News And Announcements

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 Privacy, pits one women’s quest to uncover the truth behind her husband’s death against a new generation of cutting-edge surveillance technology and the most dangerous conspiracy in America. It’s his first appearance at the SCWC and we’re happy to have him. Welcome, Christopher.

Our second Special Guest Speaker confirmed is Howard Shulman, author of Running from the Mirror. Orphaned by his parents after contracting a disfiguring infection only three days following birth, Howard’s unflinching memoir chronicles his journey from bitter, bullied outcast ward of New Jersey to soul-lifting salvation decades later. An affirming testament to the resilience of the human spirit, he also joins us for the first time Presidents’ Day Weekend. Welcome aboard, Howard.

Howard will also debut a new workshop, co-conducted by writing coach, freelance editor and veteran SCWCer Trish Wilkinson, “Writing a Memoir: Making the Process Rewarding and Your Story Salable.” Despite rumor and those nay sayers claiming that memoir is dead, sales continue to prove otherwise, as they have done year after year after year. So long as you know how to write it, chances are you can sell it.

New Workshops

Along with our usual slate of targeted craft-centric, business and “Do Yourself Independence” sessions, all geared to getting you where you want to be as a writer, we’ll be introducing several new workshops for our 30^th anniversary. First off, a standalone track conducted by novelists Claudia Whitsitt and Jeremy Lee James, “A Novel Journey: From Beginning to THE END,” kicks off Saturday at 9 a.m. and runs through Sunday afternoon. Comprised of eight daytime sessions, ANJ is limited in attendance and requires advance signup prior to the conference. Full details are available here.

Award-winning author Ara Grigorian will debut “Book Blueprint: From Foundation Forward.” This objective-oriented five-part series, spanning Saturday and Sunday afternoons, focuses on yielding participants a clear template unique to their specific WIP to facilitate completion post-conference. Details here.

Next up, Jean Jenkins will again conduct her popular genre workshop, the two-part “Best Foot Forward: Polishing to Impress,” which has so far contributed to yielding some dozen published novels out of the SCWC (details here). She’ll also introduce “Master Class: Editors’ Tricks to Grow Your Writing.”

Our periodic “Writing for Real” returns to San Diego with several new sessions. For those writing about law enforcement perspectives, experiences, procedures, strategies and tactics, numerous accomplished authors, federal, municipal and judicial agency members of the SCWC community are jumping in to make it great. Workshop leaders on the docket include Richard Craig Anderson, Paul Bishop, Teresa Burrell, Neal Griffin, Michael R. Shevock and, of course, Wes Albers.

Many, many more workshops to announce, as well as all those familiar friends and new who’ll be populating the schedule. Among them: agents Paul Fedorko and Samantha Bemekamp make their first appearance at our San Diego event. Also joining us, before taking a long hiatus, is novelist Bethany Lopez. She’s got a new short story just out, “Leap of Faith,” which is a fun read.

Good “Muse” Abounds

Other SCWCers with books recently out, or soon to be released, include Margaret Dilloway. A companion to her lauded Sisters of Heart and Snow, The Tale of the Warrior Geisha tells the historical part of the novel and is now available as an e-book only edition. And in a departure from her award-winning women’s fiction, the first in a new middle-grade fantasy series, Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters, is out April from Disney-Hyperion … Another bit of a departure comes from critically acclaimed mystery author Alan Russell. His latest is A Cold War, which Booklist calls, “[A] fascinating look at survivalists and the wilderness of our fiftieth state as well as being a truly gripping page-turner in the manner of Tim Johnston’s Descent.”

Of true crime writer Caitlin Rother’s latest, Then No One Can Have Her, Suzy Spencer (Wasted) affirms, “It’s riveting, revealing, and insightful.” … Book one of the Tasa’s Passage Trilogy, by Jeffrey J. Michaels, Tasa’s Path, is just out, as is Alan Patch’s re-release of Passage at Delphi (Apollo Series), a formidable mix of historical fiction, mythology fantasy and adventure … Finally, Oz Monroe’s debut novel, a dark fantasy, Soil-Man is set for publication by year’s end. Best of success to all!

