Brenna will also be quoted in an article in a small Woman’s Magazine — (Western North Carolina Woman’s Magazine) which hit stands in North Carolina last Friday. She is speaking at the University of Nevada — Las Vegas this Wednesday.

Carmen Goldthwaite is teaching Narrative Nonfiction: The Proposal at SMU beginning Feb 2nd.

Go the distance in narrative nonfiction with this class that helps you create the selling tool — a book proposal –for your memoir, biography, history, anthology or travelogue. In this intensive, the first classes will concentrate on story ideas and early chapters, including research skills. Next, in a distance learning phase, you will develop the skeleton of the book, the outline. The third phase will be classroom learning about the business component of the proposal: marketing, platform and polishing. The intended product — a complete and ready proposal (first three chapters, explicit outline, marketing and platform plans and statements) qualifies for eligibility to apply to the SMU Writer’s Seminar in New York. THIS TIME ONLY, NO PREREQUISITES.

Code: 123IWR223-D
Dates: February 2 — April 26, 2012
Meets: Thursday from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM (SKIP 3/15), 12 Sessions
Instructor: Carmen Goldthwaite
Fee: $600
Notes: Skip date 3/15 Publish Your Nonfiction Book by Shaarlene Martin and Anthony Flacco, Writers Digest Books, 2009 AND Writing for Story by Jon Franklin

Carolyn Williamson announced the North Texas Romance Writers are having writers conference Friday March 30th to Sunday April 1st. The cost is $150. For more info visit Texas Two Step Conference.
Alley Pat Hauldren announced the National Space Society of North Texas is having a poetry contest.

Don’t forget to register for the conference, DFW Writers’ Conference. Keynote speaker is James Rollins. Twenty-one agents and editors attending!

Jenny Martin is teaching Writing Young Adult Books: The Path to Publication this spring at the University of Texas at Arlington. Along with her agent and editor, she has many more established agents and editors that will share their expertise about the industry. https://www.uta.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?~~12CO1722001

Speaking of the 2012 DFW Writers Conference… did you know we already have 18 agents and 3 editors signed up? For a list of agents and editors already confirmed visit www.dfwcon.org

The conference is May 19th – May 20th featuring keynote speaker James Rollins. You can read more about James Rollins at http://dfwwritersconference.org/keynote/

Donna Lasko reminded everyone of the vote next week. Nominations for the 2012 Board of Directors are due. The vote is next Wednesday along with the proposed amendments.

Please plan to attend next week so your voice can be heard.

December 14th is the holiday party. Bring your favorite potluck dish and ugly sweater.

The board began checking the read list against the member roster. Only paying members are allowed to read. If you have forgotten to renew please see a board member.

Harry Hall has a book signing Saturday Sept 17^th in Irving at Crystals Pizza from 3:30 to 5:30. He will be signing copies of his book Help! People are Staring at Me.

Kyle White announced Trinity Writers’ Workshop is having a one-day seminar, featuring Chuck Sambuchino (editor with Writers Digest.)  It will be held on Saturday, Nov 5^th from 9am to 6:30pm at the Hampton Inn in Hurst.  The cost is $100 ($50 for members of TWW). Check here for more details.

Dues are due on October 1st. Don’t forget! Remember, no reading, critiquing, or monitoring if you haven’t paid up.

By the by, you can register for DFWCon. Keynote speaker is James Rollins. The conference will be held May 19 & 20 of 2012.

Del Cain has a book signing on September 10^th from 1-3pm at the Fort Worth Barnes & Noble on University Drive

Rosemary Clement-Moore has a book signing on August 6^th from 2-4pm at the Hurst Barnes & Noble

Jason Meyers announced the Keynote Speaker for the 2012 DFW Writers Conference…. James Rollins!  Check out his website at www.jamesrollins.com

Jason made the deposit for the Hurst Convention Center.  The 2012 DFW Writers Conference is scheduled for May 18–19^th, 2012

Carpooling:  If anyone is interested in carpooling, email Shawna at shawna.m.smith@sbcglobal.net.  Please include your name, contact info (email or phone number, your choice) and the city you live in.  If you live in Dallas or Fort Worth, include the area.  Please note the information you send on the email will be posted on the bulletin board at the Workshop.

At the business meeting, Steve Manning, Keeper of the List, presented:

Candace Havens Truth or Dare; She Who Dares, Wins
Ken Ingle Who Killed the Killer; To Kill a Thief
A Lee Martinez Chasing the Moon

It’s Kate here. You’re 2nd Vice President and Social Media Manager. They gave me a password to this blog thing (hehe), so I’m using it.

Was anyone as excited about the great social media stuff that surrounded our conference as I was? There was so much buzz! The biggest bump we received was during the first Gong Show. New topics exploded that helped draw attention from the writing community to our little conference. Two big winners were #portalshappen and #TeamFury. “Portals happen” referred to stories that depend too heavily on a character being sucked through a portal as a plot point. Team Fury referred to the “Simon Cowell” of the Gong Show, Louise Fury. You were all thinking it. She’s the one who said it.

Almost everyone used the #dfwcon modifier when talking about presenters and classes. Some preferred to actually mention the conference (@DFWCon) directly in the post to promote an open dialogue.

User participation in social media is what makes it so unique. You’re only going to tweet whether you’re having a great time or a terrible time. Our great times outnumbered the terrible because our conference was amazing (not that I’m drawing from my own experience or anything).

From a social media standpoint, that is a great success. Our attendees are connected, our workshoppers are connected, and I think I read through Twitter that Weronika Janczuk is having lunch with Amy Boggs some time next week (stalking accomplished).

Let’s try to use some of that momentum for the workshop and future conferences.

Gushing finished. Now, to business.

If you or anyone you know took pictures at the 2011 DFW Writers’ Conference, please send them to me

Kate Cornell

with the subject line “Conference Pictures” or some such nonsense that doesn’t make me delete it immediately.

In the biggest news of the night, Jenny Martin announced she has signed with Mary Kole of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc. What’s even better is that Jenny met Mary at the 2010 DFW Writers’ Conference, making this yet another success story for an event designed to connect authors with agents and editors.

In other news, Carolyn Williamson announced the addition of three new writer’s market books for the Workshop’s library. While these reference books may not be checked out, there are many others available for use by DFWWW members.

Finally, it’s rumored that 15 literary agents have already agreed to attend the 2011 DFW Writers’ Conference. With success stories like Jenny’s proving the value of the event, attendees will want to register early for the best chance to meet with one of next year’s agents.

Missed the excitement? The next DFW Writers’ Conference will be held February 26 –27, 2011. More to come later on that event.