HIS Writers Calendar,
Events & Contests

Write-Outs | Critque Group | Monthly Meetings | Contests | ACFW Colorado | ACFW National

 

WRITE-OUT

Lakewood
It's time to write! Join Donna Schlachter every Tuesday from 10 a.m. - noon at Atlanta Bread Company, 7740 W Alameda Ave (SW corner of Wadsworth and Alameda) in Lakewood, for a fun, informal write-out. Click here for map.

For further information contact Donna Schlachter

 

CRITIQUE GROUP

HIS Writers critique group meets the third Monday of each month from 6:30 - 9 p.m. at New Life Church, 1457 Nelson St. in Lakewood. Click here for map.

For information on becoming a part of this group, contact Donna Schlachter.

Note: As the need arises, HIS Writers will likely begin other critique groups to serve our members.

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MONTHLY MEETINGS

HIS Writers meets the second Monday of each month from 7 - 9 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 9370 Sheridan Blvd (NE corner of 92nd & Sheridan; exit Sheridan Blvd. north if coming from US-36) in Westminster. We are happy to have you attend up to two meetings if you want to check us out before joining. Click here for map.

2013

January 14 - Carla Laureano, author
Topic: Niche Marketing for Fiction Writers

Whether you need a description of your target market for a book proposal or you're writing a marketing plan for your new release, every author must define and address her target market. But merely marketing to "fiction buyers" may lead you to miss valuable opportunities to reach readers who will uniquely connect with your subject matter.

This hands-on workshop will help you identify your niche and customize marketing tactics for your specific subject matter, ranging from search engine optimization to social networking to public speaking engagements.

Bio: Carla Laureano holds a degree in English from Pepperdine University and has worked in sales and marketing within a variety of industries, including medical device manufacturing and motivational speaking. In 2011, she founded Instant IQ Media & Consulting to help small businesses and professionals grow their reach and market themselves more effectively.

Carla writes inspirational fantasy and romance, and she was recently selected as a finalist in ACFW’s 2012 Genesis contest. She is the vice-president of ACFW's South Denver chapter, Mile High Scribes. She also serves as a member of ACFW Colorado's publicity and marketing Dot Com committee.

February 11 – Danica McDonald, author & former tax advisor
Topic: Taxes for Writers

How to make the most (legally) out of your writing business

Bio: Danica Favorite works as an online moderator for a major publisher where she connects readers and writers with new fiction releases. Having spent time in the corporate world teaching tax law and preparing taxes, she much prefers fiction to numbers. You can connect with her at www.danicafavorite.com.

March 11 – Tiffany Stockton, author & blogger extraordinaire
Topic: How to Make the Most of Your Blog

Bio: Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood. Today, she is an award-winning best-selling author, speaker, and virtual assistant who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son, and an Aussie/retriever mix named Roxie. She has sold 14 books so far with more on the horizon. Three of her novels have won annual reader’s choice awards, and in 2009, she was voted #1 favorite new author for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents book club. Read more about her at her web site: www.amberstockton.com.

April 8 – Kathleen E. Kovach, author & ACFW Rocky Mountain Zone Director
Topic: Topic: Life is a Journey

Kathy Kovach will share plotting techniques that will not only get your character to his destination, but will also give him a ride that he (and the reader) will never forget.

Bio: Kathleen E. Kovach lives in northeast Colorado where she leads a critique group and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as Rocky Mountain Zone Director. An award-winning author of Christian romance, she presents spiritual truths with a giggle, proving herself as one of God's peculiar people. Please visit her at www.kathleenekovach.com.

May 13 – Margie Vawter, author/freelance editor
Topic: How to Integrate a Christian World View into Your Writing

Bio: Marjorie Vawter is a professional freelance editor who proofreads for CBA publishers, edits for individual clients, and writes. An avid reader, she also judges for several prestigious awards in the inspirational marketplace, and serves as conference director’s assistant for the Colorado and Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conferences. Her first fiction, Sundays in Fredericksburg (Romancing America Collection): A Shelter from the Storm (Barbour Books, 2013), released last month, and she has two nonfiction books also releasing in 2013.

Margie lives with her husband, Roger, and cat, Sinatra, in southwest Missouri. You can visit her website at http://marjorievawter.com and blogsite at http://marjorievawter.blogspot.com.

June 10 – Jack Gardner, Detective, Major Crimes Unit, Boulder Police Department
Topic: The Art of Investigating II

Bio: Detective Jack Gardner is a thirteen-year veteran of law enforcement with the Boulder Police Department, serving in the Major Crimes Unit.  He was previously assigned to the Family Crimes Unit, focusing on domestic violence and crimes against children. Gardner has also worked as a Crime Scene Investigator, SWAT Negotiator, Officer Survival Instructor, and is a former member of the Boulder County Domestic Violence Task Force.  He was also a crime scene consultant to local Boulder author Elizabeth Hyde (The Abortionist’s Daughter), was recipient of the Boulder County DA’s office Victim Advocate Award, was nominated three times for the Beth Haynes Award for excellence in domestic violence investigations, was recipient of the Rink Blake Award for CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) work, and was selected as the 2010 Boulder Police Department Detective of the Year.

July 8 – Kathy Kovach, author / ACFW Rocky Mountain Zone Director
Paula Moldenahuer, author / ACFW Colorado Coordinator
Jeanne Leach, author / freelance editor
Topics: Plotting, The Hero's Journey, Creating Believable Characters, POV, Self-Editing for Writers

Join us for a FREE round robin summer workshop where you will have the opportunity to spend up to one hour with each of our speakers in a small group setting. Kathy Kovach will teach on plotting plus the hero's journey, Paula Moldenhauer will teach on creating believable characters plus POV, and Jeanne Leach will teach on self-editing for writers.

NOTE DIFFERENT TIME AND LOCATION
Location: Lighthouse Writers Workshop, 1515 Race Street, Denver, CO 80206
Time: 6 - 10 p.m

Workshop is *FREE*, however, registration is required. Click here to register.

August 12 – Chris Richards, editor at Written World Communications / president of Mile High Scribes (ACFW south Denver)
Topic: All about Indie

What is the difference between an independent publishing house and a traditional publishing house? What can and indie do for you, as an author, that a traditional house cannot? What can that do that a traditional house can? Join us as Chris Richards addresses these questions and more.

Bio: J. Christine Richards, or Chris as she prefers to be called, has been writing longer than she can remember. She has been published in magazines and in two anthologies. She is a native Coloradan and lives in Castle Rock with her husband, Roy. She has five grandsons and one granddaughter, all of whom live within a hour's drive so she can get her "grandma fix" whenever she wants one.

In July, 2011, Chris became an editor for Written World Communications and is now a vice-president with the company. While she works will all fifteen of their lines, her specific duties are editing three of the magazines and book imprints -- Harpstring, Timeless, and WorldTalk. She is the president of the Mile High Scribes, south Denver chapter of ACFW, and is the assistant director of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild in Parker. Her inspiration in working with other authors and aspiring authors is Psalm 71:17-18, "Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come."

September 9 - Greg Johnson, president, WordServe Literary Group
Topic: The Changing Christian Market

Bio: Greg Johnson has been in publishing for nearly 25 years. Before becoming a full-time literary agent in 1994, he wrote and published 20 works of nonfiction with traditional publishers, as well as being a magazine editor for a teenage boys magazine for five years. In his years as an agent, he has personally represented more than 2,100 books and negotiated more than 1,700 contracts to over 85 publishing houses. These works included adult trade books (non-fiction and fiction), children’s books, specialty Bibles, movie options, video curricula, audio products, gift books and greeting cards.

