Appearances
Farmington, Michigan: June 2024
Writing Genre Romance
Panel Presentation with authors Natalie Dunbar and DA Henneman
Hamburg, Michigan: June 2024
Sterling Heights, Michigan: July 2024
Louisville, Kentucky: November 2023
Farmington, Michigan: June 2023
Lansing, Michigan: April 2023
Scene Structure 101
Feel loss in the plotting process? Need to tighten up the
sagging middle? Scene structure may be what you need.
This session explores the function and structure of scenes, the elemental building blocks of plot. Attendees will gain insight into types of scenes, how to craft effective and well-paced scenes, and how to use concepts to revise and strengthen early drafts works.
Plymouth, Michigan: October 2022
Houston, Texas: August 2022
Frankenmuth, Michigan: July 2022
October 2021
The Write Stuff: Planning and Writing Your CroNoWrite Novel
An exploration of the creative writing process just in time for Cromaine Novel Writing Month. Session covers everything from brainstorming ideas, scheduling your writing time, structuring scenes and quick fixes for writer's block to make sure you can stay on track whether you're participating in a writing challenge or writing on your own.
Virtual: June 2021
Gothic Girls Gone Wild: Riverdale’s Recrafting of Betty
Cooper and Veronica Lodge
For decades, the Archie comics have depicted the fictional
world of Riverdale and while doing so explicitly and implicitly addressed
era-relevant social issues. Two Archiverse characters, Betty Cooper, sweet
girl-next-door, and Veronica Lodge, privileged debutante, have been reinvented
and freshly envisioned in the CW’s series, Riverdale. Their new depictions in
the show offer the opportunity to inform on present attitudes of gender
politics, such as commodification of sexuality and gender performativity.
Despite, or perhaps because of, being a broadcast television
show, Riverdale intersects with mainstream popular culture. As part of that
culture, the series should represent the interests and concerns of its
audience. The world surrounding Archie Andrews has been updated, intensified,
and othered. This multilayered amplification of setting provides an effective
backdrop for the revitalized Archie characters but also complicates the
understanding of the degree to which Betty and Veronica have been recrafted in
a way that makes them currently relevant when situated in the conversations and
politics of this #metoo era.
Intergenerational family dysfunction, secret societies, predatory men, marginalized women—all are classic elements of gothic fiction and all are present in CW’s Riverdale. Deconstructing the strategic and central role of setting in Riverdale provides a fuller opportunity to evaluate the influence of these tropes on the characterizations of Betty and Veronica. Have the characters truly been recrafted in ways that acknowledge the changing roles of heroines in present popular culture? Or has their potential been undervalued and are used as tropes themselves? Once the impact of the gothic setting is identified and disconnected from the overall narrative, an isolated assessment of the depictions of Betty and Veronica will be accomplished.
Romance Writers of America
New York, New York: July 2019
Readers for Life Literacy Autographing
Every year the Romance Writers of America hosts the
“Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing, all proceeds of which are donated to adult
literacy organizations. This year they are supporting ProLiteracy, Literacy
Partners, and The Literacy Assistance Center.
Washington, D.C.: April 2019
Scary Vulnerability: Considering
the ‘Guilty Mom’ Horror Film Through the Lens of Lacan’s the Real
The
‘guilty mom’ is at the center of three tensions: society’s expectation that she
provide for her child’s emotional and physical safety, the child’s needs, and
her own needs. Within the context of a horror film, this tensional dynamic highlights
the unique vulnerabilities of this marginalized, archetypal character and creates
an avenue through which viewers experience Jacques Lacan’s the Real.
A
comparative assessment of The Exorcist (1973), Babadook (2014), and Hereditary
(2018) offers the opportunity to examine the ways in which Lacan’s conflicting
imaginary order and symbolic order create the impossibility of absolute
comprehension. Salvoj Zizek expands on Lacan’s theory to identify the “real
Real” (2006). This modality can additionally inform an analysis of the unique
terror of the ‘guilty’ mom horror film.
