Best selling author Vicki Hinze started out writing
romantic suspense, but shifted gears to become one
of the first authors to write military romantic
suspense, military romantic intrigue and military
romantic thrillers, efforts for which she has been
credited with a Career Achievement Award. Recently,
she has shifted focus to Christian fiction. She's a
trail-blazer who isn't afraid to take risks. Her
workshops are always packed with people ready to
take copious notes and she's ready to fill those
pages with vital information, as well as answer your
questions. FMI visit her at
www.vickihinze.com or
www.vickihinzebooks.com
Subject of Workshop 1:
“Dialogue--Say What? When and How?”
Spoken or unspoken, dialogue needs to work hard to
accomplish all its duties-including
characterization. In this workshop, we talk about
effective dialogue, spoken and silent, what it says,
why and how it impacts even pacing, tone, setting
and other novel elements.
Subject of Workshop 2
(with Kathy Carmichael): “The Craft
and Business of Writing”
A blend of topics will be discussed on both craft
and business. Bring your questions and we'll answer
them. These open works are most fun because you
bring YOUR issues and we'll work toward solutions
and resolutions.
Jamie
Dodson
Best-selling author Jamie Dodson published his first
historical fiction novel Flying Boats and Spies, a
Nick Grant Adventure in spring 2008. His second
novel China Clipper was published in January 2010.
Black Sheep Entertainment, a Hollywood Production
Company, has purchased the Flying Boats and Spies
movie option. He is member of the Pan Am Historical
Foundation, the OSS Foundation, and Military
Intelligence Corps Association. He writes
non-fiction for aviation and military magazines.
He’s an experienced Boy Scout Scoutmaster, Chapel
Youth Group leader, and school volunteer. Jamie is a
career Intelligence officer, for the US Army,
Aviation and Missile Research, Development and
Engineering Center (AMRDEC), Redstone Arsenal,
Alabama. His work experience includes Counter
Intelligence, Special Intelligence, and Signals
Intelligence for US Intelligence agencies and
services. He has been assigned to Special
Operations, Army Aviation, Airborne Infantry,
Patriot units and Military Police.
Subject of Workshop:
“Historical Fiction: A Backward Planning Approach”
Vincent
H. O'Neil
Vincent
H. O’Neil is the Malice Award-winning author of
the Frank Cole mystery series. His latest novel,
Death Troupe, is the first book in a new series
featuring a high-end murder mystery theater
troupe that comes together once a year, each
year in a different town. Their writer composes
a play based on the locale, and starts seeding
the town with unusual clues during the months
that he is in residence. This time, however,
someone is dogging the writer’s footsteps and
seems to know the clues (and the culprit) long
before the curtain goes up.
Subject of Workshop:
“The Only Game in Town: Alternatives to
Traditional Publishing”
An explanation of electronic books, print
on-demand publishing, and the many new options
open to today’s authors.
Kathy
Carmichael
Award-winning
author, Kathy Carmichael, writes mysteries,
women’s fiction and romance. Her 2009 release,
Hot Flash, was named by the American Library
Association’s Booklist as one of the Top 10
Romance Fiction titles for 2009. Her recent
romantic comedy, Angel Be Good, was named as #2
Romance in the 2010 Red Adept Annual Indie
Awards. Her first mystery novel, Diary of a
Confessions Queen, received a starred review
from Booklist.
Subject of Workshop:
“Characterization and Point of View Workshop”
Using examples from well-read and local authors,
Kathy demonstrates effective use of viewpoint,
discusses when to use a specific type of view
point and elements for creating deeper
characterization.
Don
Jordan
An
award-winning teacher, writer and designer, Don
Jordan has worked in the fields of education,
media and design and been endorsed by
entertainment leaders (ABC Television, Digital
Domain, DreamWorks Animation, Hanna-Barbera,
Sony Studios, Saban Entertainment), technology
companies (Google/SketchUp, Apple Computer, Avid
Technologies, Autodesk), entertainment industry
organizations (IATSE Local 800–The Art Directors
Guild and Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists, IATSE
Local 847–Set Designers Union, IATSE Local
790–Illustrators Union), and both private and
public corporations (El Nuevo Día/Puerto Rico,
The Getty Museum, Toyota of America Corp, Walt
Disney Company).
Don began specializing in education and media
design in 1993 after forming Digital Media
XChange®, a leading west coast training provider
working in association with many California
educational institutions including The
University of Southern California, The Los
Angeles Film School, and The American Film
Institute. In 2005, Don co-founded The Design
Visualization Center at The Art Directors Guild
in Studio City, California. After “retiring” to
his hometown of Niceville, Florida, Don founded
The Sandhandle Workshops, a division of E2I: The
Education & Entertainment Initiative.
Sandhandle’s mission is to promote media
education in Northwest Florida through
workshops, seminars, webcasts, screenings,
festivals, and conferences, including the annual
Sandhandle Education & Entertainment Expo and
the “Writing Diamond” Professional Development
Series.