While Greg’s stable of authors is near full, he will occasionally take on new authors and new projects. In 2012 he negotiated publishing deals for 12 new authors. Along with representing a broad array of adult fiction, primarily in the Christian market, Greg works with pastors and speakers, male and female, who have important and compelling messages to author for their constituents. He has also carved a niche by representing military nonfiction/memoir for those who have served our country from WWII until today. Business books, health and humor rounds out what he is looking to acquire.

Greg is married to Becky and together they are parents of six adult children and five grandsons under the age of 7. They make their home near Denver, Colo.

October 14 - Kathy Brasby, author & president of Spunk & Spirit Christian Writing Group (ACFW Ft. Lupton)
Topic: The Bible as Literature

Bio: Kathy Brasby is the founder of Spunk and Spirit Christian Writers Group. A former journalist, Kathy writes prayers, essays and stories. When not writing, Kathy enjoys photography, videography, and disc golf.

November 9 – 4th Annual Novel Crafters Seminar of the Rockies
Keynote speaker: NY Times best-selling author, Jerry B. Jenkins
Topic: Thick-Skinned Manuscript Critique Workshop

Bio: Jerry B. Jenkins has authored more than 180 books, including the NY Times best-selling Left Behind series (63,000,000 copies). He is former editor of Moody Magazine, and currently chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Jenkins owns Jenkins Entertainment, a filmmaking company in Chicago, which produced the critically-acclaimed Hometown Legend, listed as one of the Top 10 family films of 2002 by Good News Communication’s MOVIEGUIDE. Jerry is also owner of theChristian Writers Guild, which aims to train tomorrow’s professional Christian writers and has more than 1,000 members worldwide.

Jenkins and his wife, Dianna, live in Colorado and have three grown sons and eight grandchildren. Visit him on his website at http://jerry-jenkins.com.

Seminar is sponsored by HIS Writers. For details and to register, click here.

November 11 –Mary Davis, author and president of Worship Write Witness (ACFW Colorado Springs)
Topic: Historical writing & research

Bio: Mary Davis is an award-winning author of a dozen novels in both historical and contemporary themes, two novellas, two compilations, and one short story. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, is the president of ACFW's Colorado Springs chapter, Worship Write Witness, and is active in two critique groups. She won ACFW’s Carol Book of the Year award in 2008 for her historical novella, Love Notes. Mary's latest releases are, Titanic: Voyage of Intent, (CreateSpace, April 2012), and A Carpenter Christmas (Barbour, September 2012), which is part of "A Cascade Christmas" novella collection. Please visit her website at http://marydavisbooks.com.

December 9 – HIS Writers Christmas party
Place and time TBA

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CONTESTS

Everyone's A Reader Novella Contest 
Write a 15-25,000 word YA novella or a 25-35,000 word adult novella then enter the first fifteen pages for a chance at a variety of awards including a prayer shawl, Starbucks gifts cards, or even the possibility of a contract with Harpstring if accepted by their review board.

Click here for details and to enter. Contest is sponsored by Worship Write Witness (ACFW Colorado Spg chapter).

 

ACFW COLORADO

Fiction FUNdamentals Workshop
June 22, 2013
ACFW Colorado is expanding to the Western Slope! Come to a FREE one-day workshop featuring published ACFW Colorado authors Patti Hill, Kathy Kovach, Mary Davis, Marian Merritt, and Paula Moldenhauer. Attendance is free, but registration is required. You need not be an ACFW member to attend. For details and to register, click here.

4th Annual Novel Crafters Seminar of the Rockies
November 9, 2013
4th Annual Novel Crafters Seminar of the Rockies, featuring NY Times bestselling author, Jerry B. Jenkins. For seminar details, click here. Seminar is sponsored by HIW Writers.

6th Annual Peak Writing Conference
February 1, 2014 
6th Annual Peak Writing Conference, featuring best-selling editor Erin Healy. For conference details, click here. Conference is sponsored by Worship Write Witness (ACFW Colorado Spg chapter).

 

ACFW NATIONAL

2013 ACFW National Conference - "The Premier Christian Conference"
September 12 - 15, 2013
Indianapolis, IN

Click here to register.

 

 

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