Writing Course details

I'm finalising the details of the Writing Romantic Fiction Course I'm running at the NAWG Festival at the end of the month. Can't believe how quickly this has come round.
Anyway the topics are:

 ESSENTIALS OF ROMANTIC FICTION

CREATING CHARACTERS, 

CONFLICT AND EMOTION

SEX AND PASSION

 - 4 workshops of 90 minutes each. There are still some places on the weekend if anyone wants to join us.
Contact NAWG.co.uk if you're interested.

(The web site might say you need to book before now - but I just dealt with a lady who thought she was too last and  NAWG organised it so that she can come on the course - so if you want to come, it's worth asking to book .)

After this, the next writing weekend will be with Relax and Write
4-6 October 2019 

at The Hayes Swanwick Derbyshire

https://www.relaxandwrite.co.uk/

NAWG Festival

The Babe Magnet and I had a thoroughly enjoyable time at the National Association of Writers' Groups Festival of Writing at the weekend. The weather was warm and sunny and so we grabbed a chance to spend some time in the lovely old city of Durham where we walked around by the Cathedral and the river before heading to Collingwood College where ther Festival was being held.

I wrote a book - Give and Take - set partly in Durham way back in 1991 and so lots of memories came back as we wandered around - hard to believe that it was actually 20 years ago!

The Festival was busy and buzzy with each of us doing 4 workshops from the Friday evening to the Sunday morning. Thanks to everyone who came to my workshops - I had a lot of fun as well as some really interesting discussions. Specially on the Sunday when the Writing a Sex Scene workshop was so much fun. Thanks to everyone who joined in, coped with 'sex changes' and even got involved in a threesome (on paper only) .

Saturday evening there was the celebratory dinner where we enjoyed the company of the delightful novelist Denise Robertson and her charming husband. The food was great and the staff of the college were warm and friendly. Our thanks to Nicolette Ward the chair of NAWG, Steve Bowkett and all the members of the committee who were so welcoming.

But on a personal note my favourite moment was when one of the college cleaners spotted my books on the Festival bookstall and was thrilled to discover that one of her favourite romance authors was in Durham. It was a joy to sign some books for her and to receive a great big, enthusiastic hug of thanks for the pleasure my writing has brought her.

Now that's just why I write and the best possible reward for slaving over a hot (or at times not so hot) keyboard.

Finally . . .

I'm sorry about the delay - the demands on my time just don't get any less - but I finally - finally! - have a winner for the suggestion of a name for my monthly column next year. I know I posted the contest back on August 15th but I needed to chat with the editors of the site to see what they thought of a name for the column and they agreed with me so -

The winner is - Laney with A Date With Kate

Laney came up with so many suggestions that I'm going to file them away for future reference!

(At this stage, I can't guarantee that this is exactly what the column will be called but it's our favourite at the moment.)

So Laney wins a prize - but - as no one entered the other mini-contest where I asked which of my books opens in York with the heroine leading the Ghost Walk ( the answer was The Duke's Secret Wife) I have spare prizes to give away. So to thank everyone else who came up with a suggestion for the name of the column, I'm giving away a prize of a backlist book to all of them too.

So- Laney

runner10

Lara
Carol

Kelly
and

CCMacKenzie

Please all contact me (kate AT Kate-walker.com ) with your postal address and choice of books from this list:

At the Sheikh's Command

Bedded By The Greek Billionaire

Cordero's Forced Bride

The Konstantos Marriage Demand

Kept for Her Baby

Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife

The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife.

And I'll organise your prizes. It might be after I get back from the NAWG Festival of Writing but I'll get straight to it after that.

Oh yes - and because some of you have been asking - now that it's September, The Good Greek Wife? is available early on eHarlequin as a print book as well as an ebook - details are here

It's in the shops on October 12th

Back and Backlist

Back home from a wonderful weekend in York. The roads were clear - in spite of it being Bank Holiday weekend. The sun shone. The company was wonderful - so very special to meet up with dear friends from Caerleon Writers' Holiday when we usually have to wait until July or February (For Fishguard) to get together.

York is always beautiful and we wandered round the city just enjoying the place and being together. Past the Minster, down the Shambles, then headed for Bettys Tea Rooms where we all had afternoon tea. Then a quick break before heading out to the Ghost Walk. This was great fun with a wonderful story-teller leading the walk, plenty of laughter and some spooky tales- appropriately enough just as dusk was gathering . . .

So now I'm back home and need to regroup and plan workshops for the next event - the NAWG Festival of Writing in Durham next weekend. It's all go! If you're going to be in Durham - I'll se you there.

Oh, and talking about Workshops - to those of you who have written to ask, yes it's true. I talked with Anne & Gerry who organise the Fishguard Writing Weekend as well as the fabulous Caerleon Writers' Holiday and they confirmed that my Advanced Writing Romance course at Fishguard is already booked up, 6 months in advance! So I'm really sorry to disappoint anyone who was hoping to book for 2011. I hope that I will be running it again the following year so you can put your name down in advance if you want. Or check out other courses listed on my Events page - but do remember that to attend an Advanced course, you must first have been to aprevious basic Writing Romance course at Fishguard, Caerleon or elsewhere. (There is on at Caerleon next July)

Finally those backlist books - if you've seen I heart Presents receently, you'll see that Harlequin are regularly bringing out authors' backlist books in ebook format. There are quite a few of mine already republished as ebooks - and the good news is that two more have just joined them -

A Sicilian Husband was first published in Presents in 2004

That's available now

And coming on October 1st is The Christmas Baby's Gift (2003)

Oh - and perhaps more importantly, if you've been waiting for the USA Presents EXTRA edition of The Good Greek Wife? that is available in ebook form from September 1st over on eharlequin

Courses etc coming up

I'm just orgainsing myself to update my web site and I'll be posting some new courses/workshops dates coming up - so as I know a lot of people who read this blog like to know about the teaching I do, I thought I'd list the details here as well and then post them on the web site for future reference.

So -

July 2010

ROMANTIC NOVELISTS' ASSOCIATION
Romantic Novelists’ Association Conference

Place: University of Greenwich in SE London

Dates: Friday 9th July - Sunday 11th July 2010

I'll be teaching a workshop on Conflict - so if you're going to be there and you have any specific queries about Conflict then please send me an email and I'll hope to answer your questions (and maybe I'll be able to use the lecture as a series of posts on this blog about the subject too.)

WRITERS’ HOLIDAY AT CAERLEON
Once again I’ll be going back to one of my favourite places and taking part in the Writers’ Holiday at Caerleon 2010.
Date: July 25-30, 2010

Event: I will be teaching a five part course on The 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.

Further details and booking forms can be found here: http://www.writersholiday.net/
Book online and save £10!

September 2010

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS' GROUPS
NAWG (National Association of Writers’ Groups) Festival of Writing

Place: St Aidan's College, University of Durham, Durham

Dates: September 3-5, 2010

http://www.nawg.co.uk/

I'll be teaching four workshops over the weekend:

Friday evening - What Sort of Fiction Should I Write?
Commercial publishing is a highly competitive world. Knowing how to focus on the type of fiction you can write best is an advantage in this often cut-throat business. But how do you decide where your focus should lie?

SATURDAY - SUNDAY

These 3 workshops will be particularly focussed on writing Romantic Fiction which is my speciality. But they will also be helpful for anyone who wants to write any sort of fiction, particualarly commercial genre fiction. They can be used as a mini course - or dipped into by someone who just wants to do one or the other.

1. Creating Characters
An essential skill for succesful commercial fiction is to create believable and sympathetic character. Whether storm-tossed lovers, hardened, cynical detectives or even blue headed aliens from another planet you need to build characters the readers care about and who come alive on the page. This workshop will give you techniques and ideas how to do just that.

2. Plotting
Are you a planner or a pantser? Do you plot your story in details or 'travel hopefully into the mist'? How do you create a romantic story - or indeed any sort of story - that will keep your readers turning the page and avoid the dreaded 'sagging middle'?

3. Writing A Sex Scene
Very little commercial fiction that involves the relationships between men and women (or indeed same sex relationships) is published today that doesn't involve dealing with the passionate and sexual aspects of that relationship. So how do you write a believeable, emotional, sensual scene that works for your characters and keeps you out of the short-list for the annual Bad Sex Awards?

October 2010

Calderdale Writers' Roadshows - Halifax

I really enjoyed taking part in these last year. Sadly, this year I'm already booked up for other things for the dates of most of them, but I will be doing the following

1. Friday 8 October – Halifax Library – 5-7pm – one-ones (you'll need to book thse in advance)
2. Saturday 9 October – Halifax Library – 10.30-12.30 workshop on Romantic Fiction

February 2011

FISHGUARD WRITING WEEKEND 2011
Once again I will be teaching at the fabulous Fishguard Writing Weekend.
Event: Weekend Residential Writing Course – Romance – Moving It On

You’ve been to Kate Walker’s Writing Romance Workshops – Now here is your chance to take your romance writing further with her new series of ‘Moving It On’ workshops designed exclusively for Fishguard 2011

Dates: 18 – 20th February 2011

Venue: Fishguard Bay Hotel

Quay RoadGoodwickFishguardPembrokeshireSA64 0BT

http://www.writersholiday.net/

Book on line and save £10

Anyone who has been to any of my previous workshops is welcome - and even if you haven't been to one of my writing weekends or courses, this new series of classes will help you learn more about writing romance and how to polish your manuscript ready for submission.

Coming Up

The start to a new year made me look forward and plan - and it was quite amazing to see what's already booked as coming up for me in 2010.

As some of these events - most of them - are already taking bookings and I'll soon be starting with the first of them, I thought I'd do a quick summary of just what's happening in the way of workshops and talks this year

So here goes -

HULL

This first one isn't fully confirmed yet but it's the first chronologically so -

I've been asked to do a workshop on the writing romance - based on the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance - in Hull Central Library. I've just heard it will be on 8th February but I'm not sure yet if it's morning or afternoon.

SHEFFIELD

An Evening With Kate Walker

15th February Sheffield Central Library

6-8pm

Further details from the library

FISHGUARD

Once again I will be teaching at the fabulous Fishguard Writing Weekend.
Event: Weekend Residential Writing Course – Writing Modern Romance

Dates: 19 – 21st February 2010

Venue: Fishguard Bay Hotel Fishguard Pembrokeshire

Details and application here - (If you put my name on the form you should get a £10 reduction in the fee)

HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ARTS
I will be running a couple of events/seminars on romance writing organised by Highlands and Islands Arts (http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/).
At the moment, things are still being finalised, but the probable dates/venues I have are: Thursday 25th March 2010 (evening) Inverness

Saturday 27th March 2010 (afternoon) Ullapool

More details when I get them - or from HI Arts

RESIDENTIAL TRAINING
Event: a two day residential course on Writing Romance held in the beautiful surroundings of New Place Shirrell Heath, Southampton.

Dates: 24th - 25th April 2010

I've been having trouble with the RT web site - I will put the full details on my web site as soon as I get this sorted out.

NEWS - apparently the web site for this event has been lost and until the organisers can get things sorted out, the details of this course can be found here:

http://hampshire.tk/events/writing-romance-with-kate-walker-at-new-place-shirrell-heath-southampton/

ROMANTIC NOVELISTS' ASSOCIATION
Romantic Novelists’ Association Conference

I'll be teaching some aspect of romance/ romantic fiction writing - not quite sure exactly what yet.

Place: University of Greenwich in SE London

Dates: Friday 9th July - Sunday 11th July 2010

WRITERS’ HOLIDAY AT CAERLEON
Once again I’ll be going back to one of my favourite places and taking part in the Writers’ Holiday at Caerleon 2010.
Date: July 25-30, 2010

Event: I will be teaching a five part course on The 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.

Further details and booking forms can be found here: http://www.writersholiday.net/

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS' GROUPS
NAWG (National Association of Writers’ Groups) Festival of Writing

Place: St Aidan's College, University of Durham, Durham

Dates: September 3-5, 2010http://www.nawg.co.uk/
I'll be teaching some courses here. More details when I get them.

That'll keep me busy - I hope to meet up with old friends and make new ones at many of these events -

That means you Rachael, Brenda, Rachel , Caroline . . .

And anyone else who wants to come along.

All details are on the EVENTS page of my web site and any new bookings will go up there as soon as I arrange them .

John O'Groats to Land's End . . .

(In case you don't know that means going from the most northerly point on mainland Britain (in Scotland) to the very southernmost spot at the end of Cornwall)

Well, perhaps not, but it almost seems like it. I spent yesterday organising the updates for myweb site and one of the things I had to fo was to revise and bring up to date my Events page. I've had some comments in the past from writers wishing that I might do a workshop or a coure closer to where they live- with Scotland particularly being the place that was missing out the most. But yesterday as I listed the events coming up between now and next November, I realised that I will be travelling the length and breadth of the country and hopefully if you're interested you will find a course or at the very least a talk that will be within your reach.

So I thought I'd give you some advance warning on these so that you can look out for the ones that are going to be closest to you - sorry to everyone in America and Australia and all other countries. But there's only one of me and I'm stretched pretty tightly as it is!

February 15th - belated Valentine's Day event.
An Evening With Kate Walker
Place: Central Library . Surrey Street, Sheffield S1 1XZ
Time: 6-8pm
Date:15th February
More details when I get them


February 19th - 21st
FISHGUARD WRITERS & ARTISTS' WORKSHOP WEEKEND
Course: Contemporary Romance
Details can be found here


March 25th and 27th
Highlands and Islands Arts http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/
I will be running a couple of events/seminars on romance writing organised by Highlands and Islands Arts. At the moment, things are still being finalised, but the probable dates/venues I have are:
Thursday 25th March 2010 (evening) Inverness
Saturday 27th March 2010 (afternoon) Ullapool
Full details and venues to be announced - watch my web site Events page for more information


RESIDENTIAL TRAINING
Event: a two day residential course on Writing Romance held in the beautiful surroundings of New Place Shirrell Heath, Southampton.
Dates: 24th - 25th April 2010
Venue: New Place, Shirrell Heath Southampton Hampshire SO32 2JH


ROMANTIC NOVELISTS' ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE
Place: University of Greenwich in SE London
Dates: Friday 9th July - Sunday 11th July 2010


WRITERS’ HOLIDAY AT CAERLEON
Dates: 25th July - 30th July 2010
I will be teaching a five part course on The 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.
Further details and booking forms can be found here: http://www.writersholiday.net/

With the Babe Magnet teaching Writing True Crime

NAWG (National Association of Writers’ Groups) Festival of Writing
Place St Aidan's College, University of Durham, Durham,
Dates:September 3-5
http://www.nawg.co.uk/
More details when I get them

Hopefully one of these will be manageable for many of you. I'll look forward to meeting you somewhere. some time!