PPWC 2013 - Amber Benson

Amber Benson

Amber Benson is one of our keynote speakers at the 2013 Pikes Peak Writers Conference, and an all around talent. Not only is she an author, but she's also an actress, singer, producer and director. 

Some may know her best as an actress, especially in her role as Tara in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she's done much more before and since. She has directed and produced two films, and co-directed one additional. In addition, she has acted in numerous films and television shows, including Supernatural, Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice. 

However, the reason she's coming out to visit us is her impressive writing resume. She co-wrote and directed Ghosts of Albion, an animated web-series for the BBC, with Christopher Golden, which they then turned into a series of novels. In 2010, she put out the middle grade novel, Among the Ghosts. Her ongoing Calliope Reaper-Jones urban fantasy series is about a girl who must take on the position of CEO from her father, Death, after he's kidnapped during a coup attempt by the Devil's protege. 

Her novels tend to have a supernatural bent, much like her popular acting roles, so it's safe to say she has a feel for the genre. 

You can find Amber all over the interwebs:

Her personal blog: Amber Benson's Official Blog

Facebook: Amber Wrote This

Twitter: @amber_benson

Amazon Author Page: Amber Benson

IMDB: Amber Benson

YouTube: Amber Benson

About the Author:  Shannon Lawrence is a mom of two, a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.  She lives in Colorado Springs and is inspired by the beauty of Pikes Peak and the Rockies.  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, she has recently thrown herself back into it.  Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel.  She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, due out in 2013.  She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children.  She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.

Story Tips # 6 - Eight Basic Stories

By Jax Hunter

We're delighted to be able to offer further episodes in the Story Tips series from Jax Hunter. This monthly column explores screen writing techniques that will help fiction writers tell a better story.

Image by OCAL, clker.com

Shakespeare said that there’s nothing new under the sun. That was Shakespeare, wasn’t it? Or was that in Proverbs? No matter. Whoever said it was right, and Shakespeare managed to come up with some great stories, didn’t he? There really are no new stories, only new people playing out the age-old patterns.

Michael Hauge (Writing Screenplays that Sell) says there’s only one type of story: David and Goliath - man against impossible odds.

Screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr. Believed there were only two: fish out of water and the odd couple.

We’ve all heard these: man vs. himself, man vs. man, and man vs. nature.

Ray Frensham (Teach Yourself Screewriting) contends there are eight classic plots, which we'll explore in this post. He titles them with classic story titles, many of which come from ancient mythology.

1) Achilles: A character flaw leads to destruction of either the hero or the villain.

2) Candide: You can’t keep a good guy down - optimism will triumph.

3) Cinderella: Dreams come true, transformation brings the reward.

4) Circe: The classic chase story - spider and the fly - the innocent pursued by evil.

5) Faust: The extent to which man will go to get what he wants - selling your soul to the devil.

6) Orpheus: Tragedy of loss, or looking for that which is lost.

7) Romeo and Juliet: Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back (or doesn’t).

8) Tristan: The love triangle.

So why do we need to even think about these classic plots? Does anyone out there actually sit down to write a story and think, “Gee, I think I’ll write a Circe story.” Well, there might be a few who do, but I’d wager that to be the exception to the rule.

I believe that most of us come up with a what if - what if someone woke up in a car by the side of the road and didn’t know who they were - first, and find the pattern second.

So why bother trying to stick your story into one of these patterns? Many screenwriting tutors believe that this process helps us to know the general direction of our story. Knowing the components of the classic stories, then, can help us determine which pieces our story needs. 

Knowing the pattern that your story fits also helps you to twist the plot. It’s all about ideas, isn’t it?

Once we know the category, we can also add elements of other categories to our tales. You will find that many stories - in this case, movies - fit more than one pattern.

Fatal Attraction fits Achilles and Tristan.

Erin Brockovich fits Candide and Cinderella.

The Graduate fits Romeo & Juliet and Tristan.

And Miracle (a movie that this hockey fan cried all the way through) fits Candide and Cinderella.

Your assignment, then, is to start watching for these patterns. Maybe keep a small notebook beside the Lazy Boy and start sticking every movie you watch into its category or categories. How about your current work in progress? I write romance so, of course, every book of mine fits Romeo and Juliet. The current WIP also has Cinderella and Orpheus elements. 

Also, keep in mind that any of these patterns can be written in any of the many forms: comedy, drama, suspense, mystery, romance, noir and the like.

I encourage you to study these formats and let them be frames on which to hang the meat of your stories.  Don’t let them bog you down.  Instead use them as tools to spark ideas.

Until next month, BICHOK (Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard) 

Cheers, Jax (www.jaxmhunter@gmail.com)

(This series first ran in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers newsletter in 2004.)

