Time out for Writers!

20^th Annual ANWA Writers Conference 

February 23, 24 & 25, 2012

Time Out for Writers

Hilton Hotel, 1011 W. Holmes Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85210

480-833-5555

www.hiltonphoenixeast.com

Registration opens October 1, 2011

See the ANWA Website at http://www.ANWA-lds.com

Space is limited so register early

STAY TUNED..... We will have MORE information for you!! 

Mandy's Miracle

Alright!
Yes, I've been working on the next book in the series! This one has been a bit more challenging - in the creative process. Writing Riley's Gift was such a learning experience - now it's time to put all those things I've learned into writing this one. Hopefully with LESS re-writing and edits. IS that possible???
NO. Probably not...
I've already redone the first section of it - a FEW times.
At any rate... here is the latest and greatest..... tell me what you think! (keep in mind - it's NOT edited!!! Because I'm not supposed to be editing - I'm supposed to be writing! :)

Mandy's Miracle - Excerpt of Chapter One 

Amanda Phillips couldn’t remember the last time she felt this beautiful. Looking down at her dress she gasped … it was covered in diamonds, tiny flexs of diamonds. She sparkled and glowed like a princess. Her fingers were perfectly manicured and the gorgeous ring on her finger caused her to look across from her.  The carriage she sat in rocked slowly as she gazed into the blue pools of dreaminess smiling back at her. Gosh, he was gorgeous. Kyle Lund personified prince charming. His white suit made him look even tanner than he actually was. Maybe things were going to be okay afterall. Amanda’s shoulders releaxed as she gazed up toward the cloudless sky. She felt her tiara slide back and she reached up to hold it in place and giggled.

Kyle’s warm fingers found her arm. “You are so beautiful.”

His voice echoed in her head and she felt like she was floating. Several birds flew above them in a collective stream as rose pedals fell from their beaks. Glancing at the driver of the carriage she noticed it was a young boy. He turned back to look at her she felt the sickly twinge in her stomach. No, this was real, this had to be real. Squeezing her eyes shut she ran her fingers along the material covering her seat and she gripped at her dress. It was real. It had to be. Holding her breath she opened one eye and glanced at Kyle, he was still handsome as ever and smiling at her. For a brief moment the small child caught her eye and he mouthed the words ‘Pay Attention, Mandy’. Ignoring the child-driver she steadied her breathing and refused to take her eyes off her gorgeous companion. He opened his mouth and said, “You are so beautiful … I can’t believe you would be so stupid…”

Kyle’s golden flexs of hair slowly darkened as his beautiful blue eyes sunk to a deep green. The crisp white suit transformed into black leather and the comforting voice became scolding, “… to trust a low life like Kyle Lund. Jeez, Amanda- he doesn’t want you- it’s over…”

In one swoop Amanda felt as though she were falling, swirling round and round… with Shawn Cohen’s penetrating green eyes judging her.

“It’s over!” echoing, bouncing off the walls of her brain.

She covered her face, but that didn’t help. She covered her ears but no use. She continued to hear the yelling.

“It’s over!”

A loud crashing sound caused her to sit up in her bed. Breathing heavily she looked around in a panic. Another nightmare. When would it end? Did she have to be reminded not only in real life but also in her dreams? Kyle Lund dumped her thanks to Shawn Cohen—The last person she wanted to ever see. And if that wasn’t bad enough, why did her brother Joey always have to make an appearance in her dreams?

“It’s over, Sandy.”

Amanda’s stomach did a flip hearing the audible voice outside her dreams. She glanced toward the door and listened carefully.

“I’m sick of it, Sandy! What do you expect me to do?” Her father’s voice bounced off the walls in the hallway.

Amanda rolled over in bed and wished she was back at the Baker’s for Christmas. But Christmas was over and now they were moving toward New Year’s. Another year of the same depressing life. Her parents had been fighting since they’d returned from Uncle Johnny’s house, and since she hadn’t gone with them, she wasn’t sure what exactly happened. Usually they ignored each other. But now, Amanda didn’t know what to think, or what to do.

“I’m done. It’s over!” Her dad’s voice seemed different-- serious.

Amanda rolled out of bed and peaked out the door. Her dad held a suitcase, his face looked beyond angry.

“You can’t leave us.” Her mom stood holding her stomach. 

This wasn’t happening. Could her life get any worse? Seriously?

Her dad walked up to his wife and held her shoulder. “I’m not leaving Amanda. I’m leaving you. I can’t take it anymore, Sandy, for seven years I’ve watched you destroy our family and I’m not going to do it anymore.”

“Me? I didn’t kill our son. You did!” Her mothers voice reverberated pain.

