Tag Archives: Jess Owen

Flathead River Writers Conference Recap – Part 3

Posted on by

by Debbie Burke

Welcome to Part 3 of the rundown on the Flathead River Writers Conference. If you missed anything, here are links to Part 1 and Part 2.

In Part 1, emcee Kathy Dunnehoff observed that normally introverted writers are “like dogs at the dog park,” ecstatic to be around other writers.

On Saturday evening, conference attendees congregated at the literary version of the dog park—the bookstore in downtown Kalispell. It was party time at The BookShelf.

Conference committee member Shira Marin laid out a sumptuous spread with wine, jumbo shrimp, cheeses, sandwiches, fruit, and more. We noshed and gabbed and renewed friendships from past conferences. Plus we met new folks who will likely become critique partners and beta readers.

Now back to the conference speakers…

Memoirist Robert Petrone

Robert Petrone developed an interest in memoir writing as a result of growing up with a father who spent 30 years in a nursing facility because of MS. Yet, the five Petrone children were not allowed to speak of his condition. Illness was considered shameful, and he felt burdened with guilt because of his father’s disability.

With a PhD in English Education, Robert is currently an associate professor at the University of Missouri and has been exploring memoir writing in depth.

He describes the “hallmark of memoir” as the “double perspective” of two voices. One is the external narration of events as they unfolded in the past. The second is the internal narration of looking back and reflecting on those events.

The memoirist has “two perspectives that equal two selves that equal two voices, then and now. One is the voice of innocence, the other is the voice of experience.”

In the first draft, the author relates scenes, dialogue, and thematic tension.

Robert likens the second draft to “therapy,” layering in the author’s realizations about the meaning of earlier events.

He suggested an excellent visual to help writers distinguish between the two voices: display a photo of yourself in the past beside a photo of yourself now.

Another trick Robert uses are color-coded index cards pinned to a wall. On one side is a summary of the external narration. On the other side is the internal narration about the event. Each character in the story is represented by a different colored index card. Robert’s visual aid ideas especially appealed to me since those options are low-tech and easy to use.

In addition to memoir, Robert’s research focuses on curriculum development for youth, especially in rural and Native American schools. That dovetails with Jake Arrowtop’s teaching at a high school on the Blackfeet Reservation, covered in Part 2. Between their sessions, Robert and Jake found much to talk about.

~~~

Jonathan Fetter-Vorm

Jonathan Fetter-Vorm is a self-taught graphic artist, driven by his love of drawing. He admits, “Until I had a family, my lifestyle was very unhealthy, eating junk food and drawing sixteen hours a day.”

Although his father dismissed his art as “fatuous indulgence,” Jonathan’s early passion wasn’t quashed. In college, after reading Beowulf, he turned the epic poem into a comic book.

He opted for an MFA in creative nonfiction rather than going to art school because he says “art school doesn’t teach art.”

Pop up classic book by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm

Working as a book printer and binder, he created beautiful handmade illustrated books. During his talk, he passed around several examples of miniature pop-up books with exquisite artwork that retold classic literature. But he says, “I couldn’t make any money doing that.”

Writing as a career discouraged him so he quit. “I turned to comic books and started making money.”

He found a niche market of young readers fascinated by his illustrated recounting of historical events like the Civil War (Battle Lines), and the Apollo 11 moon landing (Moonbound). In 2013, his story Trinity was selected by the American Library Association as the Best Graphic Novel for Teens. In it, Jonathan chronicles J. Robert Oppenheimer and the building of the first atomic bomb.

He describes his meticulous research, which includes near-microscopic study of photos and original documents to ensure every detail is accurate, down to the cabin measurements in Apollo 11. He used Kodachrome photos from the 1960s for the color palette as well as to capture clothing, hairstyles, appliances, and objects from everyday life in 1969.

To build a graphic novel, Jonathan suggests three methods:

  1. Start from a script then add drawings;
  2. Start with character sketches;
  3. Start with a scene.

His preferred style is to draw first. “If I could, I would draw until I had a heart attack.”

If he tries to write the script first, he jokes about his constant distractions: “I need a snack. I need to go to the bathroom.”

A 150-page book contains six panels per page, requiring a lot of detailed drawing. However, he says, “You really only need three to five truly impactful scenes.”

I left Jonathan’s talk with a fresh appreciation for comic books and the creativity behind them.

