Where Writers Grow
Join us for a day of celebrating writers and their craft, with informational workshops and panel discussions.
Saturday, November 8, 8:45 AM-4:30 PM
Germanna Community College Fredericksburg Area Campus, Workforce and Technology Center
Registration opens Friday, September 26.
Thank you to Platinum Sponsor Germanna Community College for supporting the 2025 Rappahannock Writers’ Conference.
Friday Night Workshops
An evening of pre-conference hands-on workshops.
Friday, November 7
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Howell Branch
Registration Required. Opens Friday, September 26.
Workshop Session Details
Focusing Your Poet’s Eye: Finding Beauty in Unexpected Places, Presented by Rich Follett
Through exercises and dialogue using (sanitary) discarded objects and relevant images, poets will experience new ways to perceive and write about beauty. Discussion and sharing will be encouraged.
Outlining/Plotting Your Book, Presented by Tracy Wainwright
Struggling with knowing where to start, how to finish, or how to get from A to Z in your book? Whether you're writing a nonfiction book or breakout novel, you'll get the exact tools and time you need to work through the outlining and/or plotting of your book. This session will not only give you the roadmap, but Tracy will help you walk through getting the basic details of your book nailed down.
Screenwriting Hands-On Workshop, Presented by Wendy Latella
Perfect for beginners or intermediate writers. Multi-International Award-winning Producer/Director/Writer Wendy Latella will give an overview of the dos and don'ts of screenwriting before leading you through some fun exercises, giving you practical knowledge and industry insights to strengthen your storytelling skills.
How to Write Impactful Speeches, Presented by Kim B Miller
Learn the key elements of crafting impactful speeches. Discover techniques for engaging your audience, structuring your message, and delivering with confidence. Whether for personal or professional purposes, you'll gain the skills to write and present speeches that leave a lasting impression.
Real Life of a Published Author, Presented by Rick Pullen
Fredericksburg bestselling crime fiction novelist Rick Pullen recently completed a nonfiction manuscript on how writers became famous authors. He will walk through the process, starting with taking craft classes to getting published. Rick explains agents, editors, reviewers, marketers, publicity pros, and ends with reviews (or lack thereof), and how to get your book into libraries (a big market) and bookstores (a much bigger market). He will explain why you should NEVER give an author a five-star rating on Amazon.
Creative Writing Games, Presented by Ksenya Swinton
Bring on your inner creativity and whimsy to play some quick and easy writing games to help you get into the flow of writing, stretch your mind, and have a fun opportunity to get to meet and know fellow authors. You will get to play Twister Writing and make an Alphabet Story as a group. Come willing to participate and collaborate!
Registration Information & Conference Schedule
About Registration
- Registration for the conference begins Friday, September 26. There will be links on this page to our event calendar.
- Registered participants will receive reminder emails leading up to the conference.
- In-person registration does NOT have to have an email address. If you do not provide one, you will not receive information before the conference or receive links to the recordings afterwards.
- Virtual registration MUST provide an email address to receive the live links for the conference day livestream and the link to the recordings and handouts.
- For the Virtual Conference, the URL will be sent out the day before and day of the conference to all registrants.
- Recordings of in-person events will be available for a month after the conference to virtual and in-person attendees.
Conference Schedule
- 8:15-8:45: Lobby Registration
- 8:45-9:00: Welcome & Conference Introduction in Sealy Auditorium
- 9:00-9:45: Morning Keynote in Sealy Auditorium
- 9:55-10:45: Class I Sessions
- 10:55-11:45: Class II Sessions
- 11:45-12:50: Lunch and Networking
- 1:00-1:45: Midday Address in Sealy Auditorium
- 1:55-2:25: Book Signing / Book Sales / Prize Drawings
- 2:35-3:25: Class III Sessions
- 3:35-4:25: Class IV Sessions
Morning Keynote Speaker
Austin Camacho, Building a Writer From the Ground Up
Austin S. Camacho has authored eight novels about Washington, D.C.-based private eye Hannibal Jones, five novels in the Stark & O’Brien international adventure-thriller series, and the stand-alone detective novel, Beyond Blue. His short stories have been featured in several anthologies. Austin is also a coordinator of the annual Creatures, Crimes & Creativity Con.
🌐 ascamacho.com
🌐 creaturescrimesandcreativity.com
👤facebook.com/people/Austin-S-Camacho-author
📸 instagram/ascamacho135
Midday Address
Tom Straw, The Road to Sell Is Paved with Good Inventions: Writing Lessons I Have Learned
Tom Straw is an Emmy and Writers Guild of America-nominated writer-producer, New York Times best-selling author, and former Mystery Writers of America board member. Writing as Richard Castle, Tom originated the Nikki Heat series, all New York Times Bestsellers. Under his name, he published The Trigger Episode, Buzz Killer, and the USA Today best-selling spy thriller, The Accidental Joe.
In TV, Tom wrote for and produced the original Night Court, Dave’s World, Grace Under Fire, and Nurse Jackie. He also wrote for CBS’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
🌐 www.tomstraw.com
🦋 bsky.app/profile/tomstraw.bsky.social
👤 facebook.com/tomstrawauthor
📸 instagram.com/thetomstraw
🪢 threads.com/@thetomstraw
Class Session I
9:55-10:45 AM
Location: Sealy Auditorium
Presented by Traci Hunter Abramson
Your book is written, but now what? Social media is a free resource that is often left untapped. Explore how to organize and run a street/launch team, create excitement, and schedule a book launch that will give your book a head start on its road to success.
Type: Marketing
Click the title of the class session to see more details.
Class Session II
10:55-11:45 AM
Location: Sealy Auditorium
Presented by Jeffrey James Higgins
An overview of what a writer needs to know about writing and publishing in 2025. The course will cover: learning craft, writing practice and process, digital tools, dictation, common craft mistakes, editing iterations, critiquing, querying agents and publishers, current pathways to publication, marketing, and the business of writing.
Type: General Craft, Publishing, Marketing
Click the title of the class session to see more details.
Why Your Second Draft Should Be the First Time You Start to Self-Edit
Lunch, 11:45-12:45 PM: Virtual Path Only
Presented by Brian Paone
Brian will discuss the importance of the author’s pacing when writing the first draft and the reasons behind not stopping to self-edit until the second draft. The presentation will include some tricks of the trade for self-editing, what to focus more on, what easy pitfalls new authors fall into, and how to feel like a professional after the first time. And all of this also applies to those who have a professional editor who will work on the book after your final draft.
Type: Editing
Class Session III
2:35 PM-3:25 PM
Location: Sealy Auditorium
Presented by Tom Straw
An Emmy and Writers Guild of America-nominated TV writer and New York Times bestselling author shares concrete steps on how to pitch your story to agents, publishers, and Hollywood. The discussion will include tools for beginning your process, pitfalls to avoid, and how to hone your pitch for the best chance of success.
Type: Publishing
Click the title of the class session to see more details.
Class Session IV
3:35 PM-4:25 PM
Location: Sealy Auditorium
Presented by Lynda Allen, Mindy Quigley, & Lane Stone
Cozy mysteries are a popular subgenre, but what's so cozy about a town where murders happen regularly? Why do some sleuths solve crimes in quaint towns while others navigate gritty urban landscapes? Panelists will discuss the elements that shape a cozy mystery's tone, the challenges and rewards of working within (or bending) genre conventions, and how they balance suspense, humor, and character-driven storytelling.
Type: Genre
Click the title of the class session to see more details.
Author Bios
In Alphabetical Order
Includes contact information and social media channels. If you have a question about an author, the workshop sessions, or the conference in general, please contact us.
Traci Hunter Abramson
Former CIA officer Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study-abroad program. After graduating from BYU, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for six years. She has written more than fifty best-selling novels and is a ten-time Whitney Award winner.
🌐 traciabramson.com
👤 facebook.com/tracihabramson
📚 goodreads.com/Traci_Hunter_Abramson
📸 instagram.com/traciabramson
🇽 x.com/traciabramson
Lynda Allen
Lynda Allen is the author of the Liv Wilde Mysteries, in which menopause is a superpower! Since she had to put up with hot flashes, she figured she might as well make them useful. While the series is set in Fredericksburg, Lynda proudly infuses her writing with her Jersey Girl sensibilities and aims to create stories imbued with heart and humor.
🌐 lyndaallenwrites.com
👤 facebook.com/lyndaallenauthor/
📸 instagram.com/lyndaallenwrites/
⏱️ tiktok.com/@lyndaallen_author
Sarah Allen
Sarah Allen is the award-winning author of What Stars Are Made Of, Breathing Underwater, The Nightmare House, and Monster Tree. Her books have been Whitney Award winners, State award winners, ALA Notable Books, A Mighty Girl Best Of pick, and Jr. Library Guild Selections. Born and raised in Utah, she received an MFA in creative writing from Brigham Young University and now lives in Orlando. Sarah regularly teaches at writing conferences, presents at schools across the country, and has taught creative writing at both the high school and university level.
🌐 sarahallenbooks.com
👤 facebook.com/SarahAllenBooks
📸 instagram.com/sarahallenbooks
📋 sarahallen.substack.com
🇽 x.com/SarahAllenBooks
📹 youtube.com/sarahallen
Stephanie Black
Stephanie Black is the author of fourteen novels, including the Natalie Marsh mystery series. Her most recent novel, The Trespassers, is an award-winning murder mystery with a paranormal twist. She lives in the Bay Area in California and enjoys crocheting small creatures, taking pictures of birds, and eating homemade chocolate-chip cookies.
🌐 stephanieblack.net
👤 facebook.com/groups/944846079671171
📸 instagram.com/stephanieblackauthor
Dr. Caroline Crocker
Dr. Caroline Crocker is a published author of 14+ books and an experienced speaker. Before retiring, she worked as a medical research scientist, a biology professor, the president of a nonprofit exposing medical and science scams, and the CEO of a technology start-up. Caroline is the proud mother of four, the doting grandmother of eight, and an avid gardener.
🌐 ramblingruminations.com
👤 facebook.com/RamblingRuminations
📸 instagram.com/drccrocker
🔗 linkedin.com/company/ramblingruminations
📹 youtube.com/@ramblingruminations
Rich Follett
Rich Follett, the Poet Laureate of Strasburg, Virginia, has authored Responsorials (with Constance Stadler, 2009), Silence, Inhabited (2011), Human &c. (2013), and Geminations (with Constance Stadler, 2023) through NeoPoesis Press, and Photo-Ku (2016) through NightWing Publications. Rich is featured in the ODU Virginia Poets Database.
Laura Di Franco
Laura Di Franco is the CEO of Brave Healer Productions, Brave Kids Books, and Brave Business Books, an award-winning publisher for health, wellness, and business professionals. She's a 14-time author, retired holistic physical therapist, inspirational speaker, and spoken word poet with a mission to help the world experience what’s possible. Laura’s expert collaboration book, called Writing: The Brave Healer’s Guide for World-Changers, will be an asset to any writer who wants to dive into her world!
🌐 lauradifranco.com
👤 facebook.com/groups/291400311434777
📸 instagram.com/bravehealerproductions
🔗 linkedin.com/in/laura-di-franco-1b037a5
J.S. Furlong
J.S. Furlong is the award-winning author of The Unimaginables, a YA series including Hidden City and Tattooed Angel. The third book, Magick Squared, releases September 9, 2025, from Abante Press. She is also the author of an elementary/early middle grade series, Meredith's World, and a picture book, Mrs. Cheesely Loves Cheese. She once played a small but pivotal role on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.
🌐 jsfurlong.com
👤 facebook.com/iamjenfurlong
📸 instagram.com/iamjenfurlong
⏱️ tiktok.com/@jenwritesvampirebooks
🇽 x.com/jenfurlong6
William LJ Galaini
William Galaini has an expansive understanding of narrative from a career spanning multiple publishers, game companies, and decades. Come ask questions, and if he doesn't have a satisfactory answer, he will search for it with you!
🌐 WilliamLJGalaini.com
👤 facebook.com/WilliamLjGalaini
📸 instagram.com/wgalaini
🔗 linkedin.com/in/galaini
Deborah Hawkins
Deborah Hawkins is an editor with over a decade of experience strengthening authors' authentic voices. She provides a collaborative experience that empowers writers to strengthen and clarify their writing. Deborah is also a proud wife and mother who loves fitness, farming, reading across genres, and homeschooling.
Jeffrey James Higgins
Jeffrey James Higgins is a retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays. He has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He’s published by Black Rose Writing and Severn River Publishing.
🌐 jeffreyjameshiggins.com
👤 facebook.com/jeffreyjameshiggins
📚 goodreads.com/author/Jeffrey_James_Higgins
📸 instagram.com/jeffreyjameshiggins
🔗 linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-james-higgins
🇽 x.com/JeffreyJHiggins
Ginny Kochis
Ginny Kochis writes books for the unique and unrepeatable, for teens and adults who don’t quite fit the mold. She tells stories about love, friendship, faith, and family starring differently-wired characters.
Wendy Latella
Wendy is a multi-award-winning screenplay writer and mom who likes to camp and nap!
👤 facebook.com/WendyLatellaOfficial
🎬 IMDB
📸 instagram.com/latellawendy
S.C. Megale
S.C. Megale is an agented, traditionally published author specializing in YA, science fiction, and fantasy. Born in 1995, Megale was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy and has defied odds ever since—from meeting Pope Francis to diving the Great Barrier Reef. Publications include This is Not a Love Scene (Macmillan) and, most recently The Brotherhood of Rain and Cinder (Night Song Press), first in a YA fantasy trilogy.
🌐 scmegale.com
👤 facebook.com/SCMegale
🔗 linkedin.com/in/sheamegale95
🇽 x.com/shea_megale
Kim B Miller
Kim B Miller is a TEDx speaker, award-winning spoken word poet, and skilled public speaking coach who empowers others to speak with confidence and authenticity. With a commanding presence and a gift for storytelling, Kim helps aspiring speakers overcome fear, engage their audience, and craft and deliver powerful, memorable messages.
🌐 kimbmiller.com
👤 facebook.com/pwcpoetlaureate2020
📸 instagram.com/pwcpoetlaureate2020
📹 youtube.com/@iamkimbmiller
Sarah Newland
Sarah Newland is an award-winning young adult fiction author and licensed veterinary technician based in coastal Virginia. Her books revolve around the emotional trials of self-determination, inner turmoil, and powerful friendships. She hopes her writing will inspire everyday adventures and brain-active living.
🌐 sarahnewlandbooks.com
📚 goodreads.com/author/Sarah_Newland
📸 instagram.com/sarahnewlandwrites
📹 youtube.com/@sarahnewlandbooks
Brian Paone
Brian Paone—a Salem, Massachusetts native displaced to northern Virginia—has been a published author since 2007. Brian is primarily a speculative fiction author who doesn't know how to stay in his lane. His novels feature an array of subgenres for those readers who dare to venture just outside of realism. Brian is a police detective in Maryland and has worked in law enforcement since 2002.
