Writing Retreat by Annette Dashofy

Last weekend, I joined six of my local Sisters in Crime for our annual retreat. For four years now, we’ve rented the same house, which is literally out in the middle of nowhere, for a couple of days of writing, brainstorming, and workshopping our current projects. 

Our Retreat House

We arrived on Friday afternoon, loaded with enough food to feed a small army. The first hours were spent unloading the food and our gear, drawing cards to determine which room was ours, and lots of gabbing and catching up with each other. 

My bedroom for the weekend

In the weeks leading up to the retreat, we’d created a meal plan with a spreadsheet of who brought what. I always pick Friday’s dinner as my contribution. I brought Naan bread with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella for individual pizzas. There were also a couple of cauliflower-crust pizzas to accommodate those who are gluten-intolerant.

Once the kitchen was cleaned up, we gathered with our laptops in the comfy living room for a read-and-critique session. For this, we’d submitted twenty pages several weeks in advance to give us time to read and make comments, which we shared and discussed in person. It was also a wonderful way to find out what everyone was working on, and in the case of a couple of new members, to learn how we could help improve their craft as needed. 

For Saturday, another attendee provided quiche and frittatas for breakfast. Then, after a few hours of retreating to our solitary spaces to write, I offered the first half of a workshop on characters. In past years, various attendees have shared presentations. And one year, we opted to have a JUST WRITING retreat. I stressed that the workshops were optional. If anyone preferred to pass and simply keep writing, my feelings weren’t hurt at all. 

A third attendee took charge of a lunch of soup and sandwiches. The afternoon was more writing, the second half of the workshop, and even more writing. A fourth attendee prepared a pasta dinner for us. 

There was a lot of pairing off to discuss plot, character, dialogue problems, etc. It’s so gratifying to see someone, who discovered a major problem in their story during the critique, appear smiling and excited later in the weekend because they had figured out the solution! 

Sunday, our own Martha Reed played short-order breakfast cook, whipping up a variety of egg dishes or steel-cut oats. 

(The other attendees, who didn’t cook, brought snacks and wine and beverages and more snacks. We had enough food to stay the whole week!)

 By the way, if you’re wondering why my pictures don’t include our retreaters, it’s because none of us were photo-ready. Our dress code was pajamas or yoga pants and NO MAKEUP. 

I hope everyone headed home late Sunday morning as inspired as I was. 

Fellow writers and readers, have you ever attended a retreat, writing or otherwise? If so, tell us about it!

 

 

 

 

 

  

Do You Believe in Serendipity? - By Judy L. Murray

…In good karma? Or is it just coincidence? Jane Marple considers coincidence suspect, often deliberate. Yet I’ve decided as writers we experience ‘accidental’ moments quite often.

Last week my husband and I took a quick two-night trip. We were hungry for a bit of adventure before a big surgery. I picked a large historic B&B in Connecticut. It turned out to be the perfect choice. Charming, immaculate, and with delightful touches. But within hours he was under the weather. I was left to myself while he slept through the two days.

Restless and alone, I tucked into a tiny side room on the B&B’s first floor when a small dark-haired woman looked in. “I’m sorry, I was curious about this spot. I didn’t mean to intrude.” She smiled. I smiled back. “Of course not,” I replied. “My husband is sleeping. I’m returning a few calls.” The woman lifted two wine glasses in her hand. “My friends and I are in the fireplace room. Do you want to join us?” I began to protest, then stopped. “That’s so nice of you. I think I will.”

Which leads me to the subject of ‘community’ and how karma can pull us together at just the right time. The definition is ‘a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society’.

In mysteries, authors tend to place their protagonist within their own imagined community. It might be Port Anne, a small Maryland town on the Chesapeake in my series. Perhaps a community is like the famous Jane Marple’s St. Mary Mead or Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove. It’s not just geography. Community incorporates characters’ work, personal hobbies, the styles and ages of their houses, even the weather. It becomes a shared commonality that binds residents together or perhaps drives them apart.

The term community is an important means for building reader attachment. Good writers inspire their readers to feel emotionally connected to their characters. Certainly in a series, fans anticipate the next book because of their evolving affection for a circle of characters. We laugh at the silly ones, root for those fighting crime, and cheer at the conclusion.

Writing can feel lonely. Yet we also know our characters become our special community of friends while we create their story. And the real people we meet when we’re out and about can provide us encouragement. Readers send me photos of my books on coffee tables, book shelves, beach chairs, and tote bags. They drive an hour and a half from home to purchase their signed copy at a signing. Their efforts to reach out touches my heart. It leaves me grateful. They become a vast community that keeps me writing.

Do you have an incident where karma or coincidence evolved into building your readership community? I wonder if our readers know how important they are to us or influence our stories.

Judy

Author, The Chesapeake Bay Mysteries Series

Writers Retreat Weekend by Annette Dashofy

 Last weekend was our Sisters in Crime chapter’s annual retreat. Over the decades, we’ve done a variety of retreats at a variety of locations. The first few I attended were held at a member’s family lodge at Deep Creek, Maryland. It was great until that member left the chapter. 

When we revived the retreat, we moved it to Paddler’s Lane in Confluence, Pennsylvania. We were there for one year: The Writers Retreat and Flood. Our spring event fell on a weekend following a heavy snow, a fast thaw, and lots of rain. You can read about it here. https://annettedashofy.blogspot.com/2010/03/2010-confluence-writers-retreat-and.html 

No one really wanted to push our luck by going back, so the next year, we moved to another rental house in Confluence—That Dam Yough House. And we moved it to October. While we didn’t have a flood, we did have excitement when we locked ourselves out. Yes, I blogged about that one, too.https://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-many-crime-writers-does-it-take.html 

Despite the focus on our “adventures” in those blog posts, we really did accomplish a lot of writing. And cramming a bunch of crime writers into a single home created some wonderful bonds of friendship. 

In the years that followed, we held another couple of retreats at That Dam Yough House until the owners decided to stop renting their property and move into it themselves. We bounced around for a while, and then the retreat kind of fizzled. 

Two years ago, we decided to revive it. Our chapter treasurer at the time, Carole Jones, found the Mountain Ridge Retreat house and we fell in love with it. This year was our third visit there. 

View from the porch

Located in the middle of nowhere in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, this is the perfect property to capture some fall foliage and to soak in the serenity and quiet while pounding out the pages. 

My writing spot

Liz Milliron's "office" for the 
weekend

Michelle Belan picked
a comfy spot to write

We did have our annual “adventure.” Another flood! This was a small one though, produced not by snowmelt but by a dishwasher malfunction. Towels solved the problem. Hand washing our dishes from then on prevented a recurrence. 

I had “planned” to stream a couple of webinars on marketing for writers on Saturday. But when I say “middle of nowhere,” I mean it. We could get a good enough signal for email, but not for streaming. After much effort, we gave up and returned to writing. 

Other activities include eating, drinking champagne, a read and critique session on Friday evening, and on Saturday night, sitting around talking and laughing. And bonding. 

I love the amount of uninterrupted writing time we have and how productive I am while there. But getting to know my fellow Sisters in Crime so much better is really the high point for me. 

Fellow writers, have you ever attended a writing retreat? Feel free to share your experiences. And readers, have you done other kinds of retreats? Did you enjoy them?

 

Making Meaningful Writing Associations

 by Paula Gail Benson

             As writers starting out, we often seek writing groups in our community to learn, network, and develop additional contacts. I’ve mentioned in several posts that when I began getting serious about writing, I traveled with a friend an hour and a half from Columbia, South Carolina, to go to meetings in Charleston because a group met there that offered craft workshops. At the time, it was the only opportunity I had to receive that kind of information and interact with other writers.

             Now, thanks to virtual meeting capabilities, it can be valuable to belong to numerous groups, whether or not they are based in your geographic location. Joseph S. Walker, an incredibly talented writer who has won the Bill Crider Award at the Dallas Bouchercon, twice won the Al Blanchard award, been nominated for an Edgar, and now serves as President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, became a member of several Sisters in Crime chapters in order to submit stories to the anthologies they sponsored. Not only has his work been published in those books, but also it has appeared in other periodicals and anthologies as well as several volumes of The Best Mystery Stories of the Year.

