IS IT A TWEET? OR IS IT A NOVEL? WORKSHOP
with Jonathan Miller, author and lawyer
Saturday, June 21, 2014
9:00am-1:00pm
Pinos Altos, 7 miles north of Silver City
$85/participant which includes a copy of one of Jon’s books
Space is limited. Register by sending your request to info@swwordfiesta.org
or call 575-313-3172
Have you ever wondered if that interesting happening you were part of is worthy of more than a “tweet” or a blog post? Maybe there’s a short story in it or an article. Or, maybe it’s the beginning of your novel. Besides that, do you ever ask yourself, “How do I write myself into my story or should I even try? And, do I go with fiction or non-fiction?”
One way to begin answering these puzzlements is to sign up for the Southwest Festival of the Written Word’s writing intensive workshop with Albuquerque author Jonathan Miller, creator of the Dan Shepard, Rattlesnake Lawyer series. Jon also writes non-fiction and for television.
The workshop, “Is it a Tweet? Or is it a Novel?” will take place in the cool temperatures of Pinos Altos, 7 miles north of Silver City, on Saturday, June 21 from 9:00am-1:00pm. The cost is $85/participant which includes one of Jon’s novels or one of his non-fiction works, and refreshments. Space is limited. To register, please email your request to info@swwordfiesta.org or call 575-313-3172.
In addition to the conundrums listed above, Jonathan will discuss editing issues and what to do after you’ve finished the work. He will personally critique your writing sample from the long writing session in the workshop and mail it back to you. Based on the result of his review of the long writing samples, he will select one to forward to his own agent for perusal. No guarantees what will transpire from that point on, but how often does your work get the chance to catch an agent’s eye?
The workshop will consist of discussions and two writing sessions-one for approximately 20 minutes and the other, approximately 50 minutes.
Miller’s work is tight and intriguing. And it makes you smile, even as the mysteries pile up and the intricacies of relationships get confusing. He writes with the authority that comes from actually practicing criminal law in New Mexico and his newest book, Laws & Loves chronicles his early years and how he learned to balance the law with literature, all the while looking for love in all the wrong courtrooms. (This book is a must for anyone thinking of practicing law or falling in love.)
He currently practices law in Albuquerque where he writes and stays active in legal services that help the poor. Jon is a graduate of Albuquerque Academy, Cornell University, the University of Colorado School of Law, and the American Film Institute. He also wrote for the syndicated TV show Arrest and Trial and hopes to use his writing royalties to pay off his student loans before he dies.
His books, Crater County and Amarillo in August both made the Tucson Public Library’s master list of southwestern books of the year, Volcano Verdict was a finalist for New Mexico Mystery of the Year, and his book LaBajada Lawyer was a finalist in the 2010 ForeWord book awards for Multi-Cultural Fiction.
Goodreads.com says, “Miller’s expertise as an attorney in the field of criminal law, combined with his admiration for Albuquerque shines through in his writing. He leads the reader by the hand to the inside scenes of the courts where justice is served, after walking in from an outside world that’s covered in crime. He clearly describes the good, the bad, and ugly from the eyes of an experienced criminal attorney who has seen it all. For the icing on the cake, he adds a great deal of wit through all the drama, with his keen sense of humor.”
The Arizona Daily Sun put it this way, “Miller’s knowledge of Southwest life, and his deftness with witty and colorful dialogue between peculiar characters shines.”
And from the Albuquerque Journal, “Miller may just be the next John Grisham.”
This workshop is one of the Prologue events leading up to the 2015 Southwest Festival of the Written Word, scheduled for Friday-Sunday, October 2-4, 2015.
Visit Jonathan Miller’s website at www.rattlesnakelaw.com
