Novelist Retreat

October 3-7, 2010
Ridgecrest Conference Center

What could be finer than to be in the mountains of western North Carolina in October?

This is the perfect setting for a time of improving the craft of novel writing, fellowship with other novelists, write, discuss, and critique.
 
Requirements are that you have attended a writers conference or class “somewhere” and have a novel in progress.
 
All novelists are welcome to come and learn the craft that applies to all novel writing. The faculty is Christian and some emphasis will be directed to the CBA market.
 
Enrollment limited. Please register early. – Ridgecrest: 1.800.588.7222
Online Reservations: 
 
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU BRING YOUR LAPTOP AND YOUR NOVEL-IN-PROGRESS.

 
Ridgecrest Conference Center
PO Box 128 - Ridgecrest, NC 28770
All sessions will be held in the new hotel, Mountain Laurel (sleeping rooms, classrooms, auditorium), located at Ridgecrest/LifeWay Conference Center, Ridgecrest NC (20 miles east of Asheville, home of the famous Biltmore House and Gardens).

The second or third week in October is the peak season for leaf color in the mountains of western North Carolina and the perfect time for novelists to come together for inspiration and improving on the skills and gifts God has made available to us. Requirements are that you have attended a writers conference “somewhere” and have a novel in progress.

Relax on 1,300 acres of Appalachian peace and quiet. And if you get tired of relaxing, enjoy tennis, hiking, laser tag, a climbing wall, disc golf, volleyball, and more. There’s also miniature golf or the quaint little craft stores in neighboring Black Mountain. And Asheville is a short drive away, where you can visit the Biltmore Estate or Billy Graham’s Training Center at The Cove.

Reserve accomodations when registering for the event. To learn more about LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center, visit http://www.lifeway.com/ridgecrest.

RETREAT PROGRAM FEE
On Campus: $315.00
Off Campus: $375.00

MEALS
Sunday Dinner - Thursday Lunch: $120.00

LODGING
Per Night (Mountain Laurel Inn)
Single: $64.00     Double: $64.00     Triple: $74.00    Quad: $84.00

REGISTRATION
To register, call 1.800.588.7222 or click here  

DAILY SCHEDULE
Click here to view this year's Novel Retreat Schedule.

 

FACULTY BIOS and WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS:

EVA MARIE EVERSON
Eva Marie Everson is the author of both fiction and nonfiction books.  Reflections of God's Holy Land, The Potluck Club series, Sex, Lies and the Media and Shadow of Dreams are award-winning titles.  In 2009 Baker/Revell released the first book in a new line of Southern Fiction, Things Left Unspoken.  In 2010 they will continue this new line with the release of This Fine Life followed by a 3-book series In The Land of Cotton Candy Skies, starting in 2011.  Eva Marie is currently working with Israel's Ministry of Tourism, helping them by speaking at various venues and by helping to organize and lead a tour of writers in Israel. www.evamarieeverson.com

THE CREATIVE MUSE: Ever wonder how to get your muse to show up, especially when you need it most? This hands-on workshop will inspire the spark of creativity in the most a-muse-ing ways!

DOVETAIL: What is a “plot arc”? What is a “character arc”? How do they dovetail and why must they do so? Another hands-on workshop to help your novel be the kind of book readers can’t put down.

THE 6TH SENSE: In theater there’s a “4th wall.” In writing there’s a “6th sense.” This class-participation workshop will take you to faraway places or to your own backyard.

AND THE STORY GOES: Where do stories begin? Where do books begin? Where do they end and how do you get from one to the other?

THE NOTEBOOK: You’ll never look at writing the same after this workshop! Eva Marie shows you how to create a notebook to keep your characters, your lot, and yourself organized during the writing process.

DR. DENNIS HENSLEY
Dr. Dennis E. Hensley is the director of the professional writing major at Taylor University.  He is the author of more than 50 books and 3,000 newspaper and magazine articles, as well as stage plays, musicals, and film scripts.  Dr. Hensley has written eight textbooks on aspects of professional writing, including How to Write What You Love and Make a Living at It (Random House) and Teach Yourself Grammar and Style in 24 Hours (Macmillan).  His six novels include The Gift (Harvest House).  His book on futurism, Millennium Approaches (Avon), was a best-seller, as was his motivational book, The Power of Positive Productivity (Possibility Press). His 600-page opus The Annotated Edition of Jack London's Martin Eden (Taylor University Press) was hailed "a masterpiece of literary analysis" by American Literature Quarterly.

THE TITLE BOUT: NAMING THOSE STORIES: In this session Dennis Hensley will reveal six questions to ask about the functionality of titles used for articles, stories, books, and chapters. He will provide 18 specific techniques for coming up with just the right title for each manuscript.

