Workshop Descriptions & Instructors

Lee K. Abbott
Marilyn Abildskov
Mary Allen
Kate Aspengren
Thomas Fox Averill
Nancy Barry
Timothy Bascom
Kyle Beachy
Linda Bendorf
Venise Berry
Bruce Bond
Jericho Brown
Michael Dennis Browne
Thomas K. Dean
Amber Dermont
Janet Desaulniers
Kelly Dwyer
Hope Edelman
Sarah Fay
Hugh Ferrer
Geoffrey Forsyth
Patricia Foster
Cecile Goding
Douglas Goetsch
Megan Gogerty
Eric Goodman
Vince Gotera
Ann Harleman
Christine Hemp
Jim Heynen
Rick Hillis
Charles Holdefer
Jeremy Jackson
Richard Jackson
Rebecca Johns
Cheryl Fusco Johnson
Wayne Johnson
Daniel Khalastchi
Carolyn Lieberg
BK Loren
Dora Malech
Peter Markus
Malinda McCollum
Fritz Mc Donald
James McKean
June Melby
Gordon Mennenga
Sharelle Byars Moranville
Michael Morse
Alicia Rebecca Myers
Marc Nieson
Shannon Olson
Lon Otto
Juliet Patterson
Kiki Petrosino
Mark Jude Poirier
Sarah Prineas
Elizabeth Robinson
Anjali Sachdeva
Sarah Saffian
Leslie Schwartz
Sandra Scofield
Mary Kay Shanley
Carol Spindel
Elizabeth Stuckey-French
Ned Stuckey-French
Karen Subach
Mary Swander
Peter Trachtenberg
Nick Twemtow
Anthony Varallo
Mary Vermillion
Kris Vervaecke
Michelle Wildgen
Bart Yates

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Mystery Characters
Weekend Workshop
July 24–25

Beginning the Mystery Novel
One-Week Workshop
July 25–30

Biography

Mystery Characters
Weekend Workshop
July 24–25

Character is at the heart of all great fiction—including the intricately plotted mystery novel. This course will examine the three types of characters essential to the genre: the protagonist, the victim, and the villain. We’ll discuss the trios of accomplished crime writers, and I’ll lead you through a series of exercises that will help you develop or deepen your own trio. As you create characters for your mystery, you’ll also create “mystery” in your characters—secrets and paradoxical desires that fuel all types of fiction. This course will focus on generating new material.

Beginning the Mystery Novel
One-Week Workshop
July 25–30

Where do you start? A journey may begin with a single step, but a novel begins with many journeys, many steps. This course will enable you to take the steps that are right for you. You’ll complete several writing exercises and experiment with different ways of beginning a mystery novel. You’ll create compelling characters: the protagonist, the victim, the killer, the suspects, and the supporting cast. You’ll explore their emotional and physical worlds. You’ll develop a plot outline with twists and turns, clues and red herrings, danger and drama. By the end of the week, you’ll have ample material, inspiration, and confidence to continue your journey.

Biography
Mary Vermillion is the author of two mysteries, Death by Discount and Murder by Mascot, and she is nearly finished with her third novel, A Seminal Murder. She earned her Ph.D. at The University of Iowa and is a professor of English at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Visit Mary at www.maryvermillion.com.

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Sponsored by the Division of Continuing Education
Iowa Summer Writing Festival
C215 Seashore Hall
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242

Phone 319-335-4160
FAX 319-335-4743
iswfestival@uiowa.edu

Last updated on February 4, 2010