~~~

Jess Owen, J.D. (Jenn) Evans, Debbie Burke

How much fun is it to have a sibling who’s also a writer? Ask J.D. (Jenn) Evans who is Jess Owen’s sister. For much of their lives, the sisters have brainstormed, critiqued, and beta read each other’s work.

Jenn is a former Army officer now living in North Carolina with her husband and “two attempts at mini-clones gone rogue.” She laughingly complains she has “too many stories in her head.”

Jenn writes a romantic epic fantasy series, Mages of the Wheel, that unfolds in the World of Tamar. Her books have garnered thousands of four and five-star reviews and are rated as “#Best of Booktok.” Readers become entranced by the magical world thanks to beautifully rendered maps of various story locales.

She actively engages with her readers on multiple social media outlets and has a large loyal following. Fans even share their own art that depicts Jenn’s characters.

Because of overlapping breakout sessions, I missed Jenn’s presentation about how to create relationship chemistry. But Jenn, Jess, and I got together for a panel as the last event on Sunday afternoon.

Usually, that time slot means many attendees have already left but a fair number of people remained to hear us discuss our different journeys in the traditional and indie publishing world.

Jenn indie-published her romantasy series but remains open to other routes if good opportunities come around.

Jess used crowd-funding to indie-publish her first four books, The Summer King Chronicles, a fantasy series with lush illustrations. Her next two books were contemporary YA. A Furry Faux Paw and Don’t Ask if I’m Okay were traditionally published. She is considering a return to indie pub for future books.

My first thriller Instrument of the Devil was traditionally published but six months later the press closed its doors. I received a couple of offers from small publishers but decided to get my rights back for the first book and have indie-pubbed all my books since. The control and ability to release books on my timeframe is important, rather than waiting for the much slower traditional process.

We all agreed that the marketing burden falls on the author, no matter how they’re published.

Jenn and Jess are both active on numerous social media outlets. I always learn about that unfamiliar territory by listening to them.

Jenn discussed that today’s authors must be able to pivot, whether they’re traditionally or indie published. Readers’ tastes and trends often change quickly. Indie publishing allows Jenn to switch directions and adapt immediately to her readers’ wants.

Newer publishing options continue to evolve with online outlets like Royal Road, a fan-driven site of serializations. I’d heard an enthusiastic buzz at the conversation among younger attendees about Royal Road.