About the Author: Jax Hunter is a published romance writer and freelance copywriter. She wears many hats including EMT, CPR instructor, and Grammy. She is currently working on a contemporary romance series set in ranching country Colorado and a historical romance set in 1775 Massachusetts. She lives in Colorado Springs, belongs to PPW, RMFW and is a member of the Professional Writer's Alliance.

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

"Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it."  -Hannah Arendt


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...We bring you more installments in Jax Hunter's Story Tips series! This month we're featuring Eight Basic Stories

...A bio on Amber Benson, one of our PPWC 2013 keynote speakers

...Three Ways to Make Your Fantasy Novel Stand Out, by our guest, John K. Patterson

...A bio on sci-fi/fantasy editor Mike Braff, one of our guests at PPWC 2013

...the March Countdown to Conference post from MB Partlow

...and a Sweet Success.

It's a great week at at Writing From the Peak!

Sweet Success! Jo-Ann Costa

Compiled by DeAnna Knippling


Jo-Ann Costa's historical fiction novel The Bequest of Big Daddy (ISBN: 9781938467271, 84K, ebook and softcover [the latter available in April 2013])), which took second place in the 2008 Paul Gillette contest, was published February 1 by Koehler Books. The book is available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million, with pre-orders for the paper edition available. The author's website is at jo-anncosta.com.

From Reconstruction to the decaying ruins of a doomed plantation with its dying social system but a memory, The Bequest of Big Daddy is evocative of all that’s wrong in the post-Civil War South. This is the story of a man born to Southern aristocracy, who spawns an empire of outcasts, heroes and heroines—among them a great-granddaughter who is determined to learn the truth about her kin’s painful past. A tale of family betrayals, separations and reunions, at the deathbed of Big Daddy, a crusty patriarch with an infamous background and a hair-trigger temper, eight year-old Jo-Dee begins her journey to plumb the murky past, as the protective skin of her great-grandfather’s story falls away.

Novelist Jo-Ann Costa is retired Director of Public Affairs for a California-based Fortune 500 company founded by the late Howard Hughes. A Southerner by birth, Ms. Costa’s historical fiction and short stories are woven from the fabric of her people and the landscape of her youth, while inspiration for her mysteries arise from her experiences living and working in Southern California. She is a graduate of California State University, the University of Southern California’s Managerial Policy Institute, Leadership Southern California and the Public Affairs Institute.

We love to hear of fellow Pikes Peak Writers' Sweet Successes, including story acceptances, winning contests, getting published and book signings. Please email DeAnna Knippling at dknippling [at] gmail [dot] com if you've got a Sweet Success you'd like to share.

I'm on a Boat!

By Shannon Baker

There’s a chance I might not be crazy. The evidence, however, suggests otherwise.

Most of the time I can compartmentalize the worst of the fruitcake behavior and hopefully people don’t know how nuts I am.

I usually keep it secret that I have a constant soundtrack going on inside my head. My husband calls it the ShannonPod. A good day is when there is only one song looping. Not every day is good.

I’ve learned to anticipate and warn those around me when an outbreak of lunacy is likely. It’s sort of like a good-hearted werewolf locking himself up on a full moon.

For instance, when I send a manuscript out for review I can turn off the anxiety for a time. But I know when that manuscript is returned there will be fallout. It’s predictable.

I stand with the manuscript in hand.

There is a deep inhalation in preparation. As I read the comments I burn with embarrassment that I could be that stupid. How could I have sent this off when I know better than to make those kinds of mistakes? Then despair sinks in. This manuscript cannot be salvaged. Repair is impossible. My deadline looms and I have to create a completely different story. I’m doomed.

This stage lasts exactly two days.

On the third day I start to understand how to change the plot to make it better. I get a clear idea where to cut, where to add, and how to make that device work. The literary worm turns and I get excited because when I make these changes, this book is going to be brilliant!

For the next two to three weeks I am possessed, obsessed and whatever other ‘ssed writers get when they go so deeply into their story the only time they surface is to 1) eat and 2) go to that pesky day job that supports this bat-shit habit.  The only conversation I’m capable of is raving about the new insight into my character. My checkbook will not get balanced and I’ll survive on pickles and saltines before going to the grocery store.  I have plenty of underwear to last this manic phase, so I do no laundry.

And then it’s done. You’d think I’d feel relief. Elation! Pride of accomplishment.

Maybe I would… if I weren’t crackers.

Instead, I have Manuscript Withdrawal. After having made all those changes I knew would make the story sing, I’m convinced I’ve failed. It’s drivel and my editor will reject it and I’ll end up in the gutter, my roots will grow out gray, and I’ll have chronic halitosis.

