Elana ArnoldElana K Arnold loves: animals, including people; meals, especially breakfast; friendship; travel; the color blue. Elana K. Arnold is not a fan of: bananas; driving, especially at night; migraine headaches; running; death. Some of her worst qualities include: her terrible memory; her poor handwriting; her laziness about housework. Some of her strengths include: synesthesia; cool hunting; wearing interesting shoes and vests; choosing good friends; writing novels.
Writing Workshop This is The End, My Friend: Getting to The End and Why it Matters Do you struggle with finishing projects? Do you get 20-50% done with a draft and then abandon it? You and me both, my friend. Join me in a discussion of the reasons why we quit, an exploration of how to focus and finish, and a conversation about why finishing matters. Featured Books RED HOOD (HS) 
Avi
Avi was given his name by his twin sister, not his parents. Not a particularly good student in high school, he flunked out of his first school. In his second school, the English teacher told Avi’s parents that Avi, “was the worst student he ever had.” By way of revenge, Avi decided to become a successful writer and has now published some eighty-two books. That is serious revenge.
He lives in a log house in the middle of a forest, about a mile and a half up among the mountains. The snow lasts from September until June. He does not like snow. His nearest neighbors are not people but deer, elk, fox, bears, coyotes, skunk, ermine, pine martins, mountain lions, chipmunks and, every once in a while, a porcupine. He has noted some forty-five different kinds of birds at his bird feeder. His favorite bird is a Stiller Jay, which looks like a punk rocker. Writing Workshop How to Become a Good Writer. Writing is something one learns to do. Avi will point out ways to learn, things to do, things not to do. Student should bring questions as to their writing challenges. Featured Books Gold Rush Girl, Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts, The End of the World and Beyond, The Most Important Thing, The Button War. 
Tracey Baptiste
Tracey once created a library in her own home in the hope that people would bring back their books late and she would be rich! Rich I tell you!!! Tracey is also a former dancer and still takes ballet class at least once a week. She learned to fly a twin-engine Cessna at age 16.
Writing Workshop The Plot Thickens: Writers will examine several different story structures, and will pull apart one particular story structure as a group, then create a story using that structure on their own. Featured Books The Jumbies, Rise of the Jumbies, The Jumbie God's Revenge, Minecraft: The Crash, Angel's Grace (all MS) 
Charles Beacham
If you'd asked me when I was 15 what I was going to be when I grew up I would have told you with full confidence that I was going to be a rockstar. I am not a rockstar. But I do have a pretty cool job.
I'm comic book editor (yep, I worked for Marvel), I make video games, and I'm currently writing my first novel. Star Wars is my life. I'm the oldest of eight kids and even as an adult I still tease and argue with my youngest brother (he's 8). My wife has to remind me to quiet down when we're out in public because I get really loud when I'm excited. Writing Workshop Plot vs. Character: What Drives You? The best stories have both incredible characters and an unforgettable plot, but which comes first? We'll explore the differences between plot-driven and character-driven stories, how the two work together, and determine which style of storytelling you favor. 
Phil BildneR
I have three full-time jobs -- an author's life isn't all glamorous!
I've been to the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the NBA Finals I've been bitten by a lion. I was at Dave Chappelle's Block Party. I have a dog named cat. Well, a pitbull rescue dog named Katniss that we call Kat. Writing Workshop Creating Characters: How to create layered and realistic characters. Featured Books A HIGH FIVE FOR GLENN BURKE (MS) releasing on February 25, 2020; The Rip and Red Series: A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME (#1), ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (#2), TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS (#3), MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS (#4) 
Karen Blumenthal
One of the highlights of my childhood was winning a bubblegum blowing contest on a summer vacation. I still chew bubblegum (sugarfree, now) and blow bubbles, especially when I'm writing.
When I was in high school, I worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken. I smelled so horrible when I got home from each shift that my family made me change clothes in a screened-in porch before I could enter the house. Despite that traumatizing experience, I still love fried chicken. I started out in journalism hoping to be a sports writer, but then realized that being a fan was much more fun. I'm a hopeless Dallas sport fan, and I still love journalism and nonfiction. Writing Workshop What Do You Already Know? Nonfiction is about facts and finding the truth, but even before you start your research you can make some educated guesses that will help you get going. Using photos related to Steve Jobs or Bonnie & Clyde, you'll take a stab at what you know and can infer about them--and figure out how to move forward. Featured Books Jane Against the World: Roe v. Wade and the Fight for Reproductive Rights will be out Feb 4, 2020 (MS/HS) Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend; Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different 
David Bowles
As a child, David loved the magical tales of his grandmother, Marie Garza, till she convinced him a monster claw was hiding in the toilet, traumatizing him for years! Because of his family’s roots in Mexico, he has traveled all over that country, visiting the ruins of ancient cities, studying native folklore, indigenous languages, and tales of strange creatures like the chupacabras. He also plays several musical instruments and sings (though not very well, which probably keeps the monsters away).