That’s it for now. Meanwhile, take advantage of the pre-registration Early “Bard” Discount, be sure to join our greater .COMmunity conversation on Facebook, and follow the SCWC on TSU.co/SoCalWriters and Twitter for exclusive authorial insights and opportunities. Now here’s an excerpt from Neal Griffin’s moving talk last month at LA13, addressing his need to challenge readers’ expectation of what crime fiction should be about.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC

Merely two weeks after a sensational LA13 (Irvine) and we’re full-on into prepping February’s San Diego event, which will make for our 48^th conference in 30 years. Wes and I and many long-term staffers reflected on that fact recently. “Whoa,” is about all we could collectively muster. That’s a lot of writers who’ve placed their trust in the SCWC; a lot of success stories, too. And we couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to being a part. Among the latest is longtime SCWCer Kelley Kaye, AKA Kelley Gusich, who wrote the cozy mystery now titled Death by Diploma: Chalkboard Outlines Book One way back when she first started attending the SCWC as Kelley Bowles. It’ll be released by Red Adept early 2016, and we’re thrilled.

As usual, tons of other good “muse” to report this time of year—more than we can squeeze into one update … Frederick Ramsay has two new novels coming out: The Vulture, Ike Schwartz Mysteries book 10, plus Danger Woman, the second in his Botswana mystery series … Gayle Carline’s dropping not one, not two, but three new titles on us for the holidays. Raising the Perfect Family and Other Tales, You’re from Where? and Holly Jolly Holidays are all available in the next few weeks.

From SD28, Yvette Hovsepian-Bearc now has The Political Ideology of Ayatollah Khamenei: Out of the Mouth of the Supreme Leader of Iran out from the UCLA Center for Middle East Development series. A fellow at the Center for the Middle East Development at the University of California, Los Angeles, Yvette earned a B.A. in Business, a Masters in Theology, and Ph.D. in Islamic Studies. In other words, she’s basically a big brain bright enough to turn to us for guidance, and we’re pleased to have given it.

Another familiar SCWCer, Jessica Therrien, is finally getting the love she deserves. Acorn Publishing is re-addressing and re-releasing her Y/A Children of the Gods series. Oppression and Uprising are out now. Redemption, for the first time, will be released November.

Still more to announce, but will have to wait until next update. We have other things to discuss…

The SCWC Principles of Publication

Unveiled at last month’s Irvine conference, possibly a work in progress. But here’s where we stand:

1. Respect the reader
2. Aim for excellence
3. Settle only for exceptional
4. Don’t denigrate other writers for failing to meet your standards
5. Celebrate your success at each step of the journey
6. Don’t bitch about how hard writing is
7. Self-publishing is a viable option to be respected, when done responsibly
8. Don’t suck

Our Facebook Community Page

Probably only those who were in Irvine would know this, but here it is: Two hours before opening the SCWC registration desk on Friday, Sept. 25, our Facebook wall was targeted, deliberately sabotaged and taken down. Well over 1400 members were tossed irretrievably into the ether, along with the voluminous links to invaluable resources, exceptionally argued opinions and perspectives that served one of the best writer walls on Facebook. Facebook has been of no help recovering our wall. Consequently, we’re starting anew. Please re-join the SCWC.community Facebook wall.

The entire ordeal speaks well to Laura Taylor’s wildly popular workshop, “Indie Excellence: Glocalization and the Key to Survival,” which will be updated and slated again for SD30. Fundamental takeaway? Rely solely on one source of outreach to the community and you just might, probably, likely get torched. Another reason why we’re now obsessively backing up so much info on our Tsu and Twitter community feeds.

That’s all for now. Much info more to deliver soon. In the meanwhile, take advantage of the Early “Bard” Discount, have a gander at this excerpt from LA13 Special Guest Speaker Aline Ohanesian and listen hard.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC

Winter in San Diego. The Santa Ana winds were blowing; the writers rocking; and the SCWC rolling. With yet another terrific conference weekend behind us, where both emerging and veteran authors could shed their slacks, roll up their sleeves and collectively focus on the most important work, for any writer–writing a good story well told–we did just that. With so many new faces joining our community, it’s easy to forget how overwhelming an SCWC event can be for those fresh to it. Thank you to all the regulars who jumped in, as usual, to guide, facilitate, and nurture, in effort to affirm what we all understand to be true for all writers aspiring to exceptional: quality matters.

