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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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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Friday, December 03, 2010

Seton Hill Writers in Eye Contact - Winter 2010

Eye Contact

Filled with death, loss, and mourning, this was a beautifully dark issue of Eye Contact, appropriate as we come close to the winter solstice.

Here is a peek at the table of contents:

Eyes by Patrick Schober
Bloom by Passion Hannah
Aquila by Christine Telfer
Living Grace by Maddie Gillespie
Memorial by Stephanie Pikula
Kalina by Molly Follmer
Sounds in the Jungle by Heidi Ruby Miller
Tá Mé I Ngrá Leat by Lyndsey Basham
Lesson by Judith R. Robinson
Wave Swinger by Jason Jack Miller
The Man on Clipper Street by Patrick Schober
The Shorts Have Eyes by Matthew Duvall
Eye Spy by Aja Hannah
Cinderella by Stephanie Wytovich
Uh-Oh by Lyndsey Basham
Origami Moons by Penny Dawn
Dear Summer by Carissa Altizer
Dock by Alex Lowe
Visiting Campus Seven Years Later by Joe Kaldon
Clockwork by Meg Mims

The faculty advisor for Eye Contact is Timons Esaias.

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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Seton Hill Writers Deals and Publication News for November 2010

The subject of Patrick Picciarelli's true crime book, Takedown: The True Story of the Undercover Cop Who Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos, has optioned his life rights to Steven Spielberg and Steve Zaillian for a feature-length movie based on Patrick's proposal.

Patrice Luneski sold her paranormal YA novel, Lethally Blonde to Leap Books. It will be out in Fall 2011.

The second book in Pearl North's Libyrinth Trilogy, The Boy From Ilysies, is out and available in bookstores everywhere.
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The Boy from Lysies by Pearl North
The Book Beat has signed copies available. Calico Reaction has a review up here.

Two holiday novels by Seton Hill Writers are on the shelves now:
The Spy Who Saved Christmas_Dana Marton
Dana Marton's The Spy Who Saved Christmas
The Spy Who Saved Christmas by Dana Marton
and
A Montana Mavericks Christmas_Susan Mallery
A Montana Maverick's Christmas by Susan Mallery and Karen Rose Smith
Susan Mallery's A Montana Mavericks Christmas with Karen Rose Smith.

Also, Susan's Finding Perfect is an editors' pick for Top Ten Romance Novels of 2010 at Amazon.com.

Heidi Ruby Miller has an article in Nov.-Dec. 2010 issue of The PennWriter titled "Almost There", which she talks about on her blog.

The Winter 2010 issue of Eye Contact includes the poem "Origami Moon" by Penny Dawn, photographs by Jason Jack Miller ("Wave Swinger") and Meg Mims ("Clockwork") and short stories by Matt Duvall ("The Shorts Have Eyes") and Heidi Ruby Miller ("Sounds in the Jungle").

Jennifer Brisendine's creative non-fiction essay titled "Oh Hell! What Have We Here?" was accepted last week for publication in The Pedestrian, a quarterly literary journal of non-fiction.

Mary SanGiovanni's novel Thrall will be out Spring 2011.

Michael A. Arnzen and Heidi Ruby Miller's Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction from Headline Books, Inc., will hit shelves in April 2011.

Timons Esaias sold a poem to Strange Horizons.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Seton Hill Writers News for January 2010

In no particular order...

#1: Seton Hill Alum and Mentor Nalo Hopkinson was interviewed by Nick Liptak in The Book Bench section of The New Yorker online. She discusses her books and her fabric designs.

She is also the Guest of Honor for the 31st Annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, which will take place March 17-21, 2010, at the Orlando Airport Marriott, Orlando, Florida.

#2: Seton Hill Humanities Chair and Mentor Michael A. Arnzen and Alum Michael Mehalek became members of Pennwriters.

#3: An article about Seton Hill Mentor Anne Harris's alter-ego Jessica Freely is up at The Advocate.

#4: New York Times Bestselling Author and Seton Hill Mentor Tobias S. Buckell is the Guest of Honor at Context in Columbus, OH, this year: August 27 - 29, 2010.

#5: Seton Hill Alums Matt Duvall and Natalie Duvall offer tips on "How to Get Your Heroine Out of a Headlock" and other fight scene scenarios at Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal.

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Monday, December 28, 2009

Seton Hill Writers News

Forza Renea will publish Lynn Salsi's latest middle grade novel about Ray Hicks titled Appalachian Jack Tales Told by Hicks, Ward, and Harmon Families; her first book featuring this prominent Appalachian storyteller, The Life and Times of Ray Hicks: Keeper of the Jack Tales, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize last year. Vietnam Firefight on Brown Water, her thesis novel for Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction Program, recently won the Stars and Flag Award.

Laurie Alice Eakes sold two more books to Baker/Revell, the fifth and sixth books they have bought from her in the past eight months, and the twelfth and thirteenth books she has sold in the past thirteen months.

Les Compagnons de l'Ombre 6 (Tales of the Shadowmen 6) featuring the story "De Fer et de Bronze" by Christopher Paul Carey and Win Scott Eckert is now available in...you guessed it! French.

Cynthia Ravinski has a new website: www.cynthiaravinski.com.

Natalie and Matt Duvall will be teaching two online workshops in 2010. In February, it's Writing Action Scenes the WWE Way at Romance Writers of America: Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter and the second one is in August at Passionate Ink.

Susan Mallery's latest romance High Powered, Hot Blooded is on shelves now.

Maria V. Snyder's novel Sea Glass was number 5 on Locus Magazine's TRADE PAPERBACK BESTSELLERS LIST this month.

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Monday, September 08, 2008

Seton Hill Writers Interviews

#1: Laurie Alice Eakes interviewed Kim Moore, senior editor at Harvest House Publishers for Afictionado.

Laurie was also interviewed herself as the featured author at CataRomance.com.

#2: Natalie Duvall and her husband Matt Duvall have their third author interview up at The Write Way. Tim Lebbon is featured.

#3: Maria V. Snyder continues her author interviews on her MySpace blog. Her latest is with Cerridwen author Nancy Hunter.


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