will learn: 1) Setups that get you noticed. 2) Payoffs that satisfy. 3) How to apply this theory to your work. Kimberly Derting Author Bio Kimberly Derting once wanted to be a “foxy lady trucker” but changed her mind when she took 7th grade journalism, and hasn’t looked back since. These days, she watches WAY too much TV, orders 20# boxes of Nerds gumballs off the internet, and loves to complain about the rain even though she lives in Seattle where it rains ALL the time! Workshop Information Keep Your Reader on the Edge of Their Seats: How to Create Suspense on the Page From that (breathtaking!) first kiss to discovering a killer hiding under the bed, Kimberly Derting will show you how authors ratchet up tension on the pages to keep you coming back for more! Peggy Eddleman Author Bio Peggy Eddleman hangs out at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah with her three hilarious and fun kids (two sons and a daughter), and her incredibly supportive husband. Peggy enjoys playing laser tag with her family, toilet papering friends’ houses, doing cartwheels in long hallways, trying new restaurants, and occasionally painting murals on walls. She is the author of the post-apocalyptic adventuresSky Jumpers and The Forbidden Flats. Workshop Information The Five Essential Elements The Chinese have a philosophy that if meals have each of 5 different elements, then the food will be more satisfying— you won’t be searching the fridge thirty minutes later for that something that you’re missing. The concept is the same for writing a book. If you have all 5 things in the books you write, readers won’t finish reading then start searching their bookshelves for that something they missed— they’ll be texting their friends, telling them they have to read your book! We’ll talk about the 5 essential elements (psst! They’re humor, action / adventure, a sense of wonder, scariness, and mystery), as well as all the secrets you need to know to get the five of them into the books that you write. Kevin Emerson Author Bio Kevin Emerson once competed in a beauty pageant and lost (probably because he was wearing a suit of armor). He appeared in a Swedish TV commercial, won his town spelling bee, prefers donuts to cupcakes, and his least favorite candy is Skittles. Workshop Information Follow Your Characters How do we make awesome, believable characters who feel real? In this workshop we’ll explore ways to get your characters to think and act in heroic, and sometimes heartbreaking ways, that always feel true, and make them unforgettable for the reader! We’ll discuss how to get your character to drive the plot, and how to plan their journey through the story. Kristin Halbrook Author Bio Kristin Halbrook is the author of the young adult novels, Every Last Promise and Nobody But Us. She resides in Seattle with her Scottish soulmate and a gaggle of pixies. She hides her favorite chocolates in her desk drawers, forgets she hid them, and is always delighted when she accidentally finds them again. Workshop Information Empathy: A Tool for Character Development A well-drawn character creates a connection with the reader, compelling the reader to invest time and emotion into your story. A well-drawn character can also challenge the writer, asking s/he understand not only the character they’re writing, but also themselves and the world around them. Empathy is the number one tool to understanding your characters’ motivations. In this workshop, we will discuss what empathy is and how to develop it; do short writing exercises that require the writer to broaden their minds with regards to character motivations; discuss how lessons in empathy are applicable to the writers’ own life; and create a reading list of books that challenge readers’ perceptions of character. Kazu Kibuishi Author Bio Kazu Kibuishi thought he would have to quit drawing when he grew up, so he drew as much as he could while he still had a chance. Now he is asked by his publishers to draw every single day. Workshop Information Writing with Pictures A workshop for creating graphic novels. Lish McBride Author Bio *Lish is basically a hobbit. *She never, not once, managed to save the princess in the original Mario brothers video game. * Lish McBride has two cats : Tempest (nicknamed Kitty ‘Pest), and Captain Ninja Fish. Lish also has a new dog, Athena Vincent McBride Aman. Despite the dog being a female, her son thought the name Vincent “went well” with the rest of her name. * Lish’s brain can hold onto movie quotes forever, but she can’t remember actually useful things like geography or history. (Unless the history is weird or disgusting in some way. Her mind is a sewer.) Workshop Information Humor Writing What makes a story funny? And how can you make your writing funnier? In this workshop we will discuss humor writing and how it can help balance other emotions (Make them laugh AND cry!), make your story more enjoyable, and keep