Conference 2010

PSWA’s (Public Safety Writers Association) annual conference will be held in Las Vegas, June 17-20, 2010 at the Orleans Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. The conference is open to anyone writing crime and mystery fiction or non-fiction, technical writing for public safety magazines in print or online, or anyone interested in writing.

The Orleans Hotel and Casino:

• 30 guest rooms blocked on either side of our conference dates for attendees wishing to make this a working vacation.
• 50 guest rooms blocked for conference dates.
• Conference Rates:
• Guest rooms $43 weekdays/$90 weekends (Friday and Saturday) If advertised prices go below conference rates they will match.
• Shuttle service to strip and Suncoast and Gold Coast casinos.
• No airport shuttle, but taxi from airport to Orleans straight up Tropicana is about $10-$12
• Shuttle services (small buses, multiple companies) from airport Approx. $7.50 - $10.00
• Can walk to new strip from hotel if energetic. Don't recommend because of heat and riff-raff begging on streets along the way.
• Buffet, restaurants, coffee shop, Seattle's best, bowling alley bingo hall, movie theaters etc.
• For more information visit http://www.orleanscasino.com/

 KEYNOTE SPEAKER: SIMON WOOD

“Creating Suspense.”

Simon Wood is an ex-racecar driver, a licensed pilot and an occasional private investigator. He shares his world with his American wife, Julie. Their lives are dominated by a longhaired dachshund and five cats.

He's had over 150 stories and articles published. His short fiction has appeared in a variety of magazines anthologies, such as Seattle Noir, Thriller 2 and Woman’s World. He's a frequent contributor to Writer's Digest. He's the Anthony Award winning author of Working Stiffs, Accidents Waiting to Happen, Paying the Piper and We All Fall Down. As Simon Janus, he's the author of The Scrubs and the forthcoming, Road Rash. His next thriller, Disgruntled, will be out next April. Curious people can learn more at www.simonwood.net.

Sunny Frazier

“How Much Sex is Too Much.”

Sunny Frazier has been publishing both fiction and nonfiction since 1972. She is a Navy veteran, earned a BA in Journalism, and wrote for a newspaper before joining the Fresno County Sheriff's Department. During her 17 year career in law enforcement, 11 of them were spent working with an undercover narcotics team.

Frazier is also an amateur astrologer. She has been involved in astrology for 35 years.

Her short mystery fiction has won over 30 awards and trophies, as well as publication in mystery magazines and law enforcement magazines. Her first novel in the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries, FOOLS RUSH IN, received the Best Novel Award from Public Safety Writers Association. WHERE ANGELS FEAR came out in April, 2009.

Frazier is a member of the Central Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime, as well as the Public Safety Writers Association. She currently resides in Lemoore, CA.

Michael A Black

“How to Plot Your Novel in An Hour.”

Michael A. Black graduated from Columbia College, Chicago in 2000 with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Fiction Writing.  He previously earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Northern Illinois University. Despite his literary leanings, he has often said that police work has been his life. A former Army Military Policeman, he entered civilian law enforcement after his discharge, and for the past thirty years has been a police officer in the south suburbs of Chicago.

The author of over forty articles on subjects ranging from police work to popular fiction, he has also had over thirty short stories published in various anthologies and magazines, including Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. His articles, which range in subject matter from pop culture to police work, have appeared in such publications as Police Marksman Magazine and Baby Boomers Collectibles. His first novel, A KILLING FROST, featuring private investigator Ron Shade, was published by Five Star in September 2002 with endorsements from such respected authors as Sara Paretsky and Andrew Vachss. The novel received universally excellent reviews, and was subsequently released in trade paperback.

WINDY CITY KNIGHTS, the second novel in the Ron Shade series, came out in March of 2004. His third novel, THE HEIST, a stand-alone thriller set during the freak Chicago flood of 1992, came out in June, 2005. These books were followed by FREEZE ME, TENDER (think: Frozen Elvis) and MELODY OF VENGEANCE in 2006, and A FINAL JUDGMENT in 2007. Both A KILLING FROST and WINDY CITY KNIGHTS were released as mass market paperbacks in 2007 and 2008, along with RANDOM VICTIM (a paperback original in a new police procedural series) in 2008. Also in 2008 two more hardcover novels came out. These were I AM NOT A COP (a novel with TV star Richard Belzer) and DEAD RINGER (his fourth Ron Shade co-written with Julie Hyzy). The Belzer book is scheduled to be released in mass market paperback in September, along with the second novel in that series, I AM NOT A PSYCHIC. Also in September of 2009 the second novel in his police procedural series, HOSTILE TAKEOVERS, will be released. He has also written two nonfiction books, THE M1A1 ABRAMS (tank), and VOLUNTEERING TO HELP KIDS, which were published by Rosen Press.

He has worked in various capacities in police work including patrol supervisor, tactical squad supervisor, investigations, administration, raid team member, and SWAT team leader. He is currently a sergeant on the Matteson, Illinois Police Department. His hobbies include weightlifting, running, and the martial arts. He holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. It is rumored he has five cats.

Mike's newest novels, are available in bookstores and on Amazon.com now.
Visit the author’s website at: www.michaelablack.com

Michael and Lai Orenduff

“A Good Cover is Worth a Thousand Words.”

 
Kregg Jorgenson

HOW TO TARGET ARTICLES FOR SPECIFIC MAGAZINES

Kregg Jorgenson is the former Contributing Editor to Tae Kwon Do Times magazine, former Contributing Editor for Inside Kung Fu magazine, former Senior Editor with Behind the Lines magazine- the journal for U.S. Military Special Operations and a staff writer for 24/Seven Cop-to-Cop news.

His accomplishments include:  

• Five books for Random House on the Vietnam War; Acceptable Loss, MIA Rescue, LRRP Company Command, Ghosts of the Highlands, and Very Crazy, G.I.- books awards include the Bernal Diaz award for best military non-fiction and awards from the Washington Press Association for MIA Rescue. He was featured on The History Channel (LRRP/Rangers Operations Vietnam) and CBS Documentary 'Courage Under Fire.'
  
• Small press novels include Stalking the Dragon and The Last Campaign. 
• Travel book: Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Passing Through.
• Publication credits include: Black Belt magazine, Inside Kung Fu magazine, Tae Kwon Do Times magazine, Official Karate Magazine, American Karate Magazine, Fighting Stars magazine, Full Contact Magazine, Special Weapons and Tactics magazines, Fighting Knives magazine, Army magazine, Soldier of Fortune magazine, Behind the Lines magazine, Police magazine, Audio-Visual magazine, Army Times, Navy Times, European Weekly (travel articles), Real Travel Adentures (travel articles) and dozens of newspapers and/or other media.
• Published short stories and poetry in literary magazines and in other magazines. Wrote training programs or commercials spots (scripts) for Olympia Beer, Nordstrroms, Bardahl Oil, Pacific Pearl Seafoods, basketball coach Lenny Wilkins and others.
• Served in the Army in Vietnam as LRRP/Ranger and Recon Platoon Sergeant. Received a Silver Star, two Bronze stars, three Purple Hearts and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Was LRRP/Ranger class Honor Graduate. Shot, concussed, shrapneled and contracted malaria.
• Graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center: U.S. Customs Academy, the Contraband Enforcement Team course at FLETC, the K-9 Enforcement Officer school at Front Royal, VA., the Seized Property Specialist school (FLETC), and the Supervisor School at Harper's Ferry, VA.

Steve Scarborough

The Detective, Then and Now 

Steve Scarborough will discuss the foggy line between the first detectives, in real life and fiction.

A lot of the early fiction detectives were taken from real people but of course it went way beyond reality. Some of those early detectives had problems living up to the ideal created in fiction. There were some very interesting real characters in the early days of detective work. The concept and the public’s perception of a detective has changed greatly over the years making for some stark contrasts.

Rebecca Buckley, Editor/Publisher (RJBP)

Since January 2008, R. J. Buckley Publishing has been publishing novels, anthologies, memoirs, and non-fiction. Accepting up to six manuscripts a year, RJBP strives to connect with authors who are passionate about their craft and who take pride in the product they submit. Rebecca Buckley says, "Submitting a flawless manuscript (to the best of the author's ability) and following the publisher guidelines is of the utmost importance. This comes second to writing a page-turner with content or characters that captivate the reader."

A member of IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) and SPAN (Small Publishers Association of North America) as well as holding membership in other writers associations and organizations, RJBP is an independent publishing house, royalty paying, with worldwide distribution.

For more info: www.rjbuckleypublishing.com

Billie Johnson, Oak Tree Press

Billie Johnson has a B.S., Business and spent more than twenty years in Corporate America. Since its launch in 1998, Oak Tree Press has released more than 50 titles, mostly mysteries but also in the romance genre, self-help and a high-concept picture book. Twelve titles are  scheduled for 2009, and we are shooting for twenty in 2010.

OTP books meet all standards of the industry with professionally-designed covers (our designer’s day job is on Madison Avenue in NYC!) and handsome interiors. Our retailer’s discount meets industry norms, and our books are fully returnable. OTP sponsors three annual writing contests—Dark Oak for mysteries, CopTales for true-to-life law enforcement stories and Timeless Love for romance, and the top prize is a publishing contract. Winners have gone on to larger publishing houses and been nominated for national awards. Details are on the website www.OakTreeBooks.com.

Always on the look-out for new ways to support OTP authors, Johnson launched three client-centric features in the summer of 2008. A company blog, www.otpblog.blogspot.com gives authors and friends of the company a spot to share triumphs, trials, tips and techniques with colleagues. July 2008 saw the premier issue of COLOPHON, our in-house newsletter filled with insider information on the book business and a crash course in book marketing. At this same time, OTP made the decision to step into Amazon’s Kindle program.

Lee Emory, Treble Heart Books

Treble Heart Books Publishing, parent company plus three other divisions, is owned and operated by Lee Emory, also a multi-published author.  WhoooDoo Mysteries is one of those divisions and is quite popular with authors and readers.  It publishes mystery, suspense, thrillers, paranormal, horror, action/adventure, science fiction and some fantasy.  The mystery and suspense boasts several award-winning authors.

Lee’s own latest thriller is NIGHT FREEZE

• Treble Heart publishes romance and mainstream non-fiction
  
• MountainView Publishing produces Christian fiction and non-fiction
  
• Sundowners publishes all westerns
  
• WhoooDoo Mysteries as stated above.

Submissions are open the first two weeks of every month only.  Visit our web site at
http://www.trebleheartbooks.com.  You will find links all four divisions there plus
submission guidelines and Lee’s preferred style sheet.

Mark Bouton is going to tell us "How to Tell when Someone is Lying."

Mark Bouton earned degrees in sociology and law, then joined the FBI, nabbing killers, kidnappers, and bank robbers across America for 30 years. He played a key role in identifying the Oklahoma City bombers. He uses his background in tracking down real criminals to write suspense novels. He has four published books, the latest being The Second Savior. He's also written a non-fiction book entitled How to Spot Lies Like the FBI. He lives on a horse ranch north of St. Mary's, Kansas.

Holly McClure

Holly McClure is a literary agent with Sullivan Maxx Literary Agency. She is also the author of four published books. Secrets And Ghost Horses is the first book in her Low Country Mystery Series for Young adults. Lightning Creek is an adult suspense thriller. Twisted Hair is the story of a Cherokee holy man who returns when his people need him most. It is based on stories she heard from her Cherokee mother’s people and includes prophecies passed down through the generations. Her non-fiction book, Soul Journey, is a guide for spiritual and psychological transformation. Her newest book, Promised Child, is an end times thriller that draws on the bloodline legend and biblical prophecy. She holds a degree in Cultural Anthropology and enjoys digging in the dirt in search of knowledge of our ancestors. Holly is a frequent speaker and writing instructor.

Click here to register for the 2010 PSWA Conference
           

Click here for pictures from the 2009 PSWA Conference