A Chance to Work with Editor Kat OShea

Upcoming Workshop at Savvy Authors

Handling Backstory the Right Way with Editor Kat OShea

				Registration Information Click to register
March 17 - April 6, 2014
About the Workshop One thing that puts off many editors—and most readers—is lengthy passages of backstory dumped into a manuscript. Putting too much background information in the first few chapters can slow down the story and prevent readers from bonding with your main character. Yet that same information, used at the proper time, can build tension and provide dramatic conflict. Learn to distinguish between essential and nonessential backstory, and discover ways to use your character’s past to add dramatic tension to your manuscript. Cost: Premium Member $20 / Basic Member $30 Where:  The Savvy Forums About the Instructor Kat O’Shea is Editor-in-Chief at Leap Books. She has 20+ years of editing experience with a variety of publishers and also does freelance editing and critiquing. Kat has been published under several pseudonyms in both the YA and adult markets.

Author Judith Graves Appearances

Watch for Judith Graves appearing at the following venues:
  
January 28, 2013: Family Literacy Night
Dr. Bernard Brosseau School, Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada

Presentation on “How Inspiration Strikes”, and a reading from her steampunk short story, The Steadfast Steam Soldier, published in Winter Wonders, a charity anthology that supports literacy.

February 23: Young Authors’ Conference
Sherwood Park, Alberta

THE BONES OF THE STORY: Screenwriting and FICTION TO DIE FOR workshops

Graves will talk about writing scripts for film and television and offer tips on the craft of screenwriting. Learn how to plot a script using her outline structure, The Bones of the Story.  From gripping logline to epic showdown, she’ll provide students with the foundation they’ll need to create their own dreadfully cool scripts.

February 24: Freedom to Read Week

The brilliant blogger, Amy, from A Simple Love of Reading is celebrating Canadian Freedom to Read Week with guest posts by a number of authors. Graves will be kicking off the week with a post on censorship both as a library technician and a young adult fiction author.

Meet Author Judith Graves

Want to meet the author of the Skinned Series? Judith Graves will be appearing at the following venues. Learn more about writing, technology, and the behind-the-scenes life of an author. Lots of programs to choose from. And best of all many of them are FREE.

 

May 14: Edson Public Library. Edson, AB. Four, 40-min. writing workshops. Behind the scenes with a YA author, Fiction to DIE for, and anything the fine folks in Edson want to chat about. Starting at 10am-2pm. Sign up at the Edson Public Library 780-723-6691.

May 28: Alberta Association of Library Technicians Annual Conference: 2011 Get Connected. Edmonton, AB. Author Visits to Die For. Judith Graves offers an overview of what makes a virtual author visit successful, the technology basics, and how to connect students or library patrons with authors willing to provide this wonderfully interactive (and inexpensive!) service.

May 28: Young Alberta Book Society’s AGM. Red Deer, AB. Imagery to DIE for: Booktrailers, vlogs and more. I will introduce the importance of engaging readers online through the use of enticing booktrailers, informative yet entertaining vlogs, as well as how to create podcast readings that leave them craving more. Beef up your social media presence using these tools and watch your promotions go viral (but not in a zombie apocalypse sorta way).

October (dates TBA): Young Alberta Book Society TALEBLAZERS Lit Fest. Touring schools and libraries across Alberta, discussing my journey from singer/songwriter to Young Adult Paranormal fiction author. I explore what makes fiction to DIE for, how to develop characters that ROCK, and how to REVAMP your work (revision with BITE!). I can’t wait to meet all students, library staff and teachers.

November 18-20th: Pure Speculation Fest (Edmonton). I’ll be connecting with my inner geek and being general fangirl at this amazing sci-fi/fantasy convention. Can’t wait to sit on more panels with the Steampunk Scholar and other wonderful authors. If I get myself in gear (pun intended), there’s a chance I might actually have a steampunk costume to DIE for. ;)

Meet Editor Kat O'Shea

If you've been longing to submit a manuscript to Leap Books, this may be your opportunity. As you know, Leap Books only accepts agented manuscripts. They do make exceptions for attendees at conferences where any Leap Books editor speaks. If you haven't been able to attend conferences to meet one of our editors, you can meet Kat O'Shea, Editor-in-Chief, online at Savvy Authors during October.

Kat will be teaching at:

If you attend her workshop Handling Backstory the Right Way, you can submit one manuscript directly to Kat following the four week class.


Here's a brief blurb:

You only have a paragraph or two to capture an editor’s or reader’s interest. If you don’t draw readers in quickly, it’s hard to make a sale. Get your story off to a more exciting start by eliminating backstory. Discover how to identify backstory, when to cut it, where and how to use it effectively.

WHEN: Oct 4 - Oct 31
COST: $15 for Premium Members
$25 for Basic & NON-Members

So head on over to Savvy Authors to register.

Handling Backstory the Right Way

 Workshop

Handling Backstory the Right Way

Instructor: Kat OShea. You only have a paragraph or two to capture an editor’s or reader’s interest. If you don’t draw readers in quickly, it’s hard to make a sale. Get your story off to a more exciting start by eliminating backstory. Discover how to identify backstory, when to cut it, where and how to use it effectively.

WHEN: Oct 4 - Oct 31
COST: $15 for Premium Members
$25 for Basic & NON-Members