Join Me in a Workshop

On August 28th and 29th, I'm going to be conducting a "weekend intensive" workshop.  And, oh, believe me.  I don't call it intensive for nothing.  Unlike many of my other workshops, this will be specifically geared to beginning and intermediate writers.  Think of it as a place to feel welcome no matter what your skill and experience level.  

It will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, with an hour lunch break both days. Each participant will receive no less than one hour of group attention to his or her work-in-progress (time a standard critique group just doesn’t have).  We’ll cover story arc, characterization, self-editing, dialogue, great beginnings, great voice.  If you’re brand new, and have never experienced a critique group, this weekend will help get you started.  If you’ve spent time in critique groups, it will help you make sense of the feedback you’ve been receiving.

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A New Video of...You?

My first one!I just...and I do mean just...got a terrific suggestion from a Facebook friend and fan.  A video slideshow featuring my readers.  After all, as I've said on more than one occasion, who's more important than my readers?  Without you, I'd be out of a job.

So, this will be very easy...for you.  Just send me a photo of yourself with one of my books.  Be straighforward, or highly creative.  It's up to you.  That's it.  I'll do the rest.  

Give me time with this, because it will take a while to gather enough photos.  But if you'll send 'em, I'll make it happen.  Count on it. 

In Search of Viral-ity

Familiar with Internet references to something "going viral"?  Here's hoping it's healthier than it sounds.

All I seem to have figured out for sure about viral-ness is that it happens to other people.  People with truly bizarre YouTube videos.  Celebrity stuff.  But today I decided to play a game to see how viral I can get a video to go.  I figure it's like changing the world.  You set out to change it a lot, but maybe miss the mark and change it a little.  But that's still good, right?  Small change is better than no change at all.

The video is the Love in the Present Tense video excerpt.

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The Offers Still Stand

Several months ago, I posted a blog making an offer.  I had just cleaned out a storage space full of books, mostly my first two small-press titles, Funerals for Horses and Earthquake Weather.  It didn't pay to keep storing them, but I didn't think I could fit them in my garage.  So I offered to give some away.

Well, with the help of many loyal readers and fans who sent stamped, self-addressed mail bags, plus a fundraiser for the new Cambria library in which I gave three of my early hardcovers to anyone who donated to the library fund...they fit.

But I'd still be happy to give a few away.

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