Friday, May 06, 2011

Many Genres One Craft Official Release

You can finally get your hands on Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction, edited by Michael A. Arnzen and Heidi Ruby Miller and published by Headline Books, Inc.!

Visit your local bookstore or find it online at these and many fine retailers:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books A Million
Powell's Books
Writers Digest Shop

Read excerpts, meet the 65 contributors, and follow our mega virtual book tour at the Many Genres blog: http://manygenres.blogspot.com

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Michael A. Arnzen Honored with Professor of the Year at Seton Hill University

Many Genres editor Michael A. Arnzen was chosen as the 2011 Professor of the Year at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Michael Arnzen (Ph.D., U Oregon) is an English professor by day and a horror/suspense writer by night. He holds four Bram Stoker Awards for his often funny, always disturbing fiction. His courses in the English program at Seton Hill run the gamut from expository and creative writing to literary criticism and film history, and he is an active teacher in the first year Seminar in Thinking and Writing. He has mentored novelists and led graduate writing workshops in SHU's unique MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction since 1999. He advised the campus literary magazine, Eye Contact, from 1999-2009.

Dr. Arnzen began serving as Humanities Division Chair at Seton Hill in Fall 2009.

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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Workshop: Many Genres One Craft Pennwriters All-day Intensive

Workshops
PENNWRITERS ONE DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOP
Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction


Who: Writers at any level interested in furthering their writing skills and business prowess

What: Contributors to the new, comprehensive writing guide Many Genres, One Craft, based on the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program, will offer six workshops for craft and career. The three morning sessions focus on plotting with Victoria Thompson, character with Timons Esaias, and setting with Heidi Ruby Miller and Jason Jack Miller. In the afternoon, sessions focus on pursuing publication with Natalie Duvall and Matt Duvall, building a brand with Mary SanGiovanni, and investing in your writing with Michael A. Arnzen.

When: Thursday, May 12, 2011 – 9 AM to 4 PM

Instructors: Michael A. Arnzen is Chair of the Humanities Department at Seton Hill University, as well as a Bram Stoker Award winning author. His first novel Grave Markings also won the International Horror Critics Guild Award for Best First Novel. Other projects include a spoken word CD called Audiovile and the novel Play Dead. Selections from his 100 Jolts: Shockingly Short Stories have been made into the film Exquisite Corpse, produced by Jim Minton. Mike’s latest release is the collection Proverbs for Monsters. He haunts the Internet at http://www.gorelets.com.

Matt Duvall was a professional wrestler who appeared on national TV shows and was included in Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine’s Top 500 wrestlers for 1996. He completed his MFA at Seton Hill University, which is also where he met his wife, Natalie. His short fiction has been published in a number of venues, including Chizine, The Ultimate Unknown, and Eye Contact. When he’s not teaching high school students, Matt practices Krav Maga, runs half marathons, and tries to avoid mowing the yard.

Natalie Duvall lives in a big old house in a little town in Central Pennsylvania. She enjoys walking as much as possible. Unless it's cold out. She is married to Matt Duvall and has cats (three of them -- Albert, Chun Lee and Eliot). During the day she's an 11th grade English teacher. At night, she writes Regency-set historical romances. In what free time is left, she trains in Krav Maga and is a lackadaisical triathlete. She blogs at http://dirtythirtytridea.blogspot.com.

Timons Esaias is a satirist, poet and short fiction writer, living in Pittsburgh. His fiction has appeared in fourteen languages, and his poetry has been translated into Spanish, Swedish and Chinese. His poetry chapbook The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture is in its second edition. He has also been a finalist for the British Science Fiction Award, and won the Asimov's Readers Award. He is Adjunct Faculty at Seton Hill University. His website is www.timonsesaias.com.

Heidi Ruby Miller is adjunct faculty at Seton Hill University, where she graduated from their Writing Popular Fiction graduate program the same month she appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Her novels include Atomic Zion and Ambasadora. She is a member of The Authors Guild, Pennwriters, Science Fiction Poetry Association, and Broad Universe. Visit her at http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com.

Jason Jack Miller is a writer, photographer and musician. An outdoor travel guide he co-authored with his wife in 2006 jumpstarted his freelancing career; his work has since appeared in newspapers, magazines, literary journals, online, and as part of a travel guide app for mobile phones. He received a Master’s in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill where he is adjunct creative writing faculty and he is an Authors Guild member. When he isn't writing, he's on his mountain bike or looking for his next favorite guitar. He is currently writing and recording the soundtrack to his novel, The Devil and Preston Black. Find him at http://jasonjackmiller.blogspot.

