Writers' Conference and Book Expo Coming to Schaumburg

Writing and book marking workshops for writers, along with a Book Expo open to the public, will all be part of the "Write to Success" conference from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 202 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg. Offered by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Chicago Chapter, this conference is open to authors of all faiths and genres regardless of whether they are members of ACFW. The Book Expo will take place from 3-5 p.m. in the church's Fellowship Hall.

"Writers of all levels, from novice to multi-published, will gain valuable insight from a great variety of workshops led by experts in their field," said Susan Miura, ACFW-Chicago vice president. "And everyone is invited to our free Book Expo, where there will be a huge selection of titles in many genres, with books for all ages. It's a great way to buy books, meet the authors who wrote them, and get them signed."

Following registration, the day will kick off with a keynote speech by Cara Putman, award-winning author of more than 25 books, lawyer and Purdue University lecturer. Workshops and lunch will take place until 3 p.m., which is when the two-hour Book Expo begins.

Workshop presenters include Angie Fenimore, New York Times Bestselling author and founder of Calliope Writing Circle, and her husband Michael Sheen, artist, web designer, and Calliope podcast co-host. They will present "Page to Published: The Five Steps from Draft to Finished." Brimstone Fiction Editor and Publisher Rowena Kuo will provide techniques to strategically utilize backstory in "Backstory Blowout." Author and public relations professional Susan Miura will help writers take the fear out of pitching their manuscripts in "How to Talk to Editors and Agents."

Author of more than 40 fiction and non-fiction books, Allie Pleiter will present "The Chunky Method: Your Step-by-Step Plan to Write That Book, Even When Life Gets in the Way." Author and Writing Teacher Carmela Martino will guide writers in creating realistic, composite characters as she teaches "Turning Life into Fiction." Lara Helmling, Morgan James acquisitions editor and marketing coach, will lead "Crush Your Book Sales with Marketing that Actually Works."

The conference fee is $25 for ACFW members and $50 for non-members, with additional fees for lunch and renting a book sale table. For more information and to register online, go to http://acfwchicago.com/write-to-success-2018/

Attending the post-conference Book Expo is free to the public, with no registration required.