Thanks to all SD29 staff authors, editors and agents who shared their time and unique perspectives. Big spoon to our Special Guest Speakers, Bethany Lopez, Raymond Wong, David Putnam and Kathy Aarons. Also to those helping craft our debut StoryCore track, looks like we’ll be doing that again! And to our conferees, thank you for entrusting us with your work and aspirations.

Now to the awards…

The SCWC*SD 29 Award Recipients

OUTSTANDING FICTION (Historical)
Bloodlines
by Earl Wooten of View Park, CA

OUTSTANDING FICTION (Romance)
Exposed
by Marissa Hughes of Irvine, CA

OUTSTANDING FICTION (YA/Fantasy)
Perception
by Amy Hopperton of Ramona, CA

Discounted pre-registration for September’s LA13 (in Irvine) is now open. Register by March 1 and knock $125 off the Full Conference. In the interim, those looking to break the cycle of rejection from agents, from editors, or—most importantly—book-buying readers should join us for our 2-day, 3-track Sunriver Writers’ Summit, taking place on the high plateau of Central Oregon, May 2-3, 2015. Limited in size to only 48 participants, it’s hardcore, but isn’t your work worth it?

That’s all for now. Dates for SD30 are Presidents’ Day Weekend, February 12-15, 2016. Pre-registration opens August 1. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and join the lively discussion on our SCWC Facebook wall. Now go forth, write well, and finish what you start.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC

Ahh, winter in SoCal and we’re less than a month away from our San Diego conference. That means the weather is fine and, as evidenced by the quality of material received thus far, the writing is hot. From rip-snortin’ adventure to deeply moving memoirs and fantastical coming-of-age journeys, we’re seeing writers willing to put in the work—and it shows on each and every page. And while the preliminary deadline for advance submissions has past, most readers are still accepting pages at this time. If you’re considering submitting, be sure to check the corresponding bio page upon registration to ensure availability…

Much of the working SD29 schedule has been posted. There’s a few workshops that we’re still debating, as well as the inevitable shuffling of time slots over the next couple of weeks, so hold off on planning your personal itinerary until everything is dialed in. Check the Workshops and Events page to view all the currently slated sessions at a glance (some are not yet posted to the schedule).

StoryCore Track and Latest Workshops

The 2-day, 8-workshop StoryCore: Building the Better Book line-up has been posted. Open to all conferees, StoryCore provides writers seeking a clear, pragmatic and linear progression through the crafting of a novel or narrative nonfiction story in a single track Saturday and Sunday. Participate in all or only those you wish, advance sign-up is not required:

• “Breaking Down The Story Beats”
• “Incident Response and Motivation”
• “Character Therapy: And You’re the Shrink!”
• “Speak To Me: Dialogue in Story”
• “POV: The Power of Perspective”
• “Plot vs. Character: What’s Driving Your Story?”
• “Making Your Story Work: Voice, Point of View, and Tension”
• “Editing for Pantsers: What to Focus on in the First Draft and What to Clean Up Later”

 
What with such debate raging over the pros and cons of Amazon’s new Kindle Unlimited program, we would be remiss to not substantively address the importance of indie authors not marrying their work exclusively to the e-book behemoth’s distribution outlet. Laura Taylor, as usual, is on the forefront of those working ahead of the curve, which will veer even more sharply, costing writers even more revenue, in the near future. Her workshop, “Indie Excellence: ‘Glocalization’ and the Key to Survival,” reveals the numbers, strategy and tactics that savvy writers must know if they’re to sever risky co-dependency on Amazon.

Plenty other workshops have also been added so be sure to have a look, but that’s all for now. If you haven’t, also check out the first post in our new SCWC blog, “To Reclaim the Joy of Writing.” Discounted pre-registration ends soon. You’ve earned it, so why not start the New Year—Write!

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC

Very little is more gratifying than celebrating the launch of another SCWCer’s book. This month, as seems appropriate in the immediate afterglow of NaNoWriMo fever–with so many writers now finding themselves both buoyed by a new work in progress and the promise of publication that might one day result, yet overwhelmed by the notion of so much hard work left to do–we’ve got more than a few authors with titles recently out, or are being released soon. To sustain your spirits and inspire you to write through it, remember it’s all about truly finishing what you start. So let’s have a look at our latest authors to have done just that …

As usual, Michele Scott’s been busy. A member of the “The Twelve” collective of mystery and thriller writers, her contribution to the Flight 12: An Evie Preston Thriller series dropped November. And for fans of her A.K. Alexander pen name work, a special release, The Judas Relic: An Evangeline Heart Holiday Adventure, along with the debut of a new series co-written with Jen Greyson, The Archangel Agenda, arrived this month. Michele, of course, will be joining us in February.

USA Today best-selling author Jennifer Coburn’s We’ll Always Have Paris: A Mother/Daughter Memoir is touching hearts everywhere, even in her hometown. San Diego Magazine calls it, “[F]unny, honest, sometimes kooky … to read the book is to experience Europe anew, and relive all the wonder that travel brings” … DeAnna Cammeron has craftily introduced readers to her forthcoming California Belly Dance series with a novella, Shimmy for Me, soon to be followed by the first novel, Dance with Me … “With” writer Robert Yehling’s When We Were the Boys: Coming of Age on Rod Stewart’s Out of Order Tour and Just Add Water: The Biography of Autistic Surfer Clay Marzo are going gangbusters.

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom’s The Boss’s Mistletoe Maneuvers promises to put a little egg in your nog for the holidays. Wolf Born, her latest for Harlequin Nocturne, releases February, just in time for the conference … Workshop leader Matt Pallamary’s new near-future, science fiction thriller, CyberChrist, is also now available. As fate would have it, his sister and fellow SCWCer Colleen Pallamary just released her debut novel, The Vampire Preservation Society.

Coming up in January we’ve got Alan Russell’s follow-up to his long-awaited Burning Man. Guardians of the Night follows the further adventures of LAPD Special Cases Unit Detective Michael Gideon and his German shepherd partner Sirius … And finally, Margaret Dilloway, award-winning author of How to Be and American Housewife, returns with a poignant story of estranged sisters forced together by family tragedy. Sisters of Heart and Snow is out April, 2015 from Putnam. Congratulations, all!

More Workshops, More Readers Added

No surprise, but a lot has occurred in the publishing industry since our September conference. Changes abound, impacting traditionally published authors, indie/boutique-published authors, and, of course, those who elect to go it alone and self-publish with the belief that their book is ready for prime time.

That said, regardless which path to publication elected, writers everywhere are asking one burning question: How do I sell more books? We’re debuting two workshops to address that.

• “Ready to Launch: A Publicist’s Take on How to Get Your Book Ready for Promotion,” with Paula Margulies
• “How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon,” with Penny C. Sansevieri

 
Both workshop leaders are longtime friends of the SCWC. So long as your book rises to a level of quality that readers will risk investing their time and money in, these two workshops will help.

To date, at least eight “Best Foot Forward: Polishing to Impress” writers have gone on to publication. Jean Jenkins is conducting this two-part workshop once again at SD29. Limited to 12 participants, pre-registration and advance submission of materials is required. Details here. Visit the Workshops and Events page to view all the sessions currently slated for February.

Next up: Advance Submission Readers are now open, with still a few more to add. The preliminary deadline for submission is January 10. Please wait until you’re certain that the pages you wish to submit are the final draft of what you wish to submit. Drafts revised and submitted to replace earlier submissions will no longer be accepted. Advance submissions for SD29 will be accepted via email.

Start the New Year—Write!

Remember that the SCWC is limited in size to ensure maximum accessibility to staff and attention paid to you and your work. We’ve still plenty more to announce, including our fifth Special Guest Speaker, so take advantage of discounted pre-registration now. A new year is nearly upon us. Resolve to reward your readers by writing the very best stories you can.

