News And Announcements

Boo! We’re back. Despite considerable technical challenges (addressed below the jump), SD28 is shaping up nicely. Our latest Special Guest Speaker to announce is Laurence O’Bryan, winner of the SCWC*SD21 Outstanding Fiction Award for the manuscript that became his debut international conspiracy thriller, The Istanbul Puzzle, the first in a multi-book deal with HarperCollins UK. The Jerusalem Puzzle followed and now the third in the series, The Manhattan Puzzle, has just been released, along with a special e-book edition that includes interactive links that allow readers to further explore the story beyond its pages. Larry is traveling all the way from his home in Northern Ireland to join us again, and we’re happy to welcome him back.

 What’s Up with SCWC Communication?

It’s fitting that this update falls on Halloween. What we thought would be a fairly routine move of the SCWC’s physical offices following September’s LA11 event has turned out to be pretty much a nightmare. For well over a month now we’ve been besieged by ghosts in the machine and gremlins on our wing, all as a result of the move. Picture pretty much every technical problem imaginable and we’ve been tackling it.

While we’re almost fully back online today, only email addressed directly to SCWC directors Wes Albers and Chrissie Barnett is reliable and secure. Michael’s address remains un-functional, though will likely be fixed by next week. Also next week, should all go well, our phone answering system will be properly ported and operational. If you’ve called and left any messages over the past month, there’s a very strong likelihood that we haven’t and cannot retrieve them.

The SCWC prides itself on good communication. We apologize for the breakdown and all frustration it’s causing. Please be patient.

More to Come

There’s lots more staff announcements to come, along with the opening up of the Advance Submission Readers and posting of the preliminary schedule. In the meantime, be sure to visit us on the SCWC Community Facebook page to keep up to speed and join the conversation.

Following the whirlwind that was last weekend’s LA11 event, we now begin the countdown to our winter conference, SD28. Our second Special Guest Speaker to be announced is Bhava Ram, formerly known as NBC war correspondent Brad Willis, whom at the peak of his journalistic career suffered a broken back and failed surgery leaving him permanently disabled and condemned to life in a body brace. Worse, then came a diagnosis of terminal, stage IV throat cancer. Bhava’s new memoir, Warrior Pose, chronicles his remarkable personal transformation following a decision to abandon Western medicine and embrace the most esoteric practices of Yoga, ultimately leading to a fully restored spine and cancer-free recovery.

Among the many workshop leaders confirmed for February are Frederick Ramsay, whose latest Ike Schwartz mystery, Drowning Barbie, is out just before the conference; fantastical YA author Mary G. Thompson (Escape from the Pipe Men and next year’s Evil Fairies Love Hair); writer provocateur Judy Reeves; historical fictionalist Laurel Corona; paranormal romance author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom; horror writer Mark Clements; transformative narrative guru Matthew J. Pallamary; celebrated author and editorial consultant Laura Taylor and many, many others.

We’re happy to report that NY Times bestselling author Drusilla Campbell will also be returning with another round of NovelCram: Building the Better Book. As usual, this stand-alone immersive track is limited in attendance and will likely sell out.

There’s several agents aboard, along with some of our favorite, trusted editors. We’ll start rolling them out next update.

Settle for Exceptional

Along with our formidable slate of craft, execution and troubleshooting workshops, at SD28 we’ll again be dealing head-on with many of the latest and most vexing challenges writers face today. Whether to wait out legacy publishing odds, go with a boutique house, trust one of the predatory pay-as-you-print outfits that claim to have “standards” and are “selective” about who they’ll publish, or just assume full, entrepreneurial control of your book, no matter which way you go at the end of the day your book’s success will ultimately come down to one individual. You.

To that end, the SCWC community is here to inform and assist in accomplishing your publishing goals. Expanding on our previous “Do Yourself Independence” sessions, we’ll again be dealing extensively with issues of premature e-publication, social media self-sabotage, marketing myths and more. True, it will be work. And yes, it will be worth it. Why aim for mediocrity when you can settle for exceptional?

Latest Good “Muse”

The follow up to SCWC Outstanding Fiction Award winner Laurence O’Brien’s The Istanbul Puzzle and The Jerusalem Puzzle is out Oct. 10 from HarperCollins. The Manhattan Puzzle promises yet another smart, international conspiracy thriller in the vein of Dan Brown. There’s also going to be a special e-book available with the story’s locations linked to an inline map and other background information… And this just in from conferee Barbara Garren: a 3-book deal with Entranced Publishing. Way to go!

More to Come

Advance Submission Reader selection will open up late October. As there’s much more to announce while we begin working on the schedule, finalizing the Special Guest Speakers and adding more workshop leaders, be sure to check back often and join us on the SCWC Community Facebook page to keep up to speed.

The $75 Early “Bard” Discount on Full Conference or NovelCram/Conference registration is now open. Registrations are up a little higher than usual this far out, so keep it in mind. In the meantime, enjoy our latest book trailer, this one created for Darlene Quinn’s most recent release.

2013 has been a banner year for SCWCers with several fine books representing the gamut of genres being published via traditional houses, boutique publishers and indie alternate methods. Though regular updates for SD28 won’t begin until October, we’re excited to announce one of our very Special Guest Speakers all ready confirmed. Citing the SCWC as the first conference she attended when starting out writing, author Suzanne Redfearn proclaims it “an integral part of my journey to getting published.” Come Oct. 8, 2013, published she will be as Grand Central releases Suzanne’s debut thriller, Hush Little Baby. Kirkus hails it, “A compelling tale of the deceit, violation and anguish that undergird the myth of suburbia.” #1 NYT bestselling author Alyson Noël effuses, “[B]eautifully nuanced prose and taut pacing.” And Jane Porter (Brennan Sisters Trilogy) declares, “[A] brilliant debut. Powerful and compelling.”

