The Challenge for October is:

The Challenge for October is:

In person: Arts and Letters Bookstore on the Square.
Virtual: via Zoom. Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday the 28th.
About the presentation: One writer’s take on speculative fiction and why it’s the most awesome playground ever created. Join us for author William R. Humble’s introduction to the Speculative Fiction genre and sub-genres, as he tells us what we need to know both as writers and readers of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
William R. Humble is a native Texan who’s been writing for longer than he feels comfortable admitting. Though he’s dabbled in other literary areas, his love of speculative fiction keeps drawing him back.
Wanting to help others achieve their literary dreams, William joined the board of directors for W.O.R.D.—Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas. There, with the help of other like-minded folks, he strives to help other writers find their teams, and to make the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex a nationally and internationally renowned center for the writing arts.
William is also one of the three founders of Writers in the Field. Bringing in experts from all over the country to share their expertise, this unique annual event features as many ‘hands-on’ experiences as possible.

From the August 2020 writing challenge, the top three stories are:
First Place – All Saints by Tiffany Seitz
Second Place – Respecting A Woman by Gary Christenson
Third Place – The Rising Cost of Dying by Robert Taylor
Previous winners are here.
The winners for July are:
First Place – The Sheriff of Paddy’s Pizza by Terrye Turpin
Second Place – The Sound by Matthew Martinez
Third Place – Cry of the Hawk by Gary Christenson
Amber Royer writes the CHOCOVERSE comic telenovela-style foodie-inspired space opera series. She is also the author of Story Like a Journalist: a Workbook For Novelists, which boils down her writing knowledge into an actionable plan involving over 100 worksheets to build a comprehensive story plan for your novel. She blogs about creative writing technique and all things chocolate at www.amberroyer.com. She also teaches creative writing for both UT Arlington Continuing Education and Writing Workshops Dallas. If you are very nice to her, she might make you cupcakes.Have you ever received feedback that your reader doesn’t “connect with” the characters in your writing? Alternately, have you ever read a novel or series and become so attached to the characters that you were depressed when it was over because you couldn’t share any more adventures with them? Learn why people get attached to fictional characters and techniques you can use to create the kind of characters people get attached to.

