The 2010 NYC Pitch and Shop Conference

I've always wanted to attend a writer's conference, but time and/or finances didn't always permit. This year however, I'm actually going to attend. Now , I've heard that going to a conference is one of the best ways to find an agent, and since I'm still in the market for an agent I figure it's a good investment. This particular conference is set up to allow authors to "pitch" their manuscripts to (not at) actual agents. Even if I don't find an agent at this event, at least someone may remember my face and have a decent word to say about me and/or my work in the near future... Anyway, below is the email I received from the conference and I urge everyone to join me!

NYC PITCH AND SHOP CONFERENCE
Shop The Novel, Pitch the House

Dear Arnold,

Hello and thank you for your application. It is clear you are a serious writer and one capable of writing a manuscript that editors and agents will want to see. Following a review, we have decided to accept you into the upcoming NYC 2010 Pitch-and-Shop Conference.

Pre-conference assignments will follow upon registration. They are designed to help you perfect your pitch and focus on those specific elements the conference Editors want to see and hear you talk about.

At the conference, we will work to help your manuscript find a home at a major publishing house. If a publishing house wants to publish your novel, they will ask that you be represented by an agent; therefore, if necessary, we will assist you in finding suitable representation. We work with several agencies, including ICM, Folio Literary, Dijkstra Agency, AEI, Amster Literary, and others. No fee is involved. However, if your manuscript is not yet ready, the conference will provide you with a firm list of additional prep work you must complete before securing yourself either an Editor or an agent.

Registration can be accomplished at http://nycpitchconference.com/pc-registration.htm

More information will follow in the weeks prior to the conference.

We look forward to working with you.

Please RSVP you received this mail.

Best Wishes,

Michael Neff
Fiction Workshop Editor
NYC Pitch and Shop Conference
http://nycpitchconference.com

Lewis Black On Writing A Book

This is Lewis Black's very funny, painfully true take on writing a book. Every time I watch it, I find something that resonates. But even though he points out the challenges, write a book anyway. It's worth it.




Karen Harrington
author, Janeology
http://www.karenharringtonbooks.com/
http://www.scobberlotch.blogspot.com/

10 Silly Things You Didn’t Know About Canadian Crime Writer Cheryl Kaye Tardif

I was recently interviewed by Anthony Bidulka, author, interviewer and possibly professional stalker, and this interview wasn't your normal run-of-the-papermill type. Instead of asking me those questions I usually always get during interviews or ones I've answered a million times, he tried a more...um...unique approach.

So here it is, folks! The complete list of...

10 Silly Things You Didn’t Know About Canadian Crime Writer Cheryl Kaye Tardif (with a teaser introduction from Anthony.)

A New Year and so... new mayhem

Wow, okay so it's a New Year... now would be a good time to sharpen those pencils or dust-off those keyboards. Yes, we human beings are very often creatures of habit, tradition and ritual. So we like to categorize things and put things in places just so... What the heck am I talking about? Well, consider the ritual of Spring Cleaning. It makes sense to throw open the windows and break out the cleaning solutions and feather dusters in order to air out our homes, and make things new again in time for Spring's new beginnings. We have times and dates and places that we keep for special occasions or even hum-drum duties. And all that being said (or written as it were), perhaps the New Year would be a good time to take inventory of our writing tools and needs for the upcoming months. Do you have enough of your favorite writing tools? Is your sharpener still sharpening sharply or does it need to be replaced or repaired? Is your computer operating at top mode or have all of your files slowed things down to a crawl? Hey, how about that snazzy new writing software you were dying to try out last year? Maybe this year would be a good time to give it a spin! There are tons of things we can do to make this year's writing more pleasant and streamlined... kind of like a literary spring cleaning. Check out those unfinished stories you have languishing in a drawer somewhere... maybe they can be spruced up and be made marketable after all. Maybe you can even take a shot at that screenplay you were unsure of tackling last year. Anyway, the New Year may be a good time to start the ritual of new beginnings, new ideas or the tweaking of not-so-new ones, grabbing the duster and wiping off that computer desk 'til it shines... and then let the murder and mayhem begin for the New Year!

The Holidays

Well, for many of us the hoildays have come 'round again. Time for presents, decorations, food, drink, and being merry... but c'mon, as crime writers we know of the dark moods, impulses, and even deeds that come along with the fruitcake and mistletoe. Personally, I love the holidays. It's a great time to get reacquainted with family, friends, and if you're lucky that magical, childhood feeling of hope, awe, and even peace. Traditions play a big part in that, and many of us that may have become homogenized over the decades, find ourselves turning to or pining for holiday traditions of times past... remembering our parents and grandparents as they kissed our apple cheeks, filled our little grasping hands with gifts and food, and regaled us with stories of the holidays "back in the old country" or wherever... or whenever. But let us remember that there are those out there that serve a darker purpose, and they look forward to the holidays too. There are those that envy our peace during the holidays... those that would steal our joy, along with the noodle pudding, the mince pie, the turkey, the new IPods... lethal grinches lying in wait to make our holidays times of mourning and fear, as well as times of fun and joy. How many times haven't we heard about some poor soul found lying in a reddening snowbank surrounded by his or her pitiful array of gaily wrapped gifts? There have been some mystery novels written about the holidays, but c'mon, shouldn't YOU be writing one? The holidays are grist for the crime writer, a chance to foray into the safe lives of innocents and introduce murder, mayhem, righteous indignation and crime-solving... just in time for Christmas!

Canadian crime writer Cheryl Kaye Tardif invites horror author legend Stephen King for dinner

A Canadian crime writer friend, Anthony Bidulka, has suggested a silly blog interview to Crime Writers of Canada members, which he'll be posting on his blog at a later date. In '10 Silly Things You Didn’t Know About Canadian Crime Writer Cheryl Kaye Tardif', I got a bit carried away with my answer for question #1, and I decided to share it with you...

1. If you could invite any famous person, dead or alive, for dinner, what would you serve?

I'd invite Stephen King for dinner. And of course he'll say yes!

He'll arrive at my Black House, two blocks east of The Bone Church and not too far from 'Salem's Lot and the Pet Sematary. In Desperation, I'll serve him The Devil's Wine and get out the Firestarter. Then we'll sit by the Blaze of the fireplace eating assorted appetizers and other Needful Things. Next, we'll move onto some Children of the Corn on the cob and a salad The Color of Evil; got the recipe from Kathy Bates (I'll put away my hobbler bat). Then we'll bite into Cujo steaks until all that's left of It is a Bag of Bones.

Just After Sunset we'll leave The Dark Tower, take a long walk in The Mist and talk about writing until the Cycle of the Werewolf passes. When the Night Shift is over, Stephen King--The Man in the Black Suit--will use the Rest Stop before Riding the Bullet home. In Misery, I'll watch him leave out my Secret Window, then After Four Past Midnight, I'll slip into Nightmares & Dreamscapes and wait for my Dreamcatcher to gobble up Fear Itself, though I do suffer from Insomnia.

I'm the Survivor Type, so when he's gone, I'll just go back to writing Under the Dome of Silence. The Shining of the sun will greet me and I'll call my friends on my Cell and say, "I just had Stephen King for dinner." To which they'll reply with Chattery Teeth, "Carrie (not sure why they call me that), you must be doing the Danse Macabre." And I smile in response.

I'll let you know when Anthony posts my other answers. Cheryl, aka "Carrie", aka "Cherish", aka "Stephen King's #1 Fan".

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, http://www.cherylktardif.com