Writing Workshop It's Who and Where I Am: Rooting Author Voices in Place and Identity. David Bowles will guide attendees through activities that help them draw from their cultural and regional identities to craft story and voice. Featured Books The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande (MS), They Call Me Güero (MS/HS) 
MArtha
|
Shannon Greenland
Shannon Greenland (aka S. E. Green) dreaded reading and writing as a kid. So the fact she's a writer still baffles her. She also teaches Geometry, Algebra, and Calculus proving that you can use both sides of the brain. Every year she challenges herself to do something new. This year that was paddle boarding with sharks! She also eats entirely too many chips. Too, she has a very grouchy dog.
Writing Workshop Tools To Strengthen Your Novel: *Words To Watch For *Scene Check List *Character Q&A Featured Books SCOUTS (MS), T-MINUS (YA), KILLER INSTINCT (YA) 
Shelli R. JohannesShelli loves cheese dip, dark chocolate, her own jokes, and animals. She can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters, including grumpy alligator snapping turtles, feathered friends, and stuck livestock. She’s a self-described Web MD expert and married her husband because he was a British doctor (only to later find out he had a PHD in topography and not a medical field). After earning a master’s in marketing and working in Corporate America as an SVP (boring!), Shelli traded in her heels and suits for flip-flops and jeans to follow her passion for writing. But if she could time travel back and be anything, Shelli would probably be a spy, since she once took karate, practices picking locks, prefers to wear black, and is suspicious of everyone.
Writing Workshop Secrets to Being a KickA$$ Writer (and maybe even a spy)** In this “confidential briefing", you will learn how to: - Train as a "Writer in Black" (WIB) to learn tricks of the trade that you can use on the page. - Take down your Inner Enemy, who’s always trying to stop you! - Create cool dudes and even cooler chicks that we all want to love (and hate) - Write a story that keeps your readers on the edge of their seats without falling off (because let’s face it - that’s just embarrassing for them!) Plus uncover all of the classified stuff in between that I really can’t mention in this summary for fear of retribution. *Disclaimer - Since I will obviously be revealing top secrets, before you leave, I may have to “neuralize” some attendees (so enter at your own risk!) Featured Books Nature of Grace series (Untraceable, Uncontrollable, Unstoppable) (YA) Rewired (YA) On the Bright Side (MG) Cece Loves Science; Cece Loves Science and Adventure (PB) Cece Loves Science ICR - Push and Push Libby Loves Science (June 2020) 
Kazu kibuishiKazu Kibuishi is a writer and illustrator who spends much of his time washing dishes and cleaning up after his two wonderful kids. In the quieter moments in his life, he has managed to create the Amulet graphic novel series.
Writing Workshop I will discuss the development of the Amulet graphic novels and speak about the long road to becoming a professional author and illustrator. Featured Books 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 Amulet 8: Supernova (All ages) 
Daria Peoples-rileyDaria's first job was at 9 years-old in her home town's library. For her second job, she became an English and art teacher, but after twelve years of teaching, she let her students talk her into becoming a children's book author-illustrator. One day, she hopes to make movies for kids, buy all her clothes from Urban Outfitters, and ride to her art studio on a pet horse.
Writing Workshop JOURNALS IN WORDS AND PICTURES: In this workshop, you will complete a series of writing and drawing activities to help you overcome the inner critic. Perfect for aspiring author-illustrators and/or creatives whose greatest fear is not fulfilling their highest potential. Please bring a composition notebook or sketch book. Featured Books THIS IS IT I GOT NEXT 
Beth Revis
Beth Revis is barely human before coffee, and is perhaps best known for preferring puppies to most people. She writes during the night and plays DND during the evening--once, her character was nearly killed by a particularly malicious carpet. When in doubt, she blows things up (in her books, not real life)(probably).
Writing Workshop Seeing the World through Your Character's Eyes: Creating Stories with Voice Featured Books Give the Dark My Love (HS) Across the Universe (HS) Rebel Rising A World Without You (MS/HS) 
Tara Sim
Tara Sim is the author of SCAVENGE THE STARS (Disney-Hyperion, 2020) and the Timekeeper trilogy who can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she’s not chasing cats or lurking in bookstores, she writes books about magic, clocks, and explosions. Follow her on Twitter at @EachStarAWorld, and check out her website for fun extras at tarasim.com.
Writing Workshop Worldbuilding as Its Own Character: How to create a world for your SFF stories, how it factors into plot, and how it helps to shape your protagonists (and villains!). Featured Books SCAVENGE THE STARS (HS) Timekeeper Trilogy: Timekeeper Chainbreaker Firestarter 
Andrew Smith
When he's not writing witty paragraphs about himself or closing himself inside small, dark rooms, Andrew Smith irresponsibly fritters away his time writing books about characters who are actually thinly-disguised autobiographical confessions of a very anxious time-fritterer.
Writing Workshop Getting Your Characters Right Into the Action Featured Books Grasshopper Jungle (HS) Winger (HS) 
Margaret Stohl
Margaret Stohl is a cat person who sings fake opera, shuns melty ice cream, and gags at the sight of a single hair in a sink.
