We all know about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Death, War, Famine, and Pestilence riding on pale horses and all that Book-of-Revelation stuff. But why does it have to be four guys on horses? Why not the Four Cheerleaders of the Apocalypse? The Four Cats of the Apocalypse? The Four PTA Moms of the Apocalypse? The Four Lawyers, Librarians, or Lunch Ladies of the Apocalypse? The Four Drummers, Rock Stars, or Opera Singers of the Apocalypse? Or even the Four Squirrels of the Apocalypse or the Four Emojis of the Apocalypse?
Local attorney and Pocono Liars Club founder Michael A. Ventrella has a story in this new anthology: “Horseman, Horseman, Horseman & Horseman, Attorneys at Law.”
The anthology features many best-selling and award-winning authors, including David Gerrold, Jonathan Maberry, Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, Jody Lynn Nye, David Mack, and Keith DeCandido.
After Tobias Brandt dies suddenly, his eldest son, with the support of his siblings, writes an obituary and has it published in the local newspaper. But instead of celebrating their father’s accomplishments and honoring his memory, it’s a scathing, contemptuous, and revealing account of the legacy of damage he caused.
Absent of closure, Tobias’s death ignites an unforeseeable sequence of events that his surviving children are forced to unravel, one perilous upset after the next.
ASHES is Book 1 in Sahar Abdulaziz’s series Evil Never Dies—a suspenseful page-turner about a dysfunctional collection of people navigating the complexities of grief, hypocrisy, and power.
DUST (Book 2) finds Sydney Hanes with her past problem (literally) dead and buried, a “new” family she could only dream of having, and an exciting life-affirming career change. She finally feels like she belongs. That was until a State Senator is found dead under suspicious circumstances. The widow reaches out to a mutual friend, imploring him to convince Sydney to help in the way that only Sydney can. However, unbeknownst to Sydney, a not-bargained-for, underhanded change of plan is in the work.
But before she can put two and two together, she is arrested and charged with extortion—unaware that someone dangerously powerful is behind the scenes, plotting to turn the blackmail charge into murder.
Both are available at all your favorite bookstores and through Amazon.
Pocono Liar and suspense writer Sahar Abdulaziz specializes in writing psychological thrillers, suspenseful narratives, thought-provoking social commentary, and clever satire. https://www.saharraziz.com
We had a great time at the Liars Club annual workshop, back after a few years gone (due to COVID). Special thanks goes to all the presenters: Sahar Abdulaziz, Kelly Jensen, Victoria Marie Lees, Susan Moore Jordan, Mary Ann Moore, and Michael A. Ventrella. It was well attended and we’ve received nice compliments and reviews.
Thank you to all participants and to members of the Liars Club for helping to make it happen. (Click on a picture to enlarge)
The annual Liars Club Writers Workshop is back and it’s still free.
In this day-long event, small, interactive group workshops will be offered, providing participants with information and personal attention. Attendees will be able to choose three workshops from the six offered. [See Below]
Remember: This is a workshop. Bring your laptop or pen and paper and be ready to do some writing exercises!
WORKSHOPS
A1: The Key to Outlining Your Novel or Story!
Using an outline can mean writing faster and creating more usable words. Not everyone has all day to write. Outlining a project will help you use your time more effectively while keeping your book on track. This workshop will show you how to create a basic outline based on your plot, story structure, and character development.
Pocono Liar Author and Presenter Kelly Jensen is the author of fifteen novels and over a dozen novellas and short stories. Some of what she writes is speculative in nature, but mostly it’s about a guy losing his socks or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need. Connect with Kelly: Website: https://www.kellyjensenwrites.com
A2: Writing Villains You Love to Hate and Hate to Love
Antagonists in literature are often the most memorable characters. For example, Professor Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes), Napoleon (Animal Farm), and Count Dracula lend conflict and drama to the story while captivating readers with their intense and compelling nature. Despite their actions, a well-crafted villain can make a narrative thrilling and suspenseful. This workshop will unpack the writing elements that create a compelling villain.
Presenter and Pocono Liar Author Sahar Abdulaziz specializes in writing psychological thrillers, suspenseful narratives, thought-provoking social commentary, and clever satire. However, there’s nothing that Sahar enjoys more than exercising her demonic proclivity for crafting intricate, multifaceted protagonists confronting formidable challenges. The more dysfunctional, the better. https://www.saharraziz.com
B1: Hooking Your Reader
We’re not all Stephen King, who can slowly lead us into the plot since we know it’s going to get good. We’re unknown — we have to grab them early! The opening paragraphs are tremendously important in getting your reader to turn the page, and this workshop will allow you to learn and practice the elements needed to hook your reader.
Michael A. Ventrella writes witty adventures about reluctant heroes. He’s edited over a dozen anthologies featuring award-winning NY Times bestselling authors. His own short stories have appeared in various anthologies and magazines, and he’s also written nonfiction books about music and the U.S. Constitution. His web page is www.michaelaventrella.com
B2: Research: Half the Fun of Writing!
Yes, indeed, we make up stories when we write. But unless you’re writing fantasy, you want details about any topic to be accurate. Conducting research can assist writers in comprehending their characters’ motivations, desires, fears, and quirks, ultimately resulting in more genuine and captivating characters. This workshop will guide writers in finding those facts and making their stories even more interesting!
Susan Moore Jordan’s “music-centric” novels include works drawn from her life as a performer, teacher, and stage director; two books based on the impact on a family by sons who served in the Vietnam War; and more recently, a cozy mystery series. For more information: www.susanmoorejordan.com
C1: The Five Elements of a Short Story
In this workshop, participants will learn the five elements of a short story and how to use them with tight word counts. This workshop is an interactive presentation. Participants will brainstorm these five elements, and we will discuss how to fine-tune them in a story.
Pocono Liar Author Victoria Marie Lees has published a variety of literary works, including short stories, fiction, essays, memoirs, and poetry. For more information: https://www.victoriamarielees.com
C2: Get the “WAS” OUTTA HERE!
When crafting your writing, it’s beneficial to steer clear of the word “was” to create more robust and engaging verbs. Powerful verbs can capture your audience’s attention, immersing them in your narrative and enhancing their level of involvement. By avoiding weaker verbs like “was,” you can elevate the impact of your writing and truly captivate your readers.
M.A. Moore retired from teaching physics and dove immediately into the joys of writing. Even nine books later, one of her greatest challenges remains minimizing passive (i.e., ho-hum) voice. Join her as she shares hands-on strategies that have worked for her to turn tell into show.
SCHEDULE
9:00: Registration
9:30: Meet Greet Introduction
10:00: Workshop: A1 (Key to Outlining) OR A2 (Writing Villians)
11:00: Break
11:15: Workshop B1 (Hooking Your Reader) OR B2 (Research)
12:15: Lunch [Please bring a bag lunch and drink; there is a grocery store next door, a coffee shop with snacks in the library, and other fast food places nearby]
1:15: Workshop C1 (5 Elements) OR C2 (Get the “was”)
2:15: Break
2:30: Question & Answer Panel
4:00 (or earlier depending on the Q&A panel): Closing remarks/cleanup
NOTE: When you sign up, be careful not to reserve two panels at the same time. Choose A1 or A2, B1 or B2, and C1 or C2.
Since we have limited space, PLEASE do not reserve a spot unless you are absolutely planning on attending.
The members of The Pocono Liars are committed to making this workshop one where every person in attendance feels supported and respected for their endeavors, and a place where all writers feel welcome and are treated with courtesy, patience and respect. While we as individuals might not share the same world views, we in The Pocono Liars believe it is imperative to develop a safe environment for creatives from all backgrounds and beliefs to gather in support of one another. It is our collective wish to provide such a venue in support of the intellectual integrity of all those who attend and wish to participate.
Additionally, as writers, we feel it is especially important that we respect the boundaries of each individual. Therefore, while proactive critiques are most certainly welcome and appreciated, we especially request that those in attendance refrain from putting fellow writers in a position of validating their choice of genre, lifestyle or story. Thank you.
David Gerrold is an award-winning author whose best-selling novels have been made into movies (“The Martian Child”) and who has written for many TV shows, including Star Trek (he wrote the famous “The Trouble With Tribbles” episode), Babylon 5, Twilight Zone, Land of the Lost, and Sliders.
And he can tell us what it’s like to write for TV shows and why the Writers’ Guild is currently on strike.
EDIT: This was recorded and is now available in our “expert advice” section.
Ten-time Hugo and Nebula award nominee DAVID GERROLD is also a recipient of the Skylark Award for Excellence in Imaginative Fiction, the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in Horror, and the Forrest J. Ackerman lifetime achievement award. He was the Guest of Honor at the 2015 World Science Fiction Convention. Gerrold’s prolific output includes teleplays, film scripts, stage plays, comic books, more than 50 novels and anthologies, and hundreds of articles, columns, and short stories. He has worked on a dozen different TV series, including Star Trek, Land of the Lost, Twilight Zone, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Babylon 5, and Sliders. He is the author of Star Trek’s most popular episode “The Trouble With Tribbles.” His most famous novel is The Man Who Folded Himself. His semi-autobiographical tale of his son’s adoption, The Martian Child, won both the Hugo and the Nebula awards, and was the basis for the 2007 movie starring John Cusack and Amanda Peet. His web page is www.gerrold.com
Eugene Geller, the handsome and popular Cantor of Rockdale Temple—located in the racially tense Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati—disappears without a trace during a night of rioting in the “long, hot summer” of 1967. Was Gene a casualty of the riot? Has he run away with one of his paramours? Or has he been the victim of foul play by his long-suffering wife or an angry ex-lover or a jealous husband?