Mary SanGiovanni is the author of the Bram Stoker nominated novel The Hollower and its sequel Found You, both from Leisure Books, and Thrall from Thunderstorm Books. Over the last decade, various periodicals and anthologies have published her short fiction, some of which was collected in Under Cover of Night. She co-edited the GSHW anthology Dark Territories. Mary received a Master’s in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Find Mary at http://marysangi.wordpress.com.

Victoria Thompson writes the Edgar-nominated Gaslight Mystery Series, set in turn-of-the-century New York City and featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and detective Frank Malloy. Her latest book in the series is Murder on Lexington Avenue. She is also the author of 20 historical romances. A popular speaker, Victoria has taught at Penn State University and currently teaches in the Seton Hill University master’s program in Writing Popular Fiction. She is online at http://victoriathompson.com.


Tuition: $125 PW members (includes a copy of Many Genres, One Craft)
$165 non-members (includes a copy of Many Genres, One Craft)

Registration: Online at Pennwriters

Endorsements:
“Finally! A book on writing category fiction, presented by those who do it every day. Choose a genre and jump right in.”
--Mike Resnick, Nebula and Hugo Award-winning author

"Many Genres, One Craft is a brilliant and insightful must-have book for any writer, from newbie to working pro. Highly recommended!"
--Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of The King of Plagues and Patient Zero

Many Genres has everything you need to write and sell the book of your dreams. It is jam-packed with practical information, clear examples and brilliant insights, all delivered with clarity and wit. Skip the writers’ conference and read this gem from the masters of genre fiction!
--Suzanne Forster, New York Times bestselling author

"Speaking from experience, I can tell you there isn't a muse and if there is, she's already dating someone else." If there isn't a muse, as you'll read in this invaluable book for writers, MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT is surely the next best thing. No matter what you want to learn--from choosing the point of view for a scene, from getting the most out of a critique group to fine-tuning your final draft, from approaching a literary agent to promoting your published book in print or electronically or both--it's all there. The contributors know their stuff, and what they're teaching applies to writing at any age. MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT covers all the bases superbly, including issues I haven't seen addressed anywhere else in today's rapidly shifting publishing landscape.
--Renni Browne, co-author of SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS

Check out our site at http://manygenres.blogspot.com!

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Monday, March 14, 2011

Chat: Heidi Ruby Miller at Pennwriters Presents

Heidi Ruby Miller is the guest writer at Pennwriters Presents today, so she'll be answering questions and participating in discussions at the Pennwriters Yahoo! Group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pennwriters) - anyone is welcome, not just members of Pennwriters. Stop by and say Hi!

Here's the press release:

Our Guest Star will be Heidi Ruby Miller. She likes to read all types of stories, so it makes sense that she would be a mulit-genre author and co-edit a writing guide titled MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT: LESSONS IN WRITING POPULAR FICTION (http://manygenres.blogspot.com). Her novels AMBASADORA and ATOMIC ZION are due out in 2011.

She is a Published Pennwriter and member of The Authors Guild and Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA). Some of her short stories can be found in Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy, Best of Every Day Fiction, and Eye Contact. She also co-authored a travel guide with her husband Jason Jack Miller.

Heidi will appear at the Pennwriters Conference in Pittsburgh, PA on May 12 -
15, 2011. She will be a contributor along with Michael A. Arnzen, Natalie Duvall, Matt Duvall, Timons Esaias, Jason Jack Miller, and Victoria Thompson will provide an
all-day, intensive workshop. Heidi Ruby Miller and Jason Jack Miller will teach
a workshop which shows how fixing your first page can improve your entire
manuscript. Her other future appearances include:

* Book Expo America, New York City, May 26, 2011 (book signing)
* WPF In Your Write Mind Conference and Retreat, Greensburg, PA, June 23 - 26,
2011 (official launch of MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT, workshops)
* Context 24, Columbus, OH, August 26 - 28, 2011 (day-long workshop)
* West Virginia Book Festival, Charleston, WV, October 22 - 23, 2011

Heidi Ruby Miller's month-long online course, WRITING WITH AUTHORITY, starts
April 1, 2011. Along with Jason Jack Miller, she will present the writing course
like those they've taught at Seton Hill University. To learn how to analyze your
writing and use easy techniques that will increase the authority of your voice,
enroll now at http://tinyurl.com/PennwritersCourse201104.

You can reach Heidi by email heidirubymiller@gmail.com and on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/heidirubymiller. Her websites are
http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com and http://manygenres.blogspot.com.

Topics to discuss with Heidi Ruby Miller are:
* WRITING WITH AUTHORITY Online Course
* Pennwriters Conference 2011 One-Day Intensive Workshop
* MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT: LESSONS IN WRITING POPULAR FICTION book
* Working in multiple genres
* Working with contributors on a project

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Friday, February 04, 2011

Open Call for Virtual Book Tour Stops for Many Genres

To celebrate the release of the new writing guide Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction, we are scouting for stops in our three-month mega virtual book tour (VBT) during April, May, and June.

Do you…
…have an author interview series? We have contributors ready to be interviewed.
…review books on your site? We can offer you pdf copies of our book for review.
…provide contests and giveaways? We have swag to give away.
…do something special? We can provide that special something.


All VBT participants will be listed with a link and description on a VBT page on the Many Genres, One Craft site: http://manygenres.blogspot.com as well as announced and promoted during the day/s of your stop.

Contact Heidi Ruby Miller at heidirubymiller@gmail.com for further inquiries and to schedule your stop today. She will also be glad to interview you for her two author series: HEIDI'S PICK SIX and PATHS TO PUBLICATION as a thank you!

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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Seton Hill Writers News - January 2011

Nicole Peeler's Tempest's Legacy received 4.5 stars in the Urban Fantasy category in the January 2011 issue of RT Book Reviews. It was also a January Top Pick.

Tempest's Legacy_Peeler
Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler

Dark Matter, a poem by Timons Esaias, is up at Strange Horizons.

Chris Stout's novel Days of Reckoning is now available in the Kindle store. This was Chris's thesis novel for Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program.

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Days of Reckoning by Chris Stout

Laurie Alice Eakes's novel Lady in the Mist was chosen as a book club book by Crossings Book Club, as well as picked up by Thorndike Press for large print editions, along with another of Laurie's 2010 books.

Lady in the Mist_Eakes
Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

Dead Set: A Zombie Anthology (edited by Michelle McCrary and Joe McKinney for 23 House), which contains Calie Voorhis's short story "Biting the Hand that Feeds You", has been nominated for a Black Quill for Best Dark Genre Anthology.

Dead Set_Calie Voorhis
Dead Set edited by Michelle McCrary and Joe McKinney

Meg Mims is a new staff writer now for Re/Max Platinum Online, in Brighton, Michigan. She has also book reviews and articles on the Lake Effect Living website. And, to round out her new year, she sold an article to Chronicle, the Historical Society of Michigan's member magazine.

Meg also placed fourth in the Silicon Valley's RWA Gotcha Contest in the Inspirational category for her novel Double Crossing. Placing third in that same category was Lee McClain for The Missionary's Bride.

Mike Mehalek has a new blog at http://mikemehalek.blogspot.com called Writing is Tricky.

Mary SanGiovanni's new novel Thrall is available for pre-order through Thunderstorm Books.

Thrall_Mary SanGiovanni
Thrall by Mary SanGiovanni

Mary also wrote an essay about James Patterson's Along Came a Spider for Thrillers: 100 Must Reads (edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner for Oceanview Publishing), which was nominated for an Edgar Award.

Thrillers:100 Must Reads
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner

Susan Mallery is a RT Award nominee for Career Achievement in the Mainstream category. Tess Gerritsen is nominated in the Mystery, Suspense and Thriller category.

Gaelen Foley's novel My Dangerous Duke is nominated in the RT Awards Best Historical Novels 2010.

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My Dangerous Duke by Gaelen Foley

Michael A. Arnzen's story "Endless Shrimp"is in the Magazine of Bizarro Fiction Issue #4 (edited by John Skipp).

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Magazine of Bizarro Fiction Issue #4 edited by John Skipp

Mike also has a new Gorelets page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Arnzen-Goreletscom/192534454091457.

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Sunday, January 16, 2011

Book: Low-Residency MFA Handbook: A Guide for Perspective Creative Writing Students

Several Seton Hill Writers contributed to the Low-Residency MFA Handbook: A Guide for Perspective Creative Writing Students by Lori A. May. This guide offers prospective graduate students an in-depth preview of low-residency creative writing MFA programs, as well as interviews with program directors, faculty, alumni, and current students.

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Low-Residency MFA Handbook by Lori A. May

Here is the full list of Seton Hill Writers:
Shelley Bates (Shelley Adina)
Matt Duvall
Natalie Duvall
Heidi Ruby Miller
Jason Jack Miller
Cynthia Ravinski
Nicole Taft
Albert Wendland

ABOUT LORI A. MAY
Lori is a part-time writing instructor and a member of the AWP, MLA, and the Michigan College English Association. She is a frequent guest lecturer and workshop presenter at writers' conferences and graduate writing programs. In addition to her freelance writing, Lori is the author of Moving Target (Athena Force), The Profiler, and stains: early poems. More information about her is available online at www.loriamay.com.

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