But, wonder of wonders, my editor likes it. It goes into the publishing assembly line and I feel good about it for the next several months. I anticipate the book release. It’s gonna be great! Friends and family will hold it aloft and the champagne will flow.

Except I’m bonkers.

Tainted Mountain (Midnight Ink) is here as of today. By the time this blog is aired it will be available. Since this is my first book with a really great publisher, I have no experience with this part of the publishing process. I don’t know what to expect from my unstable, insecure self. I already feel the draw to the dark side of the anxiety landscape but I’m determined to enjoy this.

It’s a good book. You’ll like it. 

So, crazy or not, my ShannonPod is on a constant loop to “I’ve Got a Book,” sung to “I’m On A Boat,” the expletive version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avaSdC0QOUM

About the Writer: Shannon Baker has a right brain/left brain conflict. While the left brain focuses on her career as an accountant, her right brain concocts thrillers, including her 2010 release, Ashes of the Red Heifer. A lover of mountains, plains, oceans and rivers, she can often be found traipsing around the great outdoors. The first book in the Nora Abbott Mystery Series, Tainted Mountain, released March 2013 from Midnight Ink publishers.

Writers Have the Cleanest Light Bulbs

or Stella’s Not the Only One that Needs a Groove
by Deb McLeod
 
Last November, I wrote about the importance of a writing groove to a successful NaNoWriMo. It’s February now and getting in the groove is harder than it was then without all that NaNo support, camaraderie and encouragement.

So I’d like to ask you to take a few minutes to look at your writing ritual. What helps you get to the chair? What helps you stay in the chair? How can you improve upon what you already do?

My clients can tell you the importance I place on ritual and writing. I encourage everyone to create established patterns that will get you to the chair and signal to your body, your internal editor, and that creator inside that it is time to write. If you can identify and improve your writing rituals, you’ll have a much easier time of it.
 
Before I had any kind of ritual, my biggest issues were:

Noise
Distractions
Procrastination

 
Noise
Some people can write to music. I am not one of them. When I write or need to concentrate I am best served by dead-silence. But silence isn’t easy to find. Even cloistered in my office, I can hear the white-hum of my computer, the ticks and whir of the heater going on and the old-fashioned alarm clock from the next room.
 
So I went on a hunt for earplugs. I tried all different kinds. Then I found Mac’s earplugs. Sweet silent bliss! The ones I like are soft enough to wear for long periods of time but thick enough to drown out all noise. I use them all the time. When I put them in and the noise stops, it’s a physical signal to my body that I’m ready to concentrate. Being able to carry silence with me allows me to write anywhere I want.
 
Distractions 
Of the computer kind… Once upon a time I would turn on my computer and check email first. In those days I had a limited amount of time to write before I had to get ready to go off to my job, or pick up my daughter or do whatever was on the list. More times than not I found myself answering emails with long and beautifully written tomes. I’d follow links onto the web; I’d whittle away my writing time until everything was taken care of, then I’d try to write.
 
That clearly wasn’t working. So I set a boundary.
 
No other computer work, no phone calls, no doctor’s appointments, no appointments of any kind until 11:00 am. I made myself unavailable to the outside world from the moment I sat down until 11:00.

That ritual worked until I began my own business. Now my distractions aren’t just social, they’re client emails, they’re website updates, class prep, client pages to read and blog deadlines. I found myself using my writing time to get ahead of the demands of my coaching practice.

So I had to set a different sort of boundary. Now I get out of my office so I’m not tempted. I work at a coffee shop. I get there anywhere from 5:00 – 7:00 a.m. so I can get my favorite spot. I put my earplugs in. Somebody else makes the coffee and I write until 11:00 every day except Fridays, when I teach in the morning.

Distractions
Of the light bulb kind… I’m lucky here. I’m not bothered by laundry that needs to be done, dishes in the sink or pies that should be baked. I’m one of those oblivious housekeepers. I can step over three piles on the way to the door and not notice a thing. 

But I do notice the energy shift when things are clean and organized. So I do put my time in cleaning. I just wait until after everything else is done. 

I know not everyone is like that. I have some clients that put a deadline on their day so they shift from housework to writing. They rush through chores and commit to getting to the desk. That way they can do so without guilt or that tug of work left undone.

Procrastination
Not long ago I figured out that my procrastination had a lot to do with the lack of a plan. I have been a dedicated pantser; an organic writer who sat down to a clean page every day. While it was exciting to know I was courting surprises, it also took a gargantuan will to jump and trust that I was going to produce something story-worthy every single day. The way I wrote necessitated a log of rewriting as I figured out my story or chapter only while I was writing it.

Then I discovered planning.

