Bio: I'm a reader, a walker, and a grower of roses. Most of all, I'm mother of three, and grandmother of two fascinating brilliant beautiful boys who call me Granny. My husband and I love to travel with our fifth wheel. Future trips: Glacier National Park, Yosemite, the redwoods, Alaska, and on and on. I also am a writer. I have two historicals with romance elements out with Kensington, and I'm now working on a contemporary mystery.
Possible topics: The Most Villainous of All: Writing psychopathic and sociopathic characters. The words psychopath and sociopath conjure up some grisly murderers: John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer. But even among psychopaths, these monsters are rare. Far more common are the non-violent psycho and socio-paths whose disordered lives cause pain, heartbreak, and ruin to those who are swept into their orbits. Whether your character is a toxic boss, a little old lady with a vicious streak, a callous lover, or a serial killer—intensify and deepen the characterization by knowing the remarkable profiles of sociopaths and psychopaths.
How to turn your short story contest win into a published book. (Personal account)
Polishing and revising: Deepen and tweak your manuscript until it sparkles.
I'm a former English teacher and know a lot about the craft of writing. I'm also a lifelong student, most particularly of writing. I have studied dozens of craft books and participated in countless hours of critique. I've also judged many contests. I am writing a book now on two evil women. I've done extensive research on the topic and am interested in how we can use this information in creating nuanced villains.
Fees: Negotiable