East Lansing, Michigan: September 2018
Elemental Magic: Creating Scenes That Have Purpose and Power
Scenes are the
building blocks of story, the chunks of action where the story unfolds. Each
one contains a goal and conflict. Each delivers an outcome. Sound simple? It
is. Then why can they so tricky to write? An a tangle to revise? The goal of
this session is to demystify scene structure, offer the “rules” and then
consider when and how to break those rules.
Reno, Nevada: May 2018
Indianapolis, Indiana: March 2018
The creation of a virtual identity for self-promotional
purposes requires strategic and intentional development. The resulting ‘brand’
serves a purpose unique from a casual or personal online presence. Evaluating
the effectiveness of an individual, sole person, virtual brand requires a
specific understanding of how singular brands are created and perceived.
The
creation of an effective brand depends on the creator’s willingness and ability
to efficiently fragment and abstract their identity. One-person, virtual
identities are received differently than identities resulting from corporate or
institutional brands. This complicates on-line interactions. A consideration of
the two primary user needs met by social media, belonging and self-presentation,
as identified by Nadkami & Hofmann (2012), can assist in creating,
negotiating, and evaluating the effectiveness of a singular virtual brand.
Rochester, Michigan: February 2018
Royal Oak, Michigan: January 2018
Elemental Magic: Creating Scenes That Have Purpose and Power
Scenes are the building blocks of story, the chunks of
action where the story unfolds. Each one contains a goal and conflict. Each
delivers an outcome. Sound simple? It is. Then why can they so tricky to write?
An a tangle to revise? The goal of this session is to demystify scene
structure, offer the “rules” and then consider when and how to break those
rules.
Atlanta, Georgia: May 2017
Grand Rapids, Michigan:
February 2017
Social Media...and Selfies
An author can get lost out
there in social media land...Facebook is only the beginning. There's also
Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Goodreads, Periscope... Which is right for your
author brand? Once you decide which platforms suit you best, you need to connect
with your audience and build. These insights, along with some fun with selfies,
will be covered.
Online: February 2017
Write Sexy: Online sex
scene writing seminar
No matter the heat level, creating satisfying, well structured,
emotional sex scenes is a challenge. Online seminar combines daily challenges, lessons, scene
work-shopping, and instructor feedback. Participants finish with at least one
complete sex scene.
An author can get lost out there in social media land...Facebook is only the beginning. There's also Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Goodreads, Periscope... Which is right for your author brand? Once you decide which platforms suit you best, you need to connect with your audience and build.
Online: January 2017
Tame the Revision Monster: Online sex scene writing seminar
The first draft may seem easy compared to the daunting task of revising. This online seminar provides a structured approach to shaping up and finishing your manuscript. One on one instructor conferences included.
Lansing, Michigan: November 2016
Grand Rapids, Michigan: October 2016
Savvy Social Media: creating and reinforcing your author brand
An author can get lost out there in social media land...Facebook is only the beginning. There's also Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Goodreads, Periscope... Which is right for your author brand? Once you decide which platforms suit you best, you need to connect with your audience and build.
Online: September 2016
Write Sexy: Online sex
scene writing seminar
No matter the heat level, creating satisfying, well structured,
emotional sex scenes is a challenge.
Online seminar combines daily challenges, lessons, scene
work-shopping, and instructor feedback. Participants finish with at least one
complete sex scene.
Lansing, Michigan: June
2016
Michigan Romance Writers Open House
Panel presentation with authors Nancy Gideon, Loralee
Lillibride, Alyssa Alexander, Dana Corbit Nussio, and Elizabeth Heiter.
Have a question about writing Romance? Behind the
scenes info on the books you love reading!
Las Vegas, Nevada: March
2016
Developing Dynamically
Diverse Characters
Panel Presentation with
authors Aliza Mann and MK Shiller
Ethnicity, social class, religious beliefs, sexual
orientation--these are tough topics, yet they are the stuff our characters are
made of so we explore them through our writing. But how do you create authentic
characters who may be different from yourself?