Randy
Rawls
Author
of six published books, including Jake’s Burn, Jade
Photos, and Joseph’s Kidnapping, Randy Rawls workshop
will focus on: "Where does the book begin?"
BOOKS
don't necessarily begin where the STORY begins. Your
decision is the first make or break point in your
success.
Subject of Workshop #1:
“Where does the Book Begin”
Books don’t necessarily begin where the Story begins.
Your decision is the first make or break point in your
success.
Subject of Workshop #2:
“Title: Writing to Avoid Rejection”
Know the flags that guarantee rejection. Agents and
Editors warn us repeatedly what not to do. Do you do
them? If so, you’re guaranteeing rejection. During the
session, Randy invites attendees to provide up to the
first 10 pages (properly formatted) of their story.
He’ll critique and return it to the writer with
comments.
Victor
DiGenti
After
a career in broadcasting working as a public affairs and
documentary producer, reporter, fundraiser, and producer
of the Jacksonville Jazz Festival for eight years,
Victor DiGenti turned to his first love—writing. He
found inspiration in his household of feline critters
and wrote three adventure/fantasies with a feline
protagonist. His novels — Windrusher, Windrusher and the
Cave of Tho-hoth, and Windrusher and the Trail of Fire
(Ocean Publishing) — have won multiple awards and
attracted readers of all ages. His manuscript, Matanzas
Bay, a mystery/suspense novel set in St. Augustine, won
the 2007 Josiah W. Bancroft, Sr. Award, and was named a
Book of the Year in the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Awards
Competition. Matanzas Bay will soon be available as a
Kindle download, to be followed by the second in the
series, Bring Down The Furies.
Vic is a frequent speaker at libraries, book festivals
and conferences, as well as leading workshops on the
craft of writing. He’s a regional director of the
Florida Writers Association and on the Board of the
Friends of the Library–Ponte Vedra Beach, where he lives
with his wife and their rescued cats.
Subject of Workshop #1:
“Great Beginnings: That All-Important First Page”
Let’s face it, we have short attention spans. If the
author doesn’t’ catch and hold the reader’s attention
with the first line, first paragraph and first page they
might look for another book.
Subject of Workshop #2:
“Put Your Writing into High Gear With Strong Narrative
Drive”
Editors and agents reject many otherwise well-written
novels because they lack something called narrative
drive. What is it, and how do we incorporate it into our
writing? Vic will reveal some of the secrets other
authors use to create a strong narrative drive that
pulls the reader along leaving them wondering what will
happen next.
Lon
Prater
Lon
Prater is a retired Navy officer by day, writer of odd
little tales by night. His short fiction has appeared in
the Stoker-winning anthology Borderlands 5, Writers of
the Future XXI, and Origins Award finalist Frontier
Cthulhu. He's an avid Texas Hold’em player, occasional
stunt kite flyer, and a connoisseur of history, theme
parks and haunted hayrides. To find out more, visit www.lonprater.com.
Subject of Workshop:
“As the Plot Turns: 6 Ways Your Story Can Change – And
When It Needs To”
Maryann
Makekau
Maryann’s
Little Pink Book™ series began as a gift for a friend.
That gift quickly turned into a gift for many as
requests flooded in to publish When Your Teacher Has
Cancer. Group presentations of the book instantly led to
more requests: Little Pink Book™ titles for every role
women hold in children’s lives. Her illustrator’s
stick-characters are now branded as a symbol of hope for
various life challenges as seen through a child’s eyes.
Parents deploying to war and families struggling with
Alzheimer’s top the request lists from teachers,
counselors, clergy, librarians, physicians, and virtual
fans. Requests have led to eight published titles
(including Spanish translations), in just over one year!
What makes her books so different? Although children
have all the same emotions as adults, their limited
vocabulary can inhibit expression. Yet, their unique
perspective is more easily grasped through simplicity.
Stick-characters are a perfect simplicity when combined
with an uncomplicated story line. Children are making
the journey through cancer, war, and Alzheimer’s too;
including them as helpers and encouragers is a necessary
part of journeys such as these. Families are fighting
the fight together: 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with
breast cancer; 400,000 children between ages 6-11 have a
parent deployed to war; and Alzheimer’s will claim
23,000 lives this year.
Book sales benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
and Operation Purple Camps with the National Military
Family Association. Maryann’s been called to speak and
exhibit around the nation. To learn more about her
passion to write through a child’s eyes, visit
www.thelittlepinkbooks.com.
Subject of Workshop Talk#1:
“Outside Four Walls”
Know the reach of words and their potential impact.
Being a vessel for your work—the impact of writing and
marketing outside four walls.
Subject of Workshop Talk #2:
“Critique Positive”
Use criticism as fuel; Transform criticism into
creativity; Give criticism the hands and feet of action.
Attorney
Dan Greening
Attorney Dan Greening graduated cum laude from Tulane
Law School, and subsequently worked as an international
corporate and entertainment litigator in Atlanta for
nearly a decade. His former firm has
represented writers, artists and other entertainment
entities, including such varied clients as Pamela
Anderson, Ludacris, Hulk Hogan, Turner Television, and a
plethora of struggling artists in need of pro bono
contract advice.
