From The Heart Romance Writers
FTHRW Logo
FTHRW Officers Members Only Join FTHRW Contest News Speakers Bureau
Member Roster Member Renewal   Workshops WFTH Newsletter


FTHRW > Speakers Bureau

FTHRW Speakers Bureau
Need someone to give a workshop or presentation? These folks can help!

The following FTHRW members are available for workshops or to speak at meetings or other venues. Contact the member by using their email address or clicking on the website link.

FTHRW members are encouraged to add/update their listings using this form here.

Workshops By Name

Characterization Basics
Conflict! Conflict! Conflict!
Creative Deleting: Backspace as Built-In Editor
E-Publishing
Happy Hookers!
Medical Speak and Information for the Fiction Writer
Microsoft Word for Writers
The Power of Positive Thinking; Attracting Success To The Writing Life
Romancing Non-Fiction
Structuring Your Manuscript for More Impact!
Retirement Planning Options for Writers
Tarot For Writers
Tax Basics for Writers
The "W" Plot
What a Character!!!
Which Witch Is Which?
Writing The Emotional Thrillers: What Lovers Can Learn From Killers


Presenters By Name

Catherine Chant
Lisa Dale
Karen Docter
Dara Edmondson
Stephanie Arwen Lynch
Terry Spear
Maria Markham Thompson
Barb Webb

 


 

Catherine Chant

Email: cchant @ catherinechant.com (without the spaces)
Website:
http://www.catherinechant.com

Workshop(s):

Microsoft Word for Writers

This online workshop focuses on teaching you the aspects of the Word program that are most useful for fiction writers, and the subjects presented will help you streamline your on-screen tasks so you can think more about your story and less about what the computer is doing (or not doing). Included in this workshop will be lectures on proper manuscript formatting, creating headers/footers, working with page numbers, creating a pre-formatted manuscript template that can be used on all your new book projects, customizing the toolbars, understanding and customizing the Auto-Correct feature, using the Work menu, formatting the query letter, creating a template for the query, printing envelopes, printing labels for SASEs, and backing up your computer files.

NOTE: This workshop is designed for BOTH Macintosh and PC users, and has been written for versions of Word from '97 to 2008.

Bio:

Catherine Chant is an award-winning writer from New England. She is a PRO member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA), and a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). A graduate of Boston College, she worked for fifteen years at her alma mater as a computing & communications consultant and now provides freelance web editing and design services to other writers and clients such as BC's Lynch School of Education. Her short fiction and non-fiction work has appeared in RWA newsletters, CharacterS, SchoolArts, MetroKids, Twilight Times and Apollos Lyre. Her young adult time travel romance WISHING YOU WERE HERE was a finalist in the 2008 Golden Heart® awards. She is currently working a new young adult novel.


Lisa Dale

Website: http://www.lisadalebooks.com

Workshop(s):

Creative Deleting: Backspace as Built-In Editor

Writing The Emotional Thrillers: What Lovers Can Learn From Killers

The Power of Positive Thinking; Attracting Success To The Writing Life

Bio:

Lisa Dale writes both literary fiction and contemporary women s fiction/romance. Her first novel, Simple Wishes, debuted with Grand Central Publishing, and a second book, It Happened One Night, is due in November 2009. She worked at a New York literary agency before earning her MFA from Fairleigh Dickinson University. A former assistant editor of The Literary Review and nominee for Best New American Voices and the Pushcart Prize, her writing appears in many literary magazines, such as Fourth Genre, Flyway, Fugue, Sou wester, The Southeast Review, The Limestone, The MacGuffin, Many Mountains Moving, and more. Lisa offers manuscript consultation to select writers. To view Lisa s current seminars and lectures (and get free stuff) visit www.LisaDaleBooks.com. Or drop by www.LisaDaleBlog.com, for thoughts on reading, writing, and living the curious life.


Karen Docter

Website: http://www.karendocter.com/

Workshop(s):


The "W" Plot...Or The Other White Meat for Plotters


The plot is integral to every novel, holds everything together. It's the vehicle that carries readers from page one to "The End". It's one of the scariest things an author faces when s/he decides, hey, I want to write a novel! Join four-time Golden Heart® finalist and Daphne du Maurier winner Karen Docter as she shares the "W" plotting technique she's used successfully for 12 years. Included is Karen's analysis of the movie Romancing the Stone where she shows how the technique works, discussing detailed plot points for the main characters including the villain. Gather all of the tools you need to plot your own story using the "W", as well as the critical information you need to write the synopsis we all love to hate all without writing one word of the novel. Whatever your genre, pantser or plotter, this workshop is designed for the novice and experienced novel writer.

