Support a Teen Workshop and Bid on a Copy of Many Genres

The Alpha Workshop Fundraiser, is a chance to donate to a scholarship fund for a worthy young genre writer's workshop and also pick up some excellent science fiction, fantasy and horror-related books and other services. Alpha is a fantastic workshop, described by (and oversen by) Diane Turnshek in her essay from Many Genres, One Craft. Contributors to our book who have taught as guests include Michael Arnzen, Scott Johnson, Lawrence Connolly, Timons Esaias, and others.

For their fundraiser, we've contributed a signed copy of MANY GENRES to their fundraising auction to support their scholarship fund.  BID ON IT HERE. Only a week to bid, so act quick: The auction will run January 13-20.

Here's info about the workshop itself:

The next Alpha SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers (ages 14-19) will be held July 18-27, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA. At Alpha, students can meet others who share their interest in writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror. They can learn about writing and publishing from guest authors, including Tamora Pierce and Kij Johnson. Participants will write and revise a short story during the workshop. Applications are due March 1, 2012.

MGOC Contributor News: Leslie Davis Guccione's The Chick Palace

Many Genres, One Craft contributor Leslie Davis Guccione has a new novel out--The Chick Palace.

THREE DILEMMAS, TWO FRIENDS, ONE DESERTED TREE HOUSE...

The friendship of Boston bred Johanna Lawrence and Two Rock, South Carolina’s Lilly Covington spans, well, decades. From their days as college roommates through their years as lakeside neighbors, they’ve offered each other sympathy, support and solace for life’s rough edges. Summer’s come round again and with a new crop of concerns, they commandeer their sons’ long-deserted tree house for morning coffee, evening margaritas and soulful contemplation.

Happily married Johanna has a family reunion to organize, a husband needing attention, a daughter wanting advice, and a son sweeping Grand Central terminal as community service for graffiti violations. Fresh from her mother’s memorial service, she carries her small bag of ashes on morning walks around the lake, “waiting for wisdom” as she grapples with her emerging role as materfamilias. Who has she become? How did she get there so fast?

Single again Lilly, bemoaning her fresh status as an empty nester and the second divorce from her only husband, hopes to seek refuge in her aging bungalow next door~~until “Ex-ex” announces that he and his paramour, graphic designer Cat Gallordi, intend to use it on alternate weekends.

Complications deepen at the far end of picturesque Lake Allamuchy. Johanna’s first love, the bad boy she used years ago to defy her parents, suddenly appears. Quicker than he can dub their tree house The Chick Palace, he embroils Johanna and Lilly in a triangle, steals hearts and turns summer upside down. Just as he did one long-ago August.

With her trademark heart, humor and sass, RITA finalist and creator of the Branigan brother series, Leslie Davis Guccione plunks us into a lakeside romp fueled by friendship, family, and one old flame not averse to once again testing the waters.
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New romance, empty nests, love, secrets, betrayal and forgiveness ... The Chick Palace has it all, along with healthy dollops of humor and wisdom, all drenched in the sunshine of memory. I loved this book. -- Adina Senft, author of THE WOUNDED HEART


posted by heidi

MGOC Contributor: David Morrell

DAVID MORRELL

EXCERPT from "To Thine Own Self Be True: Five Pieces of Advice for Potential Thriller Writers" by David Morrell in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

Thrillers have never been more popular. On the New York Times hardback fiction bestseller list, over half are often filled with examples of the genre. Thrillers even have their own organization, International Thriller Writers. But they didn’t always have this presence. Back in 1972, when my debut novel, First Blood, introduced the character of Rambo, bestseller lists favored a mix of literary, sentimental, and historical fiction as well as the sort of celebrity gossip novels that we identify with Harold Robbins and Jacqueline Susann. Not that thrillers were entirely absent. Michael Crichton’s The Terminal Man appeared on the New York Times list that year, but it was considered an exception. Only in this decade did thrillers become so unusually dominant. If you’re a writer who’s thinking of going in this direction, here are five pieces of advice that might be helpful.

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David Morrell is the award-winning author of First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created. He holds a Ph. D. in American literature from Penn State and was a professor at the University of Iowa. Noted for his research, Morrell has written numerous international bestsellers that include the classic spy trilogy The Brotherhood of the Rose (the basis for an NBC miniseries after the Super Bowl), The Fraternity of the Stone, and The League of Night and Fog. International Thriller Writers honored him with its ThrillerMaster award. His writing book, The Successful Novelist, discusses what he has learned in his almost four decades as an author. Find him online at http://www.davidmorrell.net.

Many Genres One Craft Wins First Place at London Book Festival

We are pleased to announce that Many Genres, One Craft won first place in General Non-Fiction at the 2011 London Book Festival!

Congratulations to all the contributors, the editors, and our publisher Headline Books, Inc. for making this book such a success.


posted by heidi

MGOC Contributor News: Jason Jack Miller Signs Deal with Raw Dog Screaming Press

Many Genres, One Craft contributor Jason Jack Miller signed a five-book deal with Raw Dog Screaming Press for his Murder Ballads and Whiskey series. The first two books, The Devil and Preston Black and Hellbender, already out in ebook format, will be released in paperback in 2012.

Hellbender was Jason's thesis novel for Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction graduate program.

posted by heidi

MGOC Contributor: Mary SanGiovanni

MARY SANGIOVANNI

EXCERPT from "Dark and Story Nights: Mood and Atmosphere in Horror" by Mary SanGiovanni in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

It is often argued that horror is not a genre so much as a pervasive emotion which characterizes a piece of fiction. These writers advise one to write the story that best conveys the message the writer wishes to get across. Should themes in that story be conveyed through human reactions to situations of extreme stress or anxiety, should its subtle symbolism invoke primal fight or flight instincts, and should its narrative build tension, then the genre of the story is often labeled "horror." A successful horror story need not rely on the tropes of the genre to work as a horror story. It simply must make the proper use of mood and atmosphere to convey its message.

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Mary SanGiovanni is the author of the Bram Stoker nominated novel The Hollower and its sequel Found You, both from Leisure Books, and Thrall from Thunderstorm Books. Over the last decade, various periodicals and anthologies have published her short fiction, some of which was collected in Under Cover of Night. She co-edited the GSHW anthology Dark Territories. Mary received a Master's in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She was a member of Horror Writers Association and the Garden State Horror Writers Association, and is currently a member of The Authors Guild and Pennwriters. Find her online at http://marysangi.wordpress.com.

Bid on a Signed Hardcover of MANY GENRES ONE CRAFT

We are offering a signed hardcover copy of MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT in the huge fundraising auction to benefit writer and artist Terri Windling. There are so many awesome prizes to bid on from great writers in the industry like Cory Doctrow, Cherie Priest, Elizabeth Bear, Catherynne Valente, Holly Black, Tamora Pierce...and many, many more!

You can bid on items and find out more about Terri and the support she has been receiving from her fellow writers and artists at the Magick 4 Terri LiveJournal page. Just follow this link:
http://magick4terri.livejournal.com/32552.html

posted by heidi

MGOC Contributor: David Shifren

DAVID SHIFREN

EXCERPT from "Talking the Talk in Crime (and Other) Fiction" by David Shifren in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

For dialogue to sound real it’s no secret that cops had better sound like cops, lawyers like lawyers and doctors like doctors, but never is this more important than when members of a profession talk with each other. When writing such scenes you walk a fine line between including enough technical jargon to sound authentic but not so much you lose lay readers.

What’s a writer to do?

Unfortunately the tried-and-true method for testing dialogue – reading it aloud and trusting your ear to flag what doesn’t fly – won’t always work when your characters are speaking the lingo and acronyms of their professional language.

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David Shifren has been teaching for SHU’s graduate writing program for six years and teaching for the University of Pittsburgh, where he earned an MFA in Fiction Writing, since 1989. His published books include traditional westerns à la Louis L’Amour (this despite Shifren's having grown up in Brooklyn) and three mystery novels for a longtime best-selling young adult series. He was awarded a 2006 Pennsylvania State Council on the Arts Screenwriting Fellowship and has had three screenplays optioned. Currently he is working on a police procedural based on his experiences as a police officer in Western Pennsylvania.

Many Genres: Named One of This Year's 10 Terrific Writing Books by The Writer Magazine

We are so happy to announce that Many Genres, One Craft:Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction (Headline Books, Inc.) was named #5 in 10 of This Year's Terrific Writing Books by The Writer Magazine in their December 2011 issue!

Mike and Heidi would like to congratulate all the contributors for making this truly the only writing guide you'll ever need.

posted by heidi

Many Genres: Finalist for USA Best Books 2011 Awards

We are happy to announce that Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction was an Award-Winning Finalist in the Business: Writing and Publishing category of The USA Best Books 2011 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

posted by heidi