Jess and Jenn are always lively, intelligent, and knowledgeable. Being on a panel with the two sisters was great fun.

~~~

Claudia Cassidy Bennett, PhD

The conference could not have happened without the steady guiding hand of chair Claudia Bennett. Whether she was juggling plane flights for out-of-town presenters or finding a missing dongle for my power point presentation, Claudia handled all challenges with serene graciousness and efficiency.

Perhaps she perfected that calmness while caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s. She memorialized the experience in her touching book Caregiving Reimagined: A Practical and Spiritual Guide for Family Caregivers.

Sunday evening, the 35th Annual Flathead River Writers Conference wrapped. Tired but energized attendees hurried home to apply lessons, insights, and renewed inspiration to our works in progress.

Hope to see you in Montana next year!

Flathead River Writers Conference Recap – Part 2

Posted on by

by Debbie Burke

Two weeks ago, I reviewed the 35th Annual Flathead River Writers Conference in Kalispell, Montana. If you missed that, here’s the link. There were too many great speakers and too much information to cram into one post. Today is a continuation of the conference summary.

Author, poet, and educator Jake Arrowtop

Fiction author and educator Jake Arrowtop wasn’t even interested in poetry until he realized that could be a positive influence at an alternative high school on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana. With obvious affection, he describes his students who are either “fighting” or “giggling.” He encourages them to write poems as a release for the pent-up emotional energy of teenage angst combined with historical, intergenerational trauma. His male students especially struggle with “indigenous masculinity, the notion of a warrior who has nowhere to go.”

After Jake read a poem written by one dropout, his support inspired her to write more. Soon she had a stack. He printed her poems and bound them into a book—a piece of art she could proudly hold in her hands.

Another moving story came about when he took six boys to Yellowstone to hunt buffalo. The night before, the boys had crowded into Jake’s motel room to hang out, giggling, eating junk food, and goofing around until he finally shooed them to their own rooms at 2 a.m.

Early the next morning, they trekked to the “killing fields” outside the park boundaries where hopeful hunters wait for buffalo to emerge from the national park sanctuary. Jake honors the hunting tradition and appreciates the massive amounts of meat that sustain him and his community.

When he spotted a buffalo, he aimed his rifle and shot. Although it was a solid hit that should have been a kill shot, the buffalo leapt around like a jackrabbit for several seconds until Jake’s second shot dropped him.

The boys gathered around Jake, hooting and cheering.

Instead of celebration, guilt and regret overcame Jake. He broke down, crying in front of the surprised boys.

It took time for him to sort out and write about his complex feelings. Later, he realized the act of taking the boys to teach them hunting had connected him with the heritage of untold generations of nomadic, Native people, following buffalo across the plains. He felt the heavy grief, sorrow, and profound loss of their way of life. He says it was good for the impressionable boys to see him cry and that gave them freedom to express complicated emotions in their own poetry.

Jake works to channel the students’ energy away from fighting and instead to a positive, creative release through writing. “My biggest goal is to introduce kids to community-shared experiences.”

From listening to him, I’m certain he’s already achieving that goal as a teacher who makes a lasting impact on his students.

 

YA author Jess Owen Kara and graphic author Jonathan Fetter-Vorm

Jess Owen Kara attended her first Flathead Writers Conference at age 16. Now she’s featured at the conference as an award-winning author of YA fantasy series and contemporary realistic YA fiction. Her publishing routes include indie-publishing, crowd funding, and traditional. She offered words of advice for writers to sustain themselves on the long and sometimes frustrating journey.

Writers often see traditional publication as the magic bullet to fame and success. Jess puts that in perspective. Following traditional publication of her novel Furry Faux Paw, the boss at her day job asked how sales were going. Jess replied, “I’m still here.”

Her attitude of equanimity grows from realistic expectations and how she defines success. Rather than dreams of NY Times bestsellers and movie deals that are out of the writer’s control, she counsels writers to ask: “What is your idea of success today? It may be to write XX number of words.”

More wisdom: “Don’t compare yourself to other writers. Comparison is the thief of joy. Compare only to learn from others.”

Despite conventional advice to build a brand, Jess believes, “You are not a brand, not like shoes or cereal. Good storytelling is the most effective sales tool.”

She quotes Michelangelo at 85 who said, “Still I am learning.”

Last, “the only way to fail is to stop writing.”

Jess is a survivor. We’ll continue to hear from her for many years to come. 

 

A writing conference is a great chance to build a mailing list. I took the opportunity to encourage sign-ups for my list with a prize drawing—a hand-crafted wood pen inspired by my book, TheVillain’s Journey-How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate. My good friend and TKZ emeritus Steve Hooley created the stunning pen.

Do contests work? The winner Bill Bond was thrilled and here’s the stack of sign-ups from the conference.

The upside of the Flathead Writers Conference: many excellent speakers. The downside: too many excellent speakers. A good problem to have even though it resulted in a jam-packed schedule with breakout sessions. I wanted to hear both speakers scheduled at the same time but couldn’t. Drat!

One session I missed was the panel with editor/publisher Cindy Spiegel (Spiegel and Grau), and literary agents Abby Saul and Julie Stevenson.

Literary agent Julie Stevenson

Later, I chatted with Julie and she shared her impressions: “It was such a wonderful weekend—so thoughtfully organized, and filled with warmth, inspiration, and a true sense of community. I came away feeling renewed and grateful to have spent time with such an engaged and generous group of writers and publishing professionals.” Julie graciously offered her assistance with future events, adding: “I’m a big fan of the conference and want to see it continue to thrive.”

Wow, how wonderful is that from a veteran agent?

As always, one-on-one appointments with agents and editors are popular. People can submit pages from their WIP in advance and receive individual professional feedback. Appointments always fill quickly, and writers come away with true insider perspectives to improve their work.

 

Did I mention the abundance of great information that came from this conference? As before in Part 1, this post is running long and I still haven’t covered all the high points. Come back in two weeks for Part 3 about the Flathead River Writers Conference, featuring memoirist Robert Petrone, graphic nonfiction author Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, and romantasy novelist J.D. Evans.

