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Putting on a writing workshop has never been something I’ve dreamed of doing, for a number of reasons. The chief one being that, regardless of how many published books I have on the shelf, I still feel like someone with a temporary pass to the big event and it’s subject to being rescinded at any moment. On some level, I wonder if and when someone is going to ask for my credentials and find them lacking. (Normal or nuts? You decide.) Add my concern over just how much valuable knowledge I have to share and you’ll begin to see my hesitancy.

However, because of you, you, and you, because of all of you who keep contacting me with your questions, who keep asking me to sit down with you and tell you what I know, I decided to put out a feeler about a possible workshop this summer. My thinking was that a handful of area folks would answer and we would all have coffee and chat. I suspect that this is when the Good Lord started laughing.

I have been taken aback by the level of interest. You’ve written emails, sent direct messages on Facebook, and twittered your enthusiasm for such a workshop. The unexpected response has been both humbling and encouraging and it has left me with little else to say but, “It’s on, chicken bone!”

You are officially invited to register for the first All Things Southern Writing and Publishing Workshop, to be held Saturday, August 29th, 2015. Here’s what you should know.

Our setting will be the lovely Plantation Hall, located at the Louisiana State Cotton Museum in Lake Providence LA.  Check-in will open at 8:30 with the workshop beginning promptly at 9:00. Light refreshments will be served at 10:30 and the workshop will conclude at 12:30.

The workshop fee is $45. Participants will be considered registered when payment has been received online or via U.S. mail:

All Things Southern/Summer Workshop
620 Schneider Lane
Lake Providence, LA 71254

Workshop Speakers:

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson – Storytelling, Humor, Nonfiction Writing and Pursuing Publication

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is a popular humorist, radio host, speaker, and the author of the nonfiction humor titles Suck Your Stomach In and Put Some Color On” and Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy!” Both received nominations for SIBA’s Nonfiction Book of the Year.

Shellie is owner and publisher of All Things Southern and the host of a weekly radio talk show and daily radio segments by the same name. A list of the twenty-eight radio stations that carry Shellie’s southern features  can be found here. You can listen to Shellie’s All Things Southern LIVE Talk Show each Monday evening at 5-6 PM CST on TALK 540KMLB. The  show streams LIVE and podcasts are available so everyone can join Shellie’s southern celebration! Shellie also writes a weekly inspirational feature in Newsstar, a Gannett owned paper serving the Ark/La/Miss and a monthly print and online column  for Lousiana Road Trips.

Kori and Missy Robertson of A&E’s Duck Dynasty say Shellie’s latest release and debut book in the faith market, Heart Wide Open, will fuel your desire for a deeper relationship with God, challenge you to be more vulnerable to the Father’s heart, and help equip you for the journey. Shellie is a storyteller at heart who firmly believes, “The whole world stops for a story…”

Special guest author Judy Christie – The Novel Life: Facts and Fun of Writing Fiction

Author Judy Christie likes reading, writing and talking about books. She  is the author of fifteen published books, including eight novels that have drawn glowing reviews from readers and national publications. She writes fiction with a Louisiana flavor and loves to encourage writers to put their stories on paper.

Publisher’s Weekly has given Judy’s work a starred review, and Library Journal compares her novels to Jan Karon’s Mitford series National publications, such as Romantic Times, say she captures the feel of the South in her stories, all set in fictional Louisiana towns. Judy’s novels include “Magnolia Market,” about a woman who finds that fresh starts aren’t as easy as they look; and “Gone to Green” and four more Green novels,  about a big-city journalist who winds up running a small paper in rural Louisiana. She changes the town, and the town changes her.

“Wreath, A Girl,” Judy’s acclaimed Young Adult novel, is the only two-time Pulpwood Queen Book Club Teen Book of the Year, with the highly-anticipated sequel out this year. Wreath is a 16-year-old girl who lives in a junkyard when her mom dies and finds love and friendship in unlikely people.

Judy is also the author of seven nonfiction books, including the popular “Hurry Less Worry Less series” and speaks around the country on how to slow down and enjoy life more. A former newspaper editor and longtime journalist, she also writes a weekly booklovers’ column for The Times in Shreveport, La.

Judy is a fan of  biscuits, porch swings and antiques with peeling paint. She loves to visit with readers and blogs from her green kitchen couch at www.judychristie.com. You can also sign up for her free e-newsletter on the site and visit with her on Facebook and @judypchristie on Twitter.

What you can expect from the All Things Southern Writing and Publishing Workshop:

You can expect frank talk from published authors about the challenges and the rewards of a career in writing.

You can expect information on building an audience for your work and pursuing publication.

You can expect advice on the actual process of writing.

What you should not expect from the All Things Southern Writing and Publishing Workshop:

An individual critique of your W-I-P, (work in progress.)

An end-run around the hard work necessary to becoming a published author.

Click to Pay and Register Online

UPDATE

This just in: We’re having a writing contest at The All Things Southern Writing and Publishing Workshop!

attends the “Duck Commander Musical” premiere at the Crown Theater at the Rio Hotel & Casino on April 15, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The musical is based on the book “The Duck Commander Family: How Faith, Family, and Ducks Built a Dynasty” by Willie and Korie Robertson from the television show “Duck Dynasty.”

At the close of our day together, attendees will be given a set word count and one full week to submit their entries via email in one of two categories, short stories or essays. John Howard and Chrys Howard, former owners of Howard Publishing have graciously agreed to serve as our contest judges.

The Howards are the parents of Korie Robertson of A&E’s wildly popular reality hit, Duck Dynasty. John represents the Robertsons in their literary efforts. Chris has edited and co-written over a 100 books and is the author of eleven additional titles with over 1,000,000 copies in print in six languages.

To add to the fun, Kathy Spurlock, general manager and executive editor of The News-Star has brought the paper on board! The News-Star out of Monroe, LA will be sponsoring the workshop and printing the winning essays and short stories!