Writing Literary Horror
May 10, 2025 10:00 am
The “L” Offices River & Campbell
Saturday, May 10th we’ll meet live–and via Zoom–and hear from the director of The Writers Studio here in Tucson about writing horror.
Philip Ivory will examine methods by which carefully honed narrative voices — persona narrators as they are called in The Writers Studio — can elevate dark material to entertain and unnerve readers. Literary horror can traffic in the supernatural or in gritty real-world terrors and can arise from an external force (Dracula) or the human psyche (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde).
April 12, 10:00 a.m. : The “L” Offices River & Campbell
Jake Jacobs Shares More on a Gambler’s Life
Next Saturday we’ll meet live–and via Zoom–and find out even more about the gambling life as told by professional gambler (and club president) Jake Jacobs.
Visit Our Booth at the Tucson Festival of Books! Booth 222
A Special Weekend: March 15 & 16
We will not hold a meeting this month. Instead, members and author members will be at our booth at TFOB, talking up our club and our contests. And chatting with other book lovers, always a treat. Our booth is next door to the Food Tent (the one with the big flag) and across from the Science & Engineering Library (aka Albert Weaver Science & Eng).
“I am a writer: Anything you say or do may be used in a story.”
“I am a writer: Anything you say or do may be used in a story.” Michael Alvarez February 8th at 10:00 AM AMW Member, Author & Writing Instructor Michael Alvarez Spills Our speaker for this month’s writing workshop is planning to share writing advice he’s gained from his years as an author and writing instructor. He’s planning a casual format, on a variety of topics.
January 2025 Meeting Announcement
January 11th at 10:00 AM
LT Patrick Hilliker on Tactical Decision Making
One of our most popular speakers returns this month to test our decision-making skills. Lt. Patrick Hilliker of the Pima County Sheriff’s Office will speak on Tactical Decision Making. First, we will be taught police tactical decision making and how it is accomplished based on Safety Priorities. Then we will get involved with Decision Making Exercises (DME’s). Basically, we will be given a quick paragraph about an event and asked “what would you do” based on the tactical decision making process.
It’s officially a tradition! Again this year we’ll meet LIVE at Reid Park to celebrate the holidays.
We’ll have coffee, water, other treats, (and plates & utensils)! Plus hot chocolate.
Come on down to Reid Park and celebrate the season. See long-time friends and get to know new ones. If you wish, bring a check with your $45 dues for 2025. And we’ll announce the winners of our Adult Short Story Contest!
For a larger map, Google “Reid Park Ramada map” and look for #31.
The image below should guide you to the ramada where the partying begins at 10:00 a.m. The usual charge doesn’t apply to this meeting. Just come on down and join us!
(Note: No Zooming for this meeting. We’ll miss our long-distance members and wish everyone happy holidays.)
Practical Promotions
Five Free, Efficient & Effective Ways to Market Your Books: from an Expert!
November 9, 10:00 a.m. at the “L” Offices River & Campbell
Next Saturday we’ll meet live–and via Zoom–and learn effective ways to market and promote ourselves and our books. Author–and AMW member–Laurie Fagen uses a variety of free promotional techniques to market herself and her books online, on her website and in the media. She’ll talk about five ways authors can get free publicity that use their time efficiently and are doable for everyone.
October 12, 10:00 a.m. : The “L” Offices River & Campbell
Ask a Superior Court Judge
The Honorable Danelle B Liwski and the Honorable Jeffrey Bergin will talk to us about the criminal justice system and Superior Court. They want to structure the session around members’ questions, so get your thinking caps on!
September Workshop
Sept 14 at 10:00 a.m.
L Offices River & Campbell
Contrary to popular belief, your inner critic does not exist just to make you miserable. Then what is its mission? In this entertaining, informative and interactive talk, you’ll learn the secret your inner critic has been hiding from you as well as ways you can transform it into an ally rather than an enemy. Prepare for an empowering shift in thinking!
We’re taking August off.
But in September…we’ll be back, with a speaker whose useful ideas will get us back into the swing after the summer slows.
July 13th, 10:00 a.m. : The “L” Offices River & Campbell
Sure Bet: Fascinating Meeting + Potluck
Next Saturday we’ll meet live–and via Zoom–and find out about the gambling life and how to write about those who live it.
We’re sweetening the pot with an invitation to bring–and enjoy–your choice of potluck food after the meeting.
AMW President Jake Jacobs has been a member of Arizona Mystery Writers since 2002, not long after he moved to Tucson the first time. His story “Killing Grandpa” was included in AMW’s anthology, A Way With Murder. A native of the Chicago suburbs, he began his writing career with articles and stories about backgammon. By now he has written two books and over four hundred articles on the game. He also co-wrote the screenplay for a kickboxing movie, “Ring of Fire.” He joined the Midwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America during the 1990s, and after moving to Tucson wrote his mystery novel, The Battered Butterfly.
Saturday, June 8th at 10:00 am we welcome Two Formerly Incarcerated Persons from Second Chance Tucson Share Their Stories.
