Redwood Writers 2009 Conference Presenters

Craft of Writing
Mark Sloan www.marksloanmd.com	To Google or not to Google - The Art of Efficient Research - Research is critical in telling your story, whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction. Learn how to weed the important facts from the merely interesting ones to write a compelling, credible narrative. Mark Sloan, M.D., has been a pediatrician and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics for more than twenty-five years. He is one of the highest-rated pediatricians, by patients and peers, in Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region. He is the author of Birth Day: a Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History and the Wonder of Childbirth (Ballantine). His writing has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle, among other publications.
Jordan Rosenfeld www.jordanrosenfeld.net	Make a Scene: One Moment at a Time - The power and importance of scenes are the essential building blocks of good fiction. Learn how to use vivid details, significant action and different scene elements to evoke emotion and tell an unforgettable tale. As these writers tell us, “make a scene – craft your novel or story one moment at a time.” Jordan E.Rosenfeld is a columnist for Writer's Digest magazine, freelance editor and writer, and author of two writing books: Make a Scene , and with Rebecca Lawton, Write Free: Attracting the Creative Life. Her publications include the San Francisco Chronicle, the St. Petersburg Times, Hospitality Style, the Writer and more. She is also co-editor of the Write Free bimonthly e-newsletter. www.writefree.us
Jody Gehrman www.jodygehrman.com	Make a Scene: One Moment at a Time - The power and importance of scenes are the essential building blocks of good fiction. Learn how to use vivid details, significant action and different scene elements to evoke emotion and tell an unforgettable tale. As these writers tell us, “make a scene – craft your novel or story one moment at a time.” Jody Gehrman is the author of five novels and numerous plays. Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty was her first Young Adult novel, ollowed soon after by its sequel, Triple Shot Bettys in Love; both are published by Penguin's Dial books. Her adult fiction includes Notes from the Backseat, Tart, and Summer in the Land of Skin. She is a professor of English at Mendocino College.
B. Lynn Goodwin	Finding Your Writing Voice - No one can tell your story but you. Using the advice of experts as well as practical exercises, we'll explore voice and open a gateway to the stories that only you can tell. B. Lynn Goodwin is a teacher, editor, freelance writer, published in numerous anthologies, newspapers and ezines. She is the author of You Want Me To Do What? – Journaling for Caregivers, and owner of Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. Read an interview with Lynn.
Adair Lara www.adairlara.com.	First Person Writing that Sells - Secrets to getting your personal essays and memoirs published. Adair will show you which of your stories will make successful essays, how to write them, and where to sell them. Award winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of ten books, her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and publications. May 17, 2002 was declared Adair Lara Day in San Francisco by proclamation of Mayor Willie Brown. Read an interview with Adair Lara here.

Genre
Arlene L. Mandell	Non-fiction Writing - The objective of the session is to provide useful guidelines for improving nonfiction writing with ample opportunity to ask questions. Practical tips are provided to focus your writing, starting with a snappy title. Arlene L. Mandell is a retired English professor, poet, essayist and an award-winning journalist who wrote medical and consumer advocacy articles for Good Housekeeping magazine. Her work has appeared in more than 375 publications and 15 anthologies, Winner of the 2008 AAUW/CARE National short story contest and first place winner in the Redwood Writers 2009 Poetry Contest.
Tamim Ansary www.mirtamimansary.com	Memoir - Your Life as Story - A memoir is a story, but that doesn't mean you make anything up. The genre stands on the premise that life itself has a story-like essence. Memoir is the art of discovering that essence in a given patch of experience and then transforming it into words. It's about using the power of the subconscious as channeled through memory. Tamim Ansary, author of West of Kabul, East of New York, writes and lectures about Afghanistan, Islamic history, democracy, the art of the memoir, learning and schooling, the writing process, and other issues as they grab his imagination. He also directs the San Francisco Writers Workshop, the oldest continuous free writers workshop in America and the hub of a growing community of Bay Area writers. His newest book is Destiny Disrupted: History of the World Through Islamic Eyes..
Steve Hockensmith www.stevehockensmith.com	Fiction Writing: What's Your Hook? - How to grab readers' attention and differentiate yourself when wooing agents and editors. Steve Hockensmith is the author of the popular Holmes on the Range mysteries about Sherlock Holmes-worshipping cowboy brothers Big Red and Old Red Amlingmeyer. The first book in the series was nominated for the prestigious Edgar, Shamus, Dilys and Anthony awards in 2006, and since then St. Martin’s Minotaur has released three sequels. The latest, The Crack in the Lens, came out this summer. A journalist by training, Hockensmith also writes feature articles and short stories for a variety of mystery magazines. Read an interview with Steve here.
Christine Nora	Children's Picture Book Writing and Illustrating - Children's literature is highly valued and picture books can be amazing works of art. Bring a sketchbook or journal and a writing instrument. We will begin to explore the process and your innate creativity for writing and illustrating children's books. Christine Nora teaches a Children’s Picture Book Writing and Illustrating workshop at Santa Rosa Junior College and is a published author. She has written original stories about Gatsby for her publisher, Transglobal Communications Group, as well as stories for their Gum Shoe Gang series, and a new series about Rudy Rude.

Technology and Business
Catharine Bramkamp www.catharinebramkamp.com	Your Name in Words, The Newest and Oldest Traditions in Publishing - Just as the music industry has changed, so too has the publishing world. The Internet has created new opportunities for both established authors and new authors. Most of what is created on the Web is Print on Demand or POD. Learn from Catharine Bramkamp why this is new, yet a continuum of one of the oldest traditions of publishing. Catharine Bramkamp is a Realtor/Broker with Century 21 Alliance in Sonoma County. She holds a BA in English and a MA in Creative Writing. She is an adjunct professor for University of Phoenix and an author of three novels, two essay collections and over 300 periodicals and newspaper articles. She speaks on the new publishing paradigm as well as how to break through writer’s block to author either the next Great American Novel or better work e-mails.
Laurie McLean www.agentsavant.com	Agents - A Discussion with Laurie McLean, Gordon Warnock and Mary Kole - This session features tips for writers on how to secure an agent and work with an agent to get your book published. The panel will answer the questions: What do agents want from writers? What's expected in a query letter? How about the synopsis? And, once you've found an agent to represent you, what does the agent do for you? Laurie McLean is an agent with the Larsen Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco who represent adult genre fiction as well as children's middle grade and young adult books. Laurie looks for great writing, first and foremost, followed by memorable characters, a searing story line and solid word building.
Gordon Warnock andreahurst.com/Gordon.html	Agents - A Discussion with Laurie McLean, Gordon Warnock and Mary Kole - This session features tips for writers on how to secure an agent and work with an agent to get your book published. The panel will answer the questions: What do agents want from writers? What's expected in a query letter? How about the synopsis? And, once you've found an agent to represent you, what does the agent do for you? Gordon Warnock is an agent with Andrea Hurst Literary Management in Sacramento. He represents adult commercial narrative fiction, character-driven literary fiction and nonfiction in the areas of cooking, memoir, animal stories and others. Gordon looks for unique, yet relatable characters in extraordinary situations told with verve and a mastery of the language.
Mary Kole www.andreabrownlit.com	Agents - A Discussion with Laurie McLean, Gordon Warnock and Mary Kole - This session features tips for writers on how to secure an agent and work with an agent to get your book published. The panel will answer the questions: What do agents want from writers? What's expected in a query letter? How about the synopsis? And, once you've found an agent to represent you, what does the agent do for you? Mary Kole came to children's literature from a writer's perspective and got involved at Andrea Brown Literary Agency to see what it was like "on the other side of the desk." In her quest to learn all sides of publishing, she has also worked in the children's editorial department at Chronicle Books and is currently earning her MFA in creative writing at the University of San Francisco. At this time, Mary is only considering young adult and middle grade novels and truly exceptional picture books.
Gil Mansergh gilmansergh.com	New Ways to Get Published with Mansergh, Harwood, Kemble, and Davis This session, a mini-bootcamp, is for savvy writers. Four successful authors concisely reveal how they use YouTube, Podcasts, Broadcasts, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Book Signings and Special Events to create a bestseller. Gil Mansergh is familiar to many conference attendees through his newspaper movie columns; his radio shows such as Cinema Toast (KRSH) and Word By Word: Conversations With Writers (KRCB); his 400,000+ readers of the Press Democrat/New York Times and, his movie blog on petaluma360.com. Gil is also an internationally respected psychological educator, Writers Digest "Freelance Success," and book doctor who has written or co-written over 50 books and curriculums.
Seth Harwood sethharwood.com	New Ways to Get Published with Mansergh, Harwood, Kemble, and Davis This session, a mini-bootcamp, is for savvy writers. Four successful authors concisely reveal how they use YouTube, Podcasts, Broadcasts, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Book Signings and Special Events to create a bestseller. Seth Harwood graduated from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 2002, and his short stories have been published in numerous journals and anthologies. These days you can find Seth online at SethHarwood.com, where his podcasts of Jack Wakes Up and its sequels have drawn a devoted following. He lives in Berkeley, California, with his wife, Joelle, and their dog Hadley. Learn more about Seth in an interview.
Kemble Scott www.kemblescott.com/	New Ways to Get Published with Mansergh, Harwood, Kemble, and Davis This session, a mini-bootcamp, is for savvy writers. Four successful authors concisely reveal how they use YouTube, Podcasts, Broadcasts, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Book Signings and Special Events to create a bestseller. Kemble Scott is the author of the bestselling novel SoMa, finalist for the national Lambda Literary Award for debut fiction. He’s the editor of the literary e-zine SoMaLit.com, and was the first author to launch a novel using YouTube. An alumnus of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Kemble has three Emmy Awards for his work in television news. He lives in San Francisco.
Patricia Volonakis Davis www.patriciavdavis.com	New Ways to Get Published with Mansergh, Harwood, Kemble, and Davis This session, a mini-bootcamp, is for savvy writers. Four successful authors concisely reveal how they use YouTube, Podcasts, Broadcasts, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Book Signings and Special Events to create a bestseller. Patricia Volonakis Davis is an independent book marketer and the former representative in Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey for Scholastic Inc. She is the editor-in-chief of Harlot's Sauce Radio, an e-magazine and podcast. Her first full-length work, Harlot's Sauce: A Memoir of Food, Family, Love, Loss, and Greece, is an award-winning finalist in the 'Multi-Cultural Non-Fiction Category' of the National Best Book Awards sponsored by USA Book News.
Ann Wilkes www.annwilkes.com	Developing Your Online Presence with Ann Wilkes - Learn ways to build an online marketing platform to promote not just your book, but you as an author. The Internet is exploding with free tools to help you reach your target audience and brand yourself. Learn about web sites, blogging, social networking, and driving traffic with a focused strategy. Ann Wilkes' short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies and her first book, Awesome Lavratt was released this year in a co-publishing venture between Redwood Writers and Unlimited Publishing, LLC. Wilkes maintains blogs that cover science fiction, writing and writing science fiction, which feature author interviews and resources along with writing commentary. In addition to her online presence, she speaks at schools, libraries, conventions and local clubs. Read an interview with Ann here.