East Lansing, Michigan.: January
2016
Naughty and
Nice: Spotlight on romance
A reflection on the two ends of the Romance spectrum, with an
evaluation of sub-genre differences and similarities inherent in all great
relationship stories.
Online: May 2015
Write Sexy: Online sex
scene writing seminar
No matter the heat level, creating satisfying, well structured,
emotional sex scenes is a challenge.
Online seminar combines
daily challenges, lessons, scene work-shopping, and instructor feedback.
Participants finish with at least one complete sex scene.
East Lansing, Michigan:
April 2015
Writing Like a Writer, Not an
Academic
Think of yourself as a writer, one who
does. Not someone who will.
But how to get the work done? Developing your writer tool-kit to include
tools typically used by fiction writers, may be the answer to pounding out
those pages.
East Lansing, Michigan: March
2015
Making the Good Bad: Using sex
scenes & intimacy to create & increase conflict
Like all scenes, it must serve a purpose. The end result of the
scene should change the character either internally or externally or better
yet, both. Use the same approach to a sex scene as you do to any scene.
Structure and purpose.
Seattle, Washington: April 2014
The Irony of the Internet:
Reevaluating and Redefining Business and Creativity in the Digital Age: Panel Presentation with
author William Hastings, author Mike Miner, and Unstuck editor Matt Williamson
The literary world is experiencing what the music industry has
been for years: expanded audience access, revised distribution channels, and
pressure from business giants. We all know business is done differently, but
the digital age also requires us to think differently. This panel—editors,
authors, and an agent—will explore these aspects of the digital age as well as
how the internet and electronic media alter attitudes on creativity and the
perceived value of artistic endeavors.
Savannah, Georgia: July 2013
Horror in Romance
Panel Discussion with authors CJ Ellisson, Marie
Rose Dufour, and Saranna DeWylde
Spontaneously Paranormal
Panel Discussion with authors Julie Kenner, Melissa Ecker, MK
Mancos, Cam Cassidy, and Kaitlyn Ballenger
Erotica
Panel Discussion with
authors Saranna DeWylde, Melissa Ecker, and Julie Kenner
Zombies
Panel Discussion with
authors Jess Haines, Lia Habel, Mary Janice Davidson, and Bianca D’Arc
Kansas City, Missouri: April 2013
Readers Know Best
Panel Presentation with
authors Katharine Ashe, Sabrina Jeffries, Deb Marlowe. Beth Ciotta, Kieran
Krammer, Mari Freeman, Cherry Adair, and Cindy Holby/Kassie Tayler
Readers know best--covers, storylines, heroes, heroines, and
promo--and authors want to hear your opinions. Bring your questions, praise,
and pet peeves about romance novels to this interactive gathering where we'll
talk business, play games, share prizes and giveaways.
Sex Goddess Hour
Presentation with authors Marilyn Campbell, Cheryl Dragon, Bronwyn Green,
Julia Talbot, BA Tortuga, Brynn Paulin
Aliens, androids, cowboys, call girls, and vampy vampires--we love
them all as long as they're HOT. If you want your stories sizzling and sexy,
this party is for you. Over the top erotic is just the beginning. Come play
games, win prizes, and be in the drawing for a 100$ Amazon gift card. Giveaways
to everyone who attends.
Chicago, Illinois: April 2014
Romance Readers Town Meeting
Panel Presentation with
authors Cherry Adair, Katharine Ashe, Beth Ciotta, Cindy Holby aka Kassy
Tayler, Sabrina Jeffries, Kieran Kramer, Deb Marlowe
Romance Readers Town Meeting! Bring all of your
questions and opinions about what you like best about romance novels, what you
like to see on covers and in online forums, the types of heroes you love,
heroine pet peeves, etc.
Naughty Hour of Fantasy
& Fun!
