Archive of Monthly Programs

Karen Frost

Sheila Scarborough

Photo courtesy Korey Howell Photography

Clay Smith

Bill Crawford

Rusty Shelton

David Marion Wilkinson

An Author's Guide to PR & Marketing

The publisher isn’t the only one responsible for getting your book in the hands of your readers. More and more, authors have to lead the charge on publicity and marketing. Find out how three authors work their books and get some pointers from a literary publicist.

Robert Bryce's articles on energy and other subjects have appeared in numerous publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal to Counterpunch and Atlantic Monthly to Oklahoma Stripper. His first book, Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron, was named one of the best non-fiction books of 2002 by Publishers Weekly. His latest book, Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of "Energy Independence," was published in 2008 by PublicAffairs. A review of Gusher of Lies in the New York Times called Bryce "something of a visionary and perhaps even a revolutionary." The managing editor of Energy Tribune, Bryce has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs ranging from the BBC and CNN to PBS and NPR. An apiarist, he lives in Austin, with his wife, Lorin, and their three above-average children: Mary, Michael, and Jacob.

Varian Johnson is the author of Saving Maddie (coming from Delacorte / Random House, in 2010), My Life as a Rhombus (2008), and A Red Polka Dot in a World Full of Plaid (2005). He was born and raised in Florence, South Carolina, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a BS in Civil Engineering. Varian later attended the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where he received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. He is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the Writers' League of Texas, and the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents. Varian is also the co-founder of The Brown Bookshelf, an online community charged with highlighting established and up-and-coming African-American authors of children's and young adult literature. Varian lives in Austin with his wife, Crystal.

A celebrated author, photographer and personality, Stephanie Klein’s unique perspective on life, relationships, family, and strength of self have made her a multi-media tour de force. She is one of the Internet's most popular icons, with stephanieklein.com ranked one of the most powerful blogs in the world by London’s The Observer. Klein has adapted her critically acclaimed first memoir Straight Up and Dirty: A Memoir into a television pilot, and she is currently adapting the prequel Moose: A Memoir for film.

Jennifer Hill Robenalt is a 20-year communications pro and the principal of Hoopla Media & Communications, which specializes in digital media strategy, media/presentation training, and professional writing. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston, MA, with a degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing and currently produces three blogs: Current Living, What's All the Hoopla?, and Soul Lab. Follow Jennifer at www.twitter.com/jenniferhr. She lives in Austin with her husband, Fritz, and the adorable Benjamin.

Meet Your Publisher and Editor and Marketing Reps and Publicist and …

Once your book is signed, you’ll have a whole team of people working with you. Find out more about the publishing team who will bring your book to the market.

Colleen Devine Ellis is the publicist for University of Texas Press, where she has worked since 2006. Previously, she was community relations manager for Barnes & Noble in Austin for seven years, during which time she managed book sales for the Texas Book Festival and the Jewish Book Fair. Colleen lives in Pflugerville with her husband, Jim.

Deltina Hay is the owner of Dalton Publishing, an independent publisher based in Austin. Dalton seeks to publish the highest quality fiction and poetry from emerging and established writers in Austin and beyond. Dalton also accepts non-fiction manuscripts for consideration under their imprint, Wiggy Press. Dalton's titles are distributed internationally by Midpoint Trade Books. A veteran Web developer, Deltina is considered a pioneer of social media and Web 2.0, especially as it applies to the publishing industry. Her book, A Survival Guide to Social Media and Web 2.0 Optimization, can be found or requested anywhere books are sold.

Gillian Redfearn has been in the book business for 29 years as a bookseller, publicist and most happily, as a sales rep. She is the Simon & Schuster national account manager covering Texas and New Mexico territories selling books for newborns to old folks. She jokes that, "My job is really just about moving paper around, but in truth, while my responsibilities do include some painful tasks, they are easily outweighed by many glamorous moments. Okay, I exaggerate a bit, but I do love what I do and since I don’t have the talent for writing, I am happy to be an advocate for those who do." She lives in Austin.

