This series consists of six highly skilled authors—each addressing different aspects of writing—drawing on their own unique experiences to help you resolve your writing dilemmas. From "How to Get Started" to "How to End," there is something for everyone.

As in the previous year, each workshop is held at Kristall's Restaurant, including lunch and a copy of the author's latest book. If you pre-pay for three or more of the workshops, we'll give you 10% off. Please see below for a description of each workshop, including dates and prices.

Jane Kirkpatrick will share her writing experiences and sound advice in our second installment of our Writers' Workshop Series, "Stitching Stories: Binding History, Faith, Writing and Craft." She'll show you how she went about telling her story through craft and artifacts that will identify quilter issues in particular and how those "crafts" can get woven into a story. Even if you don't think of yourself as a writer you may enjoy this workshop because we are all story-tellers. Some of us are budding novelists or memoir writers and some of us are keepers of family stories. Finding the next step toward pursuing those interests just may be the outcome of this workshop.

Jane is a writer, speaker, teacher and mental health professional. Her award-winning essays, articles, and humor have appeared in over fifty publications such as Decision, Country and Daily Guideposts. She's written 14 novels and three non-fiction books, including the Wrangler award-winning book A Sweetness to the Soul, a story inspired by a fifty-year old essay a Depression-era schoolboy wrote about his distant ancestors - the Sherars. Her titles have been finalists for the Oregon Book Award, the Spur Award from Western Writers, Reader's Choice and the WILLA Literary Award of Women Writing the West. Literary Guild, Book of the Month, Doubleday Book Club and Crossings have chosen her books as main features or alternate selections. Her novel A Tendering in the Storm was named a Christy Finalist and won the WILLA Literary Award for Best Original Soft cover Fiction for 2008.

Get to know Jane at jkbooks.com

Pricing: The lecture with lunch and workshop, including a copy of her latest book, Aurora: An American Experience In Quilt, Community And Craft — $35.00

Need a place to stay while attending the workshop? Stay at the Innsbrucker Inn and save $25 or more on your accommodations. Workshop attendees get the Book Lover's Getaway Special regardless of when they book their room. Click Book Lover's Getaway for details!

Kevin O'Brien returns with our fourth installment of our Writers' Workshop Series: "Writing to Publish or Who Do I Have to Kill to Get My Work in Print?" This workshop will focus on how you can determine if your book or story is "commercial" enough to attract an agent or publisher. We'll talk about writers groups, right brain/left brain writing, rewriting, getting feedback, pruning, polishing—and yes—publishing! This will include tips on how to market your book to agents and publishers—and how the marketing work doesn't stop once you've published!

For eighteen years, Kevin O'Brien worked as a railroad inspector during the day, and wrote at night. His first novel, Actors was translated into three languages. His second book, Only Son was optioned for film rights by M-G-M, thanks to interest from Tom Hanks. Only Son was also chosen by Readers Digest for their Select Editions. His third book, The Next To Die, praised by Publishers Weekly for its "taut psychological suspense," climbed up the USA Today bestseller charts. Another USA Today bestseller followed with Make Them Cry. Watch Them Die was a runner up for the Friends of Mystery Spotted Owl Award. Left For Dead, which "offers up a relentless dose of suspense and chills," [The New Mystery Reader], was also a runner up for the Spotted Owl Award. With the New York Times bestselling The Last Victim, O'Brien won The Spotted Owl for Best Pacific Northwest Mystery. Another New York Times Bestseller followed with Killing Spree. His New York Times bestselling streak continued with One Last Scream, "an electrifying thriller," according to The Mystery Gazette, who added: "enthralled audience[s] will read this psychological whodunit in one sitting."

Get to know Kevin at kevinobrienbooks.com

Pricing: The workshop with lunch, including a copy of Kevin's new release, Final Breath — $25.00

Need a place to stay while attending the workshop? Stay at the Innsbrucker Inn and save $25 or more on your accommodations. Workshop attendees get the Book Lover's Getaway Special regardless of when they book their room. Click Book Lover's Getaway for details!

Rescheduled to Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 10:00 am - 2:30pm
"What to Do When You're Stuck," with Jill Barnett!!

ABFAS welcomes New York Times bestselling author Jill Barnett as we launch the first in this year's series of writers' workshops. "What To Do When You're Stuck," a craft and technique workshop with a variety of tips, steps, and exercises, along with tests and story analyses which you can use to overcome blocks, creative lapses, and motive problems.

Jill has written thirteen novels and six short stories. There are nearly 7 million of her books in print. Her work has been published in 17 languages, audio, national and international book clubs, and large print editions, and has earned her a place on such national bestseller lists as the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Barnes and Noble and Waldenbooks - who presented Jill with the National Waldenbook Award.

Get to know Jill at jillbarnett.com

The Workshop includes lunch at Kristall's Restaurant and a copy of Jill Barnett's latest book, The Days of Summer — $25.00!

Need a place to stay while attending the workshop? Stay at the Innsbrucker Inn and save $25 or more on your accommodations. Workshop attendees get the Book Lover's Getaway Special regardless of when they book their room. Click Book Lover's Getaway for details!

WORKSHOP ARCHIVES