Character Development

presented by Chantel Treadway (June 2026)

Characterization

Miki Reilly Howe presents highlights of Chapter 4 – Characterization, from Janet Burroway’s Writing Fiction

Fictional Setting

Miki Reilly-Howe presents material from Janet Burroway’s Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition: A Guide to Narrative Craft

Narrative Time

Miki Reilly-Howe presents material from Janet Burroway’s Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition: A Guide to Narrative Craft

Building Suspense

Award-winning thriller writer Libby Fischer Hellmann discusses “Building Suspense”

Elements of Suspense

Trace Conger talks Elements of Suspense. Trace is an award-winning author in the crime, thriller, and suspense genres. He writes the Connor Harding (Thriller) series and the Mr. Finn (PI) series, among others.

World-Building

Joanne Dobson, author of the Karen Pelletier academic mystery series and The Kashmiri Shawl, speaks about world-building and creating a unique voice for your characters.

Young Adult Fiction

Lynn Slaughter – Writing Realistic Young Adult Fiction: Some Dos and Don’ts

Author Spotlight

Virginia Smith – Treat Your Writing Like a Business

Paul Stansbury – Writing the Short Story

Paul Hoffman – Writing True Crime Fiction

MJ Downing – Author of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Undead Client

Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Andrew Welsh-Huggins is an Associated Press reporter and author of seven mystery novels featuring a former Ohio State and Cleveland Browns quarterback turned private investigator, including his new book, An Empty Grave.

Judith Turner Yamamoto

Judith Turner-Yamamoto, author and 2020 Petrichor Prize finalist, discusses her debut novel, Loving the Dead and Gone, which comes out on September 6 from Regal House Publishing, Sour Mash Southern Literature series. Our chapter member, Miki Reilly-Howe, interviews Judith about the long process from writing to publication, as well as the masterful steps she has taken to ensure her novel’s success.