Second Chance Tucson was co-founded in 2014 by former Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and retired US Magistrate Judge Charles Pyle. The mission of Second Chance Tucson is to break the cycle of recidivism and intergenerational harm by facilitating connections for justice system-involved people through employment, housing, volunteerism, and referrals, while educating the community in order to reduce stigma and unfairness. Learn more at www.secondchancetucson.org.
May 11th, 10:00 a.m. Retired Lt Col Ryan Oakley at The “L” Offices River & Campbell is back!
Last month Lt Col Ryan Oakley spoke to us about the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). He mentioned that on rare occasions Hollywood writers and popular authors make errors (!) in writing about the military. More specifically, about the JAG.
April 13th, 10:00 a.m. retired LtCol Ryan Oakley at The “L” Offices River & Campbell – Real Life in the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). Ever wonder who or what is JAG? What they do? Where they serve? What do Hollywood writers and popular authors get right and wrong in telling their stories?
Visit Our Booth at the Tucson Festival of Books–#219
A Special Weekend: March 9 & 10
We will not hold a meeting this month. Instead, members and author members will be at our booth at TFOB, talking up our club and our contests. And chatting with other book lovers, always a treat.
Saturday, February 10th at 10 a.m. at L Office, Campbell & River and Via Zoom
Award-winning author and writing instructor Kris Neri returns! We are thrilled to welcome back Kris. Her workshop will address why including a strong sense of place and rich character descriptions will make your writings come to life and make readers bond with the material.
Jan. 13th, 10:00 a.m. LT Patrick Hilliker: The “L” Offices River & Campbell On-the-Job Stories by a Popular Guest! Next Saturday we welcome back a compelling speaker, who brings stories about his work with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team (and in other roles) along with a willingness to answer all the questions we can direct his way. Pima County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Patrick Hilliker has served various roles since hired in 1998 as a Commissioned Deputy with Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s becoming a tradition! Again this year we’ll meet LIVE at Reid Park to celebrate the holidays.
We’ll have coffee, water, other treats, (and plates & utensils)! Plus last year’s favorite–hot chocolate.
Come on down to Reid Park and celebrate the season. See long-time friends and get to know new ones. If you wish, bring a check with your $45 dues for 2023. And we’ll announce the winners of our Adult Short Story Contest!
November 11, 10:00 a.m. : The “L” Offices River & Campbell & via Zoom
Meredith Aitchison, a certified Latent Print Examiner from the Tucson Police Department Forensic Lab, will expand on the fingerprinting lessons we had last year from Brian O’Sullivan.
Can a Film Help You Write? Using a Movie to Learn Structure and Plot
October 14, 10:00 a.m. : LIVE at The “L” Offices at River & Campbell and Via Zoom
USING A MOVIE TO LEARN STRUCTURE & PLOT
Author and AMW member Clark Lohr will share how the compressed time frame of a movie allows us to observe story structure and better plot our novels. Using the model first set out by Syd Field in his 1979 book, Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting, Clark will explain how watching a film can allow us to observe the three parts of a classic story: what Field called Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution.
Join us for a workshop: “One Scene Leads to Another” with award-winning author D.R. Ransdell
Saturday, August 12th 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Everybody wants to write—but why is it so hard to get started? Managing that first burst of energy can be the most difficult part of the project. In the workshop, author and member D.R. Ransdell will lead us through a series of writing prompts designed to get us past those initial hurdles. We’ll experiment with brainstorming exercises designed to keep us writing all day long—or at least through the day’s session. Come with your laptop charged or your pencil sharpened. We’ll dive in together and see what shakes loose.
Pima County Sergeant Erick Maldonado
July 8th, 10:00 a.m. Sgt. Erick Maldonado from the Pima County Sheriff’s is BACK!
Get your questions ready
We had such a wonderful time with Sgt. Erick Maldonado in May that we asked if he’d be willing to return and share stories from his long and varied career with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
We’re delighted he agreed!
June Meeting: Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 10 am. Do Laughter & Murder Mix? Humor in Mysteries? Kathy McIntosh definitely believes there’s a place for humor in mysteries. She’ll share her thoughts on how humor helps our writing, where it got its start, and how to best include humor in your writing.
She’ll even provide a list of some of the classics and some new authors whose books made her chuckle. Bring your list of favorites to share!
MAY MEETING, Saturday May 13 at 10 a.m.:
Sergeant Erick Maldonado of the Pima County Sheriffs Department and his canine partner will join us at at the “L” Offices, 1840 E. River Road. That’s on the southwest corner of Campbell and River, just north of the Rillito River. Look for an office building with a big Long Realty sign and a sign for “L” Offices.
Author/editor/graphic designer Wynne Brown will attempt to provide some solutions to one of the greatest mysteries for writers: “Finding Balance in the Writing Life.”
Her recent books are The Forgotten Botanist: Sara Plummer Lemmon’s Life of Science and Art (winner of both the Spur Award for Best Western Biography and the WILLA Award for Creative Nonfiction) and Remarkable Arizona Women (3rd edition). In her non-writing life, she is the president of Chiricahua Regional Council and the Pima County representative on the State Board of the Arizona Historical Society. She was also the 2022 Pima County Public Library Spring Writer in Residence. Her website is www.wynnebrown.com.
