With no snow and ice in Phoenix this time of year, there’s nothing to hinder getting to writing events. Check out what January 2013 has in store.
January: Registration is open for winter 2013 classes offered by the Piper Writers Studio. Registration cost is $225 per class. Choose from the following classes:
- Jan. 7-31: Online fiction: “Momentary Fictions Workshop: The Art of Writing Flash Fiction,” with Matthew Brennan
- Jan. 8-29: Creative nonfiction: “Writing Scenes,” with Susan Southard
- Jan. 8-29: Poetry: “Mining The Scrapheap: Unrelated Words, Daydreams, Dreams and the Unconscious,” with James Cervantes
- Jan. 8-29: Mystery and thriller: “Finding Your Voice: Hints for Writers,” with Barbara Peters
- Jan. 9-30: Children’s writing: “The ABCs of Writing for the Children’s Market—Penning through the Genres,” with Brooke Bessesen
Saturday, Jan. 5, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: The Arizona Authors Association will hold its annual Winter Writers Circle at Cholla Branch Library, 10050 Metro Parkway E. in Phoenix. The event begins with an annual membership meeting. At 10:30 a.m., Donis Casey, author of the Alafair Tucker mysteries, published by Poisoned Pen Press, will present "The Plot Thickens: Workshop on Plotting and Suspense." Casey will share insights on how to gather the ingredients of your novel together to create a tale full of suspense and interest.
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 1 p.m.: Brenda Warneka will present “Writing & the Law: Writing About Real People” to the River Writers Group at Mohave Community College, 3400 Highway 95 in Bullhead City, Ariz. Open to the public, the program will deal with legal issues encountered when writing about real people in both nonfiction and fiction. Warneka is a member of Arizona Press Women and the State Bar of Arizona. To learn when Warneka appears in other locations around the state, contact her at warneka@cox.net.
Wednesdays, Jan. 9-30, noon-1:30 p.m.: Award-winning author Susan Pohlman will teach Scene Study. The intermediate class will cover the basic principles of scene and help students develop their ability to write strong scenes in any genre. Course fee is $150, and class size is limited to 10. Location is TBD in Scottsdale. Email susan@susanpohlman.com with any questions.
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 7-8:30 p.m.: Sue Grafton will sign “Kinsey and Me” at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale, Ariz. In 1982, Grafton introduced Kinsey Millhone in the first of her alphabet series, “A is for Alibi.” To mark the 30-year anniversary of her detective’s appearance, Grafton has published stories that reveal both Millhone’s origins and Grafton’s past. An international bestselling author with a readership in the millions, Grafton is published in 28 countries and 26 languages.
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.: Prize-winning mystery author Betty Webb will sign “The Llama of Death,” the third novel in her Gunn Zoo series, at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive in Tempe, Ariz. When zookeeper Theodora "Teddy" Bentley takes Alejandro, the Gunn Zoo llama, to a Monterey area Renaissance Faire, she discovers the still-warm body of the so-called Reverend Emerson. Teddy naturally investigates and finds herself in the midst of girl gang members and squabbling boat liveaboards, in addition to Renaissance Faire actors and assorted animals. In addition to the Zunn Zoo mysteries, Webb has published seven Lena Jones mysteries. A former journalist, she has interviewed U.S. presidents, astronauts and Nobel Prize winners. She is a member of Arizona Press Women, Mystery Writers of America, the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers and other writing groups.
Thursday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.: American Book Award-winner Stella Pope Duarte will present her independently published memoir, “Writing Through Revelations, Visions, and Dreams: The Memoirs of a Writer's Soul,” at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive in Tempe, Ariz. Duarte began her literary career in 1995 following a dream in which her father, who was deceased, revealed to her that her destiny was to become a writer. In addition to her memoir, she has also published “Let Their Spirits Dance,” “If I Die in Juarez” and “Women Who Live in Coffee Shops.” Born and raised in a South Phoenix barrio, she speaks to audiences of all ages on such topics as women's rights, diversity, Chicano/Latino history, writing, storytelling and more.
Thursdays, Jan. 17-Feb. 28, 6-7:30 p.m.: Susan Pohlman, author of “Halfway to Each Other: How a Year in Italy Brought Our Family Home,” will teach Introduction to Memoir/Fiction. The class will help students understand the difference between memoir and fiction, and then go on to examine such story elements as character, setting, description, theme and dialogue. In addition, students will learn how to focus their stories and tell them in a compelling way. Course fee is $225, and the class size is limited to 10. Email susan@susanpohlman.com with any questions.
Friday, Jan. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Sisters In Crime will hold a group book signing with such authors as Anne Butler Montgomery, Betty Webb, Donis Casey, Deborah J. Ledford, Lori Hines, Lena McCoy, Merle McCann, Pascal Marco and Virginia Nosky. The event, which is free with a paid museum admission, will be held at the Arizona Historical Society Museum at Papago Park, 1300 College Ave. in Tempe, Ariz.
Saturday, Jan. 19, 2-4 p.m.: Stella Pope Duarte will conduct a writing workshop based on her memoir “Writing Through Revelations, Visions, and Dreams” at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Drive in Tempe, Ariz. The workshop will focus on dream symbols as the basis for new discoveries of self and for understanding personal visions and revelations. Cost is $25. To register and prepay, call (480) 730-0205.
Saturday, Jan. 19, noon-2 p.m.: Pam Stevenson and Brenda Warneka will speak about “Skirting Traditions: Arizona Women Writers and Journalists 1912-2012” at the monthly meeting of the Phoenix Writers Club held at the Bluewater Grill, 1720 E. Camelback Road in Phoenix. Cost is $15 for members, $20 for guests. Please contact Eileen Birin at neeliepubl@aol.com for reservations. “Skirting Traditions” tells the stories of 28 female authors and journalists living in Arizona during the 100 years since Arizona became the 48th state.
Saturday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m.: Betty Webb will discuss “The Llama of Death,” along with the art and craft of writing, at Barnes & Noble, Scottsdale Fiesta Shopping Center, 10500 N. 90th St. in Scottsdale, Ariz. The third book in Webb’s Gunn Zoo series, “The Llama of Death” introduces a grumpy llama who luckily likes children.
Sunday, Jan. 20, 1-4 p.m.: Arizona Press Women will hold a champagne and chocolate party open to members and friends to welcome the latest addition to Betty Webb’s Gunn Zoo mystery series, “The Lama of Death.” Email reservations to apw.reservations@gmail.com.
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Raleigh R. Pinskey will address the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers at the Chaparral Suites Resort, 5001 N. Scottsdale Rd. in Scottsdale. Speaking on “101 Ways to Get on Radio, TV and Internet Talk Shows in the Digital Age,” Raleigh will share how to use social media to properly contact your target media, what’s current in media release writing and more. Pinskey is the founder and president of The Raleigh Group PR and the author of “101 Ways to Promote Yourself,” “The Zen of Hype” and four self-published books on branding, PR and marketing. Cost is $22 for members, $25 for guests. For reservations, please R.S.V.P. to Patricia L. Brooks, president/founder at patricia@plbrooks.com.
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