And don’t forget to join us on Twitter @scwriters and on Facebook for even more timely writing world resources and information.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC

Our fourth SD29 Special Guest Speaker to be announced is Kathy Aarons, yet another former conferee who got her game and gone on to great acclaim (it rhymes–spare me the grammar). Her debut novel, Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, released by Berkely Prime Crime this past September, is already a national bestseller. Introducing readers to her infectiously delectable Chocolate Covered Mystery series, the second installment, Truffled to Death, will be released June, 2015. Kathy’s joining us not only as a speaker, but also with fellow Denny’s Chicks critique group members Kelly Hayes and Barrie Summy (The Disappearance of Emily H., Delacorte Press/Random House, 2015)) to conduct a new workshop, “How to Revise and Live to Sell the Tale.” In it, the trio will share the revision strategies they’ve used to successfully get seven books traditionally published in eight years.

Speaking of workshop leaders, many friends familiar and new are already confirmed for February. Check out who all is currently aboard and what they’ve got in store for us by visiting the Staff or Workshops and Events pages (upper right navigation tabs). Meanwhile, let’s address the biggest book on the table …

NaNoWriMo: First Draft is the Cheapest

To all writers who bulldozed their way through the month of November (“Snow-vember,” for many) and committed a sum of some 50,000 words to the page … Congratulations! Or as actor Christopher Walken would say, “Wo-ow.”

Seriously, how many people do you know manage to write a book in 30 days? Bask in that accomplishment now. It’ll fade fast tomorrow. Now comes the fun part: Acknowledging that somewhere in the heaping pile of fetid prose you just wrote lays buried a book worth being bought, a story that warrants being told, and that now the really hard work begins–rewriting ‘til it warrants publication. Consider this:

• Widget (noun) – a small mechanical device, as a knob or switch, especially one whose name is not known or cannot be recalled [dictionary definition]

 
Got me thinking about the state of premature e-publication:

• Litget (noun) – a compendium of words, as in a book-length narrative, especially one whose title and content cannot be recalled, or warrant being purchased by a reader

 
This is where the SCWC comes in. There’s a reason we’ve managed to facilitate over $4 million worth or first-time book & screen deals over the past 28 years: We still believe craft matters and that readers recognize and reward quality.

While true, many manuscripts that have come out of the SCWC were discovered by agents, the thing to know is that the overwhelming number of books that have gone on to publication success resulted from a non-agent SCWC staffer becoming a passionate advocate of another writer’s material; a passionate advocate who recognized and embraced another writer’s potential, then extended that faith into a relationship extending beyond any given conference weekend’s end in effort to find a book its home.

That is the beating heart of our SCWC community. It’s why we strictly limit the number of participants in effort to maximize discoverability opportunities and ensure conferees get the needed one-on-one attention their work warrants; to ensure writers have access to the vital contacts and conversations required to enable them to shine.

Regardless which path to publication you’re pursuing, don’t write a litget. Don’t get lost in the crowd. Your words deserve more. Join us in February.

Good “Muse” to Report

SCWCer Elizabeth (Betsy) Marro’s Casualties just sold to Berkley. The novel tells the tale of a San Diego defense executive who, after her son returns from the Iraq war with severe PTSD, embarks with a stranger on a cross-country trip to her New Hampshire hometown to find the courage she needs to face her guilt and the decision she must make … We got three books coming out February, which should make Friday night’s mixer/author’s signing extra cool. T. Greenwood, who’ll be conducting a workshop or two, has her latest, The Forever Bridge dropping from Kensington … SD29 Special Guest Speaker & workshop leader David Putnam’s follow-up to his best-selling The Disposables, The Replacements is also out … as is E.V. Fairfall’s Sleeping Tom. And in May, Ara Grigorian, who’s conducting a new “Breaking Down the Story Beats” workshop, will see his debut novel, Game of Love, in stores near and far. Congratulations all!

Be Here or BeWare?

Discounted Early “Bard” Discount registration is now open, as is the preliminary list of Advance Submission Readers. More are being added, so be sure to never miss an update by simply subscribing to “Join our .COMmunity” (located just below the right side navigation bar up above). And if you haven’t opted into the conversation on our SCWC Community Facebook wall, an invaluable source of vital writing/publishing information, don’t deny yourself. Likewise with our Twitter feed, where we’re always sharing cool stuff. Do it now. You’re words are worth it!

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC