News And Announcements

2019 is nearly upon us, which means another year of writing, rewriting, reading, rewriting, rewriting some more and, finally, hopefully–through fate, hard work, great storytelling and exceptional crafting–your book lands a passionate advocate, finds a good home, gets published and reaches an ever expanding readership. As always, your words, your stories, and your publishing options will remain our focus in February. So many new workshops are being introduced, drawing from issues many of us are finding rife in manuscripts as of late. Also, we’re paying a lot of attention to publishing trends that have emerged over the past year, and the dilemma so many writers are now having to contend with: Traditional, small press, hybrid, vanity, or self-publishing. Which route is best for your book?

Short answer: It’s complicated. We’ll unravel it.

The working Schedule-at-Glance has been posted. There will no doubt be tweaks over the next few weeks. For details on each session, please visit the Workshops and Events page.

The advance submission deadline is January 15, 2019. Am sure a few of the readers–especially agents and editors–will begin selling out before then. Visit All About Advance Submissions to learn more.

The deadline for discounted lodging at the Crowne Plaza Hanalei San Diego, the longtime home of the conference, is January 15, 2019. Details here.

The 2-part “Best Foot Forward: Polishing to Impress” workshop, conducted by editor Jean Jenkins, is limited to the first 12 participants that sign up. Submission of required materials is due by no later than February 1, 2019. Complete details can be found here.

“The Publisher Is In: Your Post-Conference Publishing Plan,” a one-on-one time strategizing consultation with Acorn Publishing co-founder Holly Kammier, is also limited to 12 slots, available to conferees on a first come, first served basis. Details here.

Recent Good “Muse”

What a better way to close out 2018 than with the recognition of so many book recently out from SCWCers. Among them: Roger L. Liles’ The Berlin Tunnel, a Cold War thriller … Eugene (E.A.) Fornier’s novel Still Breathing, the aspirational story of two women whose cultures collide in Uganda … Maiden: Book One of Teresa A. Harrison’s young adult fantasy Lightwalker Series.

Death Opens a Window, Mikel J. Wilson’s second installment in the Mourning Dove Mysteries, and follow-up to his nationally bestselling Murder on the Lake of Fire … David Kennedy’s action thriller Ricochet, which introduces readers to Brenda Roseberry, kick-ass dispenser of her own particularly potent brand of justice … Matthew J. Pallamary’s latest, AfterLife: The Adventures of a Lost Soul, a supernatural occult thriller “inspired by real life events, William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist, and the dynamics of demonic possession.”

Brain Stages: How to Raise Smart, Confident Kids and Have Fun Doing It, by Patricia Wilkinson and Jacqueline Frischknecht, grade-by-grade guide through the formative elementary school years for parents and caregivers … Poetry of Peace, by A Few Minor Adjustments: A Memoir of Healing author Cherie Kephart (who’ll be conducting “Soul Therapy: The Spiritual Side of Writing Memoir” and a read & critique workshop devoted to memoir and narrative nonfiction).

Coming out January, we’ve got Lori Oliver-Tierney’s Trudge: A Midlife Crisis on the John Muir Trail, chronicling her struggle to overcome overwhelming obstacles to achieve the extraordinary … Robin D. Kardon’s novel Flygirl, an action adventure that’s heavily informed by her career as a corporate and airline pilot.

Out February: The Winner’s Circle, a novel by PJ Colando, follows a trio of gal pals mired in middle age, Middle America, and other people’s problems, who long to escape, and get the chance … And Mary Vensel White’s long awaited follow-up to The Qualities of Wood, Bellflower is “a novel-in-moments.” Mary will also be conducting a couple of new workshops at SD33.

Congrulations, and best of success to all!

Until next time. Discounted pre-registration remains open. Do so by January 1st and save $75 off Full Conference attendance. Your work is worth it. You’ve earned it. Join us.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS

“The hip-hop generation’s answer to Sherlock Holmes returns fast and furious in the third installment of [his] celebrated series … And Isaiah Quintabe remains an engaging, fascinating protagonist,” raves Kirkus about Joe Ide’s Wrecked. The breakout sensation that introduced us to this powerful new voice (and his mesmerizing characters), IQ. won the Anthony, Macavity, and Shamus awards for Best Debut Novel, and was hailed New York Times Critics’ Best of the Year. Its follow up, Righteous, was also declared One of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, Washington Post, BookRiot, Suspense Magazine, Amazon, South Florida Sun Sentinel, and LitHub. It’s been a rollicksome ride, and the man himself will tell us all about it as we welcome aboard our third Special Guest Speaker, Joe Ide.

While we know that there is no single right way to write a great book–only an infinite number of wrong ways–the same holds true for publishing a great book. Today, more than ever before. In addition to our Path to Publication sessions, come February we’re introducing a unique opportunity for writers to spend 15 minutes of one-on-one time strategizing with industry expert, Holly Kammier, co-owner of the highly respected hybrid publishing imprint, Acorn Publishing, on which path is specifically viable for them. “The Publisher Is In: Your Post-Conference Publishing Plan” will be available to conferees on a first come, first served basis. Details here.

As usual, Jean Jenkins’ 2-part “Best Foot Forward: Polishing to Impress” workshop will be limited to the first 12 participants that sign up. Submission of required materials is due by no later than February 1, 2019. Complete details can be found here.

Visit the Workshop and Events page to find out where we’re currently at for February’s line-up.

Discounted pre-registration is now open. Do so by November 1st and knock $125 off of Full Conference participation. Your words are worth it. You’ve earned it. Join us. And if you missed her at our recent Irvine event, here’s author Sara Gran explaining why writers are such special people.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS

Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, VIDA Review, the Offing, and elsewhere. Now a new memoir, First Comes Marriage: My Not-So-Typical American Love Story (Prometheus Books), dedicated to the themes of love and sexuality as experienced by an Muslim-American, is out. Faith Adiele, author of The Nigerian Nordic Girl’s Guide to Lady Problems, calls it, “An honest, often amusing, account of one young woman’s quest to balance the traditional Muslim values she acquired from her Iraqi immigrant parents with the romantic fantasies she acquired from American media. Her story is both unique in that the devout, overachieving narrator is not the rebellious first-generation daughter we’ve come to expect from immigrant narratives, and universal in its instructive journey from youthful hubris and naïveté to learning how to make a marriage work.” Jasmin Darznik (The Good Daughter) calls it simply, “A wonderful book.” Huda Al-Marashi joins us for the first time as a Special Guest Speaker, and we’re delighted to welcome her aboard!

Among the other additions to our SD33 staff already confirmed, Demetra Brodsky, Nikki Katz, and Gwendolyn Womack–all past Special Guest Speakers–will be returning with some nifty new workshops. Gwen has a new book out spring, 2019 called The Time Collector. The novel follows two psychometrists—“people who can sense the history of any object they touch.” Cool.

Recent Good “Muse”

Lots of SCWCers with new titles now out or dropping shortly. Before we get to that, let’s luxuriate for a moment in this particularly bright item: Deadline Hollywood reports that the “The Jim Henson Company has acquired the rights to Stacey O’Brien’s bestselling memoir Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl, with Dolphin Tale co-writer Karen Janszen attached to pen the adaptation.” Stacey’s story became a beloved, international sensation after being discovered at our LA5 or LA6 conference. It will likely play out as the major theme of SD33: quality storytelling, determination, perseverance, and tenacity matters.

A fine western by Michael Dukes, The Avenging Angels, is now out … Also, A.K. Patch’s Journey From Delphi, the third volume in his Apollo Series … Gene Desrochers’ Dark Paradise, a Caribbean noir murder mystery … And Greta Boris’ Sanctity of Sloth.

Also out, Grim, by workshop leader Laura Perkins (writing as Mercy Hollow), and Andrew Peterson’s Hired to Kill, the seventh book in his Nathan McBride series, discovered way back at one of our Palm Springs editions of the SCWC.

Coming up fast: Webs of Perception, international award-winning author Darlene Quinn’s thrilling conclusion to her epic family saga, drops November, as does Christa Yelich-Koth’s Coiled Vengeance: An Eomix Galaxy Novel … And Matt Coyle’s fifth Rick Cahill mystery, Wrong Light, is out December. Best of success to all!

Your Voice. Your Story. Tell It. Sell It.

Housekeeping

We’re going to open up Advance Submission Reader selection earlier than usual, November 1st. If you’ve already registered for our winter event and chose “To Be Determined,” be sure to email Chrissie or Michael with your reader choice(s). It’s exceedingly important that you get up to speed on what to do, what not to do, what to expect, and more by reviewing the following link:

• All About Advance Submissions

 
Most important thing to remember? Do NOT submit multiple drafts of your manuscript pages. Submit the draft that’s ready to go, and only that draft. You have until the January 12 deadline to submit pages. Makes no difference to us if you submit them earlier than the deadline. If you’ve already selected your reader(s), you’re good to go. However, if you submit pages, then at a later date submit an updated version of those pages, your re-submission will be rejected. Be professional. Be smart. Be patient, and take the time to get it right the very first time.

That’s about it for now. Discounted pre-registration is now open. Do so by November 1st and save, save, save. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list for vital updates, because there’s plenty more to come. And in case you missed him at our recent Irvine event, here’s an excerpt from Henry Lien’s Saturday morning talk, where he dissects his approach to author appearances (the next Peasprout Chen book is out January).

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS

Legendary host Jim McKay called it, “The greatest show of courage in the history of Wide World of Sports.” In 1982, after becoming the unlikely leader of the Ironman triathlon, Julie Moss fell and lost all bodily function 50 feet from the finish. On hands and knees, she watched her rival pass her, then thirty seconds later crawled across the line, stunning the millions watching on TV. At age twenty-three, she became an instant global icon. Booklist calls her new memoir, Crawl of Fame–written with our own Robert Yehling– “A courageous account of dealing with disappointment as an athlete and an individual, and a powerful testament to the importance of not giving up on oneself.” Our first Special Guest Speaker to be announced, Julie will join us to share in inspiring journey to publication.

While advance submission readers will not be opened for a few more weeks, those already confirmed for SD33 include: Lake Union Publishing acquisition editor Alicia Clancy; agents Jennifer Chen Tran and Natalie Grazian of Martin Literary; David Black Agency’s Jenny Herrera (who found a couple of strong prospects at our Irvine event), and Kelli Martin of Wendy Sherman Associates. As usual, many more will be joining the roster.

More soon. Discounted pre-registration is now open. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our mailing list and not miss any important update.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS

It sticks true today as in any time ever before, what author-philosopher Alan W. Watts had to say about writers and writing:

“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there’s no chance for a pardon. Write like you’re clinging to the edge of a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you’ve got just one last thing to say, like you’re a bird flying over us and you can see everything, and please, for God’s sake, tell us something that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that we’re not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or don’t. Who knows, maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to.”

Fortunately, we are the luckiest ones that must. With that must comes responsibility. To yourself. To your reader. To the work. With only six months until our 33rd annual winter event, do not take time for granted. Focus. Fight. Write without rancor. Finish what you start–if even only a really crappy first draft–and we’ll address it come February.

Discounted Early “Bard” Pre-registration is now open. Do so by September 15, 2018 and save a whopping $150 on Full Conference attendance. Regular updates will begin following our Irvine event, September 21-23, 2018. (Check out all the latest on it here.) Our focus will again be on getting you where you want to be with your work, be it novels, personal narratives, practical nonfiction, short stories, essays or any other writing aimed at commercial publication.

SCWC*SD33 LOCATION: The conference will again be held at the Crowne Plaza Hanalei resort, located mere moments away from Lindbergh Field International Airport, Sea World, Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, historic Old Town, downtown and its famous Gaslamp District, along with beaches galore. Dates are Presidents’ Day Weekend, February 15-17, 2019. Lodging discounts are available to SCWC conferees. Phone 800-972-2802 to book your reservation, or click here to do so online (when it becomes available). Deadline for discounted hotel registration is January 15, 2019.

SCWC*SD33 SCHEDULE: Rest assured that plenty of craft- and business-centric sessions, read & critique workshops, one-on-one consultations and more will fill out the weekend. Though we’ll not start plugging things in until later, you can get an idea of the overall shape of the conference on the schedule page.

SCWC*SD33 STAFF: In addition to the many familiar workshop leaders, agents, editors and other publishing professionals returning in 2019, several new folks will join out fold. Check ’em out on the staff page as they’re announced, beginning in October.

Be sure to subscribe to our periodic .COMmunity updates to receive all the latest news. And to engage with out greater writing community between events, join the well-moderated conversation in our SCWC Facebook group.

Until next time, aim for excellence and settle only for exceptional.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS

An unexpected murder of crows boded well for conference weekend, and our plot of writers seized the occasion to shine. From Wes, Chrissie and myself, Rick, Linda and Cricket, to all the workshop leaders, guest speakers, and agents–and most importantly to the conferees themselves, who placed their trust in us–THANK YOU. You made for a most memorable SCWC.

And, oh, if only we could share what stories will come from it. Have no doubt that there will be many.

Craft, of course, remained the emphasis in the bulk of sessions. By all accounts from workshop leaders, the effort to rise above writing “good enough,” to aim for excellence and settle only for exceptional, was evident in nearly everyone. (Except that one guy. But what do I know about poetry?) With so many stellar writers in the room, it’s tough to single out those whose work warranted special recognition, but single out we must.

This time around there were three strikingly notable honorees:

SCWC*SD32 Award Recipients

OUTSTANDING FICTION (Science Fiction)
Flight Recorder
By John Goshorn of Anaheim, CA

OUTSTANDING FICTION (Literary)
Echoes of St. Eloi
By Jason Hook of Bangor, ME

OUTSTANDING FICTION (Historical YA)
Nell: Marshal of Bodie
By John Mullen of Poway, CA

Congratulations to all.

We’ll return to our longtime San Diego home at Crowne Plaza Hanalei for our 33rd annual. Dates will be Presidents’ Day Weekend, February 16-18, 2019. Limited to 175 writers, discounted pre-registration opens July 1. Meanwhile, our exclusive Sunriver Writers’ Summit workshop intensive will be held near Bend, Oregon, May 26-27, 2018. As well, our 16th annual Fall conference will again be in Irvine. Dates are September 21-23, 2018. Discounted pre-registration opens March 1st. Limited to 150 writers, full details can be found here.

Remember to join our Facebook Group and contribute to the ongoing conversation between SCWCs. Until next time… Go forth. Fight. Write.

–Michael Steven Gregory
Executive Director, SCWC/SWS