Doug Phillips raised his hand and Amanda gasped as both her parents turned toward her. She felt as though she would throw up right there and the hand covering her mouth was not going to help. She took a step back and closed the door.

“See what you’ve done now? And for God’s sake, it was an accident. Stop blaming me. Thanks for making it crystal clear of why I have to leave you.”

Amanda slid down and sat on the floor, her pajamas twisted under her. Her breathing grew heavy as her eyes scanned her room looking through everything. First I lose Joey, now my dad. She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees burying her head. She cried. Through her sobs she heard a rumbling, sounded like kids beating on a trash dumpster. The noise got louder … Amanda finally glanced up, it wasn’t coming from outside her room. Her ceiling had transformed into a storm-- swirling clouds, flashes of light and the unbelievable sound of pouring rain. This was a new phenomenon for Amanda, and one she wasn’t excited about. She felt crazy. At least she finally figured out that she was the only one who saw these strange things. But nonetheless it was totally annoying. Out of nowhere storms blow into her life and she’s always left wondering why.

 “Why? What did I do to deserve this?” She whispered.

You were stupid enough to overdose on pills and end up in a coma—that’s why. Now nothing is ever going to be the same. It wasn’t, that was a fact. She hadn’t tried to commit suicide like her friends had thought. She just wanted to sleep-- didn’t want to be reminded of how awful it felt for Kyle to toss her aside. It was an accident, and now she was paying for it. Just like she was still paying for Joey’s accident.

“Mandy! Are you there?” Her mother’s voice came through the door.

            “Yes, mom.” Amanda wiped her eyes with her sleeve and got up.

Guest Author - Anna del C. Dye

Today, my guest author is Anna del C. Dye, author of two fantasy trilogies.

I love fantasy!!! So tell me, Anna, how long have you been writing and why did you start­­?

About seven years ago I started because my husband wanted to live to the ripe age of fifty. He thought my imagination would be the end of his days. He actually ordered me to. He is awesome.

What are your books titled?

In the order they were published, they are:

The Silent Warrior Trilogy

Book 1 - The Elf and the Princess

Book 2 - Trouble in the Elf City

Book 3 - Elfs in a conquered Realm

and now:

Curse of the Elfs

Do you write your books in chronological order?

The Trilogy, I started in the beginning. Curse of the Elfs came to me in the middle, then it took form toward the front and the back. I am not sure why… it just happened.

What inspired you to write this story?

The last movie of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I wanted to know more about the character’s lives and couldn’t find enough. My husband said, “Why don’t you write your own.” I answered, “Yah right!” But his answer haunted me and in three days I had the draft of The Elf and the Princess in my mind. When I told him the story he came back with a laptop and told me to write it. The rest is history.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Never give up!!! Join a writer's chapter close to you, and learn the craft from them.

Anna, do you write with music playing? If so, is the music likely to be songs with lyrics or only instrumentals?

I do have music on, though I love quiet. I have my favorite tunes in the computer where I write. Lots of them have lyrics but a few don’t.

What is the coolest thing about being an author?

Meeting great people and other authors.

What would you say is the most challenging part about being an author?

Spending hours promoting my books while I would like to be writing another.

Do you have a particular goal you aim to achieve with your writing?

To take people to a wonderful world where they can forget reality’s cold hand and safely enjoy fantasy. Life is tough and we need something to help us make it more fun and worth living. Fantasy is the way I choose to do it.

You once told me that English was your second language. What sort of challenges did you meet in trying to write your books, if any?

Not many, really. I write and my editor has to figure out what I am trying to say. (If I can't figure how a word goes in English, I put it in Spanish...he speaks Spanish very well.) We have a lot of fun when we edit the books because of my English mess ups.

If you could give your book to only one person, who would it be and why?

A teenager in trouble...in the hope that he/she could discover the power they have deep inside to change and become better. I want them to see that nothing is impossible if we put our minds to it.

Can you share with your fans how can you describe so well your battle scenes and the sword's playing action?

We found a medieval sword fighting class at the local high school and my husband and I took it. My husband liked it so much he has taken it for a few years now and has even earned two different belts with the clan.

Where can we purchase a copy of your books?

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.annadelc.com

Thank you for this opportunity to visit with you and your friends.

When an Immortal race ceases to be immortal, woe to the land.

Ancient legend tells of elfs crossing paths with a dying wizard named Zoltan. The Old Sorcerer’s unrepentant deeds had caused the wizarding school to chastise him severely. On his deathbed Zoltan asked the elfs for help. Losing patience in his delirium, he cursed them. Now, the immortal elfin race is slowly, but surely dying.