             Being part of the online Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime introduced me to a community that respects and encourages short story writers. Through the Guppies’ short story critique group, I received valuable comments on my own work and met folks I now consider close friends. This year, I’ve had stories accepted by Kaye George for two anthologies she edited. Kaye and I also gave a presentation on plotting short stories at a day-long program given in Decatur, Georgia. Another participant in that program was Debra H. Goldstein. Kaye and Debra remain touchstones I rely upon for writing advice. In addition, they are exceptional cheerleaders when support is needed!

             Debra and I belong to the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime. Chesapeake has a solid reputation for its anthologies as well as an incredibly experienced and talented membership. It offers monthly programs that give insight into craft and law enforcement procedure.

             A few years ago, I virtually met the President of the Capitol Crimes Chapter of Sisters in Crime based in Sacramento, California, Sonja Hazzard-Webster. We first connected through email and then participated in a virtual meeting held by then Sisters in Crime President Lori Rader-Day. Sonja’s enthusiasm was contagious. We talked about a joint program with Capitol Crimes and the Palmetto Chapter, based in Columbia, S.C. Sadly, Sonja passed away suddenly on June 15, 2020, but the idea of a joint program lived on through the Capitol Crimes presidencies of Penny Manson and Sarah Bresniker and the Palmetto Chapter presidency of Carla Damron and became a reality. Our Killer Workshop, offering both in-person (in California) and virtual options, with Gregg Hurwitz as the keynote, was held on May 14, 2022.

             Since that experience, I’ve continued to be a member of the Capitol Crimes Chapter and am delighted to have been elected to its board. For years, we’ve teased about how we only know each other through our phone and computer screens. But, this year, a few of us attended Killer Nashville and were able to spend time together in person. I commend this group for its dedication in offering valuable programs and retreat opportunities. I’ve also learned a lot from them about mystery writing events that take place on the west coast. I hope one day I’ll be able to meet with them in Sacramento.

             What writing organizations do you belong to and why do you recommend being a member?

 

Taking the Stage by Annette Dashofy

As writers, we spend most of our time in solitude, our characters’ words bouncing inside our heads and (if we’re lucky) pouring from our fingers onto the page. Occasionally, we may gather for writing group meetings in person or on Zoom. And we have social media and blogs to get an idea of what each other is writing. Rarely do we stand in front of an audience to read our stories out loud (unless we’re lucky enough to have a book released and are invited to speak at a bookstore or library). 

Even more rare are the opportunities to join with a group of fellow authors and not only read to them but also get to listen to them read to us. 

Last weekend, my Pittsburgh Chapter of Sisters in Crime held what has become an annual event. It started as a reading salon several years ago. Then the pandemic hit and…well…you know. 

A year ago, we decided to revive the salon. Other cities held similar events and called them Noir at the Bar held, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, at a bar. Let’s try that, I thought. Susan Thibadeau, an award-winning short story author and a good friend, took up the challenge. The problem came when we couldn’t find a local bar that was suitable. They either weren’t interested (fools) or charged too much (have they not heard the term “struggling artist?”) or the setting was too noisy. We ended up in the meeting room of a large library and called it Noir NOT at the Bar. It was fun, but not quite what we envisioned. 

This year, we tried again. Martha Reed had returned to the Burgh and graciously agreed to work with Susan on the project as well as be our emcee. They chose the Word Cellar at City of Asylum’s Alphabet City as our venue. Although a previous salon had been held there, I wasn’t able to attend that one, so it was a new and wonderful location to me. With a small dining area on the main floor (we were in the basement, hence Word Cellar) that served adult beverages, we dubbed our program Noir Under the Bar. 

Award-winning Pittsburgh author
Kathleen George shares from new book

We had fourteen authors ranging from multi-published to pre-published give eight-to-ten-minute readings from their works. There was poetry, short stories, samples from works-in-progress, and scenes from already published novels. There were spy thrillers, suspense, police procedurals, detectives, historicals, young adult, and cozies. And a few that defy pigeon-holes. 

As one of those who took the stage, I can attest just how scary it can be to put yourself and your story on display like that. Ordinarily, we put our words out into the world for readers to sit quietly and absorb. But here, we had to speak! We had to choke back our nerves and give voice to our characters and stories.

