Book Signings and Events
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December 9th, 2017
2:00-8:00 Mesa Book Festival Downtown Mesa, McDonald St. As part of the Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts, this event features authors and book sellers to promote reading. This event is free to the public and includes author presentations and panels. February 17th, 2018 12:00-2:00 Mesa Main Library 64 E. 1st St. Mesa, AZ 85201 (480) 644-3100 First Impressions Writing Class March 3rd, 2018 1:00-5:00 (both days) Mesa Red Mountain Library 635 N. Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202 (480) 644-3253 Local Author Book Fair - join me and about 50 other local authors at the annual event. March 24th, 2018 8:25 - 5:00 ANWA Workshop 2906 N. Boulder Canyon Mesa, AZ 85207 This micro-conference offers workshops three tracks: beginning writers, tools of the trade, and independent publishing. This should be great fun. May 3rd-5th, 2018 9:00 - 5:00 (each day) LDStoryMakers Conference 220 W Center Provo, UT I will be attending the conference. There are plans to record sessions of our Ready-Set-Write podcast and episodes of the So You Think You Can Write show. October 11th, 2018 1:00-3:00 Mesa Red Mountain Library 635 N. Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202 (480) 644-3253 Starting on the Publishing Trail October 27th, 2018 10:00-5:00 Tempe Library 3500 S. Rural Rd. Tempe, AZ 85282 (480) 350-5500 Ready-Set-Write mini-conference. Makes some friends, have some fun, and get ready for NaNoWriMo. This will be the first year for the event at the Tempe library. November ??, 2018 10:00-3:00 Tempe Library 3500 S. Rural Rd. Tempe, AZ 85282 (480) 350-5500 Tempe Book Festival Adrienne Quintana and I will have a table at the event. The Ready-Set-Write gang will be recording several sessions of their podcast live. And I will be doing a panel on writing. Don't miss out on all the fun at this free event. |
January 27th, 2018
10:-00-5:00 Tempe Library 3500 S. Rural Rd. Tempe, AZ 85282 (480) 350-5500 Tempe Library Comicon This free event is in conjunction with Phoenix Comicon, which takes place later in the year. Come out and participate in nerdom at its best. I'll have a table there and will probably do a presentation/panel of some sort. It will be lots of fun. And FREE. February 23rd, 2018 7:00-9:00 PM New Horizon School 446 E. Broadway Mesa, AZ 85204 Ignite Your Creative Spirit An inspirational evening with local authors and keynote speaker Dennis Deaton. March 10th-11th, 2018 9:30-5:30 (both days) Tucson Festival of Books U of A Campus in Tucson If you happen to be in Tucson, come on down and visit me and my artist friend Steve Crompton as we support this book friendly venue. April 7th, 2018 1:00-3:00 Mesa Red Mountain Library 635 N. Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202 (480) 644-3253 First Impressions Writing Class June 9th, 2018 1:00-3:00 Mesa Red Mountain Library 635 N. Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202 (480) 644-3253 And Here's The Pitch Writing Class September 13th-15th, 2018 ANWA Writing Conference This is a great writing conference. This year they will be holding it at the Doubletree Hilton in Gilbert. I am presenting this year and the RSW crew will be recording sessions of the So You Think You Can Write show as part of the conference schedule. October 20th, 2018 10:00-4:00 Red Mountain Library 635 N. Power Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202 (480) 644-3253 Ready-Set-Write mini-conference. Makes some friends, have some fun, and get ready for NaNoWriMo. This will be the third year for the event. |
Classes and Workshops
Randy offers the following classes and workshops for writers. These are available to schools, libraries, and writing groups. Requests can be made through the Contact Me page.
JUMPSTART YOUR CREATIVE JUICES – A WRITING WORKSHOP
Story ideas are everywhere. Participate in a writing workshop that is designed to show you how to generate ideas for interesting and unique stories from the common everyday sources. Participants will form into groups to practice what they have learned. Randy will stick around afterwards to answer questions.
HEROES, KNOW THYSELF – A WRITING WORKSHOP
Vivid and believable characters are at the heart of every successful story. The workshop will cover a variety of ways of breathing life into the people that populate your story. Participants will have the chance to apply what
they have learned while Randy is on hand to help them out with any problems they encounter.
PLOTTING ALONG - A WRITING WORKSHOP
You have a great idea for a story. What are you going to do with it? Randy will discuss important elements in plotting a story and explain several methods for achieving that end. Participants are encouraged to bring a story idea to the workshop and develop it.
HEROIC JOURNEYS – A WRITING WORKSHOP
The workshop is based on the book The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Volger. Randy will explain the time-honored structure of storytelling that has been around since cavemen told stories around their campfires at night. Participants will have a chance to apply what they have learned to their own stories.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS - A WRITING CLASS
Agents, editors at publishing houses, and many individuals in the reading public will give a critical eye to the first chapter of a novel. In many cases the decision to continue reading is made in the first few pages. Based on the judging criteria Randy has followed as a judge for several First Chapter contests, this class will focus on the essential elements each novel needs in the first chapter.
KEEP 'EM READING – A WRITING WORKSHOP
Read-on prompts are essential if you want to turn your story into a page-turner. With the right kind of chapter breaks you can keep your readers up way past their bedtimes. Participants are encouraged to bring a few of their troublesome chapter endings to work on during the class.
STARTING ON THE PUBLISHING TRAIL - A WRITING CLASS
Now that you have a book written, what's next? Randy will discuss matters that authors who are ready for publication will need to address in order to succeed and covers the basics on this topic.
AND HERE'S THE PITCH
A story pitch may be the single most important tool in an author's arsenal. Learn how to describe the essential elements of your story in a sentence or two and in a way that will hook potential customers. Participants will form into small groups and practice what they learn.
MAKE YOUR STORY STAND OUT
Learn tips on how to make your stories stand out from the rest of the competition by the proper use of setting, character, goals, mixing genres, and genre elements. Participants will be encouraged to practice the techniques during the class.
THE 10 STORY GENRES BY BLAKE SNYDER
Randy will explain the 10 story genres concept created by Blake Snyder.
BALANCING THEME
Learn how to use theme to populate your genre stories, create conflict, and develop a basic story arc. Participants will be asked to practice what they learn and share their efforts with the rest of the group.
WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES FOR YOUTH
(These events are geared towards younger writers. )
WHAT'S YOUR STORY - A WRITING WORKSHOP
What better way to start a writing career than with a fictional story about - You! Randy will discuss ways to generate story ideas and focus primarily on using elements from the participants lives to create a fictional story that will really resonate with the youth writing them.
THIS IS HOW IT STARTS - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Randy will discuss how to start a story and then work with the participants on developing their story ideas.
PICK ME, PICK ME - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Stories are filled with interesting characters and most have quite a few who help and hinder the hero. Randy will discuss the concept of team-building to develop a story. He will help participants decide who needs to be in their story and why.
WHAT I WANT. WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Goals are an important part of any good story. There are story goals, there are chapter goals, and there are even secondary goals. Randy will work with the participants to identify and develop the goals in their stories.
WHY, WHY, WHY, DID THE BAD GUYS DO THAT? - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Good stories have bad people. Really bad people. Randy will discuss the importance of antagonists (villains) in a story and work with the participants to develop the bad people in their fictional lives.
Randy offers the following classes and workshops for writers. These are available to schools, libraries, and writing groups. Requests can be made through the Contact Me page.
JUMPSTART YOUR CREATIVE JUICES – A WRITING WORKSHOP
Story ideas are everywhere. Participate in a writing workshop that is designed to show you how to generate ideas for interesting and unique stories from the common everyday sources. Participants will form into groups to practice what they have learned. Randy will stick around afterwards to answer questions.
HEROES, KNOW THYSELF – A WRITING WORKSHOP
Vivid and believable characters are at the heart of every successful story. The workshop will cover a variety of ways of breathing life into the people that populate your story. Participants will have the chance to apply what
they have learned while Randy is on hand to help them out with any problems they encounter.
PLOTTING ALONG - A WRITING WORKSHOP
You have a great idea for a story. What are you going to do with it? Randy will discuss important elements in plotting a story and explain several methods for achieving that end. Participants are encouraged to bring a story idea to the workshop and develop it.
HEROIC JOURNEYS – A WRITING WORKSHOP
The workshop is based on the book The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Volger. Randy will explain the time-honored structure of storytelling that has been around since cavemen told stories around their campfires at night. Participants will have a chance to apply what they have learned to their own stories.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS - A WRITING CLASS
Agents, editors at publishing houses, and many individuals in the reading public will give a critical eye to the first chapter of a novel. In many cases the decision to continue reading is made in the first few pages. Based on the judging criteria Randy has followed as a judge for several First Chapter contests, this class will focus on the essential elements each novel needs in the first chapter.
KEEP 'EM READING – A WRITING WORKSHOP
Read-on prompts are essential if you want to turn your story into a page-turner. With the right kind of chapter breaks you can keep your readers up way past their bedtimes. Participants are encouraged to bring a few of their troublesome chapter endings to work on during the class.
STARTING ON THE PUBLISHING TRAIL - A WRITING CLASS
Now that you have a book written, what's next? Randy will discuss matters that authors who are ready for publication will need to address in order to succeed and covers the basics on this topic.
AND HERE'S THE PITCH
A story pitch may be the single most important tool in an author's arsenal. Learn how to describe the essential elements of your story in a sentence or two and in a way that will hook potential customers. Participants will form into small groups and practice what they learn.
MAKE YOUR STORY STAND OUT
Learn tips on how to make your stories stand out from the rest of the competition by the proper use of setting, character, goals, mixing genres, and genre elements. Participants will be encouraged to practice the techniques during the class.
THE 10 STORY GENRES BY BLAKE SNYDER
Randy will explain the 10 story genres concept created by Blake Snyder.
BALANCING THEME
Learn how to use theme to populate your genre stories, create conflict, and develop a basic story arc. Participants will be asked to practice what they learn and share their efforts with the rest of the group.
WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES FOR YOUTH
(These events are geared towards younger writers. )
WHAT'S YOUR STORY - A WRITING WORKSHOP
What better way to start a writing career than with a fictional story about - You! Randy will discuss ways to generate story ideas and focus primarily on using elements from the participants lives to create a fictional story that will really resonate with the youth writing them.
THIS IS HOW IT STARTS - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Randy will discuss how to start a story and then work with the participants on developing their story ideas.
PICK ME, PICK ME - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Stories are filled with interesting characters and most have quite a few who help and hinder the hero. Randy will discuss the concept of team-building to develop a story. He will help participants decide who needs to be in their story and why.
WHAT I WANT. WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Goals are an important part of any good story. There are story goals, there are chapter goals, and there are even secondary goals. Randy will work with the participants to identify and develop the goals in their stories.
WHY, WHY, WHY, DID THE BAD GUYS DO THAT? - A WRITING WORKSHOP
Good stories have bad people. Really bad people. Randy will discuss the importance of antagonists (villains) in a story and work with the participants to develop the bad people in their fictional lives.
Book Clubs
If you live in the greater Phoenix area and would like Randy to attend one of your book club meetings use the Contact Me page to send a request. He would be happy to discuss any of his fiction and writing in general.
If you live in the greater Phoenix area and would like Randy to attend one of your book club meetings use the Contact Me page to send a request. He would be happy to discuss any of his fiction and writing in general.