Weekend Workshop: May 15-16, 2015

Writers

harford

school’

Book Fair • 5 – 7 p.m.

Featuring workshop leaders and local authors

Sign-in & Registration Packet Pick-up 5 – 7 p.m.

Keynote Speaker • 7:15 p.m.

Kevin Cowherd, author and former Baltimore Sun columnist

Kevin Cowherd is the co-author, along with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., of The New York Times best-seller Hothead and three other baseball

novels for young readers by Disney-Hyperion Books. Their fifth novel, Out at Home, will be released in April 2015. Cowherd’s latest book, Hale Storm: The Incredible Saga of Baltimore’s Ed Hale, Including a Secret Life with the CIA, is the biography of an American original whose

inspiring rise from humble beginnings to the top rungs of business and industry has made him a Maryland icon. Cowherd was an award-winning feature and sports columnist for The Baltimore Sun for 32 years before taking a buyout in 2013. He has also written for Men’s Health, Parenting and Baseball Digest magazines and is the author of a collection of Sun columns, Last Call at the 7-Eleven, published by Bancroft Press. He lives in Cockeysville, MD, with his wife, Nancy.

May 15

HOTHEAD (A New York Times Best Seller)

Connor Sullivan is an All-Star shortstop on the Orioles, his Babe Ruth League team. He can hit and field with the best of them, but he has one big problem: his temper. When the sports editor of the school paper plans to do a big story on Connor’s tantrums, Connor realizes he has to clean up his act. But can the Orioles’ best player do it in time to save their championship season?

SUPER SLUGGERCody Parker may be overweight – OK, he prefers the term burly – but he plays third base like a dream. Too bad no one knows it yet, because he’s new to Baltimore, where he’s become a target – OK, a big target – for brutal teasing. Will Cody ever succeed in getting people to see him for who he really is?

WILD PITCHRobbie Hammond is the Orioles’ hardest-throwing pitcher. But what good is all that heat when he can’t find the strike zone? Tired of disappointing his teammates and his dad – who happens to be his coach – Robbie is ready to call it quits. Then he meets a player who’s had to overcome a much bigger challenge, someone who might be able to help him get his mojo back – and persuade him to give the game one more chance.

SQUEEZE PLAYCorey Maduro should be thrilled about the Orioles going to the big Grand Slam Tournament in North Carolina. But whenever he thinks about playing in the Slam, he feels sick. For one thing, he’s in a monster hitting slump that shows no signs of ending. But Corey’s biggest problem is his dad, who turns into a howling, wild-eyed maniac at his son’s games.

HALE STORM The Incredible Saga of Baltimore’s Ed Hale, Including a Secret Life with the CIA

Now for the first time, Hale’s inspiring story is told in the pages of Hale Storm. It’s a rollicking, inspirational tale like no other: a kid from gritty Sparrow’s Point, MD, has his fill of back-breaking work in the steel mill, thumbs his nose at college, and sets off to seek his fortune.

Exhaustively researched and with a foreword by former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and advance praise from U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, U.S. Representative C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger and world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, Hale Storm is the singular story of an American original that readers won’t want to miss.

BOOKS

COLLEEN WEBSTER is a Professor of English at Harford Community College. Her poetry, essays and book reviews have been

published in a number of literary journals. She also performs as several famous women artists and writers, including Frida Kahlo, Dorothy Parker, Georgia O’Keeffe and Emily Dickinson. Learn more at livinghistoryperformances.com/about-colleen-webster.

During your lunch break, watch as she transforms into Emily Dickinson.

May 16SaturdayMorning Workshops • 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Select from a variety of options to meet your writing goals.

Lunch • 12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

Special Guest Presentation by “Emily Dickinson”

Afternoon Workshops • 1:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Continue to explore the writing process and all that the workshop leaders have to offer.

Evening Reception • 5 – 6 p.m.

Workshop participants are invited for light refreshments, networking, and a few final words.

All Friday events take place at the Chesapeake Center.