Their only hope lies in a servant of kings who must learn to love the elfs before he will attempt to save them. But no one, elf or mankind, has ever heard of this man. Can the healer be found before their race is gone forever?

Bio

Anna del C. Dye was born in Valparaiso, Chile, amongst some of the world’s most famous beaches.

After meeting Rodney, a native of Idaho, in her hometown, Anna traveled to Utah on Christmas Eve and married him two weeks later. Their love story, Why Him? was published by Covenant in the book entitled Tender Mercies. Anna and Rodney reside in Taylorsville, Utah and are the parents of three princes and a princess.

Anna is an accomplished, multi-award winning author. One of her short stories entitled Amerine—Fairy Princess won an award in the Oquirrh Writers contest. The first book in her new YA Romance Series entitled “A Kingdom By The Sea” also won an award. Anna’s works also include The Silent Warrior Trilogy, the beginning saga of her YA Elf Series.

For more information contact Anna at www.annadelc.com.

Can you end a sentence with a preposition?

I've always wanted to know this- Ya gotta love the Grammar Girl--

 One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is whether it’s acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition.

I know many of you were taught that you shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition, but it’s a myth. In fact, I consider it one of the top ten grammar myths because many people believe it’s true, but because nearly all grammarians disagree, at least in some cases (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

So before I lose you, let's back up. What is a preposition?

What Is a Preposition?

A preposition is a word that creates a relationship between other words.  It's been said that prepositions often deal with space and time (1), which always makes me think of Star Trek. For example, the prepositions “above,” “by,” and “over” all say something about a position in space; the prepositions “before,” “after,” and “since” all say something about time.

When Can a Sentence End with a Preposition?

Here's an example of a sentence that can end with a preposition: What did you step on? A key point is that the sentence doesn't work if you leave off the preposition. You can't say, “What did you step?” You need to say, “What did you step on?” to make a grammatical sentence.

I can hear some of you gnashing your teeth right now, while you think, “What about saying, 'On what did you step?'” But really, have you ever heard anyone talk that way? I've read long, contorted arguments from noted grammarians about why it's OK to end sentences with prepositions when the preposition isn't extraneous (1), but the driving point still seems to be, “Nobody in their right mind talks this way.” Yes, you could say, “On what did you step?” but not even grammarians think you should. It sounds pedantic.

 When Can't You End a Sentence with a Preposition?

But, you can't always end sentences with prepositions. When you could leave off the preposition and it wouldn't change the meaning, you should leave it off. Here is a cell phone commercial that gets on my nerves.   

[Where you at?]

For the purposes of today’s discussion, let’s ignore the fact that they left out the verb “are” because I’ve definitely heard people ask, “Where are you at?”

The problem is that “Where are you at?” doesn't need the preposition at the end. If you say “Where are you?” it means the same thing. So the "at" is unnecessary. You should leave it off.

 

Unnecessary Prepositions

The problem with unnecessary prepositions doesn't happen just at the end of sentences. People often throw extraneous prepositions into the middle of sentences, and they shouldn't (2). Instead of saying “Squiggly jumped off of the dock,” it's better to say “Squiggly jumped off the dock.” You see? You don't need to say “off of the dock”; “off the dock” says the same thing without the preposition.

Another example is “outside of” when “outside” by itself would do just fine. You should say, “He's outside the door,” not, “He's outside of the door.”

Sentences Can End with Prepositions from Phrasal Verbs

So far, my examples of prepositions at the end of sentences have all been questions. Lest you think they’re a special case, we’ll look at some sentences that aren’t questions.

English has a type of verb called a phrasal verb. These are verbs made up of multiple words, and one is always a preposition. “Cheer up,” “run over,” “log on,” and “leave off” are all examples of phrasal verbs, and often sentences that use phrasal verbs end with a preposition:

• I wish he would cheer up.
  
• You should leave it off.

Those are perfectly acceptable sentences.

 

Comma w/ Participial Phrases?

Taken from the Grammar Girl:

 

Sometimes You Need a Comma With Participial Phrases, and Sometimes You Don’t

Today, we’re revisiting the concept of restrictive versus nonrestrictive elements. In past Grammar Girl episodes, I’ve talked about how to use the words “which” and “that” with restrictive and nonrestrictive elements. This time, we’ll help you figure out what the concepts of restrictive and nonrestrictive have to do with participial phrases such as “making me cry” and “banging his nose” and when to use a comma before such phrases.

What’s the Difference Between Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses?

In case you’re not up on the concepts of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses, here’s a quick review so we’re all on the same page. “A restrictive clause is just part of a sentence that you can't get rid of because it specifically restricts some other part of the sentence” (1). You could say, “The boy who threw up on Space Mountain wished he had stayed home.”  Here, the “who” clause is restrictive: It defines which particular boy wished he had stayed home, so you can’t delete the clause, nor do you use commas around it. 