Writing Workshop "A BOOK IS JUST 30 THINGS" Does a book seem like an impossibly big thing to you? Do you want to write a book but always run out of ideas after the second page? Sometimes the hardest slash most important part of writing a book happens before you even start writing. In this class you will learn how to make a one page outline that will help get you past page three, and show you that a book is actually just a small thing. Featured Books Life of Captain Marvel (all MS/HS) Mighty Captain Marvel: Alien Nation Mighty Captain Marvel: Band of Sisters Mighty Captain Marvel: Dark Origins Beautiful Creatures (YA) Black Widow books (YA) Icons books (YA) Royce Rolls (YA 
Tamara Ireland StoneTAMARA IRELAND STONE is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling author who spent nearly two decades in the technology industry before she began writing middle grade and young adult fiction. She feels extremely lucky to say she's had two careers she's loved. Her young adult titles include EVERY LAST WORD, LITTLE DO WE KNOW, TIME BETWEEN US, and TIME AFTER TIME; and her middle grade series includes CLICK’D and SWAP’D. All her books tap into her personal interests and passions. Inside the pages, you’ll find that she loves pop culture and music (especially live music), is fascinated with time travel, firmly believes in the healing power of the written word, wants to inspire kids—especially girls—to pursue science and technology, and is fiercely dedicated to changing the way people think about mental health. She loves being outdoors, burns everything she cooks, and is rarely bored.
Writing Workshop WRITING A BOOK THAT READS LIKE A MOVIE It’s part writing workshop, part pop-culture fun as we break down your favorite movies into 15 “beats” and practice applying them to your stories. Whether you’re working on a short story, novel, screenplay, TV script—or writing purely for yourself—we’ll demystify structure to make the writing process feel a little less overwhelming and a lot more fun. We’ll close with Q&A, where you can ask me anything. Featured Books LITTLE DO WE KNOW (HS), EVERY LAST WORD (MS/HS), CLICK'D (MS), SWAP'D (MS) 
Kristin Tubb
In sixth grade, Kristin O'Donnell Tubb interviewed her favorite author - Madeleine L'Engle! (you know, the woman who wrote A WRINKLE IN TIME?!) - by telephone. Kristin told Ms. L'Engle that she wanted to be a writer, too, and Ms. L'Engle replied, "Good for you! Keep reading and you can do it!" And so Kristin tried. She published a terrible haiku called "The Weeping Willow" in seventh grade, and kept many, many awful journals. But with lots of reading and writing practice, she got a little better. Kristin lives near Nashville with her bouncy-loud family, and like her three dogs, she can be bribed with cheese.
Writing Workshop "Everyone's A Writer!" This session discusses a wide variety of storytelling, and shows students they're already using techniques and tactics that professional writers use: texting is writing dialogue, making to-do lists is like writing a first draft, and rereading a favorite story is revising - we reread a story for further understanding of theme and evolving emotion. In this workshop, we will participate in interactive storytelling, and then students will be given some tools to begin an "emoji graphic novel" of their own. In "Everyone's a Writer," we discuss how emphasizing craft over construction encourages EVERY writer to share his/her unique voice. I share WHY this is important by sharing my favorite quote: "Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter." Featured Books The Story Seeker (MS), The Story Collector (MS), A Dog Like Daisy (MS), John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy (MS), The 13th Sign (MS) 
Katy Upperman
Katy Upperman is a graduate of Washington State University and a former elementary school teacher. When Katy was in high school, she was more interested in books than dating, swam twice daily and, as a result, smelled constantly of chlorine, and danced onstage at a Korn concert -- wearing a lavender Polo shirt. Katy is the author of KISSING MAX HOLDEN, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US, and HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN.
Writing Workshop First Words For Teen Writers: Learn to appropriately critique a story in this interactive workshop. Participants are encouraged to submit their writing via email in advance, and YA author Katy Upperman will critique the first 250 words at the workshop. Works will be critiqued anonymously and with respect, so young writers can feel safe in submitting their stories. Attendees will leave the workshop knowing how to appropriately and respectfully critique their peers' work. Any pieces that are not critiqued during the session, due to time, will be returned with feedback to the author. Featured Books The Impossibility of Us (MS/HS) How the Light Gets In (upper MS/HS) 
Kasie WestKasie West is an award winning author with Harper Teen and Scholastic where she writes many many kissing scenes. She graduated from Fresno State University with a BA degree that has nothing to do with writing. She is the mother to four children and spends her days playing taxi driver or binge watching Netflix. She is an avid reader and thinks chocolate and/or naps are the answer to nearly every question.
Writing Workshop Kiss and Tell (The art of writing romance) Remember when you were a kid how you’d take Barbie and Ken’s head and smash them together because you had no idea how to kiss but you knew it must involve full facial contact? Sure there are times we’d love to just smash our characters faces together and get on with it, but writing a good romance involves so much more than that. Come find out the steps to writing compelling romance. Featured Books Moment of Truth (MS/HS) Maybe This Time (MS/HS) |
|
Authors & workshops |
|
Home
About Contact |
WHO ARE WE?
WE ARE A PUGET SOUND YOUNG WRITERS WORKSHOP DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SECONDARY STUDENTS AN AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE WITH THE AUTHORS THEY READ. |