Emcee Martha Reed gives a fun
reading from Up Jumped the Devil

As a member of the audience as well, I have to tell you, there is some serious talent in Pittsburgh.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s reading salon (no matter what we call it). And I have to recommend that you attend a Noir at the Bar if one comes to your town. 

Have you ever participated in or attended a group reading? If you have, share a little about your experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Connect with Your Local Public Library

I've invited two guests today, Susan Hammerman and Cari Dubiel. Both have served with me as Sisters in Crime’s National Library Liaison and they have a wealth of information and advice to share with authors eager to connect with libraries. Susan interviewed Cari and got her helpful tips on how published and aspiring authors can connect with their local libraries, get their books added to local library collections, and pitch great topics for public programs. Cari is a published author and the Assistant Director of Twinsburg Public Library in Twinsburg, Ohio, and Susan is a published short-story writer, former rare books librarian, and coordinator of SINC's We Love Libraries program.

Thank you for joining us! xo Shari

 

Published authors want to get their books on library shelves and in the hands of library patrons. What should they do to get their novels added to a library’s collection?

A writer should come in and ask for the name of the person who handles collection development for the library. Making a personal connection with the collection development librarian will really help you. Tell them about your book, where it falls, and a little about yourself. If you’re not comfortable starting the conversation in person, you could begin by sending an email to introduce yourself.

 

Which Libraries Should Published Authors Target?

Your local public libraries, where your books will be popular and circulate. It’s better to contact the libraries around you—near where you live or where you’re from, where there’s an obvious connection to you or your book.

 

 What about a broader approach? Should authors reach out to as many libraries as possible through cold calling, mass email, or bulk mailing?

I probably won’t buy a book based on a blind mailing, a cold call, or an email that went to every library in the country. There is nothing about it that would hook me in. I have to spend a lot of my budget on bestsellers. In order for me to be interested in a backlist title, I have to have a personal or direct connection to the book or the author. I have limited money to work with, but if I see a title set in or around Twinsburg or from a local author, I usually buy it. There’s an author who grew up in Twinsburg, who now lives in Georgia. His reaching out to me to tell me about his book made sense. He has a real connection to our library.

 

 A local public library can’t purchase every published book. What should authors, especially indie and self-published authors, do to confirm their books fall within the scope of a library’s collection?

Read your library’s collection policy to make sure your novel fits. The collection policy describes what the library purchases. The policy should be posted on the library’s website. If it isn’t posted on the website, explain to the librarian that you’re an author, and ask for a printed copy of it.

 

 What else can published authors do to connect with their local library?

Think about what you can do for the library, like offering to lead a public program for them.

 

 What are some ideas for public programs that authors could suggest?

Think of broader topics that are tied to your book and would have public appeal. An author who writes a cozy series about garage sales asked me for ideas, and I suggested she have a program on how to get the best deals at garage sales. Everyone would come to that. My books have codes and cryptography. I could have a program where I talk about the history of cryptography and ciphers.

 

You had to research something when you were writing your book. Think about whether you could turn that research into a public program. Ask your local public librarians. Find out what’s popular.

 

 What about writing-related topics?

Those programs are really popular. Patrons like hearing about an author’s writing journey. I also had success with a program where the author talked about the difference between traditional and indie publishing.

 

 What about authors trying to get their local libraries to host their book signings?

Unless you’re famous, a library probably isn’t going to host a book signing for your book. Solo book signings usually do not do well. You could do all the PR in the world, and unless you have a huge investment in it and a big network of your own, you’re not going to get people to attend it. If the library is willing to do it for you, then you need to make sure people show up.

 

Not all libraries have them, but if your library has an author fair (Twinsburg does, and it’s very popular), then try to get included in that instead.

 

Should aspiring authors try to connect with their local librarians or is it better to wait until they have published books?

You should try to get to know your local librarians—but in an authentic, genuine way. Ask the librarians about themselves. Get to know them. You could ask them for recommendations for comp titles for your manuscript, which would allow you to describe your work, or ask for recommendations for books on writing craft. Another option is to attend public programs you’re interested in. Also, if your local library has a writers’ group, go to it, and share your successes.