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo: The Ins and Outs of Contracts

Once you get an agent or a publisher or even a deal to do freelance writing, you’ll want to be armed with advice on how to interpret contracts and tips on what to look for to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible while protecting your rights. What better way to start that hearing from an attorney and a CPA?

Andrew Gajkowski is an associate in the Austin and Atlanta offices of Fish & Richardson. His practice involves representing clients in business and corporate transactions and focuses on technology and intellectual property related deals. He has advised public and private companies and has experience counseling clients on licensing transactions and other intellectual property matters, mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, labor and employment and business litigation issues. Additionally, he has worked as a legislative policy analyst and a radio broadcaster.

Joseph P. Sherfy is a certified public accountant in Austin whose clientele includes authors, musicians, and others in the entertainment field.

The Mating Game: How to Land an Agent

The burning question among all writers seems to be "How do I get an agent?" This program, with featured speaker James C. Moore, will give you some insights into how to go about identifying, contacting, and meeting agents, along with ideas on queries, proposals, and manuscript preparation.

James C. Moore is an Emmy Award-winning TV news correspondent with more than a quarter century of print and broadcast experience. He has traveled extensively on every presidential campaign since 1976. His reports have appeared on CNN, NBC, and CBS. His professional honors include an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television News Director's Association, and the Individual Broadcast Achievement Award from the Texas Headliners' Foundation. Jim is the author of Bush's War for Reelection: Iraq, the White House, and the People. He and journalist Wayne Slater wrote three books on Karl Rove: The Architect, Rove Exposed, and Bush's Brain.

The Big Windup: Prepping Your Pitch, Proposal, and Synopsis

Once you have written and polished your manuscript, there's still more to do. To get it ready to send out, you'll need to work on a synopsis, proposal, query letter, and/or a pitch. Find out how other authors prepared to shop their books and learn some tips for improving your chances of getting an agent or editor's attention.

Steven Saylor is the acclaimed author of the Gordianus mysteries set in Caesarean Rome; his other books include A Twist at the End, Have You Seen Dawn?, and Roma, a fictionalized history of ancient Rome.

Kit Frazier is a professional journalist and is certified in search and rescue. Kit’s first novel, Scoop, was a Mystery Guild Pick of the Month and took the #1 spot on the Austin bestseller list. She was chosen to represent her publisher at Book Expo in Washington, D.C., and has since been the Barnes & Noble Author of the Month for each of her releases. Her second book, Dead Copy, hit the list one week after its June release date. Kit is the two-time, first-place winner of the Writers’ League of Texas and Merritt awards. Her blog is at kitfrazieroffleash.blogspot.com.

Belinda Acosta and James C. Moore have had to cancel their appearance.

That Revision Thing: Tips for Editing Your Manuscript

You've done your homework and made it through that draft. Now it's time to turn your attention to making your manuscript even better. But how? Find out what other authors do and get advice from a professional book editor.

Shaila Abdullah is an award-winning author and designer Her creative work focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of Pakistani women and their often unconventional choices in life. Abdullah's new novel, Saffron Dreams, explores the tragedy of 9/11 from the perspective of a Muslim widow. Her debut book, Beyond the Cayenne Wall, is a collection of stories about Pakistani women struggling to find their individualities despite the barriers imposed by society. The collection won the Norumbega Jury Prize for Outstanding Fiction and the DIY Festival Award, among other accolades. She lives in Austin.

Erin Brown is a professional editor who has worked at several large New York publishing houses. She began her publishing career at HarperCollins Publishers, where she worked for over six years in virtually every genre, including mystery, romance, literary fiction, women's commercial fiction, and nonfiction. She was privileged to work with numerous best-selling authors including J.A. Jance, Bruce Feiler, Elizabeth Peters, Jerrilyn Farmer, Lawrence Block, Carolyn Hart, and Mary Daheim. Most recently, she was an editor with the Thomas Dunne Books imprint at St. Martin's Press, where she acquired debut novels and edited such bestselling authors as Carole Matthews, Madeleine Wickham (a.k.a. Sophie Kinsella), Homer Hickam, Robin Pilcher, and many more. After almost a decade in New York City, Erin and her husband recently returned to their hometown of Austin, where Erin has begun a thriving freelance editorial business. Although she often misses the chaotic hustle and bustle of Manhattan, she is now free to concentrate on what she loves the most: working directly with aspiring authors to get their work into the best shape possible before submitting to agents and houses.

