Chat-a-Con
For National Library Week, Chateau Charmant presents Chat-A–Con, a seriously entertaining writer’s workshop/conference, Saturday, April 25th, 2020. This event is to benefit our small local library in Fordland. Registration is $100 per person for the daylong event, catered lunch $25 per person for those who register early lunch is included in the $100! (please make us aware of any food allergies), with snacks available throughout the day. A Favorite Book Character Ball will be held that evening at 7 PM for those who want to attend the presale ticket price is $25 per person for adults. At the door price is $40. A list of close hotels can be obtained upon request. This is a list of tentative speakers:
Chapel 8:45 – 9:15 Check in; Introduction/Welcome/ Panel __________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 9:15 – 10:00 Writers Journey, Crafting Archetypes and their Secret Structure (Charles Sasser) (Fiction)
Blue Gallery 9:15 – 10:00 “What Editors and Agents Look For” (Regina Riney) Mockingbird Lane Press (Publication)
Brides Chamber 9:15 – 10:00
Grooms Quarter 9:15 – 10:00 Pitch with Lauren Miller of Metamorphosis Literary (Pitch) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 10:15 – 11:00 5 Super Secrets to Successful Fiction (William Bernhardt) (Fiction)
Blue Gallery 10:15 – 11:00 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Titles and Book Covers (Regina Riney) (Publication, Marketing)
Grooms Quarter 10:15 – 11:00 Pitch One on One with Lauren Miller of Metamorphosis Literary (Pitch)
Brides Chamber 10:15 – 11:00 Do What You Love & Amazon Sells It! (Becky Cline) (Marketing) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 11:15 – 12:00 A Romantic Interlude (Becky Cline) (Fiction)
Blue Gallery 11:15 – 12:00 Writing Mechanics-227 Awards can't be wrong! (Jennifer DiCamillo) (Fiction, Romance)
Brides Chamber 11:15 – 12:00 "Ask the Agent" (Lauren Miller) of Metamorphosis Literary
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch & Book Signing… (Panel: Charles, Will, Lara, Regina, Jennifer, David, Betty and Agent Lauren Miller) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 12:45 – 1:30 “Writers: Dig in For the Long Haul.” (Charles Sasser) (Non Fiction)
Blue Gallery 12:45 – 1:30 Where Women Meet Fiction, (Lara Bernhardt of Balkan Press) (Fiction)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 1:45 – 2:30 The Many Paths to Publication (William Bernhardt) (Fiction, Non Fiction, Marketing)
Blue Gallery 1:45 – 2:30 Agent versus Editor the 12 Month Marketing Plan (Jennifer DiCamillo) (Fiction, Non Fiction, Marketing)
Brides Chamber 1:45 – 2:30 Shattered: True Crime (Synova Cantrell) (Non Fiction) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 2:45 – 3:30 "Guidelines to Success” (Lara Bernhardt) (Publishing, Marketing)
Blue Gallery 2:45 – 3:30 Decoding the Mystery (Synova Cantrell) (Fiction, Non Fiction)
Brides Chamber 2:45 – 3:30 Brighten Non Fiction with Humor! (Betty Ridge) (Non Fiction)
Grooms Quarter 12:45 – 3:30 Pitch Lauren Miller of Metamorphosis Literary __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 3:45 – 4:30 What Editors and Agents Look For (Regina Riney) (Publishing, Marketing)
Blue Gallery 3:45 – 4:30 Look and See - The Art of Children’s Books (David Harrison) (Non Fiction, Fiction, Children)
Brides Chamber 3:45 – 4:30 Observation – the Best of Non Fiction (Betty Ridge)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 4:30 Wrap, Thanks and Invite to next year!
