Celebrated journalist and author Caitlin Rother returns with her latest. Chronicling the true story behind the rape and murder of two San Diego area teenagers by a previously convicted sociopath, the Los Angeles Times calls Lost Girls, “a deeply reported, dispassionately written attempt to determine what created that monster and predator. It is a cautionary tale and a horror story, done superbly by a writer who knows how to burrow into a complex case without becoming captive to her sources.”
Two of Caitlin’s other books were ranked in True Crime Book Review’s Top 10 True Crime Books of 2011: Dead Reckoning and Deadly Devotion, which she co-authored with Alysia Sofios. Where most writers conjure up fictional criminals and fabricate a story, Caitlin, a Pulitzer nominee, looks unflinchingly into the eyes of madness and writes to the core of those impacted by it.
Working Schedule Up
Still lots of massaging to be done to February’s schedule, but plenty of workshops are now plugged in to specifically address the most crucial concerns of writers today. Among some of the newer, necessary sessions added are former globe-trotting federal agent Michael R. Shevock’s “Going Foreign: Wtg. the Reality of Diplomatic Service,” which, as he’s proven in the past, will no doubt make your head explode. Novelist Janis Thomas introduces “What’s Driving You? Plot vs. Character in Writing Fiction”–an especially important one because too many allow their books to derail simply by not understanding the difference.
Given the massive explosion in popularity of all things paranormal romance, Linda Thomas-Sundstrom’s dubuting “Romancing the Monster and Keeping It Real.” And on the “Do Yourself Independence” front, Marla Miller’s “Your Author Bio, Media Copy and PR Package” will be a must-attend as I can’t even begin to tell you how authors, regardless of how they’re published, undermine their credibility and opportunities by not bothering or not knowing how to do this.
Good Muse and More
Quick round up of recent SCWC success… ZOVA Books reports that SCWC director Wes Albers’ debut novel, Black & White, is the house’s first bestseller on iTunes in the police procedurals category. Guess that kind’ve make Wes a rockstar… After a too-long of break, Alan Russell’s latest, Burning Man, has broken through the Amazon Author Bestseller List (top 100 Kindle sales) and climbed to number eight… Stacey O’Brien reports that her wonderfully engaging, international sensation, Wesley The Owl (discovered at our LA4 event), is now officially a longterm “superstar backlister” for publisher Free Press. Talk about the little book that could… And, finally, NY Times bestseller and NovelCram instructor Drusilla Campbell just signed yet another multi-book deal with Grand Central. Good job, everybody!
Some Essential Pre-conference Reads
Still lots to do with whipping SD27 into maximum muscle. Over recent weeks, however, many have expressed interest to point out the following resources in the conference run-up:
- Successful query letter example 1
- Successful query letter example 2
- How to write a synopsis article
- Synopsis example 1
- Synopsis example 2
- What To Look For (and Require) From Your Book Editor by Robert Yehling
- Notable Shift In Writers Conference Workshops by Marla Miller
More soon!