Bio:

Karen Docter won the Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Suspense unpublished division of the 2005 Daphne du Maurier Award. She's a four-time Golden Heart® finalist and a charter member of RWA® PRO and The Golden Network®. Also a member of CRW, KOD & FTHRW chapters, she writes single title romantic suspense. She holds a B.A. in Technical Journalism, and has fostered literacy as a speaker at local Jr./High schools, tutored composition and reading classes, and taught college level English. She judges several writing contests each year, including RWA's® Golden Heart® Contest.


Dara Edmondson

Website: http://DaraEdmondson.com

Workshop(s):

Characterization Basics

What brings characters to life and makes them step off the pages? Using a detailed worksheet I'll help you create real characters that readers will remember long after they put down your book.

E-Publishing

From current trends in the industry to what to expect in the future, this program will help you decide if E-Publishing is right for you. What does it take to get a contract? How to choose the right publisher, how much you can expect to earn? Includes list of resources and up-to-date info on active publishers.

Medical Speak and Information for the Fiction Writer

What happens in hospitals, the types of hospitals, the various departments, the staffing, terminology, types of common injuries, diseases, conditions and treatments, patient experiences and more. How much detail should you include in your book, when do the details become author intrusion? Join multi-published romance author Dara Edmondson and Joanie White, a Nurse Practitioner with more than fifteen years of experience doing trauma transport and Neonatal Intensive Care.

Bio:

After years in the salon industry and the Real Estate field, I finally realized a lifelong dream of becoming a published author. I currently have four contemporary romance novels out (three with The Wild Rose Press) and many more short stories. I live in sunny Orlando with my husband, two teenagers and two spoiled cats.


Stephanie Arwen Lynch

Email: readings @ tarotbyarwen. com (without the spaces)
Website:
http://www.tarotbyarwen.com/

Workshop(s):

Tarot For Writers

Let Arwen show you a new way to approach your writing. Hang on to your manuscripts as she unleashes the power of Tarot for you. In a typical two week online workshop, you will learn how to utilize the Tarot for yourself on a personal level. Meet your characters as you have never met them before. Learn about their quirks and let your your journey throught the cards introduce you to their own past. Writer's Block will never be a problem again with the Tarot cards to give you insight.

Which Witch Is Which?

As a Wiccan HPS, Arwen offers insight into how to make your magical characters more believable. What is the difference between a Wiccan witch and a green witch? Can a Wiccan be a FamTrad? Why is there a neo-Wiccan group vs a Wiccan group? Wiccan since 1985, Arwen will show you the small details that will make your novel stand out as well-researched.

Bio:

Published author and professional Tarot reader, Arwen offers workshops on how to utilize the Tarot for your writing. She is an experienced online presenter as well as in-person presenter.


Terry Spear

Email: tspear @ flash .net (without the spaces)
Website:
http://www.terryspear.com/

Workshop(s):

Happy Hookers! Engaging the Reader from Start to Finish

Slow starts and sleepy endings to scenes and chapters can ruin a manuscript's chance of being published. Conversely, solid hooks can make the sale - as workshop instructor Terry Spear demonstrates, with six publishers currently hooked for six manuscripts. Setting such practical matters aside, what author wouldn't be thrilled to hear someone say, "I couldn't put the book down"? Strong hooks are a vital ingredient in strong writing. In this online class, which features lectures, discussion, practical exercises, and handouts, she'll teach students how to captivate readers with great openings, scene hooks, chapter cliff hangers, and intriguing back cover blurbs. Participants will master the hook in all its environments, from the query letter through the novel.

What a Character!!! Jump from Cookie Cutter to Great 3-Dimensional Characters in Your Writing!

How many times have you heard how important it is to have 3-dimensional characters? That the publisher wants character-driven stories, not plot-driven? To show, not tell? But how easy is it to really write characters that come alive on the page? Some writers have a natural ability to concoct terrific characters who are full of life. Then there are the rest of us who need some help. In this workshop, Terry Spear will show the difference between average characterizations and those that will get noticed! In this online class, which features lectures, discussion, practical exercises, and handouts, she'll teach students how to captivate readers with engaging characters.

Structuring Your Manuscript for More Impact!

Have you just started your mss and you're at a loss already? Have you finished the mss and need help structuring it so that it has the kind of impact that will compel readers, agents, and editors to keep reading?

