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Chickenshit — Volume 2, by Amy Stinnett

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Amy StinnettAmy Stinnett is the author of a new book, Chickenshit — Volume 2, a work of Lesbian fiction published by Waiting Dog Press.

Now that Billie has made her choice to run the farm, it’s time to roll up her sleeves and get to work.

Baby chicks and goats want to be fed. Gardens need to be planted and tended. And Billie seems up for the task.

As the farm teems with life, Billie goes after her chores with zeal and tenacity, as her dad did before her. But, unlike her dad, Billie’s no hermit. Before long, the farm has more visitors than ever, but the one person Billie wants in her bed insists on taking things slow.

Chickenshit — Volume 2Buy Chickenshit – Volume 2

Chickenshit — Volume 1, by Amy Stinnett

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Amy StinnettAmy Stinnett is the author of a new book, Chickenshit — Volume 1, a work of Lesbian fiction published by Waiting Dog Press.

Billie’s life is right on track. Solid. She has a girlfriend to hang with and an internship to build her resume until she goes back to U Dub next fall. But when her girlfriend bails on her and she inherits her dad’s farm in nowhere Idaho, you could knock her over with a feather. Milepost is a world away from Seattle in more ways than one. There’s no good coffee, the locals are a mixed bag, and there is no social life whatsoever.

Chickenshit— Volume 1Buy Chickenshit — Volume 1

Elsewhere, Elsewhen, and Elsewise with David D. Levine

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David D. LevineHugo-winning science fiction writer David D. Levine will host a week-long examination of the challenges and opportunities of the worlds of science fiction and fantasy. The workshop, Elsewhere, Elsewhen, and Elsewise, will be a laid-back week whose content is largely determined by the attendees, but potential topics for discussion include:

  • Integrating character, plot, and world building
  • Using sets and props to define character, clarify the world, and build emotion
  • Using all the senses (there are more than just five)
  • Developing an idea into a story.

There will be plenty of time for writing, questions, and group discussion.

The workshop will be held Monday through Friday, July 15-20, 2018, at Colonyhouse. There are two options for attendance:

$400 total for classes Monday through Friday, including double-occupancy lodging from Sunday after 4 p.m. through Friday noon.

$200 for Monday-through-Friday class only.

David D. Levine is the author of The Andre Norton Award winning Arabella of Mars (2016) The second book of the series, Arabella and the Battle of Venus was released in 2017. The trilogy concludes with Arabella the Traitor of Mars, scheduled for publication by Tor on July 31, 2018. He has written more than 50 SF and fantasy stories. His story “Tk’Tk’Tk” won the Hugo, and he has been shortlisted for awards including the Hugo, Nebula, Campbell, and Sturgeon. His stories have appeared in Asimov’s, Analog, F&SF, and multiple Year’s Best anthologies, and his award-winning collection Space Magic.

Flash Fiction: Writing Very, Very, Very Short with Becky Kjelstrom

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Becky KjelstromOregon Writers Colony will host a workshop titled Writing Very, Very, Very Short, led by Becky Kjelstrom.

The workshop happens the week of June 11-15, 2018, at Colonyhouse.

The workshop offers two price options:

  1. $350 for classes from 9 a.m. Monday through 4 p.m. Friday, including double-occupancy lodging in Colonyhouse.
  2. $175 for classes only, Monday through Friday. No lodging.

Becky will guide participants through the world of flash fiction and other short forms. We will explore haiku, senryu, six-word stories, dribble (50 word), drabble (100 words), sudden fiction (up to 750 words), hybrid shorts, one-paragraph synopses, blurbs, and query letters.

Each day will include a morning class. Afternoons will be a time to write on assignments from class and your own works in progress. After dinner, we will convene for a gentle critique or discussion. Becky will also be available for one-on-one critiques.

Class and discussion topics:

  • Finding Muscular Words to Carry a Story
  • Jumpstart with Brainstorming and Clustering
  • Group Write Plots and Character Sketches
  • Using Prompts, Images and Six Things Lists
  • Getting Comfortable with a Variety of Forms
  • Brutal Editing.

Monday evening,  soup and bread will be on the menu. Thursday evening, we will enjoy cocktails and share potluck. Coffee, tea, yogurt, oatmeal, fruit, bagels, and muffins will be available for breakfast.

Becky Kjelstrom is the president of OWC and author of a novel published by Bantam Books. Her short stories have appeared in several zines and anthologies. Her writing aesthetic comes from her past work as a parole officer, corrections, counselor, staff trainer, and curriculum writer. She and her writing partner created a blog for short work, TheNightMail.com, and are shopping around a pilot for an edgy series set in Old Town Portland. Becky sculpts and gardens in her spare time.

Build Characters with Bill Cameron

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Building CharactersMystery author Bill Cameron will teach a workshop titled Getting to Know You: Building Character from the Ground Up Friday, June 22, 2018, at Colonyhouse.

In this interactive workshop, we’ll work together to create characters who are messy, engaging, troubled, powerful, scary — you name it. Through a series of exercises, some individually and some in teams, we’ll explore a variety of techniques for creating characters that jump off the page and come to life in the minds of your readers.

Bill Cameron is the author of gritty mysteries featuring Skin Kadash: Lost Dog, Chasing Smoke, Day One, and the Spotted Owl Award-winning County Line. Bill’s stories have appeared in publications like Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Portland Noir, and Killer Year. His work has been nominated for multiple awards, including the Spotted Owl Award, the Left Coast Crime Rocky Award, and the CWA Short Story Dagger. Property of the State, a young adult mystery featuring the troubled yet resourceful Joey Getchie, was named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2016: Teen.

The one-day workshop with Bill Cameron costs $60. Add $50 for a one-night double-occupancy stay at Colonyhouse.

Bill’s workshop is part of the Colonyhouse Mix-It-Up event, with three workshops for one bargain price.

Photo by Carson Arias on Unsplash

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501(c)(3) non-profit writers' organization dedicated to supporting writers through education and community-building.
Email: info@oregonwriterscolony.org
P.O. Box: 15200
Portland, Oregon 97293-5200
United States

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  • Use of Colonyhouse
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