Interested in more insider information about libraries and bookstores? Sign up for the Sisters in Crime We Love Newsletters. You don't have to be a member of Sisters in Crime to receive it. Here's the link: https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/WLLWLBNewsletters 

 

 

Susan Hammerman, a former rare book librarian, is the Library Liaison and coordinator of the We Love Libraries program. Susan writes crime and neo-noir short stories. Her stories have appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Magazine, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Blood and Bourbon, Retreats From Oblivion, and the Stories (Within) anthology. Website and Twitter

 

Cari Dubiel is the Assistant Director at Twinsburg Public Library in Ohio. She was the Library Liaison for the National SinC board from 2012-2017 and remains active in the Northeast Ohio chapter (NEOSinC). Her short stories appear in several anthologies, the most recent being Family (Writing Bloc, 2022). Cari is represented by Lynnette Novak of the Seymour Agency. Cari offers an exclusive work for her fans and followers, HOW TO REMEMBER, an award winner from the Mystery Writers of America (Midwest Chapter) and Library Journal. Get a free copy at caridubiel.com.

 

Website: https://www.caridubiel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caridubielauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/caridubiel

 

Readers, have you visited your local library lately?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retreating by Annette Dashofy

When last I posted here, I was about to retreat into Book Jail, my self-imposed confinement aimed at pounding out pages on my works in progress. That’s how I spent all of September, and my stint in lockup was a success. I finished revisions on one manuscript and sent it off to my editor. I finished drafting a second manuscript and sent it off to my beta readers. And I started drafting a third manuscript and managed to get a lot accomplished. 

Once the calendar turned to October, however, I had to step out of my incarceration and attend a few book events to keep my face in front of the readers. I continued to draft manuscript #3, only at a slower pace. And my beta readers sent me their notes, so I had to pull manuscript #2 out again and start rewriting. 

Last weekend, my Pittsburgh Chapter of Sisters in Crime held our “annual” writing retreat. 

To clarify, it’s been several years since we had an “annual” retreat. Even pre-pandemic, the tradition had fallen by the wayside. But with some new blood on board, interest sparked, and we made it happen. 

Mountain Ridge Retreat is a rental property out in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania. Literally. Out in the middle of NOWHERE. If you don’t bring it with you, you’re going to have to drive twenty miles to buy it.

Our view from the front porch

Which pretty much describes where I live, so it was fine. 

The house was beautiful. Clean. Well-kept. There were five bedrooms. We had five retreaters. Perfect. All five of us get along great, so sharing the three bathrooms was no problem at all.

My bedroom at the retreat house

The trees were bursting in autumn colors. Deer and chipmunks paid us regular visits. The weekend consisted of everyone catching up on our various writing adventures, eating, writing, sitting on the porch, eating, writing, workshopping our manuscripts, eating, writing, watching a webinar with Luci Zahray AKA The Poison Lady, eating, writing, drinking wine, and more writing. We did much of this in our pajamas or yoga pants.

Watching SinC's webinar with "The Poison Lady"

In other words, it was Writer’s Heaven. 

And in case you’re wondering why there are no photos of us, see the above sentence regarding attire. 

We started the retreat with a critique session Friday night. We’d sent pages in advance and gathered near the blazing fireplace to share our comments. It was fun to see what our little group was working on.

 

Our gathering spot for
retreat critiques

I led one short workshop on the Villain’s Story Saturday morning. It’s always gratifying when teaching something like this, to see everyone with their heads bent over their laptops and their fingers flying during the writing exercises. I thought it would inspire anyone who was stuck with their plots, and I think it did. 

I had set a goal for myself prior to heading to the retreat house and am happy to announce I surpassed it. 

That’s not to say I finished either manuscript #2 or manuscript #3, but I feel confident both deadlines will be met. 

After all, NaNoWriMo begins in a little over a week. 

Fellow readers and writers, have you ever taken part in a work-related retreat? Or a non-work-related one? Share your experiences, please. 

Killin’ It During a Killer Weekend

 

by Paula Gail Benson

 Following are the words of Penny Manson, Past President, Capitol Crimes Chapter of Sisters in Crime:

Once upon a time there were two Sisters in Crime (SinC) Board members. They lived on opposite sides of the United States, in different SinC Chapters even in different time zones. One lived in Sacramento, California, (The Capitol Crimes Chapter) the other in Columbia, South Carolina (The Palmetto Chapter).