On the other hand, “a nonrestrictive clause is something that can be left off without changing the meaning of the sentence. You can think of a nonrestrictive clause as simply additional information” (1). Such clauses “are usually surrounded by, or preceded by, commas” (1). An example is the “which” clause in this sentence: “The town, which lies thirty miles from the capital, is famous for its potato festival.” The “which” clause is surrounded by commas. It contains additional information that is not necessary to understand the sentence, so you can delete the clause if you want.

It can be easy to get confused about restrictive and nonrestrictive elements, so remember this: If it’s extra information, use extra commas.

Know your Audience- How to keep their attention!

The class was given by Rebecca Shelley, author of Red Dragon Codex and Brass Dragon Codex.
The first thing we covered was Know Your Audience - who are you writing to?
When it comes to kids, there are two major types of readers - the reluctant reader and the avid reader:
Reluctant Reader have their brains in the fast lain

• Brains wire for information age- able to process lare amounts of information quickly
• Super Smashbrothers vs. Space Invaders - she talked about how when most of us remember playing games that are slow paced such as Space Invaders these kids are able to keep up with fast paced very involving games such as Super Smashbrothers.
• Twenty-minute TV plotlines - if it is too complicated, they’ll loose interest - it has to keep moving quickly
• YouTube entertainment - Reading should be entertainment
• Intimidated by thick books and large chunks of text

Avid Readers: The Harry Potter generation

• Have developed neural pathways for deep reading.
• Are confident in their reading ability
• Are a growing demographic, but still a minority

Remember they are different audiences and to experiment and practice writing for both.
When writing for the younger audiences the paragraphs have to be shorter.
Focusing on writing for the Reluctant Reader:
Formatting:

• Lots of white space
• Short, varied paragraphs
• Varied sentence lengths
• Proper word choices
• Plenty of plot-moving dialogue

Characterization - for reluctant readers it is like a caricature - in fact she would often refer to caricaturization

• The Mona Lisa vs the Ninja Turtles - She talked about giving characters a only few defining traits that would be memorable.  The example of Ninja Turtles went to how each turtle had a specific color and how it related to their temperment - the read one was the angry one, etc.  - another illustration she made was how it was done in Spiderwick - there are little portraits that tell the kids exactly what the characters look like, saving pages of detail for kids who would be impatient with it.
• Complex characters expressed in digest

Pacing:

• Hook and twist every two to four pages

1. Clear and vital character motivation and emotions - she repeated a few times the ever important “clear and vital character motivation” - going back to the characterization class I wrote about yesterday - Motivations are SO IMPORTANT!!
2. Proper grounding (setting expressed by sensory details through close 3rd person point of view)

Be sure to use ALL five senses - we most often rely on sight and sound, and she stressed focusing on touch, smell, and taste as well.
The reader needs to be inside the character and experiencing their world through their senses. By using all 5 senses every 2-4 pages, and in the beginning of every scene, the reader will be grounded and hooked.

• Twist - something has to change every 2 pages - snappy dialogue, humor, conflict, action, revelation, danger - keep it moving

Physical Action

• Slapstick, battles, chase scenes, etc.
• More action, less sitting around thinking and planning
• Action must be interlaced with setting and character to be meaningful

Cliff hangers: Bait and Hook
She gave the comparison of fishing.  A fisherman waits for the nibble and then jerks the pool, hooking the fish.  The end of the chapter is like throwing the bait in the water, the beginning of the next chapter is the hook so we can reel them in.

• Physical threat cliff hanger
• Emotional cliffhanger
• Puzzle cliff hanger
• Mystery cliff hanger

Write to your strengths and understand you audience:
Recognizing what kind of writer you are will help you find your market.

WOW!

WOW!
What an incredible CONFERENCE.
Writing at the speed of life.
I am so excited to have been a part of putting this conference together. We had SUPER classes, AWESOME agents, a VERY knowledgeable and extremely friendly editor, Kirk Shaw from Covenant - and we even had the PITCH Guru, Elena Johnson.

I think everyone had a great time. So much of a great time we are all SOOOOOOO tired. But it was worth it. I know for me I learned tons, got to rub shoulders with some HIGHLY intelligent and well known people. I got help from the pitch guru- and I even had a great conversation with Kirk Shaw.

So those of you who missed it - REALLY MISSED OUT.
But there is always next year, and many other conferences.
The important part is .... I'm fired up about writing - about recommitting myself and dedicating myself to what I really do LOVE -- Writing. Creating and tapping into that place ..... you know the one --- that ZONE - only us writers have any idea of what I'm talking about. It's a GREAT place

Thanks ANWA and all those who helped make the 2011 conference a rejuvenater of talents.

Writing event of 2011!!!

Are you going!!?!?!?!?  TO the Writing event of the year??????? 

Here are some of the classes we've got - Something great for everyone!

2011 ANWA Writers Conference - "Writing at the Speed of Life"


Here is a tentative class list for the 2011 ANWA Writers Conference. Friday workshops are interactive and hands-on. Titles of classes that will be presented twice are followed by an asterisk (*).

Writing A Killer Query Letter (Friday Workshop)
Elana Johnson, author of Possessions, and query letter guru
Every submission, whether for a publisher or a literary agent, starts with a query letter. You can craft a query letter that will hook an editor or agent to request more material in just a few steps. Bring your one-page query letter to share, receive feedback, and leave this two-hour workshop with a killer query letter that will generate requests.

Sonoran Desert Tales—Making Nonfiction Fun for Young Readers (Friday Workshop)
Conrad J. Storad, author of Don't Call Me a Pig (A Javelina Story), and Rattlesnake Rules
To become a better writer one must write. Then write more. (Class includes writing exercises, discussion, sharing of exercises, handouts, prizes, and a demonstration of how to present non-fiction to your readers in an entertaining manner. NOT a session on how to get a children's book published. BRING paper and pen or other writing tool from which you can read your class work.)

Pitching to Agents, Editors, and Publishers (Friday Workshop)
Elana Johnson
So you think you want to pitch to an agent or editor? You don't need a 90 mph fastball, just a clear picture of how to talk to another human being about your book. Come learn how to say all the right things in all the right places that will impress an agent or editor enough to generate a request.

Read Me A Story—Reading Aloud to Cultivate the Art of Listening (Friday Workshop)
Conrad J. Storad
The art of listening is an acquired one. It must be taught and cultivated gradually—it doesn't happen overnight.

A Match Made in Heaven: Finding the Right Publisher and Convincing Them It's So (How to Submit)
Kirk Shaw, senior editor at Covenant Communications, Inc.; and freelance editor for David R. Godine, Publisher; Northwestern University Press; and other publishers
Finding the right publisher is like courting a potential mate: both need to feel it's the right move. How does an author narrow down all the possibilities to find the best option for her/his manuscript, and then go about proving she/he is a fine fit for the publisher?

Unlocking the Mystery of Writing YOUR History: Discover Your Roots and Strengthen the Branches of Your Family Tree
Carolyn Murphy, Phoenix Genealogy Examiner for Examiner.com, and founder of www.FamilyTreeQuest.com
Explore a wide-variety of easy tips and tools that make it plausible to integrate Personal History and Family History writing into your already busy schedule. Writing Personal or Family Histories can seem mysterious. Where do I begin? What do I do? How do I maintain my motivation? The task may seem mountainous—too big to undertake, too daunting to attempt to explore. The good news is that, in today's world, there are time-saving ideas and tools that simplify the challenge. Unlocking the mystery is simply a matter of gaining knowledge, "zeroing in" on choosing a specific task (whether large or small), working it into your routine, then maintaining your commitment and momentum.

The Three P's of Publishing, Promotion, and Publicity; or How to make Your Writing Pay, Pay, Pay! *
Cecily Markland, owner of Inglestone Pubishing, editor of The Beehive Newspaper, and a published author
So many choices, so little time? Learn the practices, principles and important pointers for publishing smart in today's market. Discover how to map out a publishing plan, decipher the pros and cons of the various publishing options, and create a publicity program that pays off.

Avoiding Childish Mistakes When Writing for Children
Kelly Sonnack, agent from Andrea Brown Literary Agency
What are some of the mistakes writers make when writing for children, and how can you avoid them? What are the things that make editors and agents cringe and stop reading? Kelly will discuss the pitfalls to avoid when writing your children’s book.

Ten Tips for Terrific Talking: Dialogue and Humor *
Janette Rallison, national YA author
Good dialogue advances your plot, reveals characterization, adds tension, and can enchant—or if you do it wrong—bore your reader. Learn ten helpful techniques for doing it right. But wait, there's more! Come to Janette's class and you'll receive information about humor at no extra charge! Some rules and restrictions apply. Void where prohibited by law . . .

How to Start a Book and Get it Finished
Laurie Schnebly Campbell, author of Believable Characters: Creating with Enneagrams and noted teacher of online courses
For writers anywhere in the process from imagining a book to completing the final chapter, this class looks at how, when and why to start writing, roadblocks and solutions along the way, and what to do after reaching The End.

Barnes & Noble: Who Are We? *
J. Paul Deason, Community Relations Manager, Barnes & Noble
Barnes and Noble's roles in the book world, and the changes in book publishing. Avenues to take to get your book published and out there.

Write What You Know: Gleaning from Reality to Make Characters Breathe *
Angela Morrison, author of YA novels Sing Me to Sleep and Taken by Storm
Gather, delve into, and create, using Angela's favorite techniques to turn what we know, love, learn, and yearn for into living characters to populate our scenes.

Beginning Songwriting For The Versatile Writer In You
Chava Cannon, award-winning singer-songwriter and member of BMI
Calling all story-tellers! Did you know that songwriting is story-telling set to music? After this 1 hour class, you too will have the skills to write a song. You will learn basic song formatting, do's and don'ts, and how to get started. Pre-requisite: NONE. No musical skill required, just the willingness to step outside the "Novel" box. Come join in the FA LA LA and add songwriting to your resume.

Perils of Publishing: Extreme Makeover—Editing Edition
Kelly Gottuso Mortimer, agent and owner of Mortimer Literary Agency

Block-busting: Putting the Joy Back in Writing
Laurie Schnebly Campbell
At some point, almost all writers suffer from the inability to tell the story they want. Part of writer's block is a lack of joy in the process, so counselor Laurie Schnebly Campbell looks at the causes—including exhaustion, boredom and fear of success—and the benefits of this block. Take home new awareness of what works for you, and renewed inspiration for returning to the craft you love.

Write What You Live
Chris Stewart, best-selling author of The Great and Terrible series, and other books
There are a couple of things you really can't fake your way through, like rock climbing, flying airplanes, surgery, and yes . . . writing. That's why it's so important to write about the things you really know. The things you really feel. The things that matter to you most. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT ANWA AT: 

http://anwa-lds.com/conference.html

Writing at the Speed of Life

19th Annual ANWA Writers Conference
"Writing at the Speed of Life"

American Night Writers Association
will hold its 19th Annual Writers Conference
in Phoenix, Arizona on February 25 & 26, 2011, with

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Chris Stewart

Author of "The Great and Terrible" fiction series, The Fourth War, Missionary Miracles: Stories and Letters from the Field, and other works

Make the ANWA Conference your two-day Writer's Getaway. Come to the Friday afternoon and evening workshops, and spend the rest of the evening at the "Meet & Greet," where you will rub shoulders with the agents, editor, and authors. Enjoy the heated pool and jacuzzi, then wake up refreshed and ready for a great day at the conference. Hotel room discount is available if you book by February 2, 2011.

This Conference is open to the General Public as well as ANWA Members.
Book sellers must be conference attendees,
but the Book Signing is open to everyone. Please invite book buyers,
and publicize the Signing through your websites, blogs or tweets.  Here's the link to the ANWA website: http://anwa-lds.com/conference.html

Questions for your Novel!

At the AWESOME ANWA writers retreat - the fabulous Jennifer Griffith gave an OUTSTANDING class on Conflict. Check out the ANWA newsletter for a recap (if you're a member). BUT.....I taught the lesson on Wed at my chapter meeting and here are the questions Jennifer outlined - They have TOTALLY helped me with my 2nd novel - Mandy's Miracle.

Here you go! Enjoy!

MC + G+O=C (Main Character + Goal + Opposition = Conflict)

CONSIDER: the main character in my WIP wants __________________ and will __________________________ to get it.


CONSIDER: The secondary character in my WIP wants _____________________ and will ____________________ to get it.


CONSIDER: In my WIP, the opposition character’s strength is _____________________ compared to my MC. I could make the disparity between them greater by making the opposition ____________________________.


CONSIDER: In *my* WIP, the adhesive is _____________________________, and it could potentially be stronger by ____________________________.


CONSIDER: The worst thing that could happen to my MC is _______________________. The only way it could be made worse than that is if _____________________________. [ this is the climax]


CONSIDER: In my WIP, _________________________________ is at stake for the MC, and __________________________________is also at stake. ________________________________ will happen if MC does not achieve this goal.

CONSIDER: In my WIP, for the MC, _________________________________ is at stake. The stakes could be raised if ______________________________________, and then _____________________________________________.

CONSIDER: Have I re-examined the dialogue in my novel to see that it is in conflict, conveys revelations of character, and is surprising? To make it more of these things I could ____________________________________________________.

CLAW

C - Check off basic editing checklist

L - Let someone else read it (actually, three someones)

A - Always print out a hard copy and read it

W - Walk away and leave it for a while before your final review

That's it! Then you're done. Be careful not to edit our projects to death. Stop there, send it out and move on with your life.

