Killer Instincts -- 2008 September
Plotting the Category Suspense
Instructor: Tracy Montoya
Class Description:
Wondering whether your book is as fast-paced as it can be? Troubled by the intricacies of balancing suspense and romance? Confused over whether your scenes are indeed building to a breckneck, satisfying conclusion, or whether they're simply making your reader wish she'd picked up a washing machine maintenance manual instead? This course can help!
Blending several tried-and-true fiction-writing sources with her own peculiar methods, Tracy Montoya shows you how to start your book with a bang, keep the pacing tight and the romance and suspense plots focused, and how to stage a final confrontation that's satisfying and suspenseful. You'll receive plenty of instructor feedback and--whether you're a "plotter" or a "pantser"--you'll walk away with a grid you can use to plot or revise all of your future stories.
Bios:
Tracy Montoya has been writing for Harlequin Intrigue since 2000. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier award, the Beacon Award, and the Golden Quill award for romantic suspense A member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists, Tracy has written about everything from Booker Prize-winning poet Martín Espada to socially responsible mutual funds to soap opera summits. Her articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Hope, Utne, Satya, YES!, Audubon, and the National Green Pages, and she writes a syndicated column called "The Spirit of Money" for Martha Stewart's Body + Soul. Prior to launching her journalism career, she taught in an underresourced school in Louisiana through the AmeriCorps Teach for America program.
Tracy holds a Master’s degree in English literature from Boston College and a B.A. in the same from St. Mary’s University. When she’s not writing, she likes to scuba dive, forget to go to kickboxing class, wallow in bed with a good book, or get out her guitar with a group of friends and pretend she’s Suzanne Vega.
Questions? Email the Coordinator: Sally Morrison