All Saturday events (except lunch) take place at Edgewood Hall.

COLLEEN WEBSTER

Kevin Cowherd

Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 Room 9

Fundamentals 1 Fundamentals 2 Poetry Track Fundamentals 3 Revisions/Editing 1 Crime Thrillers/ Murder Mystery Track

Using Technology in Writing, Publication, and Marketing

Nonfiction/ Fundamentals 4

Using Technology in Writing, Publication, and Marketing

9 - 10:30 AM Austin Camacho Creating Great Heroes and Other Engaging

Protagonists

Susan Muaddi Durraj The Crucial

Opening Pages

D.A. Jennings Writing Vertically on

Horizontal Lines

Kelly Harmon Write a Novel in a Year

in Just 15 Minutes per Day

Kathryn Craft Word Dancing

Paul Sekulich The Thriller Novel:

What’s Required, What’s Expected

Vonnie Winslow Crist Building Your Author’s

Platform: Part 1

McKay Jenkins Narrative Nonfiction:

Personal Writing

Robert Bidinotto Branding: How to

Distinguish Your Work in an Overcrowded

Marketplace

10:45 AM - 12:15 PM

Susan Muaddi Durraj Creating Great Villains and Other Compelling

Antagonists

Kathryn Craft Engaging Backstory

Techniques

Carol Bindel Poems From and For

Everyday Life

Paul Sekulich Research for Authenticity and

Reader Believability

John DeDakis Buffing and Polishing: The Art of the Rewrite

Part 1

Austin Camacho How to Write a Mystery

Vonnie Winslow Crist Building Your Author’s

Platform Part 2

McKay Jenkins Narrative Nonfiction:

Science, Medical and Environmental

Writing

Robert Bidinotto Implementing Your Marketing Plan With Online & Digital Tools

12:15 - 1:30 PM: LUNCH provided with Special Guest Presentation by “Emily Dickinson”

1:30 - 3 PM

Joanne Galantino Effectively Conveying

Emotion Through Dialogue

Judith Reveal Viewpoint vs. Point

of View

Colleen Webster Super Models

(of Poetry, That is . . . )

Vonnie Winslow Crist Building a World for Your Book

John DeDakis Buffing and Polishing: The Art of the Rewrite

Part 2

John L. French Crime Scenes for Writers

Kelly Harmon Basic Cover Design for

Self-Publishers

Robert Bidinotto Successfully Outlining

Your Novel

Paul Sekulich Self-Publishing Part 1

3:15 - 4:45 PM

Dan Cassenti & Katherine McGuire

Critiquing

John DeDakis Writing in the Voice of

the Opposite Sex

Vonnie Winslow Crist Finding Markets and Putting Together a

Collection of Poems

Katie Hartlove Basics of Short Fiction

Susan Muaddi Durraj Editors’ Pet Peeves

Judith Reveal Cozy Mysteries

Kelly Harmon Building an Author

Website

Lisa Airey Slash and Burn

(Brightly)

Paul Sekulich Self-Publishing Part 2

9 - 10:30 AMCreating Great Heroes and Other Engaging Protagonists Austin CamachoWhat separates a hero from everyone else? How can a writer make readers want to cheer for one character over all others? In this class, Austin shows you how to create characters who are flawed and believable human beings, but are still truly heroic.

The Crucial Opening Pages Susan Muaddi DurrajEditors will never read your entire 20-page story. The truth is that they will read 2-3 pages to see if they want to continue. We’ll discuss what has to happen (and what shouldn’t happen!) in those crucial opening pages to capture their interest and their attention.

Writing Vertically on Horizontal Lines D.A. JenningsExplore different approaches to poetry writing, including writing from different points of

view, writing about unfamiliar subjects and targeting different audiences. Come loosen up a bit, relax, and get your poetic energy flowing for the poetry sessions to follow.

Write a Novel in a Year in Just 15 Minutes a DayKelly HarmonHave you dreamed of writing a novel, but don’t have the time? It can be done in just a few minutes a day, and you can still take time off for vacation! Discuss the things that prevent writers from producing words, and learn tips and tricks to be more productive while you’re staring at the screen. Workshop includes idea building exercises.

