Presidents' Day Weekend, February 14-16, 2025 A Weekend For Words, September 15-17, 2023 Aim For Excellence, Spring, 2024
December 01, 2016

3rd Guest Speaker; The Writer’s Gig Reality

3rd Guest Speaker; The Writer’s Gig Reality

3rd Guest Speaker; The Writer’s Gig Reality

3rd Guest Speaker; The Writer’s Gig Reality

Matt Coyle is author of the hardboiled Rick Cahill Crime Thriller series, the first of which, Yesterday’s Echo, earned an Anthony Award, San Diego Book Award for Best Published Mystery and the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Silver Award. Library Journal called his sophomore effor[Click For The Rest...]
November 15, 2016

Why Write Now More Than Ever; Reality Check

Why Write Now More Than Ever; Reality Check

Why Write Now More Than Ever; Reality Check

Why Write Now More Than Ever; Reality Check

So often it is we judge literary success only by the quality of our rejection – Hey, they spelled my name right on the rejection letter! – that it’s easy to lose faith in one’s path to publication. In and of itself, even publication won’t guarantee less rejection from book critics and[Click For The Rest...]
November 14, 2016

A Book Worth Writing

A Book Worth Writing

A Book Worth Writing

A Book Worth Writing

So often it is we judge literary success only by the quality of our rejection – Hey, they spelled my name right on the rejection letter! – that it’s easy to lose faith in one’s path to publication. In and of itself, even publication won’t guarantee less rejection from book critics and[Click For The Rest...]
October 07, 2016

1st & 2nd Guest Speakers And Lotsa Good ‘Muse’

1st & 2nd Guest Speakers And Lotsa Good ‘Muse’

1st & 2nd Guest Speakers And Lotsa Good ‘Muse’

1st & 2nd Guest Speakers And Lotsa Good ‘Muse’

Our extended Presidents’ Day Weekend conference takes place February 17-20, 2017. With over five-dozen workshops–including “Rogue” read & critique sessions that often go way, way late into the early morning hours–for the writer devoted to being the best storyteller s/h[Click For The Rest...]
August 01, 2016

Pre-registration Open; Upskill, Inform, Inspire

Pre-registration Open; Upskill, Inform, Inspire

Pre-registration Open; Upskill, Inform, Inspire

Pre-registration Open; Upskill, Inform, Inspire

And we’re off! Discounted Early “Bard” Pre-registration is now open for our 31st annual winter conference. Do so by September 1, 2016 and save a whopping $125 on Full Conference attendance. While well over six months away, plenty of trusted, familiar friends are already aboard. Regula[Click For The Rest...]
March 29, 2016

Give the Reader a Reason

Give the Reader a Reason

Give the Reader a Reason

Give the Reader a Reason

Why? It’s the most important question in writing; the one I hear most during the run-up to a conference. Usually it’s about material going to advance submission readers. “Why can I only submit the first 10 or 15 pages of my manuscript?” I’m asked. “Why not more?” Fair questions. Warra[Click For The Rest...]
February 18, 2016

SD30 Awards, Wrap And Celebration

SD30 Awards, Wrap And Celebration

SD30 Awards, Wrap And Celebration

SD30 Awards, Wrap And Celebration

There are gifts assigned to notable anniversaries. For a 30th it’s “pearl,” traditionally. Being mildly superstitious, having always heard that “pearls bring tears,” we elected to eschew any pearl motif at this past weekend’s celebration as there are often too many tears in one’s life[Click For The Rest...]
January 25, 2016

Premature E-Publication And Beyond; Where Good Books End

Premature E-Publication And Beyond; Where Good Books End

Premature E-Publication And Beyond; Where Good Books End

Premature E-Publication And Beyond; Where Good Books End

Just in time for SD30, David Putnam’s third Bruno Johnson novel, The Squandered, is out Feb. 2nd from Oceanview. “[A] shocking and intense tale of brotherly love and redemption realized in the midst of moral decay. It’s a raw and gritty story I couldn’t put down,R[Click For The Rest...]
November 25, 2015

Back To Craft; More Workshop Leaders And Speakers Confirmed

Back To Craft; More Workshop Leaders And Speakers Confirmed

Back To Craft; More Workshop Leaders And Speakers Confirmed

Back To Craft; More Workshop Leaders And Speakers Confirmed

Of her latest Booklist attests, “The collection spans time and geography and encompasses politics, the arts, and finance to offer a fascinating look at the sisterhood of the women behind famous men.” Daily Press effuses, “[She] does more than profile 40 members of th[Click For The Rest...]
October 28, 2015

Two New Guest Speakers Aboard, New Workshops, Books Abound

Two New Guest Speakers Aboard, New Workshops, Books Abound

Two New Guest Speakers Aboard, New Workshops, Books Abound

Two New Guest Speakers Aboard, New Workshops, Books Abound

New York Times best-selling author of The Prince of Risk, Rules of Deception, Rules of Vengeance, Rules of Betrayal, Numbered Account, The Runner, among other thrillers, Christopher Reich will be joining us as a Special Guest Speaker for SD30. His latest, the standalone Invasion of Pr[Click For The Rest...]