Three author/teachers in one fabulous workshop!

Dana Haynes, Bill Cameron, and April Henry, February 8th

9 - 11 Dana Haynes

This isn't Rocket Surgery

Psst. Don't let it get out, but writing is as much a craft as it is an art. With a few simple techniques, you can make your writing more productive and -- equally important -- more fun. If you ever get to a point that writing is a chore, like emptying the cat box, your novel is in trouble. These tricks will keep the process fresh and fun, give you momentum, and help you get to those all-important words, "The End."

11:15 - 1:15 Bill Cameron

Not Who They Think They Are: Building Character Through Contradiction

At its core, character development is not about likeability, or relatability, or sympathy. It's about empathy. As writers we must understand not only a character's traits, interests, needs and desires, but what they value and how they see themselves-as well as how others see them. Internal conflict and contradiction is often foundational in who people are. This workshop will explore ways to build characters who may be fooling themselves, but are richer and more compelling as a result.

1:15 - 2:15 lunch (on your own)

2:15 - 4:15 April Henry

Plot

Plot is much more than a sequence of events. It's the engine that drives all stories - especially mysteries. But how can you come up with a good twisty plot that will turn your book into a page turner? Learn practical ways to create twists, cliffhangers, characters, conflict and more.

WW members - $95

Non-members - 131

You can register for this class by mailing a check to Willamette Writers, calling 503-305-6729 and registering over the phone, or by paying with a credit card at http://www.willamettewriters.com/1/Willamette_Writers_Workshops.php. The Willamette Writers' Cynthia Whitcomb House is at 2108 Buck St, West Linn, OR 97068.

Bios

Dana Haynes spent 20 years in Oregon newspaper newsrooms, split evenly between weeklies and dailies. He won awards as a reporter, columnist, and editor. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he now serves as spokesman for Mayor Charlie Hales of Portland, Oregon.

http://danahaynes.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/picnic-house.jpg

Haynes' first thriller, CRASHERS was released in 2010 by Minotaur Books, a division of St. Martin's Press. It won the Spotted Owl Award from Friends of Mystery as 2010's best mystery or thriller written by a Northwest writer. His first screenplay, an adaptation of CRASHERS, made it to the semifinals of the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in 2005. BREAKING POINT, the sequel to CRASHERS, made its debut in 2011.

Now comes ICE COLD KILL, the breakout thriller for Daria Gibron, the ex-Israeli soldier and spy who first appeared in CRASHERS. Daria's adventures continue this winter in GUN METAL HEART.

Bill Cameron's first novel, Lost Dog (2007), was a Left Coast Crime Rocky Award nominee and a finalist for the 2008 Spotted Owl Award for best mystery in the Pacific Northwest. His second novel, Chasing Smoke (2008), received a starred review from Library Journal and was a finalist for the 2009 Spotted Owl Award. It was also an IndieBound Notable Next for January 2009. Cameron's third novel, Day One, was published by Tyrus Books in 2010, and features the return of his series character, Skin Kadash. Day One was a finalist for the 2011 Spotted Owl Award and was included in the Best of 2010 list by the Portland Mercury. His fourth novel, County Line was published by Tyrus Books/F+W Crime in June 2011. In March 2012, County Line was named the winner of the 2012 Spotted Owl Award for Best Northwest Mystery.

April Henry knows how to kill you in two-dozen different ways. She makes up for a peaceful childhood in an intact home by killing off fictional characters. There was one detour on April's path to destruction: when she was 12 she sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to noted children's author Roald Dahl. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.