Chapel 8:45 – 9:15 Check in; Introduction/Welcome/ Panel __________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 9:15 – 10:00 Writers Journey, Crafting Archetypes and their Secret Structure (Charles Sasser) (Fiction)
Blue Gallery 9:15 – 10:00 “What Editors and Agents Look For” (Regina Riney) Mockingbird Lane Press (Publication)
Brides Chamber 9:15 – 10:00
Grooms Quarter 9:15 – 10:00 Pitch with Lauren Miller of Metamorphosis Literary (Pitch) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 10:15 – 11:00 5 Super Secrets to Successful Fiction (William Bernhardt) (Fiction)
Blue Gallery 10:15 – 11:00 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Titles and Book Covers (Regina Riney) (Publication, Marketing)
Grooms Quarter 10:15 – 11:00 Pitch One on One with Lauren Miller of Metamorphosis Literary (Pitch)
Brides Chamber 10:15 – 11:00 Do What You Love & Amazon Sells It! (Becky Cline) (Marketing) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 11:15 – 12:00 A Romantic Interlude (Becky Cline) (Fiction)
Blue Gallery 11:15 – 12:00 Writing Mechanics-227 Awards can't be wrong! (Jennifer DiCamillo) (Fiction, Romance)
Brides Chamber 11:15 – 12:00 "Ask the Agent" (Lauren Miller) of Metamorphosis Literary
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 12:00 – 12:45 Lunch & Book Signing… (Panel: Charles, Will, Lara, Regina, Jennifer, David, Betty and Agent Lauren Miller) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 12:45 – 1:30 “Writers: Dig in For the Long Haul.” (Charles Sasser) (Non Fiction)
Blue Gallery 12:45 – 1:30 Where Women Meet Fiction, (Lara Bernhardt of Balkan Press) (Fiction)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 1:45 – 2:30 The Many Paths to Publication (William Bernhardt) (Fiction, Non Fiction, Marketing)
Blue Gallery 1:45 – 2:30 Agent versus Editor the 12 Month Marketing Plan (Jennifer DiCamillo) (Fiction, Non Fiction, Marketing)
Brides Chamber 1:45 – 2:30 Shattered: True Crime (Synova Cantrell) (Non Fiction) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 2:45 – 3:30 "Guidelines to Success” (Lara Bernhardt) (Publishing, Marketing)
Blue Gallery 2:45 – 3:30 Decoding the Mystery (Synova Cantrell) (Fiction, Non Fiction)
Brides Chamber 2:45 – 3:30 Brighten Non Fiction with Humor! (Betty Ridge) (Non Fiction)
Grooms Quarter 12:45 – 3:30 Pitch Lauren Miller of Metamorphosis Literary __________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 3:45 – 4:30 What Editors and Agents Look For (Regina Riney) (Publishing, Marketing)
Blue Gallery 3:45 – 4:30 Look and See - The Art of Children’s Books (David Harrison) (Non Fiction, Fiction, Children)
Brides Chamber 3:45 – 4:30 Observation – the Best of Non Fiction (Betty Ridge)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapel 4:30 Wrap, Thanks and Invite to next year!
Authors Bios
WILLIAM BERNHARDT is the author of forty-eight books, most recently Court of Killers (#1 Bestseller flag on Amazon), the second book in his Daniel Pike legal thriller series. His previous works include the bestselling Ben Kincaid series, the historical novels Challengers of the Dust and Nemesis, two books of poetry (The White Bird and The Ocean’s Edge), and the Red Sneaker books on fiction writing. In addition, Bernhardt founded the Red Sneaker Writers Center to mentor aspiring writers. The Center hosts an annual writers conference, small-group writing retreats, plus a bi-weekly e-newsletter and podcast. More than three dozen of Bernhardt’s students have subsequently published with major houses. He is also the owner of Balkan Press, which publishes poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as the literary journal Conclave.
