Changes for the WNC Red Herrings

Hello friends -

It's with great disappointment that I have to announce changes to the WNC Red Herrings. As of October 2014, our group will be transitioning from a group that meets once a month for special programming to a listserv-based group that meets irregularly for mystery writer meet-and-greets. The change is due to growing scheduling conflicts on my part combined with dwindling attendance. I hope everyone will remain on the listserv and continue to share news relevant to aspiring and established mystery writers, and I hope too that we can get together regularly in a less-formal way and remain a strong writers network for Western North Carolina!

(And if anyone is interested in taking over scheduling duties and taking us back to a monthly group with speakers, please let me know!)

All the best -

Alan Gratz

September and October 2014

September: CANCELLED

Our scheduled speaker for September, David Pereda, has asked to reschedule for next year. No program will be held in its place.

October: CANCELLED

Our scheduled speaker for October, Asheville Police Crime Prevention Officer Keith McCulloch, won't be able to join us due to our usual space at the North Asheville Public Library being taken by another group. No program will be held in its place.

August and September 2014

August: Larissa Reinhart

Georgia mystery author Larissa Reinhart is the author of the humorous Cherry Tucker mystery series, including 2012 Daphne du Maurier finalist, 2012 Emily finalist, and 2011 Dixie Kane Memorial winner Portrait of a Dead Guy, Still Life in Brunswick Stew, Hijack in Abstract, and 2014's Death in Perspective, all from Henery Press. "I love to write sassy, strong heroines who, unfortunately, tend to get into desperate situations," says Larissa. "You'll find some stories funny and others dark, but I'm a believer in happy endings. Even if it takes some time and wading through a lot of trouble to get there." A frequent traveler, Larissa has taught in the US and Japan, and now lives outside Atlanta with her family. Please join us as Larissa discusses her books and the business of writing mysteries.

August 2, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.


September: David Pereda

Asheville author David Pereda is the author of five thrillers, all published by Eternal Press/Damnation Books: The Highest Hurdle, Getting Filthy Rich, However Long the Night, and the "Havana" series, including Top Secret, Killing Castro, and the forthcoming Twin Powers. His books have won the Lighthouse Book Awards twice, the Royal Palm Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Readers Favorite Awards twice. David is the ex-regional director of the South Florida Writers Association's Western North Carolina division, and the founder of AWE (Asheville Writing Enthusiasts). Once an international consultant, David now teaches mathematics, creative writing, and ESL at Asheville-Buncombe Community College. Join us as he discusses the craft and business of writing thrillers.

September 6, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.

June and July 2014

June: Michael Havelin

Asheville author Michael Havelin is the author of the Ben Bones, Genealogical Sleuth series. For more than five years, he has run the WNC Mysterians, a critique group for dedicated writers of mystery, suspense, and thriller fiction. Join us as Michael discusses running critique groups and his writing process.

June 7, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.


July: Gayle Trent

Gayle Trent is a full-time "cozy" mystery writer and author of three cozy mystery series: the Myrtle Crumb mysteries, including When Good Bras Go Bad and Claus of Death; the Daphne Martin Cake Decorating mysteries, including Dead Pan, Killer Sweet Tooth, and Battered to Death; and, writing as Amanda Lee, the Embroidery Mysteries, including The Long Stitch Good Night, Thread on Arrival, and Cross-Stitch Before Dying. Her newest novel, Thread End, debuts June 3, 2014. Says bestselling author Dean Koontz, "One day I found myself happily reading mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over, she's got a great future!" Join us as Virginia author Gayle Trent discusses her books and the business of writing cozies.

July 5, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.

April and May 2014

April: An Introduction to Scrivener

Scrivener is a popular word processing program built specifically for authors of novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, and non-fiction, allowing users unprecedented opportunities to organize their notes, research, and outlines. Join Red Herring author Alan Gratz for a discussion of Scrivener, with examples of how he uses the program to write novels. Whether you're just interested in learning more about Scrivener, or already own Scrivener and want to learn new strategies to get the most out of this sophisticated software, this workshop is for you!

April 5, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.


May: No Meeting

Alas, the library meeting room will be occupied by voting machines for early voting on the first Saturday in May, and thus our May meeting is canceled.

March and April 2014 Meetings

March: Joseph D'Agnese

Asheville author Joseph D'Agnese is an award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, This Old House, and many more publications. His science writing has been published in Discover, Seed, and Wired, and was twice named to the annual Best American Science Writing anthology. But it's his short detective fiction he's joining us to talk about: his crime fiction has appeared in Shotgun Honey, Beat to a Pulp, Plots with Guns, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, to whom he sold three stories in 2013 and has already sold another two in 2014. Join us in March as Joe talks about how he writes and sells his short crime fiction.

March 1, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.







April: An Introduction to Scrivener

Scrivener is a popular word processing program built specifically for authors of novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, and non-fiction, allowing users unprecedented opportunities to organize their notes, research, and outlines. Join Red Herring author Alan Gratz for a discussion of Scrivener, with examples of how he uses the program to write novels. Whether you're just interested in learning more about Scrivener, or already own Scrivener and want to learn new strategies to get the most out of this sophisticated software, this workshop is for you!

April 5, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.


Please join us!

February and March 2014 Meetings

February: Sallie Bissell

Asheville writer Sallie Bissell is the critically-acclaimed author of five Appalachian mysteries featuring Cherokee attorney Mary Crow. Her latest Mary Crow novel, Music of Ghosts, was published by Midnight Ink in April 2013. People Magazine called her first Mary Crow Novel, In the Forest of Harm, "a top-notch thriller." Join us in February as Sallie discusses her books, the craft of writing, and the crazy business of publishing mysteries.

February 1, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.






March: Joseph D'Agnese

Asheville author Joseph D'Agnese is an award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, This Old House, and many more publications. His science writing has been published in Discover, Seed, and Wired, and was twice named to the annual Best American Science Writing anthology. But it's his short detective fiction he's joining us to talk about: his crime fiction has appeared in Shotgun Honey, Beat to a Pulp, Plots with Guns, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, to whom he sold three stories in 2013 and has already sold another two in 2014. Join us in March as Joe talks about how he writes and sells his short crime fiction.

March 1, 2014 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
Admission is free.



Please join us!