Sonja Hazzard-Webster 

The Sacramento Chapter had lost their President and they were very sad. The Board member from South Carolina had been friends with their President and she was sad too. She helped out the new President and they became friends.

It happened that a great pandemic had taken over the land and many SinC Chapters were undergoing changes. Some lost many members and even their chapters as the period of the great Zoom came over the land. As time passed the two SinC Board members began to see how the differences in each of their individual chapters could add up to strengths when combined together.

It’s been a real privilege for me to get to work with Penny (she’s the Capitol Crimes member and I’m the Palmetto Chapter member) on the in-person and virtual Killer Workshop that took place this past Saturday, May 14, 2022. In addition, the village that made this project a reality included: (1) the members of the Capitol Crimes board, Sarah Bresniker (President), Jennifer Morita (Vice President), Karen Phillips (Secretary), James L’Etoile (Treasurer), and members-at-large Richard Meredith and Terry Shepherd; (2) the members of the Palmetto board, Carla Damron (President), Yasmin Angoe (Secretary), and Cathy Blake (Treasurer); and (3) the workshop committee, Jessica Cline, Chris Dreith, Rae Franklin James, James L’Etoile, Jennifer Morita, Karen Phillips, and Marie Sutro.

Gregg Hurwitz and Dana Kaye

Previously, I’ve written about this endeavor in the Stiletto Gang and Writers Who Kill. This event had two different venues (one in Sacramento and the other online) and two different schedules. In Sacramento, participants could chose between two programs for part of the day. Online, we had three wonderful panels expertly moderated and facilitated by Dana Kaye.

Our one shared segment was the keynote interview with New York Times #1 internationally best selling author Gregg Hurwitz.

And, here is why an effort like this requires a village and some flexible planning. Originally, Gregg planned to be in-person at the Sacramento venue, but on Monday prior to the event we learned that he had contracted Covid. With Gregg’s willingness, Dana Kaye’s assistance, and Charles (our in-person audio-visual coordinator) Gregg’s interview was conducted through the online Crowdcast format and simultaneously made available to all the registrants.

On the bright side, Gregg answered Dana’s and registrants’ questions from a desk where he had a “floating” aloe vera plant given to him in recognition of the consecutive aloe vera plants named Vera that his character Evan Smoak, Orphan X, has in his office.

When asked about his writing practice, Gregg indicated he began each day tackling the first draft. About his writing style, he said, “I need to keep the possibility of discovery on every page.”

Dana and Sarah -- Opening the Event

The in-person program featured authors Dr. Ellen Kirschman, Cara Black, Simon Woods, Eileen Rendahl, Claire Booth, Kris Calvin, James L’Etoile, and Quan Huynh. Rick Nickel, a crime scene professional; publishing industry expert Karen Phillips; and special guest District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who spoke about resolving the Golden State Killer case using genetic genealogy, also appeared live.

D.A. Anne  Marie Schubert
Photo by Lynda Pearson Markham

Penny Manson described some of the highlights from the in-person program:

The speakers had insights for the readers of their books and for writers who aspired to create their own work. Kris Calvin, another victim of COVID, was not well enough to attend but provided attendees with a downloadable copy of her presentation, “Your First Novel: How to Finish Writing it & Sell it When You Do!” as well as a copy of her first book which she referenced in the presentation.

What struck me the most listening to the speakers was how knowledgeable, willing to share, and generous they were with tips, insights, and suggestions. Everyone found items of interest. Most of all, I laughed, a lot, but it wasn’t all fun and games. I don’t see how anyone could not have been moved when DA Anne Marie Schubert talked about the human toll of a violent offender like the Golden State Killer and what drove her to use this new tool to not only punish the criminal but free those wrongfully accused. Ryan Nickel from the Sacramento Crime lab followed her on the schedule and was simply put, fascinating to hear talk further about the science and technology they use now and will develop in the future. (Don’t even get started talking about what cell phones can tell us about tracking bad actors, finding dead bodies, and lost children.)

Ryan Nickel
Photo by Lynda Pearson Markham

Finally, an informal panel of all the speakers (except Cara Black who had to leave early) took questions from the audience and spoke frankly about their experiences concerning “What interesting things are currently on your browser?” and “Where do you get ideas for characters?” and “How do you conduct the business of writing” and “Are you making any money?”

