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. To view the conference floor plan, select or click on map from the menu.

8:00am MDT

Genre Fusion ~ Block One: Auto-Fiction: I is Another

Thursday September 26, 2024 8:00am - 9:50am MDT

Conference Room VIII

In this generative and discussion-based workshop, we will explore writing that fuses fiction with memoir. Through the lens of a variety of craft elements such as sequence of disclosure, intimacy & distance, persona, memory & truth, we will consider the rich constellations where self and character converge. Our guides will include Cindy Sherman, Frida Kahlo, Teresa Carmody, Steven Dunn, Addie Tsai, Selah Saterstrom, and Kathy Acker.

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 →

Thursday September 26, 2024 8:00am - 9:50am MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Restricted Event
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft

10:00am MDT

Genre Fusion ~ Block Two: Effective Genre-Fusing Fiction

Thursday September 26, 2024 10:00am - 11:50am MDT

Conference Room VIII

Genre fusion isn’t new but with the rise of romantisies, fantasies set in space, and every burgeoning combination in-between it can be challenging for authors to combine their big, genre-spanning ideas successfully. This workshop will explore what makes genre-fusing fiction effective and how to avoid common pitfalls. We’ll also discuss where these unique works find their niche in the literary marketplace and how to play up the strengths of genre fusion when publishing.

Speakers

Alexandra Grana

Associate Literary Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency

Alexandra Grana represents authors of science fiction, fantasy, and horror for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers. She holds a degree in professional writing from Miami University and a JD from The University of Toledo College of Law, and now uses her legal background to... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 10:00am - 11:50am MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Restricted Event
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft

1:00pm MDT

Genre Fusion ~ Block Three: Genre Fusion and Hybridization: Experimenting with Literary Art Forms

Thursday September 26, 2024 1:00pm - 2:50pm MDT

Conference Room VIII

The most important part of being comfortable experimenting with genre fusion is being brave and learning the writing tools to feel comfortable creating within the forms that work best for your writing. In this two-hour workshop, we’ll learn how to fuse your own fiction with plays, poems, essays, and epistolary forms by reading examples from various writers and practicing fusion with writing exercises that allow for play combined with learning. May this be an opportunity to experiment and create your own forms without rules!

Speakers

Hillary Leftwich

Author, Editor

Hillary Leftwich teaches contemporary and hybrid nonfiction; lyric essays: hermit crab, collage, segmented, braided; digital storytelling; documentary poetics; poetics; fiction; environmental studies, anti-racist and contemplative andragogy, narrative medicine, and empathetic medical... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 1:00pm - 2:50pm MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Restricted Event
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft

3:00pm MDT

Genre Fusion ~ Block Four: Love Makes the (Book) World Go ‘Round: Romance for Any Genre

Thursday September 26, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm MDT

Conference Room VIII

Readers love love stories. From mystery to science fiction to horror, adding a romantic subplot engages readers, deepens characterization, and ups the stakes of your conflict. Learn how to take your stories to the next level by weaving in romance with this workshop from a prolific, award-winning romance author.

Speakers

Cindi Myers

Award-Winning Author

Cindi Myers became one of the most popular people in eighth grade when she and a friend wrote and illustrated their first romance novel. It would be another couple of decades before Cindi saw her first novel published, but since then she has published over 100 novels -- historical... Read More →

Thursday September 26, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Restricted Event
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft

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

Topic Restricted Event
Subject Genre, Craft

1:30pm MDT

Horror Comedy Make Your Readers Laugh & Scream

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT

Conference Room VII

Horror and comedy are both about tension, the build up and the payoff. When we meld the two together, we get the fear of the scare and the release of the laugh. Using recent TV and movies as examples, we’ll walk through how to write horror comedy. Learn to leave your readers terrified and giggling.

Speakers

Angela Sylvaine

Author

Angela Sylvaine is a self-proclaimed cheerful goth who writes speculative fiction and poetry. Her debut novel, Frost Bite, a ‘90s sci-fi horror comedy, and her debut short story collection, The Dead Spot: Stories of Lost Girls are out now. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Rom VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft

1:30pm MDT

Written in The Blood

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT

Conference Room IV

Blood spatter analysis reveals information. An investigator may detect participants’ locations, weapons, direction of travel of actors, suspect’s handedness, and the ‘excitement’ of victim. This workshop will primarily focus on the basics revealed to investigators via observation.