CHARLES W. SASSER is a full-time freelance writer/journalist/photographer. A veteran of both the U.S. Navy (journalist) and U.S. Army (Special Forces, the Green Berets. A former combat correspondent, he also served fourteen years as a police officer. He has taught at universities, lectured nationwide, and traveled extensively throughout the world. His bio is included in WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD. He is author of more than 60 published books and 3-4,000 magazine articles and short stories. His books have been translated into Chinese, Russian, Serbian, Thai, French, Spanish and other languages. His books include: No Gentle Streets; The Walking Dead; One Shot-One Kill; Homicide!; The 100th Kill; Shoot To Kill; Always A Warrior; In Cold Blood: Oklahoma’s Most Notorious Murders; Last American Heroes; Smoke Jumpers; First SEAL; At Large; Fire Cops; Doc: Platoon Medic; Operation No Man’s Land; Liberty City; Arctic Homestead; Taking Fire; Raider; Detachment Delta: Punitive Strike; Detachment Delta: Operation Iron Weed; Detachment Delta: Operation Deep Steel; Detachment Delta: Operation Aces Wild; Detachment Delta: Operation Cold Dawn; Encyclopedia of Navy SEALs; Magic Steps To Writing Success; Hill 488; Crosshairs On The Kill Zone; Going Bonkers: The Wacky World of Cultural Madness; Patton’s; Dark Planet; At Large; OSS Commando: Final Option; The Shoebox: Letters For The Seasons; OSS Commando: Hitler’s A-Bomb; God In The Foxhole; Devoted To Fishing: Devotionals For Fishermen; None Left Behind; No Longer Lost; Predator; War Chaser; The Return; A Thousand Years of Darkness; The Sniper Anthology; Sanctuary; Back In The Fight; Two Fronts-One War; The Foreworld Saga: Bloodaxe; The Night Fighter; Blood in The Hills; Six: Blood Brothers; Six: End Game; Crushing The Collective… He has been a contributor for a 12-book series of True Crime Books by Pinnacle, and a contributor for a 12-book series for Time/Life, The New Face of War. His work has appeared in at least 30 anthologies. He was selected by MARQUIS WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD for its 2019 “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
DAVID HARRISON : is an American children’s author and poet. His poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for young readers have been anthologized in more than 185 books, translated into twelve languages, sandblasted into a library sidewalk, painted on a bookmobile, and presented on television, radio, podcast, and video stream.
LARA BERNHARDT: is a Pushcart-nominated writer, editor, and audiobook narrator. She is Editor-in-Chief of Balkan Press and also publishes a literary magazine, Conclave. Her debut novel, The Wantland Files, was a finalist for the 2017 Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction. The sequel, The Haunting of Crescent Hotel, was a 2019 semi-finalist for the KBR Awards Horror/Suspense. Shadow of the Taj, her first women’s fiction, is available now. She lives in Oklahoma with her family.
LAUREN MILLER, Junior Agent "of Metamorphosis Literary Agency, joined their team in 2019 and is actively seeking clients who are interested in communicating faith-based values through fiction, and telling compelling stories." Lauren has a lifelong love of literature, and is known for being lost in the stacks of her local library for hours at a time. She loves an atmospheric, transporting read featuring memorable settings and characters, humor, and prose that sparkles. A graduate of University College at Washington University in St. Louis, Lauren holds a degree in Anthropology and is deeply interested in ideas, people, and communicating faith-based values through fiction. Lauren has been a contributing book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society since 2012, and she enjoys inspirational period romances and costume dramas. Previously a managing editor of The Scribe and a board member of the St. Louis Writers Guild, Lauren joined the Metamorphosis team in April 2019. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their wily cat, but can frequently be found surrounded by other people's dogs. She's seeking: YA and MG-centric
SYNOVA CANTRELL: may be known for her fedora, but she wears many hats. Synova volunteers with the Missouri Missing organization by highlighting obscure cold cases on her true crime blog to help generate tips. She firmly believes together we can give grieving families answers, hope, and support. Synova works as the Production Editor of True Crime: Case Files Magazine.
True Crime Writer, Synova authored Unorganized Crime; a biography of the ex-gangster Sidney Heard of Chicago, ILand her best-selling series, Seriously Stupid Criminals, is a fan favorite in both paperback and e-book formats. Her latest e-book, Grim
JENNIFER DICAMILLO: is an award winning writer with over 225 awards and 37 published books (not self published). Jennifer writes, and has won awards in, nearly every genre out there ...studying each one to understand its appeal to readers and judges alike. She has also taught interview techniques and book promotion. And, at one time, she had 6 different agents under contract (childrens, poetry, romance, mystery, science fiction, and non-fiction). No kidding! What she has to say about agents and editors is informative, to say the least. She will talk about all this and more!
REGINA WILLIAMS: Owner of Mockingbird press. Detailed-oriented individual with over twenty years experience with excellent problem solving skills. Edit, proofread and critique others writing. Develop and execute workshop lessons at conferences. Develop and execute writing classes at conferences. Maintained an own afternoon radio show and assisted in telephone advertising sales.