🌐 brianpaone.com
👤 facebook.com/BrianPaoneAuthor
📸 instagram.com/brianpaone_author
⏱️ tiktok.com/@brianpaone_author
🇽 x.com/PaoneBrian
📹 youtube.com/channel/
Rick Pullen
Thriller novelist Rick Pullen's first novel, Naked Ambition, was an Amazon bestseller, followed by its sequel, Naked Truth (Silver Falchion Award runner-up), and a standalone, The Apprentice. He writes a monthly column for CrimeReads.com and is a contributing writer to The Big Thrill magazine. He is a retired magazine editor and former investigative reporter. His newsletter, Idol Talk, includes inside dope on your favorite mystery/thriller/crime authors.
🌐 rickpullen.com
📚 crimereads.com/author/rickpullen/
🇽 x.com/RickPullen
Mindy Quigley
Mindy Quigley is the author of two cozy mystery series. Her non-writing career has been stranger than fiction--she worked as the personal assistant to the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep and as project manager for a research clinic founded by the author J.K. Rowling. She lives in Virginia with her husband and their children.
🌐 mindyquigley.com
👤 facebook.com/mintyfreshbooks
📚 goodreads.com/author/Mindy_Quigley
📸 instagram.com/minty_fresh_books
Michelle Layer Rahal
Michelle Layer Rahal is the award-winning author of Straining Forward and Are You Listening? This former radio news reporter and educational consultant can often be found teaching Bible studies, coaching aspiring authors toward publication, or preparing a gourmet meal for friends. Michelle lives in Oakton, VA, with her fun-loving husband, Greg.
🌐 michellelayerrahal.com
👤 facebook.com/MichelleLayerRahal
📸 instagram.com/michellelayerrahal
🪢 threads.com/@michellelayerrahal
🔗 linkedin.com/in/michelle-layer-rahal
Lane Stone
Lane Stone lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and Lewes, Delaware, with her husband, Larry Korb, and their standard schnauzers, Cordy and Emma. She’s the author of The Big Picture art crime thriller trilogy. Book one, The Collector, was followed by The Canvas. She is also the author of several cozy mystery series, set in Alexandria, VA, Lewes, DE, and her home state of Georgia. She has a post-graduate certificate in Antiquities Theft and Art Crime.
🌐 lanestonebooks.com
👤 facebook.com/LaneStoneBooks
📸 instagram.com/authorlanestone
Ksenya Swinton
Ksenya Swinton is a fanfiction aficionado, having spent several years reading and publishing in the community. She is currently pursuing a degree in clinical counseling. She enjoys writing, art, cooking, and consuming and over-analyzing movies and TV shows.
📸 instagram.com/okay.swinton
🎮 discord.com Username: notwhitebread
Lisa Swinton
This voice-over actor & award-winning author loves romance, travel, Disney, Jane Austen, singing, & tidying up.
🌐 lisaswinton.com
👤 facebook.com/AuthorLisaSwinton
📸 instagram.com/lisaswintoncreative
Tracy Wainwright
Tracy Wainwright has been writing in a variety of genres for 20 years. She’s a hybrid author with 20 books published and several scheduled for release in the next year. Additionally, Tracy loves helping others write the story they're called to write through editing, coaching, and ghostwriting.
🌐 tracywainwright.com
👤 facebook.com/AuthorTracyWainwright
🇽 x.com/TracyWrites4Him
Ellie Whitney
After earning a master's degree in teaching, Ellie Whitney spent over ten years as an English teacher and writing tutor. She has published in various local, state, and national newspapers and magazines. An award-winning writer, Ellie lives in Virginia with her family and freelances as a line editor.
Linda J. White
Linda J. White is a hybrid author, with three traditionally published books and ten Indies. She writes authentic FBI and K-9 Search and Rescue stories set in Virginia. Her books have won awards, including the prestigious HOLT Medallion. Linda's goal is to keep you up all night reading.
👤 facebook.com/LindaJWhiteBooks
📸 instagram.com/lindajwhitebooks
🇽 x.com/rytn4hm