Whether you're a plotter who sets up the whole mss from start to finish, or a pantser who writes from the seat-of-the-pants, from the writer who is just beginning, to the one who has finished a mss and needs some help, this workshop is for you! We'll discuss the major components of a mss-the Scene and Sequel, what makes them work and how to make they better. I'll give examples and work with you on how to improve your own mss. Afterward, you should be able to identify what makes your story catch the reader's interest and what needs to be reworked to do a better job.

Please join Terry Spear, the online presenter of Happy Hookers and 3-D Characterizations, for a workshop on Structuring Your Manuscript for More Impact!

Conflict! Conflict! Conflict! - How to Write Conflict in Every Scene!

From warriors fighting on the battlefield and storms that threaten mayhem, to the conflict in relationships from romance to just plain living around others--EVEN if the individual is shipwrecked alone on a desert island--conflict is all around us.

For fiction, it's essential to show conflict in every scene, to engage the reader throughout our tale. Even for nonfiction, conflict in the story makes for much more interesting reading.

So we will discuss internal/external conflict, conflict in dialogue, conflict in actions and reactions, conflict in settings, conflict between individuals, conflict in plot, and subplots, subtle and not so subtle conflicts, and much more.

Bio:

Terry Spear has published in many genres, including romantic suspense, contemporary, paranormal, and under the name Terry Lee Wilde, young adult paranormal and fantasy romances. She's the author of Winning The Highlander's Heart (Vintage), The Vampire...In My Dreams, Deadly Liaisons (Samhain), Heart of the Wolf, April, 2008, Don't Cry Wolf, April 2009, (Sourcebooks), Relative Danger (Wild Rose Press). She also writes nonfiction for numerous genealogy, WWII, teen, and family magazines, and has had romantic fiction published in magazines. Currently, she's working on her latest werewolf adult novel, Betrayal of the Wolf. Visit her website: www.terryspear.com


Maria Markham Thompson, CPA, CFA

Website: http://www.writercpa.com/

Workshop(s):

Tax Basics for Writers

A review of how income, expenses, and taxes are handled for writers who are employed and who are freelancers. The length and depth can be adjusted based on the preferences and needs of the audience.

Retirement Planning Options for Writers

An overview of how to estimate retirement income needs and tax-deferred options for saving for the long haul including employer-sponsored and individual retirement options for the self-employed.

Bio:

I'm a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Maryland and hold the designation of Chartered Financial Analyst. For the last 25 years I have worked as an analyst and executive in financial services. My firm specializes in serving the needs of writers and artists.


Barb Webb

Email: BarbWebb13 @ yahoo. com (without the spaces)
Website:
http://www.BarbWebb.com

Workshop(s):

Romancing Non-Fiction: Put Passion into your Proposal

Every writer has an idea, do you know how to sell yours?

Make your editor beg. Get from first base to "I do" by courting publishers with a seductive non-fiction query and proposal.
Barb will show you how in this two week, hands-on workshop!

Topics include: Uncovering your ideas, identifying markets and preferred publishers, building the ideal query letter, designing a proposal to elicit the coveted "yes!", what to do while you are waiting for an answer, and how to avoid potential pitfalls.

Bio:

A prolific author, Barb has written over 200 curriculum manuals along with numerous mainstream published works including novels, how-to guides, novellas, anthologies, articles, and poems. Her most recent work includes The Mom's Guide to Earning and Saving Thousands on the Internet (McGraw Hill, ISBN 0071457763).

Barb's prime motivation is the desire to help other women succeed. Whether financially, emotionally, or via a realm of fantasy, she strives to be a voice of empowerment.

In recognition of her writing and work with the community, she is the recipient of the Professional Association of Computer Training (PACT) First Place Award of Excellence, the 1999 Minnesota Children and Family Services Volunteer of the Year Award, and the 2005 Scarlet Boa Award.

Barb is also the owner of MOMdotCOM.net, President of the From The Heart Romance Writers RWA Chapter 177, and a ClubMom Expert. This savvy mom and multi-talented writer currently resides in Kentucky with her husband and three children.


 




Home | Board of Directors | Member Roster | Join FTHRW | Speakers Bureau
Members Only Section | Member Renewals | Newsletter | Contest News | Workshops

Questions or Suggestions should be directed to: webmaster @ fthrw.com

From the Heart Romance Writers is chapter #177 of the Romance Writers of America®.


Copyright (c) 2001-2010, From the Heart Romance Writers. All rights reserved.
Do not copy any images or text without permission.

Design by LPS Design.