BETTY SMITH RIDGE: Her memoir, Deadlines, recaps many of the stories she covered during 35 years as a journalist in three northeastern Oklahoma communities. One day she was covering Oklahoma's first execution in nearly a quarter century — the next day she covered a cow chip throwing contest at a fair. She has written about politicians and criminals (when she could tell the difference); city, county and state government; Native American history, genealogy and culture; tourism, winning a statewide award for her courage; and just about anything else the editor chose to send her to.
She grew up in Springfield, MO, before leaving for two years at Stephens College, followed by journalism school at the University of Missouri, both in Columbia, MO; a master's in Spanish at the University of Missouri, which came in handy when interviewing Cuban refugees and a rebel Nicaraguan native chief; and postmaster's study before becoming a full-time journalist. In 2012 she and her late husband, Tim, moved back to Springfield.
A DNA test in 2017 revealed her birth family (she was adopted when she was 10 days old). She has met half-sisters from both sides of the family and is working on a book about this, as well as a followup to Deadlines.
BECKY CLINE: She currently has 4 published novels, a novella and a short story available in print and eBook through Amazon. In her younger years when her children were still at home, she wrote short stories and poetry for confession magazines. She has used the pen name Becky Adams for the past five years but has also been published under the name Susan Shank and Elisa Christy.
LARA BERNHARDT: is a Pushcart-nominated writer, editor, and audiobook narrator. She is Editor-in-Chief of Balkan Press and also publishes a literary magazine, Conclave. Her debut novel, The Wantland Files, was a finalist for the 2017 Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction. The sequel, The Haunting of Crescent Hotel, was a 2019 semi-finalist for the KBR Awards Horror/Suspense. Shadow of the Taj, her first women’s fiction, is available now. She lives in Oklahoma with her family.
CHARLES W. SASSER is a full-time freelance writer/journalist/photographer. A veteran of both the U.S. Navy (journalist) and U.S. Army (Special Forces, the Green Berets. A former combat correspondent, he also served fourteen years as a police officer. He has taught at universities, lectured nationwide, and traveled extensively throughout the world. His bio is included in WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD. He is author of more than 60 published books and 3-4,000 magazine articles and short stories. His books have been translated into Chinese, Russian, Serbian, Thai, French, Spanish and other languages. His books include: No Gentle Streets; The Walking Dead; One Shot-One Kill; Homicide!; The 100th Kill; Shoot To Kill; Always A Warrior; In Cold Blood: Oklahoma’s Most Notorious Murders; Last American Heroes; Smoke Jumpers; First SEAL; At Large; Fire Cops; Doc: Platoon Medic; Operation No Man’s Land; Liberty City; Arctic Homestead; Taking Fire; Raider; Detachment Delta: Punitive Strike; Detachment Delta: Operation Iron Weed; Detachment Delta: Operation Deep Steel; Detachment Delta: Operation Aces Wild; Detachment Delta: Operation Cold Dawn; Encyclopedia of Navy SEALs; Magic Steps To Writing Success; Hill 488; Crosshairs On The Kill Zone; Going Bonkers: The Wacky World of Cultural Madness; Patton’s; Dark Planet; At Large; OSS Commando: Final Option; The Shoebox: Letters For The Seasons; OSS Commando: Hitler’s A-Bomb; God In The Foxhole; Devoted To Fishing: Devotionals For Fishermen; None Left Behind; No Longer Lost; Predator; War Chaser; The Return; A Thousand Years of Darkness; The Sniper Anthology; Sanctuary; Back In The Fight; Two Fronts-One War; The Foreworld Saga: Bloodaxe; The Night Fighter; Blood in The Hills; Six: Blood Brothers; Six: End Game; Crushing The Collective… He has been a contributor for a 12-book series of True Crime Books by Pinnacle, and a contributor for a 12-book series for Time/Life, The New Face of War. His work has appeared in at least 30 anthologies. He was selected by MARQUIS WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD for its 2019 “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
DAVID HARRISON : is an American children’s author and poet. His poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for young readers have been anthologized in more than 185 books, translated into twelve languages, sandblasted into a library sidewalk, painted on a bookmobile, and presented on television, radio, podcast, and video stream.