Speakers

Laura Manuel

Retired Law Enforcement Officer

Laura Manuel was a law enforcement officer (LEO) for 21 years in Virginia & Colorado. She was a patrol officer and later an investigator in Person's crimes. Her B.A. was from the University of Michigan, M.A. and Ph.D. from UNC in Psychology. She taught Psychology and Criminal Justice... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT
Conference Room IV

Conference Room IV

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Genre, Craft

1:30pm MDT

Stories in a Flash

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

Conference Room V

Flash Fiction challenges writers to include all elements of a satisfying story but at a greatly reduced word count, leaving consumers with a whirlwind read and a memorable ending. By the end of this workshop, participants will create a work of fiction worthy of editing for possible publication.

Speakers

Laurel McHargue

Author

Laurel McHargue—a West Point grad raised near Boston—lives and laughs and publishes and podcasts in the breathtaking beauty of Colorado's Rocky Mountains. After years as an Army Officer, a mother of two sons, and an English teacher, Laurel abandoned paid employment to concentrate... Read More →

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

Conference Room V

Topic Workshop
Audience Advanced
Subject Genre, Craft
Area Hybrid

1:30pm MDT

What Makes a Story a Romance? A Beginners 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

2:30pm MDT

Mastering Suspense: Crafting Compelling Narratives Regardless of Genre

Friday September 27, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room II

Suspense isn’t just for thrillers—it’s a fundamental element that can elevate any work of fiction or nonfiction. It’s the element in any story that creates mental uncertainty and variable outcomes that turn your readers into addicts, unable to stop turning pages regardless of your genre.

Speakers

LS Hawker

USA Today Best Selling Author

LS Hawker is the author of the thrillers THE DROWNING GAME, BODY AND BONE, END OF THE ROAD, and THE THROWAWAYS. THE DROWNING GAME is a USA Today bestseller and finalist in the ITW Thriller Awards in the Best First Novel category. Her novels have been translated into eight languages... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room II

Conference Room II

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Genre, Craft
Area Hybrid

2:30pm MDT

The Truth About Swords & Armory

Friday September 27, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room VII

Swords too heavy to swing? Studded leather armor? Pop culture is filled with misconceptions about armored combat throughout the ages. Learn how to defeat these fallacies and create consistency in your worldbuilding when it comes to combat, weapons, and armor.

Speakers

J.E. Zarnofsky

Author

J.E. Zarnofsky is a writer, costumer, larper, and devotee of dark and heartfelt fantasy. Her debut novel, Tides of Blood, will be published in 2024 by Raven Canticle Press. Apart from her day job in software, she can be observed in her natural habitats of coffee shops, ice rinks... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Room VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

2:30pm MDT

Unleash Your Inner Young Muse: Crafting Middle Grade Magic – A Novel Approach to Writing for Tweens!

Friday September 27, 2024 2:30pm - 4:20pm MDT

Conference Room VIII

Bestselling authors like James Patterson, Rick Riordan, and John Grisham are flocking to write MG Books. Learn how it differs from adult books, get past gatekeepers, the essential rules for 8-12 years-olds, the art of choosing the right subject, characters, themes, AND MUCH MORE.

Speakers

Mariko Tatsumoto

Author

Mariko Tatsumoto emigrated from Japan at the age of eight and was detoured from her love of books by becoming the first Asian woman attorney in Colorado. But she found her way back to writing historical novels. AYUMI'S VIOLIN, her Middle Grade novel, and her YA novel, SWEPT AWAY... Read More →

Friday September 27, 2024 2:30pm - 4:20pm MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Genre, Marketing

3:30pm MDT

Order in The Court

Friday September 27, 2024 3:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Conference Room III

Court proceedings are presented: Arrest, bail, preliminary hearings, voir dire, the actual trial. Also covered expert witnesses, cross-examination, when hearsay is allowable. One should avoid counterfactual situations, although there can be excitement and plot twists in the proceedings above.