HUMOROUS AND COMEDY NOVELS: In these sessions Dennis Hensley will explain how to create skits, scenes, dialogue and vignettes that make use of irony, surprise, slapstick, jokes, anecdotes, riddles, exaggeration, understatement, and sight gags.  He will show formats and set-ups that have been used by comedy writers from Mark Twain and Groucho Marx to Erma Bombeck and Dave Barry.  Students are invited to bring their comedic writings to share in class, and to take part in the writing and reading-aloud exercises that will be part of these sessions.

THE BUSINESS ASPECTS OF A FULL-TIME WRITING CAREER: In these sessions Dennis Hensley will talk about proper record keeping for writers, when to consider turning full-time to writing, deductions available to writers, lining up a variety of writing jobs, building a writing network among editors and agents and publishing houses, creating passive income with earnings, and how to balance time and cash flow and life priorities.
 

DR. ANGELA HUNT
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in books from this versatile author. With nearly four million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 100 works ranging from picture books to novels, and is author of The Note and Taking a Chance on Love, both of which were Hallmark movies.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS: Each day Angie will spend the first hour discussing the topic of the workshop (characters or self-editing), then she’ll spend the second hour giving exercises and feedback as conferees put what they’ve learned into practice.

ASK ANGIE ANYTHING: In these sessions, you can do just that.

 

STEVEN JAMES
Critically acclaimed author Steven James is one of the nation’s most innovative storytellers. Since developing his skill as a performer at East Tennessee State University (MA in Storytelling), he has spoken more than 1500 times throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Now harnessing his ability to build suspense with his vivid imagination
and evocative writing, Steven is launching his first series of high-octane thrillers, the Bowers Files. Steven lives with his wife and daughters in the hills of Tennessee.

HOW TO WRITE ACTION, THRILLERS AND SUSPENSE (PART 1 & 2): Every story can be improved by increasing the suspense, tightening the tension and ratcheting up the action. This in-depth, two-part seminar will help you improve your story by pacing the promises that you make and connecting emotionally with your reader. We will also discuss the importance of violence and evil in Christian fiction (yes, that is not a typo). (This is an intensive, continuing workshop, please plan to attend both sessions.)

WRITING MULTIPLE POV’S: We’ll discuss the secrets to flipping point of view and using alternating point of view sections to your advantage. Discover the subtleties to switching into and out of multiple point of view sections. Bring up to three pages of your novel for gentle critique. If possible, bring ten copies so that the other discussion group members can benefit from looking over your work.

HOW TO WRITE THE WORST DIALOGUE IN THE WORLD: Pretty-much self explanatory!

PUBLIC SPEAKING: Successful novelists are often called on to lead talks, speak on panel discussions, teach seminars and speak at churches. At this workshop you’ll learn easy to remember ways of telling stories, appearing confident (even if you’re not!) and shaping talks that move your listeners.

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING A SERIES: Sustaining characterization and reader interest over the course of a series of books poses its own special challenges. We’ll be discussing ways to overcome these and create books that build on each other to create an overarching story that stretches through several books.
 

YVONNE LEHMAN
Yvonne is an award-winning, best-selling author of 48 novels. She directed the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for 25 years, is director of the Blue Ridge “Autumn in the Mountains” Novel Retreat (www.lifeway.com/novelretreat), co-director with Ann Tatlock of the Honored Authors of the Gideon Media Arts Film Festival (www.lifeway.com/gideonmediaarts), and mentor with the Christian Writers Guild. Her latest releases include North Carolina Weddings, Mountaineer Dreams, and Aloha Love (the first in a series of historical Hawaiian novels). She earned a Master’s Degree in English from Western Carolina University and has taught English and Creative Writing.  www.yvonnelehman.com

WRITING THE INSPIRATIONAL NOVEL AND NOVELLA: What’s the Big Idea? We’ll discuss the differences and similarities of the novel, novella, and women's fiction. You will discover into which genre your idea or work-in-progress fits. There is a process to finding and developing your ideas. In the first few pages of your story, the groundwork is laid for the entire book. We will talk about setting, characters, descriptions, conflict, theme, plot and faith. You’ll discover how to be aware of those ingredients and include as many as possible in that all-important-first sentence, first paragraph and first page.

In the second hour we will discuss YOUR novel and into which genre it fits.

RAISING THE STAKES: The stakes are the meat or the heart of the story. The stakes are what captures the editor’s attention, keeps the reader interested, and makes your book a page-turner. We’re told that we need to raise the stakes in our writing. We have no story without stakes (plural!) In this workshop we will define what is not, and what is a stake. You not only need to establish the stakes in your novel, but discover what is at stake for you, the author, and what is at stake for your reader.

PICTURE YOUR STORY: Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Discover when a storyboard can be more valuable to a writer than an outline. Learn how and why to make storyboards for four different kinds of books.

1. Mainstream
2. Women’s Fiction
3. Inspirational Romance
4. Books to write Later

Learn the purpose and value of having pictures all around to inspire you as you write.
 

DIANN MILLS (need workshop descriptions)
Award-winning author, DiAnn Mills, has over 40 books in print and has sold more than a million and a half copies. Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2008. She is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. DiAnn was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008. She is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild. She and her husband live in Houston, Texas.

WITTY DIALOGUE: Capture the essence of your characters, plot, genre, and narrative through fresh dialogue. With hands-on exercises, writers will learn how to sharpen critical skills through an understanding of character that will set their book apart from the others
 
VALUE OF BACKSTORY: Writers discover the critical essence of back-story and how it strengthens characterization, plot, dialogue, narrative, and setting. With hands-on exercises, writers will learn how story is strengthened by understanding what happened before page one.
 
HISTORICAL ROMANCE: The romance of days gone by has always attracted women readers. Best sellers in this genre weave research and culture to match the values of another era. Writers gather the tools to build a romance between strong heroes and heroines.  
 
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE: In these novels, the heroine and hero work together to solve a crime or an attempted crime. Learn how to use intrigue to build a romance and keep your readers turning pages.
 
 
ELECTRIFYING ECLECTIC EMOTIONS: THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL PAGE-TURNER: Suspense, conflict, and tension partner with sword-wielding power to keep the reader under the writer's control. Through hands-on exercises, conferees will learn the techniques of creating emotional conflict through every aspect of their manuscript.
Romantic Suspense
 
PLOTS THAT DANCE: The exercises and techniques in this clinic are designed to show how characterization influences plot, and how to strengthen both of those aspects in a dynamic dance.
 

 
TOM MORRISEY
As much as he loves things that make loud noises and go really, really fast, you wouldn’t think Tom Morrisey could sit still long enough to write a book, but he’s managed to sit still long enough to write eight. In fact, his very first novel made the CBA Bestseller list and was a finalist for a Christy Award. A seasoned magazine editor and corporate speech writers as well as a popular novelist, Tom has made his living with words for more than 25 years. On the academic side, he has both an MA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, and he has taught at the university level. On the denim and flannel side, he owns and rides a Harley, is both a precision pistol shot and an exploration caliber cave diver, and actually knows several NASCAR drivers. Come meet him and see which side of his split personality decides to show up. We’re betting on the denim and flannel. His book, IN HIGH PLACES, is a 2008 Christy finalist.

DEBORAH RANEY
DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her 19th novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. Her first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her newest books, the Clayburn Novels, are from Howard/Simon & Schuster. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small- town life in Kansas.

OUT OF THE SLUSH PILE: Simple fixes for five common writing problems make the difference between a powerful manuscript and one that lands in the slush pile (1) point-of-view glitches, (2) telling instead of showing, (3) using adverbs & adjectives instead of strong nouns & verbs, (4) dialogue errors, (5) starting the story in the wrong place.

THE BUSINESS END OF WRITING: A flourishing career as a wrier necessitates a business-like approach to your work. Beginning with tips for an “attitude adjustment,” Deborah will reveal some basic steps that can help you move from dabbling as a hobby writer to being a successful working writer. Topics for discussion include scheduling writing time, organizing office space, record keeping, perfecting the craft, self-promotion and Q&A session to answer your specific questions (NOTE: This is not a business accounting or tax law class.)

SPIT-POLISHING YOUR MANUSCRIPT: These quick improvements can be done in a few short hours, but will make a real difference in the quality of the manuscript you turn in.

ANN TATLOCK
Ann Tatlock is the author of seven novels, including her newest release, The Returning (Bethany House, 2009). She is co-director, along with Yvonne Lehman, of the Honored Authors of the Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival. Her books have received numerous awards, including the Christy Award, the Silver Angel Award from Excellence in Media, and the Midwest Book Award for General Fiction. She enjoys teaching at various writers conferences, and is looking forward to teaching a two-week novel-writing seminar at Taylor University, Upland, IN, in January 2010. Ann lives in Asheville NC with her husband Bob and their daughter, Laura. Her website is www.anntatlock.com.

SENSES AND SETTING: To write a novel is to create a world. Learn to use your senses to create a vivid setting for your readers to “live in.”

DEPRESSION: AN OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: Depression is a common character trait of artists and yet, with God’s help, we can spin sorrow into song.

SELF-EDITING: The first editor for your manuscript should be you. Increase your chances of being published by learning the basics of polishing your work.
 

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