April Lurie was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and lives with her family in Round Rock. She is the author of several young adult novels, including The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine (Delacorte 2008), Brothers, Boyfriends & Other Criminal Minds (Delacorte 2007), and the forthcoming The Less-Dead, which will be released by Delacorte in 2010.

James L. Haley grew up in Fort Worth, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in Political Science. After attending Law School at the University of Texas at Austin for two years, he resigned to pursue a literary career. He sold his first national piece at the age of 19, a biography of Jumbo, the circus elephant, to American Heritage Magazine. His first book, The Buffalo War: The History of the Red River Indian Uprising of 1874-1875, is still considered the definitive account on the last resistance of the Comanche and Kiowa Indians. His second book, Apaches: A History and Culture Portrait, was a pioneer in considering the effect of native cultures on their history. He has now written a dozen books, about half of them on the history of Texas. His 2002 biography, Sam Houston, won the Spur Award of the Western Writers of America and eight other historical and literary prizes. His 2006 compendium Passionate Nation: The Epic History of Texas, was the first general-audience account of the Lone Star State to appear in nearly forty years. It won the T. R. Fehrenbach Book Award from the Texas Historical Commission.

Moderator: Author Paco Ahlgren

Just the Facts: How Research Can Build a Better Book

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, research can be the key to creating a believable, engaging story. But where do you start, and how do you decide what facts to ferret out and include in your book? A panel of published authors share their stories about their own fact-finding missions.

Elizabeth Crook has written three novels: The Raven's Bride and Promised Lands were published by Doubleday and then reissued by SMU Press as part of the Southwest Life and Letters series. The Night Journal was published by Viking/Penguin in 2006. The Raven's Bride, was the 2006 Texas Reads: One Book One Texas selection. The Night Journal was awarded the 2007 Spur award for Best Long Novel of the West and the 2007 Willa Literary Award for Historical Fiction. Elizabeth has written for periodicals such as Texas Monthly and the Southwestern Historical Quarterly and has served on the council of the Texas Institute of Letters. She is a member of Western Writers of America and The Texas Philosophical Society, and was selected the honored writer for 2006 Texas Writers' Month, joining previous honorees O. Henry, J. Frank Dobie, John Graves, Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, Katherine Anne Porter, Elmer Kelton, Liz Carpenter, Sarah Bird, James Michener, and Horton Foote. Elizabeth lives in Austin with her husband and two children.

Lila Guzmán is an award-winning author of young adult fiction and nonfiction. Lorenzo and the Pirate (Blooming Tree Press) debuts in March 2009. It is the fourth novel in the Lorenzo series and tells the story of Spain's role in the American Revolution. On his way home from Cuba, Lorenzo survives a naval battle with the British and is shipwrecked with an amnesiac pirate. Lila's most recent biography, George Lopez: Latino King of Comedy (Enslow), tells the story of the charitable comedian and the kidney transplant that saved his life. She lives in Round Rock.

Jody Edward Ginn is a sixth-generation Texan who was raised in the Houston area. Before turning to the field of public history, Jody spent fourteen years in criminal justice. He received the Fred White, Jr. Research Fellowship in Texas History from the Texas State Historical Association in 2001 and 2002 and a historical preservation grant from the Nelda C. & H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation in 2002. Jody has presented scholarly papers and multimedia slideshows on various topics to historical groups around the state. He is currently co-authoring a photo-history book on the Texas Rangers with award-winning historian James L. Haley, to be published by the University of Oklahoma Press; this book is intended to be a companion book to a documentary film series on the Texas Rangers that is currently in development. Jody lives in Austin with his wife Lesli and son Spencer.

Joe Nick Patoski has authored and co-authored biographies on Selena and Stevie Ray Vaughan, both published by Little, Brown and Company; his latest is Willie Nelson. His other books include Texas Mountains, Texas Coast, and Big Bend National Park all published by the University of Texas Press. He spent 18 years as a staff writer for Texas Monthly and more recently has written for the Texas Observer, National Geographic, No Depression, People magazine, Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine, Field & Stream, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and other publications. He also contributed an essay to the photo book Conjunto by John Dyer, also published by University of Texas Press. In 2003-2004, he recorded the oral histories of B.B. King, Clarence Fountain of the Blind Boys of Alabama, Memphis, Tejano superstar Little Joe Hernandez, and other subjects for the "Voice of Civil Rights" oral history project, some of which appeared in the book My Soul Looks Back in Wonder, by Juan Williams. He has completed writing a book Generations on the Land, profiling eight American families recognized for practicing sustainable farming, ranching, and forestry for the Sand County Foundation, which will be published by Texas A&M University Press and is writing a history of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, to be published in 2010. He lives outside Wimberley.

Moderator: WLT Board Member and Executive Director Cyndi Hughes

The First Draft: Let the Words Rip!

Location: Writers' League of Texas Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, Austin

Sometimes getting that first draft down is the biggest hurdle to bringing that great idea to literary life. Some of us struggle with our inner editor, and others with simply sitting down long enough to start writing. Find out how several authors approach the first draft.

Dr. David F. Ciambrone is a retired scientist, professor, U.S. Treasury commissioner, and award-winning, best-selling author. Dave writes "Ask Uncle Dave," a helpful hints and science newspaper column for the Williamson County Sun. He has published 10 books: six mysteries, three management books and a non-fiction reference book on poisons. Dr. Ciambrone is a contributing author to the Page Turner's on line newsletter. Dave was a professor at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona and is president of the San Gabriel Writer's League. He is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and the Writers' League of Texas. Dave is also a professor and dean in the Georgetown Library's Writer's College and a speaker at writer's conferences and organizations around the country. He lives in Georgetown with his wife, Kathy.

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the author of two young-adult Gothic fantasies (Tantalize and the brand-new Eternal) and several books and short stories for younger readers. Her Web site offers one of the largest youth literature sites on the Web, including a large section of writer resources. Cynthia also is on the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Greg Leitich Smith is the author of two middle-grade comedies as well as the co-author of Santa Knows and "The Wrath of Dawn," a short story to appear in Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd. Cynthia and Greg live in Austin.

W.K. (Kip) Stratton is the author of Backyard Brawl (Crown, 2002) and the memoir Chasing the Rodeo (Harcourt, 2005) as well as editor of Splendor in the Short Grass: A Grover Lewis Reader (University of Texas Press, 2005). Kip is also the author of the forthcoming Boxing Shadows (University of Texas Press, Fall 2009), and he is completing The Black White Hope, a book about the late heavyweight boxing champion and civil rights activist Floyd Patterson; that book is under contract to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and is tentatively scheduled for publication in 2010. Kip lives in Austin.

Evelyn Palfrey is a native Texan, a graduate of Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas Law School. Besides working in the criminal justice system, she is an avid motorhomer and gardener, and is active with the Writers' League of Texas, the Austin Romance Writers of America, the Travis County Bar Association, and the Links Inc. Evelyn is the author of four novels, Three Perfect Men, The Price of Passion, Dangerous Dilemmas, and Everything In Its Place. She lives in Austin.

Moderator: WLT Executive Director Cyndi Hughes

Before the program, join us at Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill, 1123 S. Congress (two blocks south of the WLT office) for a "Mix and Mingle Happy Hour."

Inspiration: The First Glimmer of a Book Idea

Location: Writers' League of Texas Office, 611 S. Congress Ave, Suite 130, Austin

Where do ideas come from and what compels an author to actually sit down and start writing? Three authors discuss their experiences with inspiration.

Greg Garrett is the author of the novels Free Bird (chosen by Publishers Weekly and the Rocky Mountain News as one of the most notable fiction debuts of 2002), Cycling, and the forthcoming Shame, as well as the memoir Crossing Myself, and non-fiction books on story, religion, politics, and culture, the most recent being September's Stories from the Edge. Greg is Professor of English at Baylor University, where he teaches fiction- and screen-writing, literature, and film classes. Greg's work has been widely reviewed, and he has talked about his work on NPR's Morning Edition, BBC Radio, CBS Radio, and The Bob Edwards Show. He lives in Austin, and has been appearing on Writers' League programs and teaching workshops since 2001.