Speakers

Laura Manuel

Retired Law Enforcement Officer

Friday September 27, 2024 3:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Conference Room III

Conference Room III

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

4:30pm MDT

Intimacy, Consent & Sex in Fiction

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

Conference Room II

Are you interested in writing better romantic relationships? In this session, you will learn why love, intimacy, and consent go hand in hand to build healthier, happier characters your readers will care about.

Speakers

Rachael Bush

Author

Rachael Bush published her fourth book, Love on Location, with The Wild Rose Press in 2018 under her pen name, September Roberts. As September, she writes romance that's smoking hot and always happy ever after. As Rachael, she writes the Botany for Everyone series, because everyone... Read More →

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

Conference Room II

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Genre, Craft
Area Hybrid

4:30pm MDT

Keeping It Real: How Much Fiction Belongs in Historical Fiction?

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

Conference Room IV

If your details are inaccurate, it will affect the reading experience for certain readers. But can’t some details be invented? How do you determine whether to fictionalize or be factual? Writers of historical fiction, mystery/thriller/suspense, or romance set in earlier times, let’s talk about it!

Speakers

Cynthia Swanson

NYT Bestselling Author

Cynthia Swanson is the Denver-based author of the psychological suspense novels The Bookseller (an Indie Next selection, New York Times bestseller, and winner of the WILLA Literary Award) and The Glass Forest (USA Today bestseller and noted in Forbes as being one of “Five Novels... Read More →

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

Conference Room IV

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Genre

8:00am MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Historical Fiction

Saturday September 28, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

Cynthia Swanson

NYT Bestselling Author

Saturday September 28, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic Workshop
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

8:00am MDT

How to Write Like a Martial Artist

Saturday September 28, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT

Conference Room VI

Writers will learn basics of self-defense, what happens to a body in a fight, and how to write action that moves the scene and doesn’t feel redundant or unrealistic. This class will cover strikes, holds, targeting and basic Jujitsu techniques and how to incorporate them into fight scenes.

Speakers

Sarah Reichert

Author

Sarah Reichert (S.E. Reichert) is a novelist, poet, blogger, writing mentor, and herder of cats. She’s the Youth Coordinator for the Writing Heights Writers Association. She is also the webmaster for WyoPoets and a member of Wyoming Writers, Inc. Her Sweet Valley Series, a contemporary... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Genre

9:00am MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Science Fiction

Saturday September 28, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

Calvin Studzinski

Author

Calvin Studzinski is an award-winning aerospace engineer, amateur historian, role-playing game designer, and aspiring author. As a child, Calvin was an avid reader, consuming the works of Jules Verne and J.R.R. Tolkien with equal voracity, before reading everything he could get his... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic Workshop
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

9:00am MDT

The Science of Magic

Saturday September 28, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT

Conference Room VII

If magic doesn’t have consistency and limits, then it can hurt your storytelling more than help it. When readers choose immersion in speculative fiction, they crave both grounding and imagination. Science can provide both.

Speakers

Kim Lajevardi

Award-Winning Author

I'm a former teacher who traded the insanity of middle school science for that of working all day, every day with my family. What could go wrong? I've written two upmarket books both of which have either won or been recognized in Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Gold, Pikes Peak's... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Room VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

10:00am MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Kid Lit

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

Christina Allen

Award-Winning Author

Christina Allen (publishing as C.W. Allen) is a Midwestern transplant to rural Utah where she serves as the President-Elect of the League of Utah Writers. She writes long stories for children and short stories for former children. She is also a frequent guest presenter at writing... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic Workshop
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

10:00am MDT

Illustrating & Publishing Your Book

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room VI

In this session, I’ll talk about how to organize ideas, research your subject, and turn your idea into a finished project you can publish. Whether you’re writing and illustrating a children’s book, a textbook, or a comic, the creative process is the same.

Speakers

Rachael Bush

Author

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft, Publishing

10:00am MDT

Memoir Mastery - How to Write Your Story so it Sells

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room VII

Writers with an incredible personal story often struggle with where to start their tale and how to share it effectively with an agent/publisher/reader. Discover how to present your amazing story, determine where to begin it on the first page, and start using it to attract more readers, agents, producers, publicists, press, and clients.