All in all, it was an incredible day with a fabulous lunch from Panera’s and our own little Book Store thanks to Face in a Book.

Face in a Book, located in El Dorado Hills, California, also provided a book store for the virtual audience.

In the virtual program, a panel of lawyer mystery writers, Debra H. Goldstein, Roger Johns, and Wanda Morris, spoke about how legal training and writing taught practitioners about the value of effective storytelling. Debra mentioned that lawyers “like to play with words.” Roger talked about being like a crow “picking up items for the nest.” Wanda said that lawyers were good explainers and she had to learn how to give the bits and pieces without explaining so much.

Wanda Morris, Debra H. Goldstein, and Roger Johns 

The second virtual panel of Yasmin Angoe, E.A. Aymar (Ed), and Carla Damron dealt with the difficult topic of how to portray sex trafficking in fiction. They all said they were inspired to write about the topic after hearing victims speak and demonstrate true bravery. Audience member Sue Husman wrote in the chat room that she needed to hurry home to warn her nieces about what she had learned.

Finally, a panel of authors who co-write with other authors spoke about their experiences being part of a team and the balance that must be achieved. Specifically, Robin Burcell collaborated with Clive Cussler on his Fargo novels; Terrie Farley Moran worked with Laura Childs on her scrapbooking cozies and now writes the Jessica Fletcher, Murder She Wrote novels; and Charles Todd, with his mother Caroline, penned the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford series.

Carla Damron, Yasmin Angoe, and E.A. Aymar

This is how Penny Manson concluded her explanation of our joint endeavor:

And that is how the Killer Workshop came to be. One, both Virtual and In Person, event with great speakers appealing to both reader and writer alike. Just like a true family of siblings, greater than the sum of their individual parts they came up with a way for SinC Chapters of all sizes to carry out joint projects and be better together than they are apart.

Not “The End”

“Hopefully A Beginning”

Thank you, Penny and all the folks at Capitol Crimes and Palmetto for encouraging this project. It’s been a learning process and worthwhile achievement. I think Sonja Hazzard-Webster, the President of Capitol Crimes who brought us together would be proud. I certainly consider it a part of her legacy.

Charles Todd, Robin Burcell, and Terrie Farley Moran

James L’Etoile, and Quan Huynh
Photo by Lynda Pearson Markham

Dana Kaye and Carla Damron

A Tale of Two Chapters: Planning an In-Person and Virtual Workshop, Part Two

 by Paula Gail Benson

Yesterday, in my post on The Stiletto Gang, I described meeting Sonja Hazzard-Webster and later Penny Manson, who have served as Presidents of the Capitol Crimes Chapter of Sisters in Crime (based in Sacramento, California). In particular, Penny Manson and I began discussions about how the Capitol Crimes Chapter could collaborate with my local chapter, Palmetto (based in Columbia, S.C.), to present a workshop. We thought it would be a great way of celebrating Sisters in Crime’s 35^th anniversary.

Capitol Crimes had experience in presenting its Killer Workshop in-person prior to the pandemic.

Palmetto Chapter had presented its Mystery in the Midlands Conference in-person until the pandemic, when we were forced to convert to a virtual format.

Due to my association with Sonja Hazzard-Webster (see yesterday’s Stiletto Gang post), I decided to join Capitol Crimes. This year, I found myself in the lovely, yet daunting position of serving on the boards of both Capitol Crimes and Palmetto Chapters. I’m delighted that Penny Manson continues to serve the Capitol Crimes Chapter as its President Emeritus.

Penny Manson

So, how do two chapters on opposite sides of the country collaborate to create a workshop? Very carefully.

First, I want to express my gratitude to the two chapter boards, whose members were supportive of the concept and brought good questions to the table about how to accomplish it. The Capitol Crimes board includes: Sarah Bresniker (President), Jennifer Morita (Vice President), Karen Phillips (Secretary), James L’Etoile (Treasurer), and members-at-large Richard Meredith and Terry Shepherd. The Palmetto board includes: Carla Damron (President), Yasmin Angoe (Secretary), and Cathy Blake (Treasurer).