Dan is also the author of The Summoner, a novel
of suspense concerning the disappearance of a U.S.
diplomat at a religious ceremony in Zimbabwe. The novel
has reached as high as #2 on various Kindle bestseller
lists, won the Indie Award of Excellence from
Odyssey Reviews, and was dubbed "Favorite novel of the
year so far" by A Novel Source. Dan was represented by
a literary agency for years, and is also happy to
discuss questions and concerns with agency contracts.
Subject of Workshop: “Legal Pitfalls
For Writers”
From copyright to defamation, contracts to e-rights: an
open discussion of legal traps and nuances writers need
to be wary of. Questions welcome!
Joyce
Holland
Joyce Holland joined D4EO Literary in late
2009 reading and recommending manuscripts. She
is a former newspaper columnist for the
Northwest Florida Daily News, Joyce is the
author of two nautical mysteries, Boat Dollies
and Beyond Gulf Breeze, (Deadly Alibi Press),
the true crime book, My, My, Myra, and over two
dozen short stories. My, My, Myra earned her a
role as 'guest author' for an episode of A&E's
City Confidential (Autopsy of a Marriage).
Several years ago she was a reader for Futures
Magazine, so it doesn't take her long to
recognize talent when she sees it. And, because
of her writing background, Joyce makes it a
point to never forget what it feels like to be
on the other side of the pitching table. The
best way to capture her attention, outside of a
killer logline, is to email her a one page
synopsis and the entire manuscript. She's hungry
for that jewel in the slush pile. Send her
stories with passionate characters with
believable conflicts.
Subject of Workshop:
“What You Should Know About Literary Agents”
Bring an unsigned query letter, and I
will randomly pick five of them for open
discussion. Then I will tell you how I would
respond and I'll answer the rest in an email to
everyone who attends. I've read nearly 1,500
queries this year. I will give you examples of
ones that worked (for me) and ones that didn't.
Finally, I'll tell you how to write a query no
agent or editor can resist
Darlene
Dean
A certified Life Coach and national speaker, Darlene
Dean is also a writer, journalist and poet. She has been
a feature writer for a regional newspaper and technology
publications. She currently publishes her own newsletter
and blog. Her motivational Book, "Just For Today," came
out in 2007.
Through her coaching practice, Coach for Results (www.CoachForResults.com),
she utilizes her 20+ years of corporate experience to
guide her clients to discover their Life Purpose and to
consistently achieve the results they want. Writers and
artists find a kindred spirit through her coaching
support as they discover new ways to unleash their
creativity and develop their business management
strategies.
Subject of Workshop:
“You Revolving – or Evolving? 2 Secrets for Creating
Writing Goals That Will Stick!”
How many times have you set a goal and then missed it?
Whether for your writing or for another area of your
life – goal setting is essential to your success.
Presented by a success coach, this seminar will help you
identify your stumbling blocks and get you on the right
path to setting meaningful – and achievable goals.
Michael Lister
A native Floridian, award-winning novelist, Michael Lister, grew up in North Florida near the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River, beneath slash pines and Spanish moss draped oak limbs, in a small town world famous for tupelo honey.
He won a Florida Book Award for his first literary novel, DOUBLE EXPOSURE, a book, according to the Panama City News Herald, that “is lyrical and literary, written in a sparse but evocative prose reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy.” It is a contemplation of life and death, art and meaning, set deep in the swamps of the Apalachicola River, a thriller about a wildlife photographer whose camera traps capture a crime that shows the beauty and danger of the Panhandle paradise.
For the past seven years, Lister has written for, edited, and operated the oldest newspaper in Gulf County, The Gulf County Breeze. One of the last independent paper in the region, it began in 1925.
Michael also writes a popular and highly praised weekly column on art and meaning and life titled Of Font and Film
(www.OfFontandFilm.com), which includes reviews of film and fiction.
In addition to writing suspenseful literary crime novels, Lister writes historical thrillers, such as THE BIG GOODBYE, featuring Jimmy "Soldier" Riley, a PI in Panama City during World War II
(www.FloridaNoir.com), and short stories, which have appeared in such collections as DELTA BLUES, NORTH FLORIDA NOIR, and now FLORIDA HEAT WAVE, which he edited.
Lon
Prater is a retired Navy officer by day, writer of odd
little tales by night. His short fiction has appeared in
the Stoker-winning anthology Borderlands 5, Writers of
the Future XXI, and Origins Award finalist Frontier
Cthulhu. He's an avid Texas Hold’em player, occasional
stunt kite flyer, and a connoisseur of history, theme
parks and haunted hayrides. To find out more, visit 
A native Floridian, award-winning novelist, Michael Lister, grew up in North Florida near the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River, beneath slash pines and Spanish moss draped oak limbs, in a small town world famous for tupelo honey.