Easier said then done ... isn't it?

Riley's Gift- Chapter 3

There were four different outfits on her bed. Riley tried them all on … twice. She finally decided on black jeans, a cute blue scoop neck shirt, with a cream colored lacy undershirt and the perfect black shoes.


Her phone vibrated in her pocket she opened it.

Matt: Hey sexy, I’m here, bring a coat.

“Wow he’s early.” Riley grabbed her jacket and grinned in the mirror.

She opened the passenger door and sat down, he held out a box of roses to her.

Oh my gosh flowers!

“Matt, they’re beautiful. Thank you.”

His blue eyes danced as he flashed her a smile that could melt a glacier. “I wanted you to know… I’m glad we’re goin’ out.”

Maybe he really likes me.

Outside her window, the Arizona sunset looked like vibrant pastel marshmallows swirled together. They pulled into the driveway of an older home, well maintained with several flower beds planted under shuttered windows.

“I thought we were going for pizza?” Riley turned toward him as he took the key out of the ignition.

“Hey… I have the night planned…okay?” His half-smile once again melted her resistance.

“Fine.” She returned the smile. “But I better have a good time.”

“Hey babe, you leave that up to me.”

He grabbed her hand and led her toward the detached garage, stopping at the door he kissed her. The butterflies returned, and he eased away from her holding her gaze.

“I hope you know there isn’t anywhere I’d rather be, or anyone else I’d rather be with.”

“Me too.” Riley’s response was barely audible.

“Let’s go.” He playfully pulled her into the garage, and flipped on the light. Riley gasped as she felt her heart plummet toward her feet.

Oh no.

The acid in her stomach began to crawl into her throat, causing a burning sensation. Nausea rocketed her insides, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure about this Matt,” Riley whispered looking at the concrete floor.

He put his arm around her. “It’s ok Ri, I’ve practiced a lot, I’ve got my license and my dad says I’m ready for passengers. I want to take you for a ride. It’ll be so much fun and I’ve packed us an awesome dinner, even dessert.”

Riley stepped away from him, rubbing her sweaty palms on her jeans. “Matt, my father w-w-would kill me if I got on a motorcycle. I- I don’t think you understand, he’s made me promise to never get on one.”

“We aren’t going far. Just a short ride, and then we’ll come back. Trust me, it’ll be okay.”

Matt’s half smile returned, he pulled her close and lifted her chin. “Hey, babe don’t be scared. It’s so awesome to feel the wind blow through your hair and be part of the road. I want to share that with you Ri. No one else, just you.”

Riley put her head down again looking at the floor. His warm hands embraced her cheeks as his soft lips kissed her forehead. “I’ll just go up the street and back, and if you don’t like it we’ll come back and take the car. Okay?”

Maybe my dad is making a big deal out of this. What if Uncle Bobby had been killed by a bus … would that mean I couldn’t take the bus? What harm would a little ride to the end of the street be?

Riley looked at him. “Okay, I guess I can do that.”

“Awesome. Come on, babe … I know you’re gonna love it.” Matt walked the bike to the driveway. He pointed out a few safety things to Riley, but due to the loud palpitation of her heart, she couldn’t focus on anything he said.

“What about a helmet?”

“Relax, we’re just going to the end of the street.”

He mounted the bike and steadied it while she climbed on. He fired up the engine and the vibration startled Riley into wrapping her arms around him. She pressed her head against his back and closed her eyes.

Matt patted her hands and looked over his shoulder. “You don’t have to hold on so tight.” He chuckled. “I need to be able to breathe.”

“Sorry.” She loosened her grip.

“I’m gonna go real slow.” Matt took off easy and Riley opened one eye seeing the pavement pass under her. We’re moving, we’re moving. I’m on a motorcycle and I haven’t died yet.

Before she knew it they were at the end of the street. Matt slowed the bike and put his feet down to stop.

“See, it’s not very scary is it? Wanna go to the other end of the street?”

It’s not so bad. “Okay.”

Once again she clutched her arms around him and closed her eyes. But this time she didn’t keep them closed for long, just the initial take off. The wind in her hair felt good.

All too soon, they stopped again and Matt’s feet hit the ground.

She wasn’t ready for it to be over. “Do it again, go to the other end of the street.”

“I’m gonna go a little quicker okay?”

“Okay,” Riley said with her head buried in Matt’s back. She giggled at the increase in speed. Dads crazy! This isn’t dangerous—it’s fun!

He pulled into the driveway. “See, it’s fun isn’t it?” He turned to look at her.“So you think you’re up for a longer ride?”

