Upcoming events
Your Path through Today’s Publishing Labyrinth
Sunday, March 29
1:00pm - 2:30 pm
Mill Valley Public Library
This workshop will coach participants to consider what they want out of publishing, and which of today’s many paths is best suited for their personally defined success. As any journey to publication is long, even beginning writers will benefit by learning how to set themselves up early for success; and advanced writers who are ready to submit will benefit from being able to take away focused and actionable next steps. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the complex but exciting state of today’s publishing industry.
The 2026 Writing Workshop of San Francisco
Saturday, April 11
9:30am - 5:00pm
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport,
This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.
I’ll be teaching How to Think Like a Developmental Editor and offering 10—page critiques.
san francisco writers conference 2026
RECENT events
Wooing the muse
Writing a book is challenging. Maybe you’ve hit the saggy middle of your story, or you can’t figure out the ending. Perhaps you’ve fallen out of love with your main character, or maybe you’re struggling to get your brilliant idea out of your head and onto the page in the first place.
In this fun, idea-packed workshop, you’ll discover tricks and charms to get unstuck and get your writing back on track. Through out-of-the box writing prompts, you’ll learn how to reinvigorate your characters, discover the heart of your story to illuminate your plot, and find new ways into your work when the muse refuses to be helpful. Finally, you’ll learn new techniques to jumpstart your writing, tricks to keep you going, and self-care tips to avoid burnout and keep you falling in love with the craft.
Whatever your brand of writer’s block, you’ll leave with a bag of tricks to woo the muse and help you move forward again, including free-writing and free-drawing exercises (no drawing skills necessary) that we'll have tried together in class, and a handout to remind you of all the new ways you'll have of wooing the muse.
All Our Lies Are True VIRTUAL Launch Party
To celebrate the publication of All Our Lies Are True, I threw an online launch party with Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, author of the fabulously twisty thriller, Friends Like These. We talked about the inspiration for the book, how we plot a thriller, and answered your questions. You can watch the recording here: