2010 Writing Workshops
Read for Life!
| Royce Buckingham | Dia Calhoun | Patrick Carman | Brenda Cooper | Lorie Ann Grover |
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| Maureen McQuerry | Ben Mikaelsen | Deborah Reber | Suzanne Selfors |
Royce Buckingham: Is your idea a movie, a book...or both?
Royce Buckingham writes books and movies and specializes in the translation from one to the other. This workshop will explore writing for the movies and for books and how a writer can do both at the same time!
Royce Buckingham is a writer who grew up in Richland, WA. He got an English degree from Whitman College and a Law degree from the University of Oregon. Royce wrote for 13 years before he sold his first novel, Demonkeeper, to Penguin/Putnam and his screenplay for Demonkeeper to 20th Century Fox…almost simultaneously. Since Demonkeeper debuted, Royce has made the bestseller list in Germany, appeared on reading lists, garnered good reviews, and has inked deals for three more books—his latest is Goblins, which Kirkus calls “a riotously good adventure.”
You can visit Royce’s website: http://www.demonkeeper.com
To contact Royce e-mail him at: royce@demonkeeper.com
Dia Calhoun: Fantasy Writing
Dia Calhoun, award winning fantasy author, presents a Fantasy Writing Workshop for 5th-8th graders. She uses the question and answer method and the elements of a fantasy story--magic portals, magic objects, magic helpers, villains, quests, familiars, and the return--to show students how to write fantasy stories of their own. At the end of the workshop, each student will have the beginning of a fantasy story of his or her own.
Dia Calhoun grew up in Seattle, Washington, where she studied ballet for many years. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Mills College with a double major in English and Book Arts. Calhoun returned to Seattle to build a successful career as a freelance lettering and logo artist. Her most visible work is the logo for “Alaska” on the side of Alaska Airlines’ aircraft. She also taught typography and lettering at the Cornish College of the Arts.
Now a full time writer, Calhoun makes frequent school visits to share her work with kids. In her spare time she sings Italian arias, fly-fishes, gardens, and eats lots of chocolate. She lives with her husband, two cats, and two ghost cats in Tacoma, Washington.
You can visit Dia’s website: http://diacalhoun.com
To contact Dia e-mail her at: diacalhoun@msn.com
Patrick Carman: Ideas
Where does an author get his ideas? Mr. Carman will be teaching key writing skills while entertaining students with stories of his childhood and dozens of visuals. Learn to find humor in your daily life. Come join the fun and laugh with Patrick Carman.
Patrick Carman is the award-winning author of many books for young adults and children. He grew up in Salem, Oregon and graduated from Willamette University. He worked in advertising, game design, and technology. He has been a life-long writer and storyteller. Mr Carman lives in Walla Walla, Washington spending his free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, mountain biking, fly fishing, doing crosswords, playing Scrabble and basketball, reading and (more than anything else) spending time with his wife and two daughters.
You can visit Patrick’s website: http://www.patrickcarman.com
To contact Patrick, you can e-mail him: fanmail@patrickcarman.com
Brenda Cooper: Settings & description
Ever wondered what makes the reader feel part of the story? Surround your reader with setting by using distinct sensory details. There’s a big difference between “The cat walked out into the night” and “The black cat’s nails scratched softly on the floor as it passed through the open door into the new-mown back yard.” You can see, hear, and smell the second phrase.
In this workshop we’ll read from some very sensory work, and create some of our own as well. Come prepared to see, hear, smell, and taste your way through some fine fiction.
Brenda Cooper is a technology professional, a science fiction writer and a futurist. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a BA in Management Information Systems and is now living in Bellevue, Washington. She is currently working as Chief Information Officer for the city of Kirkland.
Brenda has three novels out with Tor books: The Silver Ship and the Sea (which won the Pacific Northwest Endeavor Award in 2008 – beating out famed author Ursula LeGuin), its sequel, Reading the Wind, and a collaboration with Larry Niven titled Building Harlequin’s Moon. Her next novel, Wings of Creation, will be out in November, 2009.
To contact Brenda – visit her website: http://www.brenda-cooper.com
Lorie Ann Grover: Verse
Lorie Ann will lead the students in transforming a real life experience into a work of fiction written in a verse format. She will incorporate the visual element of collage to reflect the newly written work.
Lorie Ann Grover, illustrator of Rainy Day Slug, has also authored board books Hug Hug! and Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish. Lorie Ann is also a young adult verse novelist whose books include Loose Threads, On Pointe, and Hold me Tight. Her awards consist of: a starred review from Booklist, a Booklist Top Ten First Novel for Youth, a Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year, a VOYA Top Poetry Pick, and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age.
Lorie Ann is a co-founder of readergirlz www.readergirlz.com and readertotz.
You can visit Lorie Ann’s website: http://www.lorieanngrover.com
To contact Lorie Ann you can e-mail her at: lorieanngrover@clearwire.net
Maureen McQuerry Research, Finding the heart of the story
I’ve been a writer and a teacher for a very long time. And I’m very lucky because those are the two things I’ve always wanted to do. Both teachers and writers can nudge the world. I was born in San Francisco, California and grew up in pre-Silicon Valley, San Jose when it was still fruit orchards. When I was little I read to my dolls up in our walnut tree, or played detective crawling through neighbors’ backyards. And some time, when I was still quite small, I decided that the finest thing I could do would be to be a writer. Then I could create the type of imaginary world I loved so much. Authors like C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Sir Authur Conan Doyle, had captured my imagination.
Visit Maureen McQuerry at http://www.maureenmcquerry.com/
Ben Mikaelsen: Research, Finding the heart of the story
Ben discusses the challenges faced in creating his books. A slide presentation allows a wonderful view inside Ben's research as he tries to uncover the "soul of a story". These experiences include raising a 700-pound black bear, living with the homeless, working with Dolphins, attending Space camp, going undercover with Drug Enforcement Agents and living with the Maasai in Africa. The diversity of Ben's writing and research is what has made his books so appealing to students. This presentation is both informative and entertaining.
Ben Mikaelsen is winner of the International Reading Association Award and the Western Writer’s Golden Spur Award. His novels have been nominated to and have won many State Readers Choice awards. These novels include Rescue Josh McGuire, Sparrow Hawk Red, Stranded, Countdown, Petey, Touching Spirit Bear, Red Midnight, Tree Girl and Ghost of Spirit Bear.
Ben is known for his in-depth research and the magical worlds he creates. His research has taken him on many adventures including flying to the North Pole, going undercover with narcotics agents, living with the homeless in Mexico and with the Massai in Africa, just to name a few. Ben lives in a log cabin near Bozeman, Montana, with a 700-pound black bear named Buffy that he saved from a research facility and has raised for over twenty five years. Join author, adventurer & speaker Ben Mikaelsen, as he shares his insights and a glimpse inside his unique and exciting world.
You can visit Ben’s website: http://www.benmikaelsen.com
To contact Ben you can e-mail him at: ben@benmikaelsen.com
Deborah Reber: Creative nonfiction & the art of telling your personal story
An interactive writing workshop that explores the different ways in which teens can write about their lives, featuring out-of-the-box writing experiments, a look at creative ways to journal, and techniques for self-editing.
Deborah Reber has authored a number of books for teens, including Chill: Stress Reducing Techniques for a More Balanced, Peaceful You (Simon Pulse, April 2008), In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe Their Amazing Careers (Simon Pulse, 2007), the teen self-help series Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: The Real Deal (HCI / Scholastic, 2005-2006) and It’s My Life’s Friendship Handbook (PBS’s It’s My Life, 2006). She recently created and edited the first-ever series of teen-authored memoirs with HCI Books, Louder Than Words, which premiered August 2009.
Deborah writes a blog for teen girls, Smart Girls Know (www.smartgirlsknow.com), where she offers advice, insight, career tips, coverage of news relevant in the lives of teens, and “Smart Girls Know Affirmations” for girls ages 12 on up.
Deborah lives in Seattle with her husband, son and big, white dog. She is an avid runner, hiker, karaoke singer, pianist and gardener.
You can visit Debbie’s website: http://www.deborahreber.com
To contact Debbie you can e-mail her at deborah@deborahreber.com
Suzanne Selfors: Writing fantasy
Do you like to read stories about Vampires? About dark fairies, dragon-slayers, witches and hobbits? If so, then you’re a fan of the fantasy genre. In this workshop we’ll explore the rules of this genre, and some of the best teen lit. it has to offer. You’ll leave with ideas for your own stories.
Suzanne Selfors is a writer for children and teens. Her first novel for teens, Saving Juliet (Feb. 08, Walker/Bloomsbury) takes a modern teen and thrusts her into fifteenth century Verona where she tries to save the life of Juliet Capulet. Publisher’s Weekly gave it a starred review. Movie rights have been sold to a major motion picture company.
Her latest novels, Fortune’s Magic Farm (March 09, Little,Brown), and Coffeehouse Angel (Spring 09 Walker/Bloomsbury) are both available in hardback. She just signed a contract with Little,Brown for her 3rd and 4th middle grade novels, a series, and also signed a contract with Walker for her 3rd teen novel.
Suzanne has a film/video degree from Occidental College and a master’s in communications from the University of Washington. She lives on an island in WA state with her husband, her two kids and a flock of messy chickens.
You can visit Suzanne’s website: http://www.suzanneselfors.com
To contact Suzanne you can e-mail her at mail@suzanneselfors.com
"Writers tell Tricity students to dream big" - Tricity Herald article about Cavalcade 2010
