WELDON BURGE

I often attend conferences and other writer events, participating in workshops, panel discussions, signings, readings, and book launch parties. Here are my upcoming events.

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To enhance your standing in the writing/publishing world, a broad author platform is crucial. And this is much more than just social media and your online presence. (You do have that, right?) The key is differentiating yourself in all your marketing efforts and developing a persona that appeals to publishers and readers. Join me as I share what I look for in an author's platform and offer advice on how to make yours stand out in such a competitive field.

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Writing historical fiction requires unique research and techniques, and a particular set of skills. Join us for a fascinating panel discussion with Greer Firestone (author of Alexei and the Mad Monk Rasputin), Maryellen Winkler (author of Murder on the Brandywine, Death in Rehoboth Beach, A Killing in Kennett Square), and JM Reinbold (author of Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Black Pharaoh). I will be the moderator.  

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If you are a self-publisher (or hope to be), you'll need to find a talented, trustworthy illustrator and very likely a book designer. But how do you go about recruiting and collaborating with an artist skilled in publications? What questions should you ask? Just what is involved when developing effective book covers and interior illustrations? Join us for a fascinating and instructional panel discussion with a group of professional artists who have worked with authors and publishers. I'll be the moderator for this discussion.

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Mystery, thriller, and suspense novels fill the racks in bookstores and are huge bestsellers online. How can you enter this thriving market? At this workshop, you'll learn how to raise the stakes for your characters, plan for foreshadowing and cliffhangers, plant red herrings, increase pacing, harness the "ticking clock" strategy, and incorporate other successful techniques. Regardless of the genre you write, you'll learn tactics to keep your reader on the edge of their seat and keep them flipping pages. The presentation will be held at the Appoquinimink Community Library, 204 E. Main St., Middletown, DE.  

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Will Hahn and I will discuss how to determine (and, more important, how not to determine) the best cover for your book. Plenty of examples, both good and bad, will be shared. The discussion will be held at the Bear Public Library, 101 Governor's Place, Bear, DE. A book signing will follow the event. 

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I will present my workshop, "How to Avoid Creating Cardboard Characters," at the Bay to Ocean Conference, organized by the Eastern Shore Writers Association (ESWA), on March 8, 2025. I'll discuss how to tap the psychology of characters to bring them to life. The annual event takes place at the Chesapeake College, located at Wye Mills, MD.

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Join me and other local writers of various genres and nonfiction for an afternoon of getting to know the authors, chatting, and checking out all their books currently available. Such events are always fun! The event will be held at the Bear Public Library, in Bear, Delaware. 

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Join me as we discuss the essentials for self-editing when writing fiction. Before submitting your work for publication, make sure it "shines" and will be appealing to editors. Learn how to streamline character development and dialogue, eliminate redundancies and inaccuracies, handle shifting points of view, and other strategies to improve your writing. 

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Join me with fellow thriller writer Greg Smith for a fascinating conversation about crime writing. We'll also talk about how we developed our suspense novels (among other things) and take questions. Sure to be an informational and fun time! The discussion will be held at the Kirkwood Public Library, 600 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE. A book signing will follow the event.  

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/11730477

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I've enjoyed past Author Showcases at the Kent County Library, particularly when given the opportunity to talk with readers of my work. Come join me and other local authors to talk about their books and share in book signings. Chatting with writers is always fun! The event will be held at 497 South Red Haven Lane, Dover, DE. 

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This event is designed to "support local authors and to welcome book lovers of our community." I'll be there manning a table with all the currently available Smart Rhino books