Word Dancing Kathryn CraftA word movement workshop! In this self- editing workshop for writers of fiction and nonfiction, we’ll look at rhythm and word order and paragraphing and the ways they contribute movement and tension to the page. We’ll contemplate the effective use of

silence. We’ll look at when to trash the rules, and when to grab your paragraphs by the scruff of the neck and force them to do your bidding. We’ll play with ways to thrust your tour-de-force passages into the spotlight. Capturing your readers’ attention is an admirable goal, but why stop there? With a little more effort, you can leave them breathless.

The Thriller Novel: What’s Required, What’s ExpectedPaul Sekulich The Thriller genre has its own unique characteristics that require the writer’s adherence to properly identify, belong to, and be classified in this novel type. The definitive lines between this genre and others, such as mysteries and literary dramas, can be confusing. The session will cover what needs to appear in a thriller and what needs to be left out. We will journey through several examples and highlight their characteristic differences.

Building Your Author’s Platform: Part 1 Vonnie Winslow CristWhat is an author’s platform and do I need one? Attendees will learn the many free building blocks available to create their author’s platform. How to make Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, WordPress, Pinterest, and other easy-to-use online sites work for you will be discussed. This workshop will take place over two complementary sessions; you may register for either one or both. Each session covers different material. (Part 2 offered from 10:45 AM to 12:15 PM.)

Narrative Nonfiction: Personal Writing McKay JenkinsExplore both the art of the personal essay and the use of the first person in long-form pieces of narrative nonfiction. Students will be encouraged to workshop their own pieces.

9 - 10:30 AM (continued)Branding: How to Distinguish Your Work in an Overcrowded MarketplaceRobert BidinottoOne of the biggest complaints by and challenges for authors is how to gain visibility for their works in a rapidly expanding market-place containing millions of titles. In this workshop, bestselling thriller author Robert Bidinotto will explain: • What branding is, and why it is critically

important to sales success • How to determine your target readers—

and misconceptions about who they are • How to hone your own distinctive brand

to maximize your books’ visibility.The class will then develop a mock branding plan, including key concepts, taglines, and an elevator speech for a sample book.

10:45 AM - 12:15 PMCreating Great Villains and Other Compelling Antagonists Susan Muaddi DurrajThe complement to the “Great Heroes” workshop, this session focuses on your story’s “bad guys.” Some villains/antagonists are not all bad, while others are downright terrible—either way, a fascinating villain is an essential tool to fashion a terrific story.

Engaging Backstory Techniques Kathryn CraftBackstory can be an important ally to a storyteller—or an obstacle that tries a reader’s patience. We’ll talk about when to use it, what to include, ways to handle it, and problems that can arise. Hands-on exercises will explore new ways to think about the delivery of backstory so that it creates context for the forward-moving story without relieving its tension.

Poems From and For Everyday Life Carol BindelWe experience life directly through our nine senses and translate that experience

in a continuous, positive feedback loop. In this session, we will explore how sensory experience images found in poems are drawn from, and then support and enhance, everyday life.

Research for Authenticity and Reader BelievabilityPaul SekulichThe research to achieve authenticity in any book can’t be stressed enough to today’s writers. When a best-selling writer describes a description of a crime scene with shell casings found at a murder scene that the MC detective determines were “ejected from a revolver,” we have an error in authenticity that very well may have the astute reader, especially those acquainted with firearms, closing the book and likely never picking it back up. We will discuss the necessity, power, and need to describe events, timelines, and technological dealings with truth, backed up by diligent, accurate research.

Buffing and Polishing: The Art of the Rewrite Part 1 John DeDakisYou’ve finally finished your manuscript and now you’re ready to tell Oprah all about it. Not so fast. The best writing is REwriting. In this two-part session, you’ll learn practical ways to put your writing on a flab-burning diet so that your copy is tight, trim and hot —and all without even having to step onto a treadmill. A big chunk of this is a writing lab, so be sure to bring pen and paper. Each session presents different material, so you may register for either session or both. (Part 2 offered from 1:30 to 3 PM.)