The knot remained in her stomach, but excitement overrode anxiety.

He’ll be careful. And he wants to do this… with me! Only me. But Dad… if he finds out, he’ll kill me.

Matt took her hands and leaned down making eye contact with her. “Babe … I knew you belonged on that bike with me.”

She caught her breath. He just said I belong with him.

“Just a short ride, okay?” Riley bit her lip as her anxiety heightened.

“Alright, hold on, I’m gonna go get the backpack and then we’ll head out.”

Riley’s legs held the bike up as her heart raced. She struggled to breathe, watched him run over to the garage and grab the backpack. She had difficulty swallowing and struggled to breathe. You don’t have to do this, it’s dangerous. I want to though. I think.

He returned, holding the pack. “Are you okay wearing this? Or should I?”

Riley nodded and Matt slipped the pack over her arms and fastened the chest clamp. He passed her a helmet. She squeezed her head into it, and then lifted the visor. “I don’t like the helmet, it’s really tight.”

“You gotta wear it, I’m not gonna take you for a ride without it. You wanna try mine?” He sat down in front of her..

“No.” She flipped the visor down.

Her arms wrapped around him, as he fired up the bike again.

“Ready?” Matt asked as he revved the engine.

“What?” She couldn’t hear anything with the helmet on.

He gave her a thumbs up sign, and she returned it. He slowly pulled out, only this time Riley never closed her eyes … watching the scenery as houses passed by. .

The bike accelerated— instinctively her arms squeezed tight around him. She couldn’t stop smiling. This is so totally fun! I could hold onto him all night.

She snuggled up against him until he pulled into a gas station and stopped the bike. Matt lifted his visor and turned towards her.

“Are you okay?”

She flipped her visor up. “Yeah. What’s up?”

“Just wanted to make sure you were okay before I kept going.”

“Where are we going?”

“I wanted to go up by the river. It’s a pretty fun road, I think you’ll like it.”

“Sounds good to me.”

He turned on the headlight, and they took off a road that wound around a series of hills. Their bodies moved with the bike as they took each curve. Excitement warmed her body, even as the cold wind nipped at her hands.

***

Matt pulled onto a dirt road and stopped at a day camp area. Once off the bike he removed the backpack from her shoulders.

The full moon illuminated the area. Riley walked to the shoreline and looked across to the other side enjoying the soothing sound of the water against the rocks. When she turned around, Matt had laid down a sheet for them to sit on. Plates covered with food were illuminated by a single glowing candle.

“Wow.” She took off her coat and sat down next to him, surprised that it didn’t seem cold.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

They ate pizza and Matt pulled a bottle of champagne and two plastic glasses from the bag. He smiled at Riley. “I want to celebrate you being my girlfriend.”

Just relax, calm down. He’s trying so hard to make up for being such a jerk. You didn’t want to get on the bike and that ended okay. What’s wrong with one glass of Champagne? He just said girlfriend … you’re his girlfriend. Just one glass, it’s only champagne.

Matt popped the cork and it gushed out – he put the bottle to his lips, spilling quite a bit on himself. Riley couldn’t help chuckling. He poured both glasses and handed her one.

“Babe … I think you’re awesome. You’re not like any other girl I’ve dated. Thanks for giving me another chance.” He tilted his head back and downed the drink.

Riley stared at the cup, watching the bubbles float to the surface. She wanted to toss it behind her, and would if she thought he wouldn’t notice.

“It’s just champagne, it’s not a big deal, not like you’re gonna get drunk.”

“I know. I’ve just never drank alcohol.”

“And you’d never ridden a motorcycle either.” He smiled at her, the flicker of the candle dancing on his cheekbones.

She took a sip, it didn’t taste bad and before she knew it he’d refilled both cups.

They chatted about school and music and Matt talked about all the places he’d been riding and how much he liked the road up to the river. “Ever since I came up here, I wanted to bring you. I knew you’d like it.”

Somehow they’d both ended up lying beside each other on the sheet. Matt propped his head on his hand, and looked down at her. “I’m glad you came. I wanted to share this with you.”

Gosh, this is like a dream.

Riley felt her heart melt. She pulled him towards her, urgent to kiss him. His lips were full and soft. She ran her hands over his muscular arms as he held her close.

He pulled away from her. “I knew you belonged on the bike with me.”

How did I get so lucky? I can’t believe he likes me.

Matt leaned in and kissed her again. She kissed him back her fingers tangled in his curly hair.

“Babe, you’re the only one for me,” He breathed in her ear then kissed her neck.

A knot formed in her stomach. How could this moment be wrong, Matt is everything I want. He’s really likes me. Jeez ….stop being a worrywart.