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��������ϲʹ������� University’s Writing Popular Fiction Master of Fine Arts degree program alumni group will host the 11th annual ""In Your Write Mind" workshop for all fiction writers from June 21-24. ""In Your Write Mind" will be held on ��������ϲʹ������� University’s hilltop campus in Greensburg, Pa. This workshop is open to any writer, published or unpublished, and features workshops on various elements of fiction writing in addition to presentations about the publishing industry. Attendees also have the opportunity to have their writing critiqued by peers, meet with agents and network with other writers in a supportive, informal environment. The cost for the workshop is $145, and campus housing is available for an additional fee. For a detailed workshop schedule or to register online, click here. For more information, contact Toni Borrelli at 724-830-1005.

“The ‘In Your Write Mind' Writer’s Workshop’ is the best conference for genre writers because it is facilitated by the alumni of the ��������ϲʹ������� University’s Master’s in Writing Popular Fiction Program It is an excellent mix of a writer’s retreat and an intensive academic residency,” said Aaron Bennett, of Aurora, Colo., 2005 alumnus of the Writing Popular Fiction Program. “Many writers’ retreats are great for new authors who are still working on their first novel, very few are aimed at working writers, those who already have a novel, or twelve, under their belts. ‘In Your Write Mind' is great for mid-listers who want to know more about the business or who are looking to move up the food chain. That said, newbie writers are also more than welcome. There are always excellent guests and getting a chance to pitch to top publishers and agents is an awesome perk.”

The featured guest speakers for the ‘"In Your Write Mind" workshop are Jennifer Barnes, co-founder, Raw Dog Screaming Press, Geoffrey Cameron Fuller, author, Michael Knost, author, John Edwards Lawson, co-founder, Raw Dog Screaming Press, Lauren Ruth, literary assistant, BookEnds, and Jennifer Udden, agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency. These representatives will lead sessions and meet with attendees. They will participate in a special panel discussion on Saturday, June 23, at 4 p.m. in ��������ϲʹ������� University’s Reeves Theatre.

Jennifer Barnes and John Edward Lawson co-founded Raw Dog Screaming Press (RDSP) in 2003. Lawson is an author and poet with a novel and many collections in print. He was a winner of the Fiction International Emerging Writers award and been nominated for the Bram Stoker, Rhysling and Dwarf Stars awards, as well as the Pushcart Prize. Barnes is a graphic designer who studied literature and poetry at the University of Maryland. She has published a children’s book titled “Better Haunted Homes and Gardens.” Together they ran The Dream People, an online literary magazine, for several years. The experience convinced them that a lot of great work was not being published because of the industry’s unwillingness to take risks with new material. They started RDSP to fill that gap. RDSP is dedicated to putting into print the highest quality literature from the fringe. According to Barnes and Lawson, “If it’s dark, deviant, off-kilter and thought provoking, we will sniff it out. We publish works that mix genres, don’t fit neatly into one category or another and challenge conventions.”

Geoffrey Cameron Fuller’s fiction and nonfiction has been published in venues national and local and online. He has been a regular contributor and a contributing editor for Writer’s Digest for a number of years and lead editor for a couple of publishing houses. As a freelance editor, Fuller has handled novels that topped regional bestseller lists and nonfiction that won national awards. He is the only writer to be awarded West Virginia literary fellowships in fiction, nonfiction and memoir. His latest novel, “Full Bone Moon,” is a crime thriller available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and independent bookstores nationwide.

Michael Knost is a Bram Stoker Award-winning author, editor and columnist of science fiction, fantasy, horror and supernatural thrillers. He has written many books in various genres and anthologies, such as the “Legends of the Mountain State” series. His “Writers Workshop of Horror” won the Black Quill and Bram Stoker Awards for superior achievement in nonfiction. He has also served as ghostwriter for several projects, including associations with the Discovery Channel and Lionsgate Media. He writes a monthly column for Fangoria Magazine and is currently writing a Mothman novel.

Lauren Ruth started her publishing career as an intern at Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone/Fireside imprint while earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in English language and literature from Pace University. Shortly thereafter, she completed her second internship at BookEnds, where she fell in love with the literary agency side of the publishing industry. In February 2011, Ruth joined BookEnds as a full-time literary assistant, and very soon after began to build her own client list.

Jennifer Udden has been with the Donald Maass Literary Agency (DMLA) since 2010. She is interested in science fiction, fantasy and romance, especially works that combine genre elements. Prior to the DMLA , Udden worked in nonprofit arts fundraising. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College.

��������ϲʹ�������’s unique Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction Program teaches students to write marketable novels in popular genres like mystery, romance, science fiction, horror and fantasy. Additional specialties include literature for children and adolescents, and cross-genre blends like romantic suspense or young adult mysteries. Students attend two weeklong, on-campus residencies each year to master the core elements of fiction writing and effective marketing and to gain inspiration from faculty mentors and special guests, all published authors in genre fiction. Established authors mentor students one-on-one as they work toward completing a market-ready manuscript from home. Readings, classes and online discussion about the history, trends and techniques of genre fiction add depth to the student's experience. For more information about the Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction Program at ��������ϲʹ�������, click here or contact ��������ϲʹ�������’s Office of Graduate and Adult Studies at 724-838-4209.