Aspiring writers and publishers—as well as self-professed bibliophiles—will have the opportunity to rub elbows with local literary luminaries at the fourth annual Write in the Valley. The publishing seminar, held Sept. 29 at the Sumner Senior Center, will feature a panel of one editor and six authors who work in a multitude of genres.
The panel will include:
• Book Doctor Jason Black, owner of Plot to Punctuation editing service.
• Megan Bostic, author of young adult novel “Never Eighteen.”
• Jeanne Matthews, author of the apocalyptic Dinah Pelerin mystery series.
• Rebecca Morris, author of the true crime nonfiction books “Ted and Ann” and “Bad Apples.”
• Mike Lawson, author of the Joe DeMarco series and other political thrillers. Lawson is a Seattle Times top ten author.
• Karen Robbins, travel writer, author of comedic novels and contributor to family anthologies.
• Susan Schreyer, author of the Thea Campbell mystery series and co-president of the Puget Sound chapter of Sisters in Crime.
“Readers love books and stories so much that sometimes, it’s a bit of a mystique to meet the peoplel who create this world for us,” Sumner Arts Commissioner and Pierce County Librarian Lisa McNamara said. “It’s fun to hear their personal stories as they explain the journey that led them to be authors.”
Practiced but unpublished writers can submit up to 10 pages of material for review by published author and Sumner Arts Commissioner Judy Kimball. Entries can be emailed to richnjudy_7@msn.com with the subject line “WITV4” or mailed to
Sumner Arts Commission
Attn: Sally Abrams/Critiques 2012
City of Sumner
1104 Maple Street Suite 250
Sumner, WA 98390
There will also be a flash fiction writing contest. Requirements are that the story be written in first person, have a main character and two additional charaacters, include dialogue, and take place in a large book store at a well-known author’s book signing. The bookstore is crowded; music plays in the background. The character has waited most of the evening for a signature, and the store is about to close; it is (for a reason at the contestant’s discretion) vital that the main character obtain a signature and meet the author. The reason of importance for the meeting is open to the contestant’s discretion, as is the story’s genre. Entries must be mailed by Sept. 21 to the above address, ATTN: Sally Abrams/Contest 2012.
Entry to Write in the Valley is $10 at the door, and the event begins at 2 p.m.
