Writers hold conference in Kalispell
Authors of the Flathead’s 22nd annual Flathead River Writers Conference is Oct. 6 and 7 in the Arts and Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College.
The conference offers a chance to learn from internationally renowned speakers and take workshops to sharpen writers’ craft. This year’s theme is “The New Marketplace.”
The conference starts at 7:15 a.m. Oct. 6 with registration and breakfast. The first presentation starts at 8:30 a.m.; the day’s seventh and final presentation runs from 3:20 to 4:20 p.m.
Workshops are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Oct. 7. A keynote speech will be delivered at 1:30 p.m., and a question-and-answer session is scheduled for 3:45 p.m.
The keynote speaker, Mark Coker, of Los Gatos, Calif., is the founder of Smashwords, an e-book publishing and distribution platform serving 40,000 independent authors and publishers around the world.
Literary agents attending the conference include Regina Brooks and Kimberly Perel.
Brooks, of Brooklyn, N.Y., is the president of Serendipity Literary Agency and a principal in Open Lens, a publishing imprint of Akashic Books. She is the author of “You Should Really Write a Book: Writing, Selling and Marketing Your Memoir,” and “Writing Great Books for Young Adults.”
Perel, of New York City, has worked for Wendy Sherman Associates, Forbes magazine and later as a copywriter and freelance journalist.
The resident murder/mystery expert is John DeDakis, of Washington, D.C., a longtime radio and television journalist who has covered everything from the Vietnam War to Alfred Hitchcock to the Reagan presidency. He is currently an editor and writer for “The Situation Room” on CNN, and his books include “Fast Track” and “Bluff.”
Leslie Budewitz of Bigfork will discuss fiction and nonfiction writing. She has practiced law in Washington state and Montana; her current practice focuses on civil litigation. Her book, “Books, Crooks and Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedure,” helps writers use the law accurately while telling a good story.
For romance writing, Kathy Dunnehoff of Kalispell will offer advice. Dunnehoff teaches writing and creativity courses at FVCC. Her first book, “The Do-Over,” hit Amazon.com’s Top 100 list.
Roxanne McHenry of Kalispell will offer marketing tips. Her experience includes helping independent writers get e-books published and marketed through workshops and consulting services.
Cost to attend the whole conference is $150. Participants also have the option of attending only one day; cost for either day is $85. Attendance is limited to the first 100 paid registrations.
For additional information, call 881-4066 or visit www.authorsoftheflathead.org.