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Crossing Genres, Indie to Traditional, international bestselling author, JD Barker, Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Craft, Writing Development, Writing Thrillers, Writing Workshops
JD Barker, international bestselling author, will be the headliner and Keynote Speaker at the GLVWG Write Stuff Writers Conference™, “2020 Vision”, on March 13 -14 at the Best Western Lehigh Valley Hotel & Conference Center.
Friday, March 13, JD will facilitate a Full Day Writing Development Workshop.
On Saturday, he will give sessions with From Indie to Traditional; Every Dirty Little Secret You Need to Know, and Crossing Genres – and Why You Should Do It!
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Biography:
J.D.Barker (Jonathan Dylan Barker) is an international bestselling American author whose work has been broadly described as suspense thrillers, often incorporating elements of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural.
J.D. Barker has successfully crossed over from horror, to paranormal, to thriller, and back again, snatching readers from multiple genres and expanding his audience like a literary Pied Piper. Learn how to avoid the genre box and tell the story you want to tell to the largest possible group.
As a child I was always told the dark could not hurt me, that the shadows creeping in the corners of my room were nothing more than just that, shadows. The sounds nothing more than the settling of our old home, creaking as it found comfort in the earth only to move again when it became restless, if ever so slightly. I would never sleep without closing the closet door, oh no; the door had to be shut tight. The darkness lurking inside needed to be held at bay, the whispers silenced. Rest would only come after I checked under the bed at least twice and quickly wrapped myself in the safety of the sheets (which no monster could penetrate), pulling them tight over my head.
I would never go down to the basement.
Never.
Learn more about JD Barker at jdbarker.com
And in case you hadn’t noticed, JD will be speaking on Friday the 13th.
** Click “Continue Reading” for JD Barker Interview and course syllabus **
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An Interview with JD Barker
By Conference Chairman – Charles Kiernan
Question: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from rejections?
JD Barker: I’ve never actually been rejected. When I queried agents, I had 13 offers of representation in less than two weeks. So far, all my books have sold either at auction or via pre-empts. Fingers-crossed that that continues! I think this is largely due to my writing process. I’ll cover this in detail during my talk.
Q: Do you have a disciplined writing routine? If so, what does it include?
JD: Absolutely! Routine is key for any writer. I’m at my desk every day by 8am and I work until 3pm. I don’t turn on the internet until I’ve got at least 2-3k words down on paper.
Q: What advice can you give beginning authors in establishing their brand and media presence?
JD: Get a website and an email address early on. When I say email, I mean NOT a gmail address (like jdbarker_3023543@gmail.com) but a real one (jd@jdbarker.com) – this tells everyone in the industry – from agents, to publishers – that you are serious about creating a brand. So many authors don’t bother and don’t realize how this hurts them behind closed doors when the marketing staff discusses an author.
Q: What projects are coming up next for you?
JD: I’m currently working with James Patterson, co-authoring his first horror novel.
Q: What was your favorite or most memorable story you heard as a child?
JD: GREAT EXPECTATIONS was an early read for me and one I’ve always been fond of. I burned through all the classics shortly after reading that one. LORD OF THE FLIES was another.
You can follow JD Barker’s active Q&A forum at Goodreads.com JD Barker Questions.
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Friday March 13, 2020
Full Day Writing Development Workshop
Submit your novel in advance to have it critiqued by the number one international bestselling author. Obviously not all submissions can be critiqued, but he will ask for volunteers, and choose a number of works at random if no one is willing.
Works in progress in any genre are welcome.
One of the best ways to improve your writing is to have a mentor read and critique your work. Almost as good, and sometimes even better, is to hear the critique of other folks work and compare it to how you responded to the writing.
This is a rare and not-to-be-missed opportunity to improve your craft by having a world renowned successful author share his expertise with you. JD Barker worked as a “Book Doctor” for over twenty years, refining what works, what pulls the reader in, and what impresses the agents. Do not let this opportunity pass you by.
JD will call for volunteers from the audience, and if no one is willing, he will choose a number of works at random from all submissions and focus on those.
He’ll isolate the problem areas and through brainstorming, work with the audience to correct the issues. Things like passive voice, adverbs, bad dialog tags, unnecessary filler words, showing vs. telling, weak start, etc…
Work will be critiqued anonymously, unless you volunteer, in which case everyone will know who you are.
Submit your work (MS WORD or APPLE PAGES ONLY PLEASE). The link to submit your work will be in your registration acknowledgement email.
Saturday March 14, 2020
From Indie to Traditional; Every Dirty Little Secret You Need to Know
J.D. Barker successfully published his debut as an indie and sold enough copies to land on the radar of the traditional publishers in a BIG way including seven-figure advances, two feature films, and a television program.
He’ll open his toolbox and explain exactly what he did to make it happen. His sessions are not to be missed by any aspiring author or seasoned veteran trying to find their place in today’s publishing world.
Crossing Genres – and Why You Should Do It!
From the moment you send out your first query letter, your work will be labeled by agents, publishers, and booksellers. Instead of resisting the urge to be labeled, J.D. will teach you why you should consider labels a way to make your books, and your author platform, more marketable.
Learn how to avoid the genre box and tell the story you want to tell to the largest possible group with the help of J.D. Barker who has successfully crossed over from horror, to paranormal, to thriller, and back again.
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In the riveting conclusion of the 4MK trilogy, Barker takes his thriller series to an entirely new level with his latest novel, The Sixth Wicked Child. Don’t miss a single word of the series James Patterson called “ingenious.”
Hear No Evil
For Detective Sam Porter, the words “Father, forgive me” conjure memories long forgotten; a past intentionally buried. For Anson Bishop, these three words connect a childhood to the present as he unleashes a truth concealed for decades.
See No Evil
Found written on cardboard near each body, these words link multiple victims to a single killer—discovered within minutes of each other in both Chicago and South Carolina—clearly connected yet separated by impossible miles.
Speak No Evil
Chicago Metro and the FBI find themselves caught in chaos—a hospital on lockdown, a rogue officer, and corruption at the highest levels. When Anson Bishop, the prime suspect in the notorious 4MK serial murders turns himself in, he reveals a story completely unexpected, one that not only upends the current investigation, but one that will change the lives of all involved.
Do No Evil
With unrelenting tension and pulse-pounding suspense, the past unravels at breakneck speed as the truth behind the Four Monkey Killer’s motive is finally revealed in this masterfully crafted finale.
You can find all of JD Barker’s books on Amazon.
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You can find JD on his website: https://jdbarker.com/ ,
and his social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/therealjdbarker
https://jdbarkerauthor.tumblr.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jdbarker_author/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8224327.J_D_Barker
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Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group 
Reblogged this on D.T. Krippene and commented:
Great line up for the GLVWG Write Stuff Writers Conference March 12 – 14. Our headliner is international bestseller, JD Barker.
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