I still have organic moments within the plan and I still let myself follow a riff to see where it will go. But now I start with a structure and sometimes even an idea of what I want to work on before I sit down. Having a plan has made all the difference. It’s easier to approach the work and it’s easier to stay on task. I’ve found a happy medium between plotter and pantser that works for me.

I do well producing pages as long as I stick to my routine. So how's your groove?

• What issues keep you from getting into the chair?
• Are there boundaries you could put up to help you produce more work?
• What are the tricks that work for you?

About the Writer: Deb McLeod, is a writer, creative writing coach and founder of The Writing Ranch. She has both an MFA and a BA in creative writing. She has been teaching and coaching for over ten years. Deb has published short fiction in anthologies and journals. She has written articles and creative nonfiction. Deb has been a professional blogger, tech writer, graphic artist and Internet marketing specialist. 

PPWC 2013 - Aaron Michael Ritchey

Aaron Michael Ritchey

Aaron Ritchey is a man of many talents. Not only is he a columnist here on Writing From the Peak, but he will be presenting a workshop with Deb Courtney and Sue Mitchell for the Thursday Pre-Conference programming, AND is our Master of Ceremonies for PPWC 2013. If you've seen him speak before, you know that he will absolutely do a fantastic job as M.C. He is engaging and funny, and he has more energy than the rest of the room put together.

Aaron's debut novel, The Never Prayer, was released in March of 2012, and it's safe to say he's making quite a name for himself 'round these parts. He presents encouraging workshops on writing, not just for Pikes Peak Writers, but at many conferences and conventions, as well as stand alone presentations like his upcoming Hook Me! coming up on March 20.

He's also a dad and has a day job working with computers, but there's no doubt this promising author will see a successful career in writing in the years to come.

You can find Aaron Michael Ritchey online at:

His website-www.aaronmritchey.com

His blog

Goodreads

Twitter: @AaronMRitchey

About the Author:  Shannon Lawrence is a mom of two, a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.  She lives in Colorado Springs and is inspired by the beauty of Pikes Peak and the Rockies.  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, she has recently thrown herself back into it.  Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel.  She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, due out in 2013.  She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children.  She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.

Letter From the Editor - Make it Snow

We've nearly made it to spring. Around here that can mean gorgeous, sunny days and rising temperatures, or more snowfall than we've had collectively for the entire winter. Usually it's a combination of both.

Now is a good time look at your writing habits and see if they're working for you. Are you accomplishing a blizzard of writing? Or are you basking instead? Somewhere in between? Look at what's working for you, and what isn't, and change the things that aren't. Spring cleaning doesn't just have to apply to dust bunnies and winter clothing. Then again, it probably wouldn't hurt to do a little office spring cleaning. After all, if your writing space is cluttered, that may distract you from getting anything done.

Writing distractions and space were addressed at the Write Your Heart Out event we hosted in February, but the good news is that the presentations given at WYHO were miniature versions of workshops that will be presented at conference in April. If you need help figuring out beneficial changes to your work space, be sure to look up the workshops having to do with the topic. JT Evans and Chris Mandeville spoke on space and time, so you'll want to look them up in the program.

With conference fast approaching, we will have profiles of faculty, keynotes, editors and agents going up 2-3 times per week, most Tuesdays and Thursdays, and occasional Saturdays. It's worth stopping by on those days to see who you might be interested in seeing at the conference, and which agent or editor you might want to pitch to. If you intend to pitch, you should definitely know the background of the editor or agent you'll be selecting. Your genre should always match up with what they're accepting, and especially with what they've specifically said they're interested in. Do your homework for the best results! We hope to help you a bit with that by doing these profiles, but a short profile cannot take the place of in-depth research.

If you aren't attending conference, no worries! We will have plenty of content that has nothing to do with conference, whether that's a piece on ghostwriting, tips for writing fantasy, or an essay on reading. While conference is our big event each year, it is by no means our sole focus, and we hope to bring you great monthly content of both conference and non-conference interest.

Have a wonderful month, enjoy the warm days and the snowy days, and work on turning your writing into a blizzard of accomplishment. In like a lion!

Shannon Lawrence
Managing Editor, Writing From the Peak
Director of Non-Conference Events

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

"I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam in everybody's head." -John Updike


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...March's Letter From the Editor

...Writers Have the Cleanest Lightbulbs, by Deb McLeod

...I'm on a Boat!, by Shannon Baker

...two profiles of 2013 PPWC faculty

...and Sweet Success!

Sweet Success! Richard & Janet Fogg

Compiled by DeAnna Knippling

Richard and Janet Fogg's military history book, Fogg in the Cockpit (ISBN 978-1612000046, hardcover; ASIN: B005AUG53G, Kindle) was released by Casemate on July 27, 2011. In recent updates, Fogg in the Cockpit has been nominated by the Air Force Historical Foundation as one of the best military history books reviewed in Air Power History during 2012. The book is available at online retailers Amazon and Kobo, as well as from Casemate. The authors' website is www.janetfogg.com.

Prior to a distinguished career that saw him referred to as the dean of American railroad artists, Captain Howard Fogg kept a diary during his World War II combat tour in England. He flew 76 combat missions with the 359th Fighter Group. From his backstage encounter in a London theater with Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, to the pre-dawn chaplain's benediction on June 6, 1944, to a B-17 escort mission in the snow capped French Alps to drop supplies to French freedom fighters, Fogg in the Cockpit offers a firsthand look at Howard’s fascinating and often unexpected story.

An automobile enthusiast, Richard contributed to The Viper Buyer’s Guide, published by Motorbooks International, and was invited to write a column for a new, as yet unpublished, automobile magazine. In addition to co-authoring Fogg in the Cockpit, Richard and Janet have also penned several screenplays together. Janet’s focus on writing began when she was CFO for OZ Architecture. Fifteen writing awards later, Janet resigned to write full-time, and in 2009 her award-winning time-travel romance, Soliloquy, was released. Janet is hard at work on several new books, is a long-time member of RMFW, Pikes Peak Writers, and two fantastic critique groups. You can find them at www.fogginthecockpit.blogspot.com.

We love to hear of fellow Pikes Peak Writers' Sweet Successes, including story acceptances, winning contests, getting published and book signings. Please email DeAnna Knippling at dknippling [at] gmail [dot] com if you've got a Sweet Success you'd like to share.

March News, Events & Links

PPW News

The March Write Brain will be a panel on genre. Panelists include Kathryn Eastburn, Mark Stevens, Cindi Madsen, Laura Reeve, and Kirk Farber. It will be Tuesday, March 19, 6:30-8:30 PM, at Penrose Library. More information can be found on the "PPW Events" tab above.

PPW Night at Lofty's (note the new location), will be held Monday, March 25, from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M.  Come enjoy wine, chocolate and coffee, and chat about writing.  Open to topics of discussion and questions.  More information on the Events tab.

PPW Open Critique Night will occur Wednesday, March 20, 6:30-8:30 P.M at the Cottonwood Center for the Arts.  The first 8 to RSVP may bring 8 pages of their manuscript to critique.  More information on the Events tab.


Early bird pricing for the 2013 Pikes Peak Writers Conference will expire March 15. Currently, the price is $395, but this will go up to $450 at that time.

Other Local Events:

Writing From the Peak columnist Aaron Ritchey will be presenting Hook Me! Making Your First Sentence, First Paragraph, First Page, First Chapter Irresistable! Wednesday, March 20, 6:30-8:00 PM at Koelbel Public Library, Room B, in Centennial, CO. Registration is $25 at Zenith Writers website.

The Pikes Peak Branch of the National League of American Pen Women will have their monthly presentation on March 16, at 11:30 AM at Blue Sage Cafe. The topic will be "Is There Profit in Self-Publishing?" and will be presented by Betty Alt and Dr. Sandra Wells. Cost is $23 for non-members. You are asked to RSVP.

Lighthouse Writers will not only have their usual lineup of workshops throughout the month, but will have one located in Colorado Springs! Kathryn Eastburn will be presenting Reckoning With Memoir, starting March 21 at the Tim Gill Center.

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers will use their monthly meeting to go over the Colorado Gold Contest they have each year. Chris Devlin, the contest chair, will go over tips and what you need to know before you enter. This will be Saturday, March 16, 1:00-3:00 PM at the Arvada Public Library.

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America will host Detective Chuck Heidel, who will discuss the cold case involving Susannah Chase. Thursday, March 14. Cost is $25 for non-members. You are asked to RSVP.

Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group has various meetings throughout the month for critique and discussion.  Visitors are welcome.

Black Cat Books and the BAC, located in Manitou Springs, have lots of programs for readers and writers alike.  Even knitters!  Check out the events page for more information.

The Pikes Peak Romance Writers will have a point-of-view roundtable workshop Saturday, March 23. A $5 donation is recommended if you attend as a visitor.

Publications Open for Submissions and Contests:
Please note: Inclusion of links in this post does not equal sponsorship by Pikes Peak Writers or a relationship between the two entities.  Please always be sure to pursue due diligence before submitting anything to a publication or contest.

Fringeworks has put out a submission call for their anthology Tiki Terror Tales. They seek scary short stories dealing with tikis. Submission deadline: midnight, April 2. Pays 5% royalties.

World Weaver Press is still seeking sci-fi adventure stories for their Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures anthology. Pays $.01 per word, plus paperback copy of the anthology. Can be up to 10,000 words to fully develop the adventure. Submissions deadline is March 31.

This Mutant Life is accepting submissions for its 2013 anthology. They must have neo-pulp or superhuman influence. Up to 4000 words. Submission deadline is June 30. Pays $.01 per word and an e-copy.

Silver Boomer Books has an open anthology entitled Longest Hours - Thoughts While Waiting. Deadline April 15. $5 payment for poetry, $10 payment for prose, plus a contributor copy.

The Montreal International Poetry Prize is open for submissions for their contest. Early entry deadline is March 31. If you're in a developing nation, your early entry fee is $15. If you're in a developed nation, your early entry fee is $20. There is a $20,000 CDN prize purse and anthology publication (80 entrants will be published).

The L. Ron Hubbard Writers (& Illustrators) of the Future Contest is a quarterly contest. The next deadline will be March 31, with the new quarter opening for submissions April 1, and so on and so forth. First prize is $1000. They're seeking short stories and novellas in science fiction and fantasy. No entry fee. They also have a contest for illustrators that you can find on the same page. There are limitations on how many times you can have been published and still enter.

The Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction has been created in her name to help writers of creative nonfiction. Your entry should be an essay on their choice of topic up to 5000 words. Award is $250 and publication in Lunch Ticket.

Foliate Oak Literary Magazine is taking submissions for short (preferably flash) fiction, short creative non-fiction, poetry, graphics, photos and artwork. Submission window closes April 24. Non-paying market.

Arc Digital Quarterly is accepting submissions of short fiction over 5000 words, having to do with the future. Does not have to be sci-fi. They also accept essays, features and poetry. Paying market.

The Missouri Review is holding their 6th Annual Audio Contest. $1000 first prize. Deadline March 15. Choose your own submission fee.

RWA is offering their Daphne du Maurier Award, closing to entries March 15. Novel-length fiction. They have a contest for both unpublished and published authors.

Voluted Tales has reopened for submissions. At this time, they are only taking pieces for their main magazine, but will reopen the other three as they go. They are seeking sci-fi and fantasy short stories, as well as some steampunk. You can also submit artwork. Paying market.

Etopia Press, via Bothersome Words, is accepting novel submissions for speculative fiction and romance/erotica (or a combination thereof). Royalty paying market.

On Impression has a listing of editions and deadlines that are taking submissions. Mix of poetry, art and literary.

Dark Moon Digest is always open for short horror fiction for their publications. Pays $10 and a copy of that issue.

Of Interest:

It's Colorado Book Month! Literary CO will be featuring interviews, memes and lots of fun to support literacy in Colorado. There are many ways to participate, such as hosting a blogger or author interview, writing a guest post, hosting a giveaway, providing something for the giveaway, or simply participating in reading for the month. Check out their website for more information.

About the Author:  Shannon Lawrence is a mom of two, a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.  She lives in Colorado Springs and is inspired by the beauty of Pikes Peak and the Rockies.  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, she has recently thrown herself back into it.  Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel.  She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, due out in late 2012.  She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children.  She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.   

PPWC 2013 - Robert Liparulo

Robert Liparulo

Robert Liparulo was a journalist before becoming the author of thrillers, both for adults and young adults. His writing has been described as visual, high-octane, brilliant, inventive, and so much more. He spends months researching his novels ahead of time, followed by a month of getting into the character's heads. He is a method writer, needing to get to know the characters from the inside out, to "wear their skin," as he says. This involves interviewing people in the same career as his characters, but not for those tidbits we can all find online. No, he likes to get to know about their personal interests and quirks, what they're like as people, not just in the career they've chosen. 

It also involves testing things out to get a reaction. For instance, becoming a villain, talking in a certain way, scoping out houses, walking like the character, hitting someone out of nowhere to see what they do. He fully immerses himself in his characters to insure he knows them as much as anyone can, so that his characters will react and behave in ways that make sense in the writing, so that they'll be believable...real.

His young adult series is the Dreamhouse Kings, the story of the King family, who move to a small town, into an old house in the woods. Strange things keep happening in the house, something isn't right. Ultimately, the children's mother is taken. To get her back, they must work together, moving through time, and risking untold harm.

His critically acclaimed adult thrillers include Germ, Comes a Horseman, and Deadfall, all of which are currently optioned for films. In addition, he's working with Andrew Davis, director of The Fugitive and The Guardian, on a novel and original screenplay. Other adult thrillers include Deadlock and The 13th Tribe.

You can find Robert Liparulo online in the following places:

His Website: www.robertliparulo.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LiparuloFans

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/230226.Robert_Liparulo

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Robert-Liparulo/e/B001H9TUUY

About the Author:  Shannon Lawrence is a mom of two, a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.  She lives in Colorado Springs and is inspired by the beauty of Pikes Peak and the Rockies.  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, she has recently thrown herself back into it.  Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel.  She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, due out in 2013.  She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children.  She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.

Five Things to Remember While Attending PPWC

By Anne Marie

I attended my second Pikes Peak Writers Conference last year. Aside from the fact that there was only one of me and I couldn’t go to all the sessions, I had a fantastic time. The faculty was funny, knowledgeable, and inspiring. The Staff was helpful and kind. My critique partner (Hi, Jen!) attended with me, and we came away with so many ideas on how to improve our novels. We’re more than excited to start revisions! However, Jen’s from sea level, so I thought I’d share my top five things to remember while in Colorado.

1. Wear sunscreen if you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time. A person can get burned fairly quickly here. We were sitting outside for lunch and within about 15 minutes both of us were showing signs of sunburn. I really should have taken my own advice.
2. Bring sunglasses. Again, being so close to the sun with a thin atmosphere, it’s bright. Protect those beautiful eyes!
3. Drink lots of water. I could go into an awesome science lesson here, but basically, the higher the altitude, the less oxygen, the more dehydrated you’re going to get. The Marriott provides a wide selection of naturally flavored waters (the orange was my favorite). 
4. Colorado Springs sits at a little over 6,000 feet above sea level. That means you could experience Altitude Sickness. Signs include: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, and weakness. This usually clears up in about 24 hours as your body adjusts to the lower levels of oxygen. Drinking alcohol increases these symptoms. The bar is a great place to mingle but doesn’t require you to buy a drink to hang out there.
5. Wear layers. Colorado has experienced 70's in January and 30's in June. The conference rooms can be chilly, too. Attendees dress between business casual and jeans Friday. Wear whatever you're comfortable in.

Last year was an amazing experience filled with more knowledge and expertise than my brain could handle in four days. I’ll be back this year. Hope to see you there too!

About the Author:  Anne attended the University of Colorado for a BA in English Literature, where she fell in love with folklore and myths from around the world. She adores languages, great white sharks, and the impossible. Her work usually includes one of those three things. She currently lives in Aurora, Colorado with Brody Beagle. Her most recent short story, La Dame à La Licorne, was published by Euterpe YA, an imprint of Musa Publsihing. Buy it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Musa Publishing.

2013 PPWC Bios - Kathryn Eastburn

Kathryn Eastburn

Kathryn Eastburn was one of our wonderful speakers this past Saturday at the Write Your Heart Out event. She used to be a journalist, and was the co-founder and editor of the Colorado Springs Independent, as well as a staff writer, for thirteen years until 2006. Her work with the Independent earned her many awards, including two PASS awards; multiple awards from NEWA, such as Best Feature Writing and Best Education Writing; and she received an honorary award from American Women in Radio and Television for outstanding achievement in media.

Her articles were not limited to the Independent; she was published in the Denver Post, Saveur and Texas Highways, as well as many others.

These days, Kathryn has turned more to teaching and writing literary non-fiction and memoir. She teaches at Colorado College and Lighthouse Writers Workshop, and has a weekly personal column, "The Middle Distance," at KRCC-FM 91.5, Colorado Springs, at 1 PM every Saturday. The show is podcast every Friday.

Her two non-fiction books are Simon Says: A True Story of Boys, Guns and Murder and A Sacred Feast: Reflections on Sacred Harp Singing and Dinner on the Ground. She also had a piece featured in Cornbread Nation 5: The Best of Southern Food Writing.

Kathryn will be teaching a workshop in Colorado Springs for the Lighthouse Writers Workshop starting March 21, 2013, 6:30 to 8:30 PM. It will be located at the Tim Gill Center for Public-Media, 315 E. Costilla St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Seating is limited, so you must RSVP. 

Description of the event from the Lighthouse Writers Workshop website:

8 Week: Reckoning with Memoir

Reckoning with memoir, we must ask and resolve a number of difficult questions. In this class we will consider: How do we tell our true-life stories without intruding unnecessarily in the lives of others? How do we write about those we love, including the difficult ones, with honesty and respect? How do we determine which aspects of our lives to explore in memoir? How do we establish our reliability as narrator of our own lives? How deep are we willing to go? We'll explore these and other reckonings through shared readings, discussion of exemplary works, in-class writing exercises, and focused peer and instructor critiques of student work.

The workshop is $285 for members, $315 for non-members.

You can find Kathryn at her website: www.kathryneastburn.com and at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in April!

About the Writer:  Shannon Lawrence is a mom of two, a freelance writer and aspiring novelist.  She lives in Colorado Springs and is inspired by the beauty of Pikes Peak and the Rockies.  After years of letting her writing fall by the wayside, she has recently thrown herself back into it.  Her main focus is fantasy and horror and she has just finished a Young Adult Fantasy novel.  She has a flash fiction piece featured in the anthology Sunday Snaps: The Stories, due out in late February 2013.  She has also discovered a love of photography and enjoys photographing the breathtaking Colorado scenery and wildlife, as well as her children.  She blogs about reading, writing and photography at www.thewarriormuse.com.

A New Place to Write

By Stacy S. Jensen

A writing journal seems like a logical tool for a writer, but I’ve had a mixed relationship with them over the years.

Several blank ones sit in my office. Friends and family gave them “to inspire” me. Instead, writers block arrived.

Anyone else feel intimidated by a pretty, bound book? It’s the ultimate blank page. It feels permanent or so I thought.

I began my memoir manuscript in a leather bound journal 12 years ago. I knew I needed something sturdy to write my thoughts down after my late husband had a catastrophic stroke.

With a new journal, I've found a new
writing place. I still like my cheap spiral
notebooks, too.

I found comfort in the journal as I wrote my thoughts, the details, and the trivial aspects of my life during this period. It stayed with me for 38 days in that recliner; traveled to multiple hospitals and nursing homes; and spanned four years including near death, life, and death. When I began writing the memoir — not straight from the journal, of course — I used the journal entries to verify quotes and fact-check my memory.

I stayed away from journals for almost seven years. I created stories and jotted down ideas on the computer, on an iPhone, and in cheap notebooks. That changed last Christmas.

Now remarried and a mother of a toddler, my husband gave me a beautiful, brown leather journal. With heavy, lined pages inside, it’s ready for doodles and words written by the toddler or me.

Whether it’s due to my age, experience, or just the presence of a little boy, I don’t feel pressure to make the journal perfect. Toddlers have a way of helping one accept that life can be messy.

I’m putting that philosophy to work in my journal this year. I’ve written notes and the beginning of a short story in the journal. I’ve scratched through words and paragraphs I don’t want to use. My son has scribbled on the pages, too. Revisions are unkempt, but I like the look of them here. Both writing and life can be messy, but it’s always fun to see where it goes.

Writing in this journal is both a fun and serious venture for me. When I fill up the pages, I can add more. This journal is a place for me to write and I like that.

Where do you write — a journal, a notebook or the computer? 

About the Author: Stacy S. Jensen worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for two decades. Today, she writes picture books and revises a memoir manuscript. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and toddler.
Blog: http://stacysjensen.blogspot.com Twitter: @StacySJensen

Quote of the Week & Week to Come

"All my best thoughts were stolen by the ancients." -Ralph Waldo Emerson


This week on Writing From the Peak...

...Stacy S. Jensen gives us "A New Place to Write."

...Guest poster, Anne Marie, gives us "Five Things to Remember While Attending PPWC."

...I present PPW events, local writing events, contests and publications accepting submissions.

Sweet Success! Marti Verlander

Compiled by DeAnna Knippling

Marti Verlander's adult fantasy novel, Elegy: The Black Diamond (ISBN 978-0-9887500-0-5 ebook/978-0-9887500-1-2 softcover, about 106K words), written as Martha Gilstrap, was released January 1, 2013 by Slipaway Trail Publishing. The author's website is www.marthagilstrap.com. The book is available at Amazon, Smashwords, OmniLit, CreateSpace, and Barnes & Noble.

Betrayal destroys master gemsman Shay Bladen’s perfect life, forcing him to flee from the remains of his home with an heirloom battle-axe created from a single black diamond. Guided by a cryptic note, he seeks answers among the bloodstone pillars in the Crystal Mountains. The note promises the secrets of the axe’s creation and its magic, a lure he can’t resist. A chance meeting with a Sheethe warrior proves his only advantage in the battle against his betrayer and the bloodthirsty assassin who manipulates everyone in his way.

But then Shay discovers he’s not who he thought he was.

Martha Gilstrap's life is filled with stories: the ones she reads, the ones she writes, and the ones she lives. Her family's oral tradition claims descent from the legendary Leif Erickson, whom her mother called "that old pirate." She holds a black belt in RyuTe® Karate and has owned her own dojo, trained on the grounds of an Okinawan, and published an international karate newsletter. She's taught Latin to grade-school children, worn a bite sleeve for a Rottweiler "attack," got thrown by a horse — twice — within five minutes, and spent New Year's Eve on the Puerta del Sol in Madrid.

We love to hear of fellow Pikes Peak Writers' Sweet Successes, including story acceptances, winning contests, getting published and book signings. Please email DeAnna Knippling at dknippling [at] gmail [dot] com if you've got a Sweet Success you'd like to share.