How to Write a Mystery Austin CamachoSuspense, intrigue, clues and deduction—if you love mysteries, these are things you love. In this class, Austin explains the essential elements of every mystery story and how to use those elements to keep readers interested.

Building Your Author’s Platform Part 2 Vonnie Winslow Crist

Narrative Nonfiction: Science, Medical, and Environmental Writing McKay JenkinsWe will discuss ways to create narrative non-fiction around often complex scientific topics. This will include, among other topics, how to integrate interviews, set pieces, and field observation into your own writing.

Implementing Your Marketing Plan With Online & Digital ToolsRobert BidinottoSo you’ve written your masterpiece and figured out a unique brand to position it to attract your target readers. But how, specifically and concretely, do you implement it? What are the most important tasks and fundamentals? Which are the most effective online marketing platforms, promotional tactics, and digital tools? Working from a model book branding concept, workshop participants will try their hand at drafting compelling “teasers,” irresistible book descriptions, and attractive author biographies that will get browsing customers to click that “buy” button.

1:30 - 3 PMEffectively Conveying Emotion Through Dialogue Joanne GalantinoHow does a reader reach the heart and soul of a story? Emotions and dialogue. What does an author use to create dimension and depth in the characters? Emotions and dialogue. This workshop shows how to create conversations, thoughts, and gestures that deliver the feeling and meaning an author needs to establish the essential connection between the characters and the reader.

Viewpoint vs. Point of View Judith RevealMost writers see Viewpoint and Point of View as the same thing, but in fact they are distinctly different tools in the writer’s toolkit. Although different, they are intimately connected and do not function one without the other. Do you know the difference and how to apply each? In this workshop, Judy will take the mystery out of these techniques and provide the writer with an understand-ing of what each is and how to use each with clarity.

Super Models (of Poetry, That is . . . ) Colleen WebsterPlease come to this workshop with at least two poems you love because you would like to write something similar. We will be generating rough drafts of at least two new poems using these as our inspiration and daunting challenge. If possible, be prepared to read at least one model poem out loud to the group so we hear the tone and rhythm of the words. Bring whatever tool you love to write with or on, and your best open mind and happy attitude!

Building a World for Your Book Vonnie Winslow CristEvery book of fiction takes place in a world of the author’s imagining. How to build a world for your book will be discussed. Each participant will fill out worksheets designed to help them create a believable and function-ing world for their book. Additional handouts and links will be shared.

Buffing and Polishing: The Art of the Rewrite Part 2 John DeDakis

1:30 - 3 PM (continued) Crime Scenes for Writers John L. French Want to improve the credibility of the crime scenes in your next mystery or thriller? Come learn from a writer, editor, and 30-year crime scene investigator about the basis of forensic evidence and kinds of evidence usually found on crime scenes. This session includes “hands-on” exhibits such as firearms evidence (no guns, though) and the tools for DNA collection and presumptive tests. Along the way discover some of the history of forensic science. Wrap up the session with some Q&A (and with writers, the questions usually start with “How would I . . .”).

Basic Cover Design for Self-Publishers Kelly HarmonNever judge a book by its cover? Yeah, right. Covers are advertisements for books. They need to be both enticing and give the potential reader an idea of what the story is about. But you don’t need to be an artist or spend a lot of money to make an attractive cover. Learn where to get good, inexpen-sive artwork and about the licensing of that artwork, how to choose and use fonts, and the four things every cover needs in order to look professional. Also discussed, hiring others to do the work for you: the 99designs Cover Contest, Fiverr, DeviantArt, and others. Workshop component: writing the cover blurb!