Keith Graves is the slightly renowned author and illustrator of children's books Frank Was A Monster Who Wanted to Dance, Pet Boy, Uncle Blubbafink's Seriously Ridiculous Stories, Loretta: Ace Pinky Scout, Three Nasty Gnarlies, and The Unexpectedly Bad Hair Of Barcelona Smith. He's the brains and artist behind Thunder Pig, an animated pilot for a series. Keith lives in Austin with his lovely wife, Nancy, and twins Max and Emma who show no signs of mutation so far. His Web site is www.keithgravesart.com.

John Taliaferro is a former senior editor at Newsweek and Texas Monthly and the author of four acclaimed books, Great White Fathers: The Story of the Obsessive Quest to Create Mount Rushmore; Charles M. Russell: The Life and Legend of America's Cowboy Artist; Tarzan Forever: The Life of Edgar Rice Burroughs; and In a Far Country: The True Story of a Mission, a Marriage, a Murder, and the Remarkable Reindeer Rescue of 1898. He lives in Pray, Montana, and Austin.

Liliana Valenzuela is the acclaimed Spanish language translator of works by Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, Denise Chávez, Nina Marie Martínez, Ana Castillo, Dagoberto Gilb, Richard Rodriguez, Rudolfo Anaya, Cristina García, Alex Espinoza, and many other writers. An award-winning poet and essayist, her work has appeared in The Edinburgh Review, Indiana Review, Tigertail, How I Learned English, and other journals and anthologies. Born and raised in Mexico City, Liliana lives in Austin.

Moderator: Khotan Harmon
Khotan is the co-host of Idea Lounge and Writing on the Air on KOOP 91.7 F.M. in Austin. Her professional life also includes extensive experience in community development and micro-enterprise projects aimed at self-sufficiency for low-income individuals; global education program design, delivery and evaluation; and high-level entrepreneurship venture development and management. After traveling extensively and living in places like Tehran, Washington, D.C., and Prague, Khotan lives in Austin with her husband, Wade, and their cat, ZuZu.

Before the program, join us at Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill, 1123 S. Congress (two blocks south of the WLT office) for a "Mix and Mingle Happy Hour."

A Novel Life: Writers Dish Out the Facts on Fiction Writing

To tie in with the Writers' League's National Novel Writing Month events, four novelists share their stories about writing, making a living, and working in the realm of fiction.

Jeff Abbott is the author of ten novels; his most recent thrillers center on ordinary people who are caught in extraordinary danger. Published in 20 languages, his books have been bestsellers in the U.S., U.K., France, and several other countries. Jeff is a three-time nominee for the Edgar Award, given by Mystery Writers of America. His novels Panic and Collision (his newest) have been optioned for film by major studios and are in script development. His next novel, Trust Me, will be out next summer.

Doug Dorst's first novel, Alive in Necropolis, was published in July 2008 by Riverhead Books and named as an Editor's Choice by the New York Times Book Review and by Amazon. His first short-story collection, The Surf Guru, is forthcoming in 2009, also from Riverhead. A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford, Doug received a 2008 Literature Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. He lives in Austin, where he teaches writing at St. Edward's University and serves on the Board of Directors of Austin Bat Cave, a nonprofit writing center for kids.

Evelyn Palfrey is a native Texan, a graduate of Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas Law School. Besides working in the criminal justice system, she is an avid motorhomer and gardener, and is active with the Writers' League of Texas, the Austin Romance Writers of America, the Travis County Bar Association, and the Links Inc. Evelyn is the author of four novels, Three Perfect Men, The Price of Passion, Dangerous Dilemmas, and Everything In Its Place. She lives in Austin.

Margo Rabb's novel, Cures for Heartbreak, was published by Random House and named one of the Best Books of 2007 by Kirkus and Booklist. Her short stories and essays have been published in The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, Zoetrope, Seventeen, Mademoiselle, One Story, Best New American Voices, and broadcast on National Public Radio. Margo recently moved to Austin.

