Lit City:
What’s Going on in the Austin Book World October 20th — October 26th
This week there are some great opportunities for speaking & signings and book clubs. Here’s what’s going on this week in the Austin Book Community:
Thursday, October 20th (6 PM) @ Treaty Oak Distilling Ranch,Join the Alamo Drafthouse at Treaty Oak Distilling Ranch for an evening with Bryan Cranston. He’ll be there discussing his new book, A Life in Parts, with a copy of the book included in the price of admission.
Thursday, October 20th (7 PM) @ BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of Shakti Leadership: Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business by authors Nilima Bhat & Raj Sisodio.
Thursday, October 20th (3 PM) @ Central Presbyterian Church, enjoy a speaking & signing of Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.
Friday, October 21st (7 PM) @ Malvern Books, join Malvern for the Joe Doerr Book Launch.
Friday, October 21st (7 PM) @ Book Woman, enjoy a speaking & signing of Him, Me, Muhammad Ali by Randa Jarrar.
Saturday, October 22nd (2 PM) @ BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of Varmints by Cartoonist & Illustrator Andy Hirsch.
Saturday, October 22nd (6 PM) @ BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of Crossing The Horizon by Laurie Notaro.
Sunday, October 23rd (3 PM) @ BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman. Bowman will be at the Writing Barn on December 3, teaching Picture Book Biographies.
Monday, October 24th (6 PM) @ BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of Ashes: Seeds of America by Laurie Halse Anderson.
Tuesday, October 25th (7 PM) @ BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of The Blind Astronomer’s Daughter by John Pipkin.
Wednesday, October 26th (6 PM) @BookPeople, enjoy a speaking & signing of Skunked!: Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet by Jacqueline Kelly
Upcoming Events and Classes at The Writing Barn:
Our 2014 and 2015 Complete Picture Book Workshops SOLD OUT and each intensive has resulted in a writer (or two) being signed by the visiting agent (See Writing Barn Success Stories) with manuscripts being sold and turned into books, which were read in their draft stages at the Writing Barn podium!
These weekends are intimate gatherings where deep work is done and deep bonds are formed. Do not miss our 2016 Complete Picture Book Intensive where three industry professionals will work directly with the writers and illustrators to deconstruct, construct, and transform their work!
Page-Turning, Stomach-Churning: Building Suspense in Your Thriller
What makes a thriller thrilling? Is it a killer premise, a flawed but determined protagonist, a shadowy setting where crime lurks around every corner, or the perfect third-act plot twist?
All these elements can be present, but without suspenseful pacing and tight plotting throughout, the story will wander, and so will the reader’s attention. Using what you already know about your characters and world, learn how to build suspense into the structure of your novel from day one—even if you’re a so-called “pantser.” Whether you’re working on hard-boiled crime, psychological suspense, a spy novel, or a domestic thriller (or you’re not sure yet), this half-day class on the craft of thriller-writing will sharpen your focus on structure, story design, and pacing, the building blocks of suspense.
I seriously can’t believe I missed the event for Bryan Cranston! I wish I would’ve found this blog way earlier. Keep up the awesome work on the book meetings!