Reader event with authors Cheryl Dragon, Brynn Paulin, Julia Talbot, BA
Tortuga, Marilyn Campbell
Super hot shifters, over-the-top ménage, BDSM, zombies, or
intensely erotic contemporary romances--are these for you? If so, this is your
event! Nothing is off limits in this naughty hour! Ask your favorite authors
anything...names may be changed to protect the very guilty. Find out what this
group has in store for you in 2012... and hear the author's funniest stories,
like "You know you're an erotic romance writer when..." Play games
and win goodies from books to sex toys and even a Kindle. Giveaways to everyone
who attends...sorry, no cover models can be raffled off. We tried! They won't
let us.
Romanticon
Akron, Ohio: October 2012
Please Don’t Call My Baby
Ugly: Reviewing, Reviewers, and Reviews
Presentation with reviewer
Laura Topaz
Reviews are a touchy subject among authors, readers, and even the
reviewers themselves. Get everyone's POV and engage in some open, honest
discussion about book reviews. What do readers want/expect from reviewers? How
are books chosen for review? Should authors read them, why or why not? And of
course, what about those semi-dreaded, nonprofessional consumer reviews on
Amazon, Goodreads, blogs, and other sites.?
Grand Rapids, Michigan: October 2012
The Attraction of Fiction:
The Emotional Connection
Dynamic characters and a compelling plot are crucial. But they’re
not enough! Sensual details are the key to giving readers that up close and
personal experience—and not just in love scenes. Come to this workshop and
discover the fictive dream, what techniques can be used to induce it, and how
to maintain that dream state that’ll have your readers begging for more.
Columbus, Ohio: October 2011
Using the mythological hero’s journey to shape and develop
reflective personal narratives
In this two-hour interactive workshop session, participants will explore
how understanding the structure of the mythological hero’s’ journey, and the
archetypal characters found within it, can be used to help students shape
creative writing and personal narratives. As part of the exploration, theme,
thesis, conflict, purpose, and audience will be addressed.
Los Angeles, California: March 2011
Sense-Sational and Sexy
Presentation with author Katherine Ashe
Dynamic characters and a compelling plot are crucial. But they’re
not enough! Sensual details are the key to giving readers that up close and
personal experience—and not just in love scenes. Come to this workshop and
discover the fictive dream, what techniques can be used to induce it, and how
to maintain that dream state that’ll have your readers begging for more
Livonia, Michigan: April 2011
Got Structure? Using the mythological
hero’s journey to shape and develop reflective personal narratives
In this interactive workshop session, participants will explore
how understanding the structure of the mythological hero’s journey, and the
archetypal characters found within it, can be used to help students shape
creative writing and personal narratives. These personal narratives can serve
as both reflective papers and preparation for analytical expository essays. As
part of the exploration, theme, thesis, conflict, purpose, and audience will be
addressed.
Traverse City, Michigan: February 2011
Got Structure? Using the
mythological hero’s journey to shape and develop creative writing and personal
narratives
The meeting place of creativity and intellect is unique to
fiction. It is the creative nature of fiction that makes reading novels evoke
an “afferent” process—meaning students put themselves in the work. (Rosenblatt, Theoretical Models and Processes,
pp. 1057-1092, 1994) Once the student is immersed in the story, fiction’s
distinct capacity to illuminate the human condition by fostering the
interconnection of mind and spirit can pull readers through universal themes while
speaking culturally, offering glimpses into different values, traditions, and
life issues. This combination of characteristics invites discussion and
critical thinking, two elements essential for academic success.
The goal of my session is to explore how fiction can be used to
encourage critical thinking which can in turn be used to develop student
writers who are emotionally connected to their topics and intellectually
invested in their thought and writing.
Port Huron, Michigan: February 2010
Fiction as a Springboard for
Critical Thinking and Expository Writing
Using fiction in academic courses can deepen student connection
and interest. The benefits of assigning novels in academic courses include not
only more lively course discussions, accompanied by deeper thinking, but also
the fostering of student writers who are emotionally connected to their topics
and intellectually invested in their thought and writing.