As usual, our winter event will feature plenty of read & critique workshops conducted by working authors, along with our uniquely tailored slate of interactive troubleshooting and craft-centric sessions. Our popular DYI (Do Yourself Independence) track will return, geared to address the latest trends and further empower today’s entrepreneurial authors with the vital information required to thrive in today’s ever-expanding transmedia publication industry.

Early “Bard” Registration is now open. Do so by Sept. 15 and save a whopping $100 on Full Conference or NovelCram immersion track participation.

Up next, of course, is our fall conference in Newport Beach. If we don’t see you there, we look forward to hooking up February in San Diego.

Ahh, the Winter Conference. So much sun, so much fun, and barely a wink of sleep for near everyone. In fact, while not yet confirmed to be the record, Rogue Read & Critique Workshop leader Mark Clements’ Sunday night session is rumored to have gone on until 6:04 a.m. Monday. Just like back in the old days–or at least a couple of years ago–that’s some serious writers workshopping seriously.

As usual, our fine cadre of accomplished authors, agents, editors and other publishing paisons did a stand up job of aiming for excellence in addressing the craft, the business and the immutable brain damage so systemic in today’s ADD marketplace. Thank you all. And a big thanks to all of this year’s Special Guest Speakers, Caitlin Rother, Michele Scott, David Brin (pictured), Janice Steinberg and Andrew E. Kaufman. Great talks providing keen perspectives, good laughs, quality information and more than a wee bit of tears.

Conference weekend is here! Walk-in registration opens Noon today; 7 AM Saturday and 7:30 AM Sunday. There’s plenty of room for writers of every realm, so be here or be… where?

Here’s where: Crowne Plaza San Diego, 2270 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108.

Gateway Literary Agency’s Terri Baranowski has just been added to the schedule. She’s looking to build her client list and is pinch-hitting on-site critique & consults for those looking for a rep.

We’ll be back online come next Wednesday. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you in San Diego this weekend. You’ve earned it.

Filling out our Special Guest Speaker spots is Janice Steinberg with her brand-spanking-new novel, The Tin Horse, released from Random House only yesterday. Telling the tale of two sisters whose relationship in the 1920s-30s era Los Angeles Jewish neighborhood of Boyle Heights is fraught with fierce love and bitter rivalry, at the heart of the story lies a mystery spanning generations. Author Margaret Dilloway (The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns and How to Be an American Housewife) calls the book “a completely immersive reading experience. I closed the pages feeling as though I’d lived another life.”

Janice will be joining SD27’s other Special Guests, David Brin (Existence), Andrew Kaufman (The Lion, The Lamb, The Hunted), Caitlin Rother (Lost Girls) and Michele Scott (Covert Reich, as A.K. Alexander).

Do Yourself Independence Sessions

Speaking of Michele Scott and Andrew E. Kaufman, the pair are also conducting separate workshops individually, as well as one together for our Do Your Independence track, “DYI: Amazon and Beyond: The Take of Two Authors.” As both caught the attention of Amazon’s recently unveiled traditional publishing arm and have signed muliple-book contracts with its imprints, what insight they bring to the e-paradigm table oughta prove interesting.

For all those either wrestling with or already going indie with your book(s), here’s the complete list of sessions devoted to just that at SD27:

DYI: “Amazon and Beyond: The Take of Two Authors” with Andrew Kaufman and Michele Scott

DYI: “Author as Entrepreneur” with Lois Joy Hofman

DYI: “Indie Excellence: Legitimacy & Editing” with Laura Taylor and guests

DYI: “Leaving a Virtual Footprint” with Mary Vensel White

DYI: “Producing Book Trailers that Don’t Suck” with Michael Steven Gregory (maybe)

DYI: “Publishing & Marketing Strategies from an International Best-selling Indie Author” with Sheri Fink

DYI: “Self-Publishing Savvy: Why, How, Where, What You Need to Know” with Gayle Carline

DYI: “Stop the Presses—NOT! Publishing Printed Books In The Digital Age” with Margaux Hession and Matthew J. Pallamary

DYI: “Up Close and Visual: Breaking Down Author/Reader Barriers” with Valerie Wicks

DYI: “Your Author Bio, Media Copy and PR Package” with Marla Miller (or, in other words, “Learn How to Write a Professional Author’s Bio, for Chrissake!”)

DYI: “Your Book As a Business: Make YOUR Book the Next Big Thing!” with Charmaine Hammond

More Workshops Added

Joining us for the first time, paranormal fictionalist and short story sensation Lisa Kessler will be conducting two workshops. Her debut novel, Night Walker, won a San Diego Book Award for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror as well as the Romance Through the Ages Award for Best Paranormal and Best First Book. Christine Cody, author of the Bloodlands series, calls it, “A soulful, timeless love story and an engrossing new take on immortal mythology.” Lisa will conduct “Wtg. Short Stories that Pack a Punch” and “Happily Ever After: Make Them Earn It.” Welcome aboard, Lisa!

We’re finalizing the schedule over the next week, then plan to make a print-friendly version available online.

Check back for more soon. And don’t forget to join the writerly conversation on our SCWC Facebook page.