~~~

TKZers: At a conference, have you ever had a private appointment with a publishing professional? What did you learn from it?

~~~

 

Hot off the presses: brand-new box set of Tawny Lindholm Thrillers, Volumes 1-3. 

Three exciting novels only $7.99

Post-Mortem on the Flathead River Writers Conference – Part 1

Posted on by

Attendees at Debbie Burke’s Villain’s Journey workshop

by Debbie Burke

Al Solum and Kathy Dunnehoff wearing a hoodie with her book cover

Last weekend, the 35th annual Flathead River Writers Conference in Kalispell, Montana, was like an exuberant family reunion…except there were no drunken squabbles!

With many repeat attendees, emcee Kathy Dunnehoff compared the gathering of 100 writers to the dog park: we’re off the leash of ordinary life, happy to see each other, and eager to play.

Keynote Shelley Read glowed with warmth and enthusiasm, radiating encouragement as she talked about the Cinderella story of her debut novel Go as a River. Published in 2023 when she was 56, the novel became a mega-bestseller worldwide with translations into many languages. Shelley was stunned and thrilled with how the book’s theme of deep connection to the land resonates with readers around the globe. So far, she’s toured 19 states and 11 countries.

She relates the story of her proud mother creating what she laughingly calls a “shrine” in the living room, featuring her awards and reviews. Also displayed is Shelley’s first novel, written at age nine, entitled Peter the Porcupine, a two-page school assignment that grew to 66 pages and includes a hand-scrawled copyright symbol.

During her decades as an educator, wife, and mom, Shelley describes writing her book “in the margins of my life.” The story “marinated and percolated” inside her head, taking 13 years to finish.

Shelley believes grief and sorrow in the heart are universal, spanning across all cultures. Tapping those emotions could be the “great unifier” for humanity. She urged the audience to “write as a witness” to chronicle and preserve life’s experiences for others to read and learn from.

Cindy Spiegel, Spiegel and Grau publisher, and author Shelley Read, keynote speaker

Another guest speaker was Cindy Spiegel, CEO of Spiegel and Grau, the respected independent press that published Shelley’s book and numerous groundbreaking bestsellers. Cindy shepherds books and authors in the grand tradition of Maxwell Perkins.

She spent decades in the industry leading imprints and building a reputation for high-quality books. When multiple mergers of publishing companies changed the industry’s focus solely to quick profits, in 2020 she and Julie Grau struck out on their own. Their mission is to publish books that earn money but also change the world.

Cindy chooses books with enduring themes and helps them build lasting momentum rather than publishing ones that make a brief splash on social media then quickly disappear.

She understands most authors are introverts and believes part of her job is to help them with platforms. She clearly values a strong rapport with her authors and says, “I won’t publish someone if we don’t have the same vision.”

Agent Abby Saul and publisher Cindy Spiegel.
Photo credit David Snyder

Literary agent Abby Saul is celebrating 10 years of The Lark Group, the agency she founded to represent commercial adult fiction.

She recommends before submitting to an agent that the writer “takes the manuscript as far as you can” and perfects the first 50 pages. “Make the best first impression because that is often the only impression.” She usually only reads two pages of a submission but, if she gets engrossed and finds she’s read 20 pages, “Oh my gosh!”

After Abby and a client agree to representation, she puts together a list of editors she thinks will be interested in the project. Unlike agents who only make contact when the book is sold, she keeps the author fully informed throughout the submission process. If an editor gives reasons for rejection, she lets the author know so they can make changes if warranted. She also advises them to start writing their next book while waiting for an answer. “I’ve sold books in two days or in two years.”

In a query, she likes comps but advises writers not to brag about “being the next Dan Brown.” Rather use phrases like “In the vein of…” or “For fans of…”

When asked about AI, she isn’t concerned because there is “an art to writing and AI can’t compare. Readers are smart and they’re here for real books.”

YA novelist Jess Owen, romantasy author J.D. Evans, and Debbie Burke

The conference highlights are too many to fit into today’s post. Come back in two weeks for the next installment featuring more terrific speakers including Robert Petrone talking about memoir; Jake Arrowtop, Native-American poet; Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, artist and author of graphic novels and graphic nonfiction; a panel with YA novelist Jess Owen, romantasy author J.D. Evans, and me about our traditional and indie publishing paths.

~~~

TKZers: Have you attended a recent writing conference? Which speakers impressed you?

~~~

At the conference, I gave a day-long workshop. If you missed it, you can find the same information in The Villain’s Journey-How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate.