Frances Cha’s riveting debut novel If I Had Your Face, depicts four young women making their way in a world defined by impossible standards of beauty, ruthless social hierarchies and K-pop mania. She speaks with Nancy Jooyoun Kim, author of The Last Story of Mina Lee, a Reese’s Book Club pick and New York Times bestseller. Her debut novel illustrates …
Online Book Talk: New Voices with Amir Ahmadi Arian and Ruvanee Pietersz Vilhauer
Then the Fish Swallowed Him is Amir Ahmadi Arian’s acclaimed first novel in English after a career as a journalist, author and translator in Iran. Ruvanee Pietersz Vilhauer is a psychology professor and science writer who has turned to fiction with her first novel, a hypnotic thriller: The Mask Collectors. Nancy Star talks to these two compelling debut novelists, accomplished …
Online Book Talk: Kevin Barry “That Old Country Music”
Explore contemporary Ireland with Kevin Barry, author of the wildly acclaimed Night Boat to Tangier, as he talks about his wonderful new collection of short stories, That Old Country Music. Kevin will be speaking from County Sligo, Ireland, with award-winning writer Matthew Thomas. This is a free talk, held live online via Crowdcast; register and view here. That Old Country …
Online Event: Get Published Today with The Book Doctors
It is the greatest time in history to be a writer. The barrier to publishing has been torn down and now anyone can get published. But to get published successfully is a whole other matter. The Book Doctors – Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry – take you through the entire publishing process in their Get Published Today workshop. This step-by-step, soups-to-nuts workshop …
Online Event: Murder Mystery Writing with Valerie Wilson Wesley
Always wanted to be a modern-day Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle? Have you ever read a mystery novel and knew you could come up with a better plot? Join Valerie Wilson Wesley as she shows you how it’s done in this murder mystery writing workshop. With insight from her own experiences in writing mystery novels, Valerie will discuss the crafting …
Online Event: Picture Book Writing with Lori Richmond
Are you one of the 9 out of 10 people who has a secret dream to write and/or illustrate a children’s picture book? If so, join Lori Richmond for her picture book writing workshop as she helps you jump start your project with a crash course on how to do it. You’ll learn about the creative side like character, conflict, and story …
Online Event: Memoir Writing with Benilde Little
Join us for this interactive and practical memoir writing workshop with published memoir author Benilde Little. More details to come. The workshop will take place via Zoom. A registration link will be sent via email. For more workshops, see here and below. 1.5 hours/Tickets $25. Tickets can be purchased here. The workshop will take place via Zoom. A registration link …
Online Event: Self-Publish Like a Pro with Eva Lesko Natiello
Planning to self-publish? Don’t get daunted by the self-publishing process. Learn the critical steps you’ll need to take before clicking ‘publish’ with confidence and authority. This workshop is for authors of all genres. Eva will review the steps an author should take before starting the publishing process, the different types of self-publishing routes there are – from complete DIY to …
Online Event: Food Writing with Marissa Rothkopf Bates
Part of the Do the Write Thing writing workshop series, this 90-minute interactive class will help you hone your food writing skills, whether you’re working on fiction or non-fiction, want to write a blog or cookbook, or just create better Yelp reviews. We’ll discuss what makes copy stand out, and look at how your voice, storytelling and reporting makes a …
Online Book Talk: Deesha Philyaw “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies”
Join us for the first Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival event for 2021 – a talk by Deesha Philyaw about her debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. Her book was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for fiction and for the Story Prize. It focuses on Black women, sex, and the Black church and features four generations of …
Structuring the Novel Workshop with Philip Coffari
Learn how to outline and structure your novel at this hands-on workshop with WPU Professor of English, Philip Cioffari. For those actively engaged in working on a novel, as well as for those who have not yet begun writing, this workshop will cover ways of outlining and structuring a novel-length manuscript. Items to be addressed will include: Basic structures—including the …
Self-Publishing 101 Workshop
Self-Publishing 101 is an extensive workshop on what writers and non-writers need to know to successfully take their book projects from an idea to a finished book. In this workshop, self-published author, Jeffrey J. Antonucci, will take participants through the entire self-publishing process. Author Antonucci will share his self-publishing story and provide practical advice on how to navigate this publishing …
The Book Doctors – Finding the Right Agent for You
The Book Doctors – Locating, Luring & Landing the Right Agent For You It’s harder to find a great agent than it is to write a great book. With the publishing world turned upside down, unless your name is Michelle Obama, the odds of getting an agent are against you. David Henry Sterry & Arielle Eckstut, a professional agent hunter …
Sex and the Memoir Workshop with Steph Auteri
Sex and the Memoir: How To Write About Sexual Intimacy Without Making Your Reader Cringe and/or Horrifying Friends and Family The strongest memoirs are those that bring the reader in close, creating a sense of intimacy with personal disclosure that can range from the good to the embarrassing to the horrific. And this includes what happens beneath the sheets. With …
Travel Writing Workshop with Melissa Klurman
Next For Takeoff: Turn Your Love of Travel into Unforgettable Stories Stuck at home these past few months? Don’t let that get in the way of your travel writing aspirations. Whether your last trip was to South Jersey or South Africa, this workshop will help you to turn your personal travels into memorable, and marketable, tales. Learn to deep dive …
Writing with the Senses Workshop with Judith Lindbergh
Just as in life, the five senses are our window into the world of our narrative and key to creating visceral experiences on the page. In this interactive workshop, you will learn to go beyond simple physical description and explore how to apply all five senses – sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste – to your writing. No matter your …
The Ultimate Book Marketing Workshop with Eva Natiello
When authors ask, “Do I really need to market my book?” There’s only one answer: “Only if you want to sell it.” The Ultimate Book Marketing Workshop will help you get your book noticed and increase sales. It is designed for all authors, indie or trade, introvert or extrovert, fiction or non-fiction. Learn actionable marketing strategies you can execute the …
Pitchapalooza
Welcome to Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival 2020! Our ninth FREE online event is Pitchapalooza – the American Idol for books (only kinder and gentler). Register on ZOOM here (moved from Crowdcast) Around 20 writers will be selected at random to pitch their book. Each writer gets one minute—and only one minute! Dozens of writers have gone from talented amateurs to …
Online Book Talk: 2020 and The Future of American Politics
Welcome to Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival 2020! Our eighth FREE online event is a discussion about American politics in 2020 and what lies ahead. Register here. From his anti-immigration campaign in 2016 through the Democratic wave of 2018 and impeachment, Donald Trump has been the most polarizing president in modern history. New York Times National Correspondent Kate Zernike leads a discussion about the …
Online Book Talk: Virtual Brunch with Adam Platt
Welcome to Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival 2020! Join us for our last Festival event – Virtual Brunch with Adam Platt. Grab take-out from your favorite local eatery or cook your own and tell us what you’re eating! Register here. Food writer and journalist Marissa Rothkopf Bates talks with Adam Platt, New York Magazine food critic and the author of The Book of Eating: Adventures in Professional …