Registration is open for the 5th Annual Field’s End Writers’ Conference to be held Saturday, April 17 at Kiana Lodge, on the shores of Agate Passage just north of Bainbridge Island. Enjoy a day of camaraderie, inspiration, and learning about the art and craft of writing.
This year’s keynote speaker is environmental journalist Bruce Barcott, 2009 Guggenheim Nonfiction Fellow and author of The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, named one of the best books of 2008 by Library Journal. Award-winning poet and performance artist Dr. Gloria Burgess will be opening speaker, discussing “Creative Perseverance: For Such a Time as This.” Founder and Principal of Jazz, Inc., her books include Legacy Living and Dare to Wear Your Soul on the Outside.
Several authors for children and young adults will offer presentations: Anjali Banerjee on “Knowing When to Stop Revising”; David Patneaude on “What If? What Then?”; Alma Alexander on “It’s Not Just Harry’s World”; Carmen T. Bernier-Grand on “Writing Vivid Biographies for Children”; and Joni Sensel on “Green and Growing: Ecology Topics for Children’s Fiction.” Children’s book author George Shannon serves as Master of Ceremonies.
Publicist Alice B. Acheson will present a workshop, “A Dozen Steps to Find a Literary Agent or Publisher.”
Other features this year include a professional panel of three industry experts examining the topic “Writing Outside the Lines: State of the Industry,” a “Writing Aerobics” hands-on workshop with Kathryn Galbraith that will jump-start your writing by using all of your senses, and an open reading session. The event also includes a continental breakfast, delicious salmon or vegetarian lunch, and a cheese and wine book signing reception.
Please visit www.fieldsend.org to register.
I'm working on several things. Among them are a YA mystery, a YA coming-of-age written in verse, some preliminary ideas for a speculative YA, a short sports story, a short SF novel that may get longer, and an early reader. Which one of these eventually gets most of my attention is up in the air right now, but because I've pretty much finished my work on EPITAPH ROAD, which is due out in March, I do have time to devote to the next project or projects.
- How did you and Elana Roth come to work together?
I was looking for a new agent, going through some possibilities online, and came across Elana while she was still at her former agency. According to her bio, she was looking for the exact kind of story that I had recently completed and was hoping to place. I sent it EPITAPH ROAD to her, and the rest is history.
- What’s your working relationship like? Does she give a lot of feedback? Encouragement? Or are you past such things?
I think we have a good working relationship. She's not afraid to give me her opinions, but she's not a micro-manager. She'll tell me what she thinks needs revising without telling me exactly how to make the change. And I have enough confidence in her opinion that I'll go ahead and revise without dragging my feet (much, anyway). I appreciate the fact that she's prompt and accessible. If I call or e-mail her, which I try not to overdo, she gets right back to me. She's also not timid about expressing her ideas to the publisher, and she's knowledgeable enough and respected enough that the publisher listens. She's a strong advocate for both me and my book.
My experience so far is that she gives the right amount of feedback--not a lot, but enough to be useful. Enough that I don't feel like I'm lacking guidance. Fortunately, she has given me encouragement, because there are times when every writer needs it.
- What sort of person is going to be a good potential client for her?
A good potential client would have to pay attention to Elana's likes and dislikes and have something that would fit solidly in the "likes" category. I'm speaking for her here, but she has a strong interest in big-picture, high-concept stories, and by that I mean stories in which something significant, something that goes beyond just the everyday personal kind of conflict, happens. And the writing has to stand on its own. If a writer has something on the quiet side, I would guess Elana wouldn't be a good match for that writer.
Be sure to check out Dave's site--you can see all his fantastic books there. Meanwhile, here's the cover for EPITAPH ROAD. March 2010 feels like an awfully long way away.
