In Memoriam & Week to Come

Instead of the usual author quote for this week, we'd like to honor Amanda Bylsma, a Pikes Peak Writers volunteer who passed away unexpectedly earlier this week.

People often remarked on Amanda's smile. Big and friendly, it lit up a room. She came across as quiet initially, but once you got to know her she had a great sense of humor and proved easy to talk to. Trustworthy, organized, and hard-working, she ran the Pitch Room like a well-oiled machine. If anyone needed a hand, she was a go-to person for assistance, calm, level-headed, and always ready to lend a hand.

Amanda will be sorely missed at PPWC 2014. While her position as Pitch Coordinator has been filled by past Pitch Coordinator, Bonnie Hagan, ensuring a seamless transition, Amanda's absence will leave a hole that cannot be filled. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this time.

Personally, I'll miss talking to her. She wasn't just a volunteer, but a friend, and my heart is heavy at her loss. Our loss.

~Shannon Lawrence
Managing Editor, Writing From the Peak


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...John K. Patterson urges recommends creative hobbies as a cure for writer's block

...Aaron Michael Ritchey discusses "The Sex, Money, and Angst Behind Hugh Howey's Graphs and Data Spiders," with graphs of his own

...We bring you conference tips to insure a successful conference or convention

...Q&As with Karen Albright Lin, DeAnna Knippling, Sarah Peed, Pete Klismet, and Gordon Warnock



We hope to see you at our Write Brain this week, which will feature conference tips & tricks, followed by pitch practice. This Tuesday, April 15, 6:30 to 8:30 PM, at the Colorado Springs Marriott, home of the Pikes Peak Writers Conference. For more information, see the Events tab of this blog or our website, www.pikespeakwriters.com.