LARA BERNHARDT: is a Pushcart-nominated writer, editor, and audiobook narrator. She is Editor-in-Chief of Balkan Press and also publishes a literary magazine, Conclave. Her debut novel, The Wantland Files, was a finalist for the 2017 Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction. The sequel, The Haunting of Crescent Hotel, was a 2019 semi-finalist for the KBR Awards Horror/Suspense. Shadow of the Taj, her first women’s fiction, is available now. She lives in Oklahoma with her family.
LAUREN MILLER, Junior Agent "of Metamorphosis Literary Agency, joined their team in 2019 and is actively seeking clients who are interested in communicating faith-based values through fiction, and telling compelling stories." Lauren has a lifelong love of literature, and is known for being lost in the stacks of her local library for hours at a time. She loves an atmospheric, transporting read featuring memorable settings and characters, humor, and prose that sparkles. A graduate of University College at Washington University in St. Louis, Lauren holds a degree in Anthropology and is deeply interested in ideas, people, and communicating faith-based values through fiction. Lauren has been a contributing book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society since 2012, and she enjoys inspirational period romances and costume dramas. Previously a managing editor of The Scribe and a board member of the St. Louis Writers Guild, Lauren joined the Metamorphosis team in April 2019. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their wily cat, but can frequently be found surrounded by other people's dogs. She's seeking: YA and MG-centric
SYNOVA CANTRELL: may be known for her fedora, but she wears many hats. Synova volunteers with the Missouri Missing organization by highlighting obscure cold cases on her true crime blog to help generate tips. She firmly believes together we can give grieving families answers, hope, and support. Synova works as the Production Editor of True Crime: Case Files Magazine.
True Crime Writer, Synova authored Unorganized Crime; a biography of the ex-gangster Sidney Heard of Chicago, ILand her best-selling series, Seriously Stupid Criminals, is a fan favorite in both paperback and e-book formats. Her latest e-book, Grim
JENNIFER DICAMILLO: is an award winning writer with over 225 awards and 37 published books (not self published). Jennifer writes, and has won awards in, nearly every genre out there ...studying each one to understand its appeal to readers and judges alike. She has also taught interview techniques and book promotion. And, at one time, she had 6 different agents under contract (childrens, poetry, romance, mystery, science fiction, and non-fiction). No kidding! What she has to say about agents and editors is informative, to say the least. She will talk about all this and more!
REGINA WILLIAMS: Owner of Mockingbird press. Detailed-oriented individual with over twenty years experience with excellent problem solving skills. Edit, proofread and critique others writing. Develop and execute workshop lessons at conferences. Develop and execute writing classes at conferences. Maintained an own afternoon radio show and assisted in telephone advertising sales.
BETTY SMITH RIDGE: Her memoir, Deadlines, recaps many of the stories she covered during 35 years as a journalist in three northeastern Oklahoma communities. One day she was covering Oklahoma's first execution in nearly a quarter century — the next day she covered a cow chip throwing contest at a fair. She has written about politicians and criminals (when she could tell the difference); city, county and state government; Native American history, genealogy and culture; tourism, winning a statewide award for her courage; and just about anything else the editor chose to send her to.
She grew up in Springfield, MO, before leaving for two years at Stephens College, followed by journalism school at the University of Missouri, both in Columbia, MO; a master's in Spanish at the University of Missouri, which came in handy when interviewing Cuban refugees and a rebel Nicaraguan native chief; and postmaster's study before becoming a full-time journalist. In 2012 she and her late husband, Tim, moved back to Springfield.
A DNA test in 2017 revealed her birth family (she was adopted when she was 10 days old). She has met half-sisters from both sides of the family and is working on a book about this, as well as a followup to Deadlines.
BECKY CLINE: She currently has 4 published novels, a novella and a short story available in print and eBook through Amazon. In her younger years when her children were still at home, she wrote short stories and poetry for confession magazines. She has used the pen name Becky Adams for the past five years but has also been published under the name Susan Shank and Elisa Christy.
LARA BERNHARDT: is a Pushcart-nominated writer, editor, and audiobook narrator. She is Editor-in-Chief of Balkan Press and also publishes a literary magazine, Conclave. Her debut novel, The Wantland Files, was a finalist for the 2017 Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction. The sequel, The Haunting of Crescent Hotel, was a 2019 semi-finalist for the KBR Awards Horror/Suspense. Shadow of the Taj, her first women’s fiction, is available now. She lives in Oklahoma with her family.