Write 'em, Cowboy
May 1-4, 2008
Mystery writer, Carolyn Haines, shares her experience and knowledge of writing and publishing with writers of all genres who have a work in progress. She presents a writer’s workshop with sessions on Writing for the Market and Plot & Structure with a view toward producing a saleable manuscript.
She then shares another passion, horseback riding. Work sessions will be mixed with guided trail riding where authors can relax and be inspired by the tranquil woodlands and beautiful scenery of Lookout Mountain.
Carolyn’s agent, Marian Young, will present a sessions on agent/writer relationships and marketing your manuscript.
Angi Bones and Dianne Ashford, film producers from Atlanta, GA, will speak on what producers look for in turning a book into a movie.
Sessions will contain formal presentations and there will be informal, “round the campfire” style discussions among the participants.
Carolyn’s topics:
Writing for the Market: A discussion of the differences between a writer’s view of his/her work and a publisher’s perception of what will sell.
Plot & Structure I: Most novels fail because the book isn’t properly planned out. Like a house built without a blueprint, a poorly constructed novel falls apart. This session will look at the basic elements of different genres.
Plot & Structure II: Continuing examination of the plot points, reversals and structure of saleable manuscripts.
Workshop is limited to 12 participants. Participants are housed in fully furnished, well appointed cabins with all amenities including hot tubs, fireplaces and internet access. All meals are provided. Sessions will be held at the housing location with a short drive to the horseback trails for riding.
Cost: $875 ($975) 4 days/3 nights includes workshop, double occupancy housing (single), all meals, horses, tack, trail guides, and tax. A short individual consultation with agent, Marian Young is included.
Individual consultation with Carolyn Haines: $50
Non-riding companions rate: $450. Non-riding companion rate includes housing (double occupancy) and meals.
Other activities: Golf, hiking, fishing, rappelling, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, craft shops, artist's galleries, antique shops and other tourist attractions.
For more information and registration packet contact our booking agent, Susan.
Email: Susan@HorsebackHorizons.com By phone: 404-218-6070 or 256-634-4466.
Carolyn Haines—WRITER, CRAZY WOMAN
Photo: Vickie Elzarrad
Growing up in the small town of Lucedale, Mississippi, reading and fantasizing were the staples of existence for Carolyn. As a pre-teen, she spent endless hours solving mysteries like her idol, Nancy Drew. But where Nancy had a convertible, Carolyn wanted a horse.
While fiction writing was her ultimate goal, her parents persuaded her that a career with a steady paycheck might be a good fallback position, so she earned a BS in journalism and promptly went to work, following in the footsteps of her parents. She spent ten years as a journalist covering state and local politics in Alabama and Mississippi, writing feature stories and working as a photographer for major daily newspapers and weeklies. During those years, she never lost her love of reading, particularly Southern authors who told stories about her home area—and mysteries. And while journalism was in her blood, she never gave up the fantasy of one day writing fiction.
Today, Carolyn has published over 50 books in a number of genres, including General Fiction, Mystery, Crime Novel, Thriller, Romantic Mystery, and Non-Fiction. Her story, “The Wish,” included in the 2007 MANY BLOODY RETURNS, hit the New York Times bestseller list, and her mysteries have placed on both the Ingrams and the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association Top 10 bestseller lists. Two of her books have been named “One of the top five mysteries of 2004 (HALLOWED BONES) and 2006 (PENUMBRA)” by LIBRARY JOURNAL. She is also a recipient of an Alabama State Arts Council writing fellowship.
Writing has been rivaled only by Carolyn’s love for animals, and she is active in several organizations focused at improving life for all living creatures (and therefore the planet). She shares her home with 8 horses, 8 cats, and 5 dogs, almost all of them rescue animals. And she urges everyone to spay and neuter their pets and help put an end to the needless suffering and death of unwanted companion animals.
For a list of her books and to learn more about Carolyn, please go to www.carolynhaines.com
Marian Young/The Young AgencyA graduate of Swarthomore College, Marian Young has been working in publishing her
entire career. Her first job, with a publishers' advertising agency, led to a position with
Harper & Row (now HarperCollins) as advertising director. Preferring to work directly
with writers, she decided to become an agent and worked at two literary agencies
before going out on her own in 1986.
Over the years, she has had the privilege of working with a diverse group of writiers
in many fields: art, history, fiction, cookbooks and general non-fiction. In
addition to Carolyn Haines and Alabama native, Thomas Lakeman, she represents
Brett Lott, author of on of the highest-selling Oprah's Book Club picks, JEWEL, and
the Pen Center/Bingham Award-winner, WE'RE IN TROUBLE, by Christopher Coake.
Two of her cookbooks, ALL ABOUT BRAISING, by Molly Stevens and TASTY, by
Roy Finamore, were awarded the prestgious Beard Award, and another cookbook honor
(to which she is sworn to secrecy) is soon to be announced. Finally, she liked the
work of writer T.R. Pearson so much that she married him.
If there is a theme to her preferences, it would follow the words of Oscar Wilde:
"My tastes are simple. I am always satisfied with the best."
Angi Bones--PRODUCER, DIRECTOR
ANGI BONES did not follow the path of her parents. The daughter of an educator and a lawyer, Angi took on Law Enforcement as her career of choice. However, an intern position on the independent film “Panther” directed by Mario Van Peebles shifted her years with law enforcement to the entertainment industry. After three days of interning on the film as a production assistant, Angi has progressed to a thirteen year career of film making starting as a Production Assistant, which eventually lead to Extra’s Casting Director, Assistant Director, Producer and Director.
To her credit Angi has several commercials, music videos, award shows, television sitcoms and more than 40 films; most notably: The Negotiator, Blade, To Wong Foo, Eve's Bayou, Fighting Temptations, Men of Honor, Mother, The Antione Fisher Story, Trainig Day, Motives I, The Gospel, Warm Springs, Stroke of Genius, Crazy in Alabama, Dairy of a Mad Black Woman, Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, Daddy's Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married, House of Payne and most recently Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns along with a host of music videos, commercials, television sitcoms and made for TV films. Angi is also a member of the Director's Guild of America.
Based on her production experience she has completed a manuscript entitled "The Production Assistants Hand Manuel" soon to be published late 2007. In addition to her writings, she, along with her business partner Dianne Ashford, created Symmetry Entertainment in 2003. Symmetry is an Atlanta based Film and Video production company which will soon be on the Hollywood A list of up and coming powers in the world of film making.
Angi and Dianne produced their first film entitled Trois, The Escort, which was released to DVD in 2005. Angi has continued her career as Producer and Director for a controversial feature documentary film entitled Season of Death as well as Producer of Motives II which was released to DVD in 2006. Angi has also directed for such ad agency elites as J. Walter Thompson in which she directed a short industrial for "The Atlanta Union Mission." Directing this type of project keeps Angi in line with her goals which are to give back to the community through film.
Dianne Ashford--PRODUCER
DIANNE ASHFORD a graduate of Atlanta's Walter F.George High School attended Florida A&M University where she received a B.S. in Computer Information Systems. Upon graduation, she was recruited by and accepted a position with SBC Communications, Inc. (now AT&T) in St. Louis, MO. While there she enjoyed many years filled with promotions and accolades, and in the last year of her corporate career, she decided to pursue a career in the arts. Taking a thirty-day leave of absence to work on Rainforest Films' Trois 2: Pandora's Box as the producer's intern, the experience was so valuable and intriguing that Dianne immediately resigned from her job and embarked on a new career in film. She moved back to her hometown of Atlanta, GA in 2001 and worked as Production Coordinator on PM Pictures' The Kudzu Christmas.
As a result of her hard work and tenacity, she was asked to stay on, as the Director of Operations for the company once the film was complete. One year later, Dianne returned to Rainforest Films where she received her first experience and worked in distribution on the theatrical release of Trois 2: Pandora's Box. She continued her tenure with Rainforest Films through the video distribution of Pandora's Box, Lockdown and Motives.
In 2003, Dianne and partner Angi Bones, co-founded Symmetry Entertainment and in May of 2004, completed their first film entitled A Complex Occupation. The film's title was later changed to Trois: The Escort. Dianne continued her career as Line Producer for the hit film The Gospel, producer for a controversial documentary entitled Season of Death , producer of Motives 2 and most recently co-producer of Three Can Play That Game(sequel to the hit movie Two Can Play That Game), slated for release fall 2007.
