2024 Colorado Gold Writers Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome, writers! If you have any questions about the schedule or the conference at large, please refer to the conference website at rmfw.org/conference or email conference@rmfw.org.

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8:00am MDT

Adrenaline Rush: How to Write Suspense Fiction - Master Class

Friday September 27, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Conference Room VI

John Gilstrap presents a four-hour-long seminar on the construction of intelligent suspense fiction. Through lively lectures and writing exercises, students get a peek at the skeleton that gives structure to the stories that keep us reading long into the night.

Speakers

John Gilstrap

NYT Bestselling Author

When John Gilstrap's first novel, Nathan's Run, hit the market in 1996, it set the literary world on fire. Publication rights sold in 23 countries, the movie rights were scooped up at auction by Warner Brothers, and John changed professions. A safety engineer by training and education... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI, Pre-pay Only

Topic Restricted Event
Subject Genre, Craft

12:15pm MDT

New Attendees Welcome & Orientation

Friday September 27, 2024 12:15pm - 12:50pm MDT

Conference Room VI

Speakers

Kevin Wolf

Vice President, RMFW

Kevin Wolf needed to write a novel, but he didn’t know how. He attended his first Gold Conference in 2002, became a regular at Saturday workshops, entered contests, and critiqued with the Southwest Plaza Group. Wanting to give back, Kevin judged for the Gold, guided Conference newbies... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 12:15pm - 12:50pm MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Restricted Event
Audience New Attendee
Subject Networking

1:30pm MDT

What Makes a Story a Romance? A Beginner's Guide to the Most Popular Fiction Genre

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room VI

What makes Romance a Romance, and why are stories like Gone With The Wind, Anna Karenina, and books by Nicolas Sparks not considered Romance? Join Beverly for an introductory deep dive into the genre, to include subjects like popular tropes, sub genres, characters, themes, readers, writers, the changes the genre has gone through since the early ‘90s, whether the genre is feminist or not, and why it’s the best selling genre in publishing.

Speakers

Beverly Jenkins

USA Today Bestselling Author

Although she was the editor of her elementary school’s newspaper in the 4th grade – The Myra Jones Elementary School COMET – Bev had no dreams of being a writer. Her dream job was to work in a library.She was living that dream when Avon Books called on June 3, 1993 – her husband’s... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

3:30pm MDT

Ask A Pro: PAA Panel

Friday September 27, 2024 3:30pm - 4:20pm MDT

Conference Room VI

Have you ever wanted to ask a group of professional authors anything about writing/publishing? Join the Professional Authors’ Alliance for a casual conversation with four industry pros ready to answer any and all of your questions!

Speakers

Andre Gonzalez

International Bestselling Author

Andre Gonzalez is the author of all things thriller and horror. He has penned the Wealth of Time series and the Insanity trilogy. You’ll likely find him buried under a long to-do list or his three young (and energetic) children.

Z.S. Diamanti

Award-Winning Author

Z.S. Diamanti is the award-winning author of the Stone & Sky series, an epic fantasy adventure and the result of his love for fun and fantastical stories. His short works have been published in magazines, literary journals, newspapers, and books. He went to college for a very long... Read More →

Mark Stevens

2023 Writer of The Year

Author of The Fireballer and five books in The Allison Coil Mystery Series. Short stories in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Tribune, two RMFW anthologies, and others. Host of the Rocky Mountain Writer podcast. RMFW Writer of the Year (2016 and 2023). Previous RMFW President... Read More →

Stephanie Reisner

Award-Winning Author

Stephanie Reisner makes her living as a full-time writer/publisher and is published both traditionally and independently, but with focus on her successful indie career. With four pen names, she has over 40 published novels in various genres to her credit and even more novellas and... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 3:30pm - 4:20pm MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Workshop
Audience Everyone
Subject Other

4:30pm MDT

MFA Talk

Friday September 27, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Conference Room VI

Have you always wondered whether an MFA program is right for you? Not sure about residential versus low-residency options, your writing sample, cover letter, or letters of recommendation? Come to this info. session on all things MFA. We will discuss program models, benefits of an MFA, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to ask as many questions as they’d like.

Speakers

Dr. Andrea Rexilius

Program Director, Regis University

Andrea Rexilius is the author of Sister Urn (Sidebrow, 2019), New Organism: Essais (Letter Machine, 2014), Half of What They Carried Flew Away (Letter Machine, 2012), and To Be Human Is To Be A Conversation (Rescue Press, 2011), as well as the chapbooks, Séance (Coconut Books... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Workshop
Audience Everyone
Subject Other