Speakers

Jennifer S. Wilkov

Creative Consultant, Your Book is Your Hook

Jennifer S. Wilkov is a multi #1 international best-selling award-winning author, producer, an award-winning freelance writer, The Literary Agent Matchmaker™ and a respected book, business and entertainment creative consultant for nearly 20 years. Jennifer was selected as the Error... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Room VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

11:00am MDT

Let's Get Cozy: Plotting Your Cozy Mystery Series

Saturday September 28, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am MDT

Conference Room III

Even if you’re not a plotter, get ready to learn how to plot a great cozy mystery and learn how to drop popular genre tropes into your story line to create a book and series the readers will return for again and again.

Speakers

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 →

Saturday September 28, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am MDT
Conference Room III

Conference Room III

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

11:00am MDT

Kink & BDSM: Beyond The Stereotypes

Saturday September 28, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am MDT

Conference Room VII

50 Shades gave an impression of kink that irks kinksters as much as Glocks with safeties does gun experts. This session will dispel misunderstandings and answer questions.

Speakers

Veronica R. Calisto

Author

Veronica R. Calisto (she/her) is an alto, a writer of speculative fiction, and a big nerd. One of those rare Colorado natives, she has a degree in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and is a two-time American Idol reject. She is the author of several books, including Diary... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Room VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

1:30pm MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Humor

Saturday September 28, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

A. Z. Sultana

Author

A.Z. Sultana has been writing for ten years. She has a bachelor's in marketing and a master's in library science. She has had over 80 paying jobs (not gigs, actual w2 jobs or under the table) which lends her a wealth of experience in many fields as well as a misspent youth. She is... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic General Event
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

2:30pm MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Fantasy

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

David R. Slayton

Author

David R. Slayton (He/Him) grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding fantasy novels with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he lives in Denver and writes the books he always wanted to read. His debut, White Trash Warlock... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic General Event
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

2:30pm MDT

Daemons, Witches, and the Occult (For Writers)

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room IV

If you’re writing supernatural horror, or anything paranormal – chances are you’re incorporating some elements of the occult. Learn to blend occult fact with occult fiction without offending actual real-world witches or occult practitioners. Bring your most difficult questions and an open mind.

Speakers

Stephanie Reisner

Award-Winning Author

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room IV

Conference Room IV

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

2:30pm MDT

Kid Lit 101

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT

Conference Room VIII

Want to write for kids? Here’s everything you’ll need to know to get started. This overview of the current children’s literature landscape, from picture books to YA, highlights unique considerations for writing, querying, publishing, and marketing kids’ books.

Speakers

Christina Allen

Award-Winning Author

Saturday September 28, 2024 2:30pm - 3:20pm MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

3:30pm MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Women's Fiction

Saturday September 28, 2024 3:30pm - 4:20pm MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

Leanne Haase-Goebel

Award-Winning Author

Leanne Haase-Goebel is an award-winning writer. She’s written and published two art books, sixteen exhibition catalogs, fifty-seven magazine articles, and more than 200 profiles and stories. She’s been awarded multiple Top of the Rockies Excellence in Journalism awards. She was... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 3:30pm - 4:20pm MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic General Event
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

3:30pm MDT

Conjuring Up The Past: Character Development in Historical Fiction

Saturday September 28, 2024 3:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Conference Room VIII

The writer of historical fiction faces an added element when developing a character: the historical landscape. How do sometimes cataclysmic world events affect a character’s everyday life? In this intensive workshop, we will look at the skills needed to create memorable historical characters.

Speakers

Laurie Marr Wasmund

Author

LAURIE MARR WASMUND has worked as an editor, community college instructor, and writing workshop presenter. Her short stories have appeared in magazines such as CIMARRON REVIEW and WEBER STUDIES. She is the author of MY HEART LIES HERE, a novel of the Ludlow Massacre; CLEAN CUT, A... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 3:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

4:30pm MDT

Birds of a Feather ~ Crime/Thriller

Saturday September 28, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Boardroom A

Birds of a Feather are casual sessions between writers of the same genre hosted by an RMFW member published in that genre. Attend to ask genre-specific questions, get ideas, and/or make friends.

Speakers

Nanette Gamily

Author

Nanette Gamily’s debut Native American crime fiction novel, CRY FOR THE CHILD, is represented by Josh Getlzer at HG Literary. She’s an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, a Tin House Finalist, a Regis University MFA graduate, and a guest blogger for Rocky Mountain Fiction... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Boardroom A

Boardroom A

Topic General Event
Audience Everyone
Subject Genre, Networking

4:30pm MDT

How to Write Compelling Villians

Saturday September 28, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT

Conference Room VI

You can write great stories, but if you want to take your writing to the next level, you need a compelling villain. From intergalactic wizards to high school mean girls, a great villain will move your story like no other character can. Come and bring something to take notes with!

Speakers

Jason Evans

Author

Jason Henry Evans has been an active member in the Colorado Writing community for over ten years. He has published four novels, including his debut, the Gallowglass, which was released in July of 2019 to much acclaim. He has had a dozen short stories published and has taught writing... Read More →

Saturday September 28, 2024 4:30pm - 5:20pm MDT
Conference Room VI

Conference Room VI

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

8:00am MDT

Playing God for Fun and Profit - Building Worlds your Readers will Love

Sunday September 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT

Conference Room VII

Worlds are big, and building them can be daunting. Learn how to build a fantastic setting, whether modifying our world to include magic and dragons, building a new secondary world, or constructing an entire galaxy to explore. What pitfalls do many authors fall into, and how can one avoid them?

Speakers

Calvin Studzinski

Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Room VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

8:00am MDT

Horror Writing 666 (aka 101)

Sunday September 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT

Conference Room VIII

Horror is part of our real world, make it part of your fiction. Readers love to experience dread, gore, and terror, and you can be the one to deliver it. Learn why and how to write stories that terrify!

Speakers

Angela Sylvaine

Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

9:00am MDT

Comedy (Seriously.)

Sunday September 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT

Conference Room IV

No matter your audience, genre, or format, applying the principles that make comedy writing work can take any project from predictable to un-put-downable! This presentation is geared toward writers of any level of experience, with writing from laugh out loud to deathly dramatic.

Speakers

Christina Allen

Award-Winning Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Conference Room IV

Conference Room IV

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Craft, Genre

9:00am MDT

True Crime to Novel: Turn Headline News into Page-Turning Fiction

Sunday September 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT

Conference Room VIII

Ever wonder how to turn an astonishing, newsworthy story into juicy crime fiction? In this workshop, we will talk about how authors turn true crime stories into fiction. Together, we will review examples of contemporary novels and the techniques authors use to make readers turn the page.

Speakers

Nanette Gamily

Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:50am MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Craft

10:00am MDT

Writing about Trauma Without Triggering the Victim

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room II

Reading about violence and sexual assault is difficult for readers. As authors, we hope to draw readers closer to our characters and their pain. But how can we create empathy with our readers without distressing them?In this workshop, we will discuss non-graphic approaches to triggering content.

Speakers

Nanette Gamily

Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room II

Conference Room II

Topic Workshop
Audience Intermediate
Subject Craft, Genre
Area Hybrid

10:00am MDT

Is That Scary? Writing Horror in 2024

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room III

What scared people in the late 20th century was totally different than what scares most people today. Participants can expect to learn the current popular tropes of the genre, as well as how to build tension in stories meant to terrorize the reader and leave them shaken.

Speakers

Stephanie Reisner

Award-Winning Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room III

Conference Room III

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

10:00am MDT

Exoplanetary Exploration - Realistic Methods for Visiting Alien Worlds

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room VII

Science fiction often resorts to fantastical technologies to reach other stars, but could we do it in real life? Explore the real science we would use to explore exoplanets, the dangers involved, and how the restrictions of sub-luminal space travel should inspire gripping sci-fi narratives.

Speakers

Calvin Studzinski

Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room VII

Conference Room VII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre

10:00am MDT

Unlocking Tween Book Marketing: Unique Tactics for Middle Grade Success

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT

Conference Room VIII

Is marketing Middle Grade Books the same as for Adult Books? While many strategies overlap, there are exciting opportunities exclusive to MG Books to boost sales—and have more fun! Join me as we explore the distinctive approaches that differentiate Tween Book Marketing from its adult counterpart.

Speakers

Mariko Tatsumoto

Author

Sunday September 29, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am MDT
Conference Room VIII

Conference Room VIII

Topic Workshop
Audience Beginner
Subject Genre, Marketing