Washington Independent Writers Announces
                      Spring Writers Conference, May 12-13

                Top Mystery Author and Literary Agents Featured

    Washington, DC--Award-winning mystery/suspense author Lawrence Block,
along with literary agents from New York and Washington, lead the lineup of
participants at the 21st Washington Independent Writers Spring Conference,
May 12-13, at the National Press Club here.

    Block, who wrote "Telling Lies for Fun and Profit," a best-selling book
for writers, penned a humor-filled column for Writer's Digest for 14 years.
His fiction has won him the Nero Wolfe, Shamus and Edgar Allan Poe Awards
on multiple occasions. Films made from his books include "Nightmare
Honeymoon," "Burglar" and "Eight Million Ways to Die."

    Also featured at the conference will be Breena Clarke, Washington,
D.C., native, whose first novel, "River: Cross My Heart," was chosen as
last October's selection for Oprah's Book Club. The novel is set in the
vibrant African American community that flourished in Georgetown in the
1920s. Clark administers the Editorial Diversity Program at Time Inc. in
New York.

    The Friday evening and all-day Saturday program will feature 20 panels,
including travel writing, writing for children, writing for screen and
stage and writing for newsletters. Going free-lance, financial management
for free-lance writers and advanced marketing techniques will also be
offered.

    Nancy Lloyd, top-selling money management author and a highly
successful free-lance writer, will address the Saturday morning plenary
session. Literary agents from New York and Washington will discuss
conference participants' book proposals in one-on-one sessions by prior
arrangement. Also, manuscript critiques will be offered in fiction,
non-fiction and children's writing for an additional fee.

    Many successful writers will be featured among the panelists including
Peat O'Neil, travel writer for The Washington Post and author of a Writer's
Digest book on travel writing; Juan Williams, Washington Post reporter,
host of National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" and author of
"Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary"; Kai Bird, author of "McGeorge
Bundy and William Bundy: Brothers in Arms"; Doris Rich, author of "Amelia
Earhart: A Biography"; Ric Edelman, author of such best sellers as "The
Truth About Money"; and David Wisniewski, Caldicott-winning children's book
author and illustrator.

    Registration for the conference is $125 for WIW members, $175 for
nonmembers, and $210 for a combined membership/conference fee. Prices
increase after May 5.

    For more information, contact the WIW office, 220 Woodward Building,
733 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 347-4973,
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> ([log in to unmask]), <www.washwriter.org>.

    Washington Independent Writers also sponsors an Internet-based
discussion list called WIW-L. For a free subscription, send an e-mail
message to <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
([log in to unmask]), and in the body of the message, type
"subscribe WIW-L YourFirstName YourLastName" (without the quotation marks).
Or send a blank e-mail message to
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
([log in to unmask]).

                        [Please forgive crossposts.]

--
Ken Reigner                            mailto:[log in to unmask]
Member, Board of Directors            List Owner, WIW-L and WIW-JOBS
Chairman, Technology Committee     [log in to unmask]
Washington Independent Writers  [log in to unmask]

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