Sarah Bresniker

Second, I thank Penny Manson, our fearless workshop committee leader, and our workshop committee members who include: Jessica Cline, Chris Dreith, Rae Franklin James, James L’Etoile, Jennifer Morita, Karen Phillips, and Marie Sutro. All these folks have worked tirelessly to bring together the necessary elements to make this double event possible.

How is it a double event, you may ask? It is part in-person and part virtual.

If you are in the Sacramento area, you can attend a day-long program at Rancho Cordovo City Hall. The presenters will include: authors Dr. Ellen Kirschman, Cara Black, Simon Woods, Eileen Rendahl, Claire Booth, Kris Calvin, James L’Etoile, and Quan Huynh; Rick Nickel, a crime scene professional; publishing industry experts Karen Phillips and Terry Shepherd; and special guest District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who will speak about resolving the Golden State Killer case using genetic genealogy.

Carla Damron

For those not close enough to attend in-person, there is a great virtual option featuring three panels of distinguished and entertaining authors. Attorneys Debra H. Goldstein, Roger Johns, and Wanda Morris will share their experiences as mystery authors. Yasmin Angoe, E.A. Aymar, and Carla Damron will discuss how they wrote about sex trafficking in fiction. Robin Burcell, Terrie Farley Moran, and Charles Todd, all having been co-authors, will talk about writing with a partner.

The two events will share a fabulous keynote: the New York Times #1 internationally bestselling author of 23 thrillers, including the ORPHAN X series, Gregg Hurwitz. With experience writing screenplays, poetry, and articles, as well as novels, Gregg’s insight and observations will inspire both writers and readers.

Planning an event like this has hundreds of elements to be checked and coordinated. From the in-person aspects of arranging rooms and providing lunch to the long distance concerns of making certain that video and audio connections work, it’s a major production. The terrific added benefit is that two chapters, one large and the other small, learn from each other and get to introduce their members to wider audiences.

Gregg Hurwitz

And, we hope many of you will join us!

Early bird registration rates are available for the Killer Workshop through March 31, 2022. For the in-person event, members pay $65 and nonmembers $80. After March 31, members pay $75 and nonmembers $90.

For the virtual event, the early bird rate is $25. After March 31, the virtual event rate is $35. (NOTE: the virtual event is available for viewing until July 31, 2022.)

Here’s a link to register for the Killer Workshop (in-person or virtual): https://capitolcrimes.wildapricot.org/Workshop

By checking out the information about the Killer Workshop, you can sign up for a dream editing giveaway at: https://capitolcrimes.wildapricot.org/Dream-Editing-Giveaway (If you register for the workshop, you are automatically entered in the giveaway!)

So, what are you doing on Saturday, May 14, 2022? Why not consider registering for the Killer Workshop?

Creating While in a Community by Jennifer J. Chow

There’s a myth that writers create in a vacuum. We lock ourselves in our rooms and toil away with a pen or a typewriter or a computer. While words are often written alone (though not always—there are co-authors after all), the truth is we create in a community.

For example, I’m lucky to be part of a weekly critique group. We used to meet in person at a local coffeeshop but are now connecting virtually. My writing buddies and I spur one another on by offering both praise and sharp insight. We’ve been challenging and encouraging each other so long that sometimes our work blurs in minor ways—we often have similar themes or come up with the same character names.

 

The craft of writing is also honed by collaborative study. Beyond books and webinars done by myself, I’ve participated in writing courses at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. The lessons I received there came not only from the instructor but also through valuable feedback from peers. (On a side note, many members of my above critique group also took classes at UCLA, and a few of them even first met in the classroom.)

 

Community isn’t always confined to a local area, though. I’m happy to connect with writers in different geographic locations through various groups. Sisters in Crime is one such fabulous organization. Designed to provide support and encouragement, this international and inclusive community is for all who write and love crime fiction, mystery, thrillers, and suspense.

 

Members of Sisters in Crime have always been welcoming to me, whether by greeting me at conferences or even providing me with blurbs for my books! In fact, I’m so grateful to the organization that I’ve decided to give back and volunteer as Vice President of Sisters in Crime.

 

I’m very thankful to connect with others as I create. How has community impacted your life, in writing or otherwise?