SCI-FI & FANTASY CONFERENCE

Seating is Limited - April 11-12!

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Join Us for Writer's Digest University's First Ever Science Fiction & Fantasy Online Writing Conference Limited Seating Available - April 11-12 - Reserve Your Spot Today REGISTER TODAY! Agents: Catherine Luttinger Marisa Corvisiero Cate Hart Mark Gottlieb Leon Husock Instructors: Jeff Gerke Elizabeth Bear Steven Harper Piziks Philip Athans Michael J. Sullivan N. K. Jemisin Register today to receive: • SIX all-new, one-hour webinar presentations provided by award-winning and bestselling science fiction and fantasy authors*, all examining different aspects of writing novels in these genres. Each session will include an opportunity for live Q&A with the authors! • A critique (with written feedback) of your query letter from an agent with experience in the science fiction and fantasy genres. • A bonus 90-minute On Demand webinar covering how to write a query letter so you're prepared when pitching your novel to agents. (A $79.99 value!) • The ability to network with fellow science fiction and fantasy writers via discussion boards that will be open throughout the weekend. Share ideas, and even your work if you choose. • Unlimited OnDemand viewing! All conference sessions will be made available for download in the week following the live presentations. Even if you can't attend every session live, you will be able to view each lecture on your own whenever you choose. Conference Schedule: • SESSION 1: You've Never Been Here Before: Effectively Drawing Readers into Your Story World Instructor: Jeff Gerke • SESSION 2: Not Your Grandmother's Speculative Fiction: Writing Convincing Societal Change in Science Fiction and Fantasy Instructor: Elizabeth Bear • SESSION 3: The Theme's the Thing Instructor: Steven Harper Piziks • SESSION 4: Writing Monsters: How to Make Your Imaginary Creatures Extraordinarily Real Instructor: Philip Athans • SESSION 5: Writing a Series: Challenges and Opportunities Instructor: Michael J. Sullivan • New Session Announced! SESSION 6: Growing Your Iceberg: Crafting a Secondary World That Feels Ancient in 60 Minutes Instructor: N. K. Jemisin   REGISTER TODAY! NEW SESSION JUST ADDED!   SESSION 6: Growing Your Iceberg: Crafting a Secondary World That Feels Ancient in 60 Minutes Instructor: N. K. Jemisin | 5:00 PM EDT   A common adage is that writers should show only ten percent of their worldbuilding -- but the other ninety percent has to be there, solid as an iceberg, in order for the world to feel "lived in". In this workshop, award-winning fantasy author N. K. Jemisin will guide you through the process of creating the planet, politics, and people of a complete and original secondary world, using principles that you can easily apply to creating your own. INSTRUCTOR: N. K. Jemisin JN. K. Jemisin is a Brooklyn author whose works have been nominated for the Hugo, the World Fantasy Award, and the Nebula, and have won the Locus Award. Her new novel THE FIFTH SEASON comes out from Orbit in August 2015. Her website is nkjemisin.com.

HOW SELLING WORKS ONLINE - SEMINAR

My good friend, Christina Hills is getting ready to lead a free, live training called, “The Simple Truth About Succeeding Online (And How to Set Yourself Up For Massive Success)” and I wanted to make sure you knew about it.

Attend today, April 2nd, 1pm Pacific/4pm Eastern: --> http://bit.ly/1BWDxXk Attend and discover... * How Selling Actually Works Online, including all the bits and pieces you need in order to get money from your client’s pocket into your bank account and how to fit them all together * How Email Marketing Works. (It's true what they say…the Gold is in the List!) * How Social Media can work to bring the right people to your "doorstep" so relationships that lead to new clients and customers Christina has a knack for teaching complex subjects and making them super simple...

Once you understand how business works online, you'll be ready to fix any existing problems in your business and set yourself up for success. Get registered for free now: --> http://bit.ly/1BWDxXk Christina is sharing this free training, no strings attached! She’s not selling anything here, just giving great content. If you’re new to online business or not seeing the results you’d like, do yourself a favor and check this out.

Sign up here: --> http://bit.ly/1BWDxXk To Your Writing Success, Terry -- --

P.S. It’s happening today. I’m not sure if she’s sending out a replay, but sign up and you’ll be the first to get access... --> http://bit.ly/1BWDxXk

P.P.S. Christina uses lots of pictures when she teaches, so if you're a visual learner like me, this might be exactly what you need to finally connect the dots! Free sign up here: --> http://bit.ly/1BWDxXk ______________________________

W. Terry Whalin Whalin & Associates
9457 S University Blvd, Suite 621
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-4976
ph: 720-708-4953
www.terrywhalin.com.

SHORT STORY CONTEST OPENS

It's official! The Writer's "Ocean of Possibility" short story contest is up and running. Submit your 1,000-word fiction stories through our online submission platform today.   Start by visiting our contest page to choose one of three ocean-themed quotes as inspiration for your tale. Submit one story for $25, and up to five additional stories for $15 each on the same transaction.     Our editors will read all of the submissions and choose a winner. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three entries and will be announced in the August issue of The Writer. The prizes are:   Grand prize: $1,000 and publication in The Writer  Second prize: $500 Third prize: $250   The submission period ends on April 30 at midnight, so get writing!

AUGSBURG LAUNCHING NEW CHILDREN'S IMPRINT

Augsburg Fortress, the publishing arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, will launch a trade imprint for children, Sparkhouse Family, on August 4.

The inaugural list will include six picture books, three illustrated Bibles, and eight animated videos. Sparkhouse Family is an extension of the publishing house’s sparkhouse division, which provides faith formation resources for children, teens, and adults in faith community settings.

 

 

 

Sparkhouse Family products will start with established brands already in use in church classrooms, with plans to expand. “We’ll be branching out into new things in the future,” said Elizabeth Dingmann Schneider, senior project manager at sparkhouse. More titles will follow in October 2015 and February 2016.

 

Schneider said the experience of developing books for young readers in church settings would help the house to enter a competitive children’s trade market. “We have a number of years of great feedback from kids in congregational settings,” she said. “We really saw a lot of appeal for kids to encounter these types of story books in the home setting as well.”

 

Jill Braithwaite has been hired as director of product development for the Sparkhouse Family imprint. Braithwaite formerly led product development at both Capstone and Red Line Editorial. More information about the launch list is available here.

NEW VP AT COOK

Kyle Duncan is David C Cook’s new VP and Publisher of Books and Media. He will report to Executive Producer Verne Kenney and be responsible for strategic planning, resource development, and project acquisitions for the Books and Media unit.

With more than 30 years of experience, Duncan career includes managing editor of Focus on the Family Magazine, publisher for Regal Books, and VP for Bethany House Publishers. In 2011 he also Scriptorium, a consulting company for helping global organizations acquire and publish digital content.

SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY

The best way to react to a verbal mistake,

is to acknowledge it and laugh at it with

your audience. Lose your place in your notes

or forgot what you were saying? Tell them.

WRITING TIP OF THE DAY

Avoid professional jargon, cliches, or “Christian-eze” in your writing.