your reader coming back for more. We will look at examples from well-known authors and do some in class writing exercises! Mindy McGinnis Author Bio Mindy McGinnis has a huge scar on her leg from sliding into home while wearing shorts. She didn’t make it all the way to the plate and was tagged out. Not worth it. Workshop Information Tropes, Archetypes & Keeping It Fresh Telling a story that’s already been done can sound less than exciting, but author Mindy McGinnis will show you how to take familiar stories and keep them fresh while building on daily experiences and people in your life to help build believable characters and situations. Richelle Mead Author Bio Richelle Mead is the international bestselling author of the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. Before becoming an author, she had a lot of different jobs, ranging from teaching to selling hypnosis classes. She now writes full-time in Seattle and is currently at work on Soundless, a new novel coming out in fall 2015. When not writing, she can be found hanging out with her family, dress shopping, and obsessing over Reign. Workshop Information Point of View 101: Putting Life, Sass, and Emotion into Your Writing What is point of view? What’s the difference between first and third person? How does voice affect your writing? Get all these answers and more as we go over the different ways point of view plays into writing great stories. We’ll look at examples from lots of popular books and give students the chance to experiment with some writing of their own! Marissa Meyer Author Bio Marissa Meyer got her start writing fan-fiction for the popular magic-girl anime Sailor Moon, and she thinks it’s kind of amazing that there is now fan-fic based on her own books. She also loves Firefly, any occasion where she gets to wear a costume, and telling people the little-known gory versions of Grimm’s fairy tales. She lives in Tacoma with her husband and three cats. She may or may not be a cyborg. Workshop Information Old Tale, New Twist Playing around with characters, settings, and reader expectations in order to give new life to old stories. Alyson Noel Author Bio Alyson Noel is a #1 New York Times bestseller and author of THE IMMORTALS series. Alyson’s books are often inspired from her own life experiences, and she’s undergone past-life hypnosis, a shamanic journey to the Lowerworld, and enrolled in psychic development classes all in the name of research. When she’s not writing, she’s usually traveling the world, going to yoga and/or boot camp, reading, catching up on her favorite TV shows on her DVR, or contemplating a new haircut. She lives in Southern California with her husband, where she is currently working on the first book in her new series. UNRIVALED, in stores early 2016. Learn more about Alyson and her books at: www.alysonnoel.comwww.immortalsseries.com & www.soulseekersseries.com Follow her on Twitter: @AlysonNoel Workshop Information From High School Slacker to #1 New York Times Bestseller A conversation with Alyson Noel. Alyson will discuss her books, her journey from high school slacker to best selling author of 20+ novels, and answer your questions on the craft and business of writing. Lisa Schroeder Author Bio Lisa Schroeder is the author of over a dozen books for kids and teens, and enjoys making stuff up for a living. She lives in Beaverton, Oregon with her family and walks her dog, Stormy, every day. Sometimes, depending on the song on her iPod, she dances down the sidewalk and fortunately, Stormy doesn’t mind. She loves baking sweet treats, and loves eating them even more. One of the best days of her life was when she got to be a cupcake judge at a big event called Cupcake Madness. If you ever need a cupcake judge, you know who to call. Workshop Information Revise Like a Pro Revision is a necessary part of writing, but it can be overwhelming knowing what elements to tackle and when. In this workshop, Lisa will break down the process of revision, complete with a worksheet students can take home and use for their own writing. She will also share examples from her own novels to show how a book changes after revision. Liesl Shurtliff Author Bio Liesl Shurtliff grew up in Salt Lake City, UT, the fifth of eight children. In high school she was forced to drive a giant blue van to school every day with a license plate that said 8SGREAT. She almost died of embarrassment, but it turned out to be the inspiration for her first published story in a magazine. You never know how childhood torture can pay off later. Her first book, Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, won over kids and critics alike, with Kirkus Reviews declaring it “As good as gold” in a starred review. Liesl lives in Chicago with her husband, three kids, and a cat named Felix. Workshop Information Story Factory A hands-on workshop where the group will develop their own group story, discussing elements of plot and character in a fun and interactive way. After the “first draft” we’ll then discuss the importance of revision. Liesl will show students her own marked up manuscripts, editor’s notes, and revised paragraphs. Terry Trueman Author Bio Terry Trueman has been writing seriously since he was about 17 years old, now going on 50 years. Yes, even if math ain’t your strong suit, you can tell Terry is older than you! Most of those years he was writing poetry (not a great way to make a living, but a tremendous way to learn to handle words/writing). Terry got very lucky with my first novel, Stuck In Neutral, a book marketed for teens and young adults that made him a lot of money. And also made him kinda famous and stuff. It also opened the door for Terryto publish a bunch more novels, all of which deal with things he cares about deeply. Terry’s presentations are always based on what his audience wants (largely Q&A). So, if you want to know some things about writing/life/fame/fortune/egomaniacs/love/hate/etc… then you should come to his workshop. Workshop Information Making Signals Thru the Glass This workshop will explore how the role of realistic young adult fiction is adding to understanding and communication between teens, peers and others. Leslye Walton Author Bio In second grade, Leslye was known to be a bit of a liar. She always felt bad about it afterward, but usually forgave herself because, after all, she was only eight and wasn’t yet old enough to be considered interesting. Workshop Information Failure & Creativity This workshop will explore a wabi-sabi theme (a Japanese world view centered around imperfection and the acceptance of life’s impermanence) that is based on a keynote speech J.K. Rowling once gave. Failure and creativity (and sometimes success)–can often derive from previous failures. Stasia Ward Kehoe Author Bio Stasia Ward Kehoe grew up dreaming of becoming a ballerina but she didn’t grow quite enough (she is 5’4″) or have sufficiently good knees (they are peppered with surgery scars). Instead, she got a BA in English from Georgetown University, worked at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and Random House Publishing in New York, City, then got anr MA in Performance Studies from New York University. After having four sons, she started writing with a vengeance, publishing her first novel in 2011. Stasia also enjoys artichokes, chocolate (but, come on, who doesn’t?), parentheticals (obviously) and turning on her car to an explosion of music because the last person to drive it was one of her teenagers–especially if the song is about heartache and healing and has a good dance beat. Workshop Information Getting From “Great Concept” to Finished Novel The first trick to getting published is completing a manuscript. This workshop will help you develop strategies for getting beyond those first 20 or 100 “easy” pages to a completed novel. The session will include writing exercises, analysis of your writing style, reading, and sharing. Jim Whiting Author Bio When Jim Whiting was a 7th grader, his PE class of 60 boys ran a 100-yard dash. He was dead last. Over the years, he became faster and wound up winning more than a dozen races. However, as Jim grew steadily older, he started slowing down. Several years ago he began coaching middle school cross country. He’s sure that if he ran another 100-yard dash with his 7th graders, he’d be last again. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Jim began writing young people’s nonfiction in 2001. Since then he’s written more than 170 books, which almost certainly makes him the state’s most prolific author of any genre. Workshop Information Non-Fiction: Not Just for Reports Many students read fiction for fun, and nonfiction–well, because they have to. Yet as a nonfiction author, I believe that my stories are as fascinating, often frightening, and certainly as much fun as those of my fiction colleagues. And all of them are true! My audiences will hear a variety of stories that may include – Doing a 180 about Snoop Dogg – The father of the mystery story, and two enduring mysteries surrounding his death – The world’s first rock star musician–more than 100 years before the Beatles – Gong farmers–their “crop” is crap–and other nasty jobs you’ll never have to do – The big brass button that saved one of the holiday season’s most popular pieces of music – Maggots, the Medal of Honor, and the Father of Medicine–the connection between our nation’s highest military honor and a Greek who lived 2,500 years ago – And more! So what’s in it for YOU? – Learn how to make your reports better and more interesting. – Learn a few tips about improving any type of writing you do. – If your goal is to be a published author, your chances are much better in nonfiction. Then your book (or more than one) can pave the path to publishing a novel. – The more you know about the real world, the better the decisions you make. |