Prior to the program, join us from 5 - 7 PM for the Mix & Mingle Happy Hour at Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill, 1123 S. Congress (two blocks south of the WLT office).

The Mystique of Critique: The 20 Commandments of Critiquing & WLT Board of Directors Election

Monthly Program: Jo Virgil, community relations coordinator at Barnes & Noble Sunset Valley, will share her 10 Commandments of Critiquing and 10 Commandments of Being Critiqued. Then we'll break up into small groups and practice the commandments.

What to bring? 5 copies of 3-5 pages of a work in progress

What you'll get: Feedback on your work, critiquing practice, new contacts, and just possibly a writing group of your own!

Freelance Writing: Tales From the Front

A panel of successful freelance writers will share their take on the ins and outs of freelance writing for all kinds of publications. Find out how you can freelance to support and promote a book in progress, how to infiltrate the world of online blogs and media, and how to use freelancing to build your reputation as a writer. Writers of all genres will learn more about the craft and the business of writing. Monthly programs are free and open to the public.

Michael Hurd is an author and freelance writer who has written for the Austin American-Statesman, USA Today, and the San Francisco Examiner, primarily as a sportswriter. Michael has also written for Wired magazine, The Sporting News, and the ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, and has been an editorial producer for Yahoo Sports. As a metro desk reporter for the Statesman, he chronicled events such as the Million Man March and has written in-depth stories on social issues such as affirmative action and the academic performances and graduation rates of Black athletes at major universities. Michael is the author of two books on football at historically Black colleges: Black College Football, 1892-1992, and, Collie J., Grambling's Man with the Golden Pen. He is a native of Houston and has a journalism degree from the University of Texas. He lives in Austin.

Bill Minutaglio is a full-time faculty member and Clinical Professor of Journalism at UT-Austin. Bill has written several books, including the first, unauthorized biography of George W. Bush and City on Fire, a book about the greatest man-made disaster in American history. He has worked for the three largest newspapers in Texas and for several national magazines, including TALK (created by Tina Brown), The Sporting News, and People. His work has appeared in Esquire, Outside, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Details, Men's Health, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Scotland on Sunday, Blues & Rhythm, Encarta, and many other publications. Bill is finishing a biography of journalist Molly Ivins and another book that is a collection of his journalism over the last 30 years. A native of New York City, he started out as the reporter in charge of monitoring the "rain gauge" on the roof of the Abilene Reporter-News. For more information about Bill, visit his website.

Mike Shea is the Executive Planner for the South by Southwest Conferences and Festivals. In addition, he has been responsible for Texas Monthly's books page since being added to their masthead as writer-at-large in 2000.
The Massachusetts native attended Bard College and graduated from the St. Edward's University New College. He moved to Austin in 1975 where he met his wife, Toni. They have two sons.

Debi Martin is an Austin-based freelance writer who has learned to stop worrying and love the World Wide Web. Debi is a content provider/writer/blogger for various Web sites, including Noofangle Media's Shopperati, where she writes about fashion, rock music, home décor, popular culture, books and just about anything she can hyperlink to on the web. She began her freelance career in 1982 as the dance critic for the Austin American-Statesman, which eventually hired her full-time as a feature writer, columnist and critic for the arts and entertainment and "Lifestyle" sections. She's written for publications such as McCall's and Teen magazines, taught magazine journalism at St. Edward's University, and freelanced stories published in all major Texas newspapers. Debi is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Beyond the Strip: Inside the World of Comics, Manga, & Graphic Novels

Location: Spider House, 2908 Fruth, Austin

One of the hottest areas in publishing is comics, graphic novels, and manga. Paul Benjamin heads up a panel of writers in the field to offer an insider's look at the popular art form and the creative process. Panelists include Scott Kolins, Alan Porter, Tony Salvaggio, and Matt Sturges.

Paul Benjamin is a writer, editor, and video game producer whose Tokyopop manga series, Pantheon High, debuted at New York Comic Con 2007. Paul has developed comics-to-film projects for Hollywood, produced video games, edited graphic novels for Humanoids/DC Comics, and is currently writing Marvel Adventures Hulk. He's also producing video games for Austin-based Amaze Entertainment.

Tony Salvaggio has been an almost life-long fan of anime and manga. He has worked as an artist, animator, and designer in the video games industry. He is currently co-writing Psy-Comm (an original graphic novel series for Tokyopop) as well as the anime/manga influenced story "Clockwerx" (for Humanoids Publishing). As a freelance journalist, Tony has penned the column "Calling Manga Island" for Comic Book Resources, and worked on various video game and manga related writing projects. When he isn't playing with his band Deserts of Mars, he regularly hosts movies and events related to martial arts, sci-fi, and horror from the East in Austin. He is fueled by music, coffee, Big Red, video games, and his passion for all things anime and manga is only excelled by his quest to become King of the Monsters.

Alan Porter, writer and pop-culture historian, writes about comics as well as writing a few himself. His current project is God Shop for Tokyopop (coming later this year), and his book on the history of James Bond in comics will be in stores in October. He also writes promotional comic books for a variety of companies. Find out more at
http://alanjporter.com.

Matt Sturges writes several books for DC Comics, including House of Mystery, Blue Beetle, and the Eisner-nominated Jack of Fables (with Bill Willingham). His first novel, Midwinter, will be published by Pyr Books in 2009. Matthew lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and their two daughters.

Scott Kolins was raised in central Wisconsin. After high school and one year of college, Scott attended the prestigious Joe Kubert School of Cartoon Art and Graphic Design and has studied art and the craft of comics under: Dennis Jensen, Bart Sears & Kim DeMulder. He has been a freelance artist for 18 years working with: Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Malibu Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Valiant Entertainment, Wizard Entertainment, Random House Publishing & Lucas film. For the past five years Scott has been under contract to either DC Comics or Marvel Comics and has worked regularly on titles such as: The Flash, The Avengers, Green Lantern, Superman-Batman, Wonder Woman, Marvel Team-Up, Thor, and Omega Flight. He is currently under Exclusive Contract with DC Comics working on Final Crisis: Rogues Revenge and will next join the Superman team for their next story in Action Comics. Scott moved to Austin TX two years ago with his wife Kim, three children, and dog.

Taming the Tangle of Too Much Tech: Roping in the Rocket Science of an Authentic Space Thriller

Bob Mahoney—ex-rocket scientist, father of five, cancer survivor (so far!), and recent middle school science teacher—offers his thoughts on how to maintain the thrill in the technothriller while keeping the physics (and the hardware) as accurate as any engineer could want. While his own specialty is spaceflight (he taught astronauts how to fly the shuttle for nearly ten years), his lessons learned apply to any author whose passion for their subject matter runs the risk of overwhelming their narrative: historical fiction, spy thriller, or CSI-driven mystery.

While a few of the usual creativity-dampening things have hindered his progress on actually TYPING his second space-thriller novel—more kids, chemotherapy, needing sleep—his first novel Damned to Heaven (conceived more than six years prior to the Columbia accident, about a shuttle crew trapped in orbit by debris-induced heat shield damage) is still out there impressing folks both in and out of the space program. He has also written for The Space Review and other publications. His passion for spaceflight is only matched by that for his other loves: his family, writing, and teaching.

Bob's reaction to learning that he had cancer ("Oh, great, more medical crap!"), is only one hint that his unique perspective promises some interesting discussion. "We learn from our mistakes," Bob notes. "And I've had quite an education." Come join us as Bob shares some of his education.

Murder 101

You are going to kill someone! How do you do it and what really happens when you kill the poor victim? You are a writer and want to kill someone (on paper). How do you do the drastic deed? What do you use, how do you actually do it and what will the intended victim and murder site look like? How does the method you chose work? How fast
will the victim die? Will there be a mess? All these are good
questions, unless of course you've actually killed someone by the method chosen. The average writer gets their murder instruction from movies and television. These sources are not known for their high degree of accuracy. They even get the simple things wrong. Movies are
made for visual entertainment and not necessarily to "gross-out" the viewer. There are exceptions. So, where does the mystery writer get his or her information? The answer is simple, from this seminar on Murder 101. Every would-be (fiction) murderer needs this seminar!

Dr. Dave Ciambrone is a retired scientist, Oceanographer,
archaeologist, professor, magician and author living in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife, Kathy. Dave has published five Virginia Davies Mysteries, Laguna Treasure, Napa Nights, Pelican Cove and Castle Finlaystroke. He has also published three management books: Waste Minimization as a Strategic Weapon, Environmental Life Cycle Analysis and Effective Transition from Design to Production.

Celebrating Texas Writing Month

Dougherty Arts Center
1110 Barton Springs Road, Austin
7 - 9 PM 

Join the League at its annual celebration of Texas Writers Month Thursday, May 15, from 7- 9 p.m. The informal evening of readings and conversation with five Texas authors features Liz Carmack, Carol Dawson, Dave McNeeley, Marsha Moyer, and Joe O'Connell.

Mary Gordon Spence emcees, and Jo Virgil of Barnes & Noble Westlake will sell copies of the authors' books, which can be signed during the evening. Come enjoy coffee and sweets and visit with these popular writers.

Dawson, author of four critically-acclaimed novels, made her non-fiction debut with the 2007 Violet Crown Nonfiction Prize winner House of Plenty, the story of Luby's Cafeterias and the cafeteria industry as a social paradigm of Middle America.

Carmack, a freelance business and technical writer, writes about Texas travel and traveled more than 17,000 miles around the Lone Star State to research her book, Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler's Guide.

McNeely, co-author of Bob Bullock: God Bless Texas, recently retired from the Austin American-Statesman.

Moyer is the author of four critically-acclaimed novels: The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch, The Last of the Honky-tonk Angels, Heartbreak Town, and the recently released Return of the Stardust Cowgirl.

O'Connell is the author of Evacuation Plan, a novel-in-stories based on his experiences at Hospice Austin's Christopher House.

Spence, author of Finding Magic in the Mundane, is a popular speaker, Austin American-Statesman op-ed columnist, and KUT public radio commentator.

The event is free and nonmembers are welcome. No need to RSVP. Parking is available in the lot directly behind the Daugherty Center.

Creative Nonfiction: Jazzing Up Real Life?

Gail Folkins speaks about the seeming oxymoron of creative nonfiction and her book of that genre, Texas Dance Halls: A Two-Step Circuit. The book introduces you to the eighteen historic dance halls throughout Texas, as well as the surrounding culture and the people who keep them hoppin'.

Gail has worked as a journalist, a writer/editor overseas, and a writing instructor. She worked as a writer/editor in both Austin, TX and Switzerland before joining the graduate program at Texas Tech University in 2003 and completing her PhD in creative nonfiction in 2006.

Stories From Stories: Finding Meaning in People's Narratives

Barbara Trepagnier's debut book, Silent Racism, discusses the subtleties of racism inherent in our culture today and its sociological implications. She "persuasively demonstrates that silent racism—racism by people who by all accounts would be classified as "not racist"—is instrumental in the production of institutional racism." Barbara will read excerpts from the book and focus on the interview-based research she did for the book.

Barbara was born in 1940 in Houston, Texas. She attended college at the University of Houston in her forties—after several of her four daughters had already graduated. She completed her doctoral work in sociology at University of California in Santa Barbara in 1996, and at that time returned to Texas. She teaches sociology at Texas State University-San Marcos.

Book Reviews: What Do They Mean to You?

Irene Watson will discuss the ins and outs of getting book reviews and what to with them once you've got them. Irene is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, a one-stop book review, publicity, video, literary awards, networking & proposal service where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team of reviewers carefully reads each book and posts their honest opinion.

Born in Northern Alberta in Canada, Irene's career took her from career counseling, to business ownership, to working in management for a police force, to spiritual counseling, to teaching at a college, to retreat/seminar/workshop design and facilitation to her most recent - owning/managing Reader Views. She obtained her B.S. in psychology at St. Edward's University in Austin, TX and her M. A. in psychology from Regis University in Denver, CO.