HOT ROD HAMSTER HIDE AND SEEK
Downtown Waupaca
April 1-16
Find author Derek Anderson’s character Hot Rod Hamster hiding in 12 downtown businesses. Game cards and prizes at Dragonwings Bookstore, 110 S. Main Street, Waupaca (in The Bookcellar).
WRITERS’ WORKSHOPS
Write Your Novel Like a Pro
Advanced class
led by author/UW writing teacher Christine DeSmet
Friday, April 17 1:00-2:30pm at the Waupaca Library
$20, limited to 30 students
register at waupacalibrary.org; link on the site’s Waupaca BookFest page.
This interactive workshop presents the keys to making sense of the gargantuan and often intimidating task of writing a novel. A quality novel manuscript is built from essential elements that build on each other. If the writer creates these elements in order, the writer usually ends up with deeper quality and faster, more satisfying writing from the start. This workshop covers: the logline and why you create it before you write; the story’s Central Question; character fatal flaw and what that really means; plot points (and what they are not); scene construction; and more. Writers from all genres including children’s writing will benefit.
Christine DeSmet is a UW-Madison writing instructor and author of the national bestselling Fudge Shop mystery series set in Door County, including Five-Alarm Fudge (April 2015). Christine teaches a Master Class in novel writing at he Write-by-the-Lake Writers’ Workshop & Retreat in Madison, June 15-19, and an online one-on-one course called “Write Your Novel Fast & Sure.” DeSmet is also a presenting author.
Writing Life and Family Stories
led by author and writing coach Judy Bridges
Thursday, April 16, 6:00-7:30pm at the Waupaca Library
Free
Whether you are a beginning writer or a pro, this workshop will help you mine the riches of the people, places, and events in your life. Did you really get married on a motorcycle? What was it like to live through a dire illness, or visit Grandma, or dance on a cobblestone street? Would you like to write memories of your life or your family to give as gifts, or maybe just to get-it-down for yourself? See samples of stories others have written, decide what you’d like to write and where to begin, start finding your natural writing voice, and best of all, enjoy the company of others who like to write.
IMORTANT: Please come fragrance free. Judy is allergic to fragrances of all types, especially in shampoos and body products.
Judy Bridges is the author of the award-winning writers’ guide, Shut Up & Write! and the founder of Redbird Studio writing center in Milwaukee. Prior to founding the studio, she earned her living writing articles, short stories, plays. and corporate communications. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in creative writing and adult education. Her next book will be a collection of life stories titled You Drive, You’re too Drunk to Sing. www.redbirdstudio.com
E-Publishing: Unraveling the Mysteries
led by author and epublishing expert K.J. Klemme
Friday, April 17, 10:00-11:30am at the Waupaca Library
Free
Indiana Jones had the Temple of Doom. Self-publishing authors have e-books. Both are nail-biting, sweat-soaked adventures into the unknown—at least that’s what it feels like the first time you’re confronted with the prospect of creating an e-book. In this session, we’ll walk through the process of creating an e-book, and then dissect one to examine its components. We’ll talk about tools, tips, and tricks that can streamline the process and help troubleshoot problems. Finally, we’ll discuss best practices and the requirements of the major online stores.
K.J. Klemme’s experiences in journalism, desktop publishing and information technology gave her the skills needed to tackle her first e-book when she published her suspense novel, Tourist Trapped, in the fall of 2014. Since then, she’s formatted four other books: Circle of Nine: Beltany, Mashkiki Rapids, Murder by the Letters and Four Feet Down. You can find out more on her publisher website: Travels and Travails Publshing.
POETRY EVENT
Dylan Garity
Saturday, April 4, 5pm
The Woods Restaurant
Minneapolis poet Dylan Garity will lead a poetry workshop and read from his work. An open mike session follows.
WELCOME RECEPTION
Friday, April 17, 7:00-8:30pm
Little Fat Gretchen’s Cafe/The Bookcellar/Dragonwings building,
right across Main Street from the library.
Tickets $10, in advance at the library and The Bookcellar across Main Street from the library. If it is not sold out, tickets will be available at the door as well.
Join all the presenting authors for a fun evening of desserts, coffee, and conversation.
CLOSING CONCERT
Saturday, April 18 at 6pm
Chain O’ Lakes Bar and Grill
Join us at the Chain O’ Lakes Bar and Grill for music and great food. The band Half Pants will be playing until 8 pm.
SILENT AUCTION
At the concert at The Chain O’ Lakes Bar and Grill. Bid on items in a silent auction, and help us fund the next book festival.
BOOK BAG RAFFLE
[ENDED] Enter from September 10 through November 14, 2014 to win a one-of-a-kind canvas book bag decorated by an author, along with that author’s latest book, autograph included. The raffle is being held at the Waupaca Area Library through November 14. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.
Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Michael Perry, Matt Tavares, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Pat Schmatz, Erica Bauermeister, Darien Gee, Patricia Wood, Jacqueline West, and Geoff Herbach have each decorated bags. Head to our WBF 2010, 2012 page to learn more about them.
Each author is a former presenter at a Waupaca BookFest. The authors really enjoyed making these bags, and it shows. Some are funny, some are lovely, some are thought-provoking. Bonus: Darien Gee included what she calls “a few trinkets,” which is actually a large basket full of wonderful gifts.