Do you need a speaker for your group? 

People love to hear writers talk about their lives, their work, career opportunities and especially the publishing industry.  I can tailor a presentation especially for the needs of just about any group, be it school children or senior citizens.  Often I can bring books with me to sell or give away, depending on my inventory of promotional copies.

For writers, I can teach classes of any length, from one hour to all day, as well as online courses, on any or all of the writing basics, plus these more specialized topics:

A Place to Hang Your Scenes:  Three-Act Structure for Novels

Learn how this age-old "formula" for writing a screenplay can work like a charm for your novel, curing plotting and pacing problems.

Yes, You Can Quit Your Day Job

I'll outline a step-by-step process for walking away from that ball-and-chain day job without going bankrupt--even if you're not yet earning six figures as a novelist.

The Synopsis Queen Tells All

If you're going to sell books to publishers, you must learn how to write a dynamic synopsis.  Learn a foolproof formula for writing a synopsis that sings, from an author who has sold several books on synopsis alone.  You don't have to hate synopsis-writing anymore!

Agents:  How to Find Them, Hire Them, Work with Them, and Fire Them

Convention wisdom says it's harder to find a good agent than a good editor, but these days, having representation is almost a must.  Find out how to snag the agent that's right for you and avoid the many dangerous pitfalls associated with agent-hunting.

Plot Doctor: Fixing Your Story Problems

Do you create wonderful, three-dimensional characters who then stumble around blindly in your book, trying to find a story?  As a frequent critiquer, contest judge, and the recipient of many, many rejection and revision letters over the years, I've witnessed and personally experienced just about every way your plot can veer into a ditch.  In this workshop I'll cover the fifteen most common problems, how to spot them and how to fix them them.

All About Psychics

Psychics, mediums and ghost hunters are hot topics.  If you're including such a character in your novel, you'll want to be authentic.  This workshops deals with how real psychics and other assorted "woo-woo" people actually work.  Kara reads Tarot cards herself and has been a student of the paranormal literally since childhood.  She brings her collection of tools and books--and you may even discover you're psychic yourself!

Aim High, Shoot Straight: Achieving Your Writing Goals

Find out how to focus on what you really want from your writing career, then formulate concrete, achievable goals and develop a step-by-step plan for achieving them. Includes tips on time management, staying motivated and convincing your friends and loved ones to get on board with your dreams.

Romance Novel Gestalt

The most satisfying novels are the ones written so tightly that every word, every description, every piece of dialogue is there for a specific reason, everything working in harmony.  There are no loose plot threads, no extraneous scenes or pointless characters, no filler dialogue.  But how do you achieve that seamless texture?  This workshop will help you to "put it all together" so your reader gets pleasantly lost in the story rather than stumbling over the building blocks. 

The Writer's Mind-Body Connection

Learn how your writing impacts your body, and how what you do for your body (food, sleep, exercise) can profoundly affect how you think, how you create, and how you feel about what you've created.