Successfully Outlining Your NovelRobert BidinottoThere is no “one right way” to write a novel. Each writer must find a method that fits him or her comfortably. Many prefer a “seat of the pants” approach—just diving in and seeing where fragmentary ideas take them. But others prefer various kinds of prelimi-nary plot outlining. In this workshop, Robert Bidinotto will present participants a variety of options—including “tree,” “storyboard,” and “synopsis” outlines—then show how each

can be used to develop a classic “3-Act Plot Structure.” He’ll illustrate how to build a story outline around a character, event, or theme. He’ll also discuss and compare novel- writing software programs which provide these outlining options. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to take scattered story ideas and organize them according to their preferred outlining method.

Self-Publishing: From Cover to the Last Word for eBooks & Print Part 1Paul Sekulich Every important and required aspect one needs to know about self-publishing will be discussed in these two sessions. Variations in book types will be addressed, such as novel vs. children’s books, vs. non-fiction with graphics, etc. The subject is vast and ever-changing, but the basic knowledge to get a writer up-and-running on the Internet, and in print, will be covered in the depth that time allows. (Part 2 offered from 3:15 to 4:45 PM.)

3:15 - 4:45 PMCritiquing: How to Enhance Your Writing by Helping Others Improve TheirsDan Cassenti & Katherine McGuire This workshop will cover the difference between reviewing and editing with an emphasis on fiction writing and tips on how to do each. Following some instruction on each of the three topics, we will engage in some in-class exercises and then discuss the results. Please be prepared to contribute to take full advantage of this workshop.

How to Write in the Voice of the Opposite SexJohn DeDakisForget about Venus and Mars. Emotions are not gender specific. We all have them. It just takes a little work (ok, a LOT), to get into the head of the opposite sex. But it can be done. I know; I write from the point of view of a twenty-something young woman in my

three novels in the Lark Chadwick mys-tery-suspense series. In this session, we’ll explore how.

Finding Markets and Putting Together a Collection of Poems Vonnie Winslow CristThe first half of this workshop will focus on finding markets for your poetry, writing a cover letter, and the submission process. The second half of the workshop will focus on methods for putting together a collection of poems, and publication opportunities for books of poetry.

Basics of Short Fiction Katie HartloveFrom plot arcs to developing characters, short stories have the same demands as any other fiction writing. The challenge is learning how to do it using an economy of words. Learn the basics to crafting quality work. Then, get tips on tweaking your story, preparing it for publication, and appealing to editors.

Editors’ Pet Peeves Susan Muaddi DurrajThis session will attempt to help writers get inside the minds of editors. What makes them accept or reject a manuscript? What causes them to view you, the writer, as a professional or as an amateur?

Cozy Mysteries Judith RevealMystery stories come in many shapes and sizes. The Cozy Mystery has been around for many years, and although often outweighed by its bigger forensics brothers, it remains an enjoyable read for its puzzle aspect. Judy will discuss the Cozy from the standpoint of both reader and writer and what is expected of each.

Building an Author Website Kelly HarmonYou know why you need a website, now learn how. A web presence is one of the keystones of an author’s platform and arguably one of the best tools for author discoverability. Learn the pros and cons of free vs. paid web hosting, how to register your domain name, and various blog plat-forms, including WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr and others. Also discussed: Should you blog?, basic SEO, and web stats.

Slash and Burn (Brightly) Lisa AireyWhat needs proofing before submitting your manuscript? Grammar? Check! Spelling? Check! Word count? Oops! Every genre has its limits. Learn how to pare down and ramp up to any prescribed word count. Truly, less is more! Classroom instruction will show “before and after” text of mine as well as anonymous text edited with permission from participants (if submitted in advance of the lecture). After this seminar, you will not put “pen to paper” in the same mindset ever again.

Self-Publishing: From Cover to the Last Word for eBooks & Print Part 2Paul Sekulich

This event is supported by

Lisa M. Airey has worked in the wine industry for 20 years, the most recent eight in education with the Society of Wine Educators and the French Wine Society. In these roles, she has authored and/or edited wine study manuals and developed or expanded certification programs for the wine trade. She devotes her free time

to fiction . . . naturally, with a glass of wine at the elbow. Learn more at lisamairey.com.

Robert Bidinotto is author of the bestselling thriller HUNTER, and its acclaimed sequel, BAD DEEDS. After an award-winning career as an investigative journalist and editor, Robert self-published HUNTER, his first novel, in 2011. Selected as an Amazon “Editors’ Pick,” HUNTER soared to #4 on the Kindle Bestseller List, hit #1 in

“Mysteries & Thrillers” and “Romantic Suspense,” and also became a Wall Street Journal “Top 10 Fiction Ebook.” Robert now writes fiction full time and makes his home on the Chesapeake with his musician wife, Cynthia, and their cat, Luna. Follow him on his blog, “The Vigilante Author,” at bidinotto.com.

Carol Bindel has poems published in The Comstock Review, UU World, Buddhist Poetry Review, Loch Raven Review, The Gunpowder Review, City Paper, The Baltimore Sun and other places. Her poem “Spirit of Harford” was chosen to become title and lyrics for the cantata commissioned by the Harford Choral Society

to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. Her first collection, Inherited Estate: A Song Cycle, was published by Trace Hay in 2012. She lives quietly in rural Maryland.

Austin S. Camacho is the author of five novels in the Hannibal Jones Mystery Series, four in the Stark and O’Brien adventure series, and the new detective novel, Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in four anthologies from Wolfmont Press, including Dying in a Winter Wonderland, and he is featured in

the Edgar-nominated African American Mystery Writers: A Historical and Thematic Study by Frankie Y. Bailey. Learn more at ascamacho.com.

Dan Cassenti earned a Ph.D. from Penn State in psychology in 2004. In addition to 25 nonfiction research publications including the book, The Mental Representa-tion of Goals, he has two short story publications (Transition Village in The Alligator and The Life Game with The Griffin). He also has a first draft novel under review at

the Harford Writers’ Group.

Kathryn Craft is the author of two novels from Sourcebooks: THE ART OF FALLING and THE FAR END OF HAPPY. She works as a developmental editor at Writing- Partner.com, specializing in storytelling structure and writing craft. Long a leader in the southeastern Pennsylvania writing scene, Kathryn hosts lakeside writing

retreats for women, leads Craftwriting workshops, and speaks often about writing. She lives with her husband in Bucks County, PA. Learn more at kathryncraft.com.

Vonnie Winslow Crist, (MS Professional Writing, Towson University) is author of The Enchanted Skean (YA novel), The Greener Forest (fantasy stories), Owl Light (speculative stories), River of Stars (myth-based poems), Essential Fables (poems), Leprechaun Cake & Other Tales (children’s), and several eBooks. Vonnie taught

Poetry for Maryland State Arts Council AiE Program for 10 years. A finalist for the 2014 Compton Crook Award and a Pushcart Nominee, she’s received numerous other awards for her writing. She’s currently a staff writer at Harford’s Heart magazine and editor of The Gunpowder Re-view. Learn more at vonniewinslowcrist.com.

Susan Muaddi Darraj is an Associate Professor of English at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland. She is also a Lecturer in Johns Hopkins University’s MA in Writing program. Susan is the author of The Inheritance of Exile, editor for Barrelhouse magazine, and co-founder of the annual Conversations & Connections

Conference: Practical Advice on Getting Published. Her new book, A Curious Land: Stories from Home, was named winner of the AWP Grace Paley Award for Short Fiction and will be published in 2015. Learn more at susanmuaddidarraj.com.

Author and Writing Coach John DeDakis is a former CNN Senior Copy Editor for news program “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis (pronounced deh-DAY-kiss) is the author of three mystery/suspense novels -- Fast Track, Bluff, and Troubled Water. He has served as an adjunct journalism faculty member at the

University of Maryland-College Park. In the fall of 2014, he began leading the “From Novice to Novelist” writing workshop at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Learn more at johndedakis.com/index.php.

John L. French has worked for over thirty years as a crime scene investigator. As a break from the realities of his job, he writes science fiction, pulp, horror, fantasy, and, of course, crime fiction. His books include The Devil of Harbor City, Past Sins, Souls on Fire, Here There Be Monsters and Paradise Denied. John is the editor of

Bad Cop, No Donut, Mermaids 13: Tales of the Sea, and With Great Power. Until John gets a website and a Facebook page, he can be contacted at jfrenchfam@.com.

Joanne Galantino holds an Associate degree in Art, a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications, and a Master’s degree in Professional Writing. She is Marketing and Publicity Director for the Harford Writers’ Group and serves as a facilitator for the Harford Writers’ School. Joanne is the author and illustrator of a children’s

picture book, FAIR CLAIRE HARE (Tate Publishing). Learn more at fairclairehare.yolasite.com.

Kelly A. Harmon used to write truthful, honest stories about authors and thespians, senators and statesmen, movie stars and murderers. Now she writes lies, which is infinitely more satisfying, but lacks the convenience of doorstep delivery. Learn more at kellyaharmon.com/.

Katie Hartlove holds a B.S. in English and a M.S. in Professional Writing. During the last ten years, she has worked as a freelance editor on projects ranging from poetry anthologies to business training manuals, in addition to trying her hand at running a small press. Her poetry has appeared both online and in print, and her

short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. Learn more at coldmoonpress.wordpress.com.

McKay Jenkins has been writing about people and the natural world for 25 years. His most recent book is Poison Spring (Bloomsbury, 2014), co-written with E.G. Vallianatos. Jenkins is currently the Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, Journalism and Environmental Humanities at the University of Delaware, where he

has won the Excellence in Teaching Award. He lives in Baltimore with his family. Learn more at mckayjenkins.com.

D. A. Jennings recently joined efforts with Harford Community College to develop the introductory course to the newly created Harford Writers’ School. Her first book, JOCKS and a Poet, will be published this year. Additionally, a number of her poems have been selected for the 2015 Harford Writers’ Group anthology. She

holds an undergraduate degree in Broadcasting and Journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a Master’s in Administration from the University of Michigan. She resides in Maryland with her husband and two children.

Katherine McGuire (M.A., Liberal Studies, Loyola University Maryland) has worked most of her professional life in higher education. She taught English and for 14 years worked in administration at Harford Community College. Katherine is currently a freelance editor. Her poetry has appeared in Wild Earth magazine and

has been accepted for publication in The Gunpowder Review and the Harford Writers’ Group poetry anthology. She is currently working on a novel.

Judith ( Judy) Reveal’s latest book is The Four Elements of Fiction: A Writer’s Guide to Character, Setting, Situation, and Theme. She has taught creative writing and works with writers as an editor and coach. She is also the author of the Lindsey Gale Mystery Series (Cheating Death, The Music Room and A House to Kill For) as

well as two other books and numerous short stories. Additional information is available at her website justcreativewriting.com.

Paul Sekulich has taught, written, acted in, produced and directed films, commercials, and stage productions since he was 18 and has won awards for his work. He now tours the country teaching seminars on screenwriting for television and the movies. He has completed his first two thriller novels, The Omega Formula

and A Killer Season. His third book, another Detective Frank Dugan thriller, Last Resort, will be out in April. In the summer of 2015, he will debut Deep Death, in the Frank Dugan detective series. Learn more at mdnovelist.com.

Colleen Webster lives at the juncture of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay where she runs, bikes, kayaks, paddleboards and walks with her dog. When she comes inside, she works as a Professor of English at Harford Community College. Her poetry, essays and book reviews have been published in

a number of literary journals. She also performs as several famous women artists and writers, including Frida Kahlo, Dorothy Parker, Georgia O’Keeffe and Emily Dickinson. Learn more at livinghistoryperformances.com/about-colleen-webster.

Need additional brochures? Visit www.harford.edu/writers-pen.To purchase individual Kevin Cowherd tickets, visit

harford.universitytickets.com/user_pages?event.asp?id=836&cid=34.