Augusta McKee, Chair of the Opera Department at the Conservatory and amateur sleuth, is helping her husband, Chief of Detectives Malcolm Mitchell, unravel this mystery. Augusta is also in the midst of planning the Conservatory’s spring opera, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a fairy tale of good and evil. Her wish is the opera’s positive message and its multi-ethnic cast will help return hope and calm to her tense city. But her first-time ethnic casting of lead roles causes her to receive anonymous threatening notes—and worse.
Malcolm and the police are close to solving the Geller case—but now Augusta’s life is in imminent danger. How will they find and stop the person targeting her?
THE CASE OF THE CASANOVA CANTOR is Pocono Liar Susan Moore Jordan‘s latest Augusta McKee mystery and the 9th book in the series. It is available now in paperback or kindle!
We had a great conference! Thanks so much to the presenters and the people who came! We learned a lot and had a great time. Click on a picture to enlarge it!
There are The Karens, The Kevins, and now, The Garys.
Gary Meseler made it his business to be in everyone else’s business. Not a day went by when Gary didn’t find something or someone to complain about, which made him exceedingly unpopular with his fellow Grandville Luxury Apartment, Building Nine residents.
However, little did Gary realize, his fate had already been sealed, and his reign of never-ending fault-finding would meet an untimely end. After all, karma’s a bitch.
Pocono Liar founder Michael A. Ventrella’s latest nonfiction book is now available from McFarland.
Billboard magazine named The Beatles the greatest performing musical act of all time, and their albums continue to chart to this day. This is no surprise to Michael, who combed through nearly 60 years of the magazine, week by week, to compile a list of every song and album that charted. The end result is an intriguing look at the band’s influence, including their solo efforts. The author assigns points to the positions of songs and albums on the charts in order to create a list ranging from the least successful to the most successful. Each entry includes a picture of the album cover or single sleeve, along with an analysis of the song or album. Also provided are introductory chapters about the Beatles and an explanation of how the Billboard charts have been tabulated and changed over the years.
The book is available as a paperback or in kindle versions, and you can order it from the publisher, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, or you can bug your local bookseller to get you a copy!
9:45: HILDY SILVERMAN: “What Editors Look For”: With so many submissions to sift through, what can a writer do to elevate their work above the rest? Surprisingly, including a few simple things can leapfrog your tale ahead of half your competition immediately. Hildy will share what these are, and provide additional tips to help improve the likelihood of your story making the cut.
11:00: MARIE LAMBA: “How to Revise Your Novel for Submission: Self-Editing Techniques that Work”: Finishing the first draft of a novel is a major accomplishment, but that’s just the beginning of a writer’s work. The next step is to do a thorough revision, shaping that novel into its very best form. Top-notch revision skills are an important part of a writer’s toolkit, especially now that agents and editors expect manuscripts to be well-polished. But revising a long work of fiction can be daunting. Where do you begin? How do you decide what’s working and what isn’t? And how, exactly, should you go about fixing things?
12:00: Lunch (not provided, but there are lots of places nearby or you can bring your own)
1:00: LAQUETTE:“GMC 360º”: Fiction writers are often trained to use goal, motivation, and conflict to build three-dimensional characters. While this is a great use of GMC that should be encouraged, it’s not the only way to use it. We’ll explore how understanding your characters’ GMC, and strategically using it at key points within the manuscript, can help you create profound emotional arcs full of compelling full-circle moments that heighten tension and increase chemistry between your characters.
2:15: TEEL JAMES GLENN:“Character and Conflict, or How to build a better beating”: Since the first storyteller sat around a campfire spinning tales of gods and heroes, it has been a given that a little action makes a mildly interesting story into a real grabber. Since the fight has to serve the purpose of the story you have to use the same criteria as any journalistic or dramatic story. Ask yourself, ‘is this fight necessary?’ Who, why, how and when to add action to your story. This session will offer insight into when it is the right choice to have a violent scene and what and how the participants would fight. And more importantly—how those choices reveal character to the reader.
3:30: MICHAEL A. VENTRELLA: Panel Discussion and Question and Answer session with all panelists
Admission is free but seating is limited. Please only sign up if you are sure you will be attending. If you later discover you cannot attend, please delete your reservation so there will be enough room for everyone. Do not reserve space for anyone other than yourself — if there is more than one reservation under your name, the extra ones will be deleted.
….
WORKSHOPS
Each of the participants are holding smaller sessions during the presentations where you can get individual critiques and comments.
These sessions are $20 each. You can sign up for as many as you want but you must pre-register because space is limited. Please note that by signing up for these personal sessions, you will miss some of the other presentations.
The panelists will contact you by email prior to the session to discuss writing samples and other requirements.
9:45: Laquette
11:00: Teel James Glenn
1:00: Hildy Silverman
2:15: Marie Lamba
….
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Teel James Glenn has traveled the world as a stuntman, fight choreographer, swordmaster, illustrator, storyteller, bodyguard, and actor and puts all of that life experience in his fiction writing. He’s taught writing, acting, art and stage combat for several decades in the states and abroad in Canada and Germany. He has also presented seminars on writing action, weapons and historical combat at Deadly Ink, C3 Conference, Liberty State Fiction Writers, Stoker Con, and dozens of writer and media conventions. His writing has been in over two hundred magazines including Weird Tales, Mad, Space & Time, Black Belt, Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Silver Blade Quarterly, Mystery Weekly and Cirsova. His novel “Cowboy in Carapathia: a Bob Howard Adventure was the winner of the 2021 Pulp Ark Award for Best Novel, and its sequel “The Cowboy and the Conqueror,” is a finalist for the 2023 award. He is also the recipient of the 2013 Pulp Ark Award for Best Author and a Derringer mystery finalist. Website: TheUrbanSwashbuckler.com
Marie Lamba is author of the young adult novels What I Meant… (Random House), Over My Head and Drawn, and of the picture books Green, Green (Farrar Straus Giroux) and A Day So Gray (Clarion). Her articles appear in more than 100 publications and is a frequent contributor to Writer’s Digest. She has worked as an editor, an award-winning public relations writer, and a book publicist, and has taught classes on novel writing and on author promotion. As an agent with The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in New York, Marie is currently looking for young adult and middle grade fiction, along with general and women’s fiction and some memoir. She is also open to submissions from picture book authors or illustrators who are already established, or whose work she has requested through conferences. Marie is also open to non-fiction submissions for all age categories. For more details and her submission guidelines, please visit: https://www.jdlit.com/marie-lamba
LaQuette writes sexy, stylish, and sensational romance. That means she writes sentimental and steamy stories (like Hallmark movies, but with lots of sex) featuring at least one main character who always keeps it cute. This Brooklyn native writes unapologetically bold, character-driven stories. Her novels feature diverse ensemble casts who are confident in their right to appear on the page. If she’s not writing, she’s probably trying on or looking for her next great makeup find. Contact her at https://dot.cards/laquette.
Hildy Silverman writes in multiple genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror and blends thereof. In 2020, she joined the Crazy 8 Press authors collective (https://www.crazy8press.com/), which publishes novels and anthologies by its membership. In 2013, her short story, The Six Million Dollar Mermaid, which appeared in the anthology “Mermaids 13: Tales from the Sea” (French, ed.), was a finalist for the WSFA Small Press Award. In 2005, she became the publisher and editor-in-chief of Space and Time Magazine (www.spaceandtimemagazine.com), one of the oldest small press genre magazines still in production, and ran it until 2018. She is a past president of the Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers and a frequent panelist on the science fiction convention circuit. For more information about Hildy, including a complete list of her published work, please visit www.hildysilverman.com.
Michael A. Ventrella is a Stroudsburg writer with five novels so far, including Big Stick and Bloodsuckers: A Vampire Runs for President. He’s edited a dozen anthologies, including the Baker Street Irregulars anthologies (co-edited with New York Times Bestselling author Jonathan Maberry); Three Time Travelers Walk Into…, and Release the Virgins. His short stories have appeared in other anthologies and magazines. He’s also written nonfiction books about the US Constitution, The Beatles, and the Monkees. At his web page (MichaelAVentrella.com), he interviews authors and editors and gives advice for the starting writer. In his spare time, he is a lawyer.
the greatest performing musical act of all time, and their albums continue to chart to this day. This is no surprise to Michael, who combed through nearly 60 years of the magazine, week by week, to compile a list of every song and album that charted. The end result is an intriguing look at the band’s influence, including their solo efforts. The author assigns points to the positions of songs and albums on the charts in order to create a list ranging from the least successful to the most successful. Each entry includes a picture of the album cover or single sleeve, along with an analysis of the song or album. Also provided are introductory chapters about the Beatles and an explanation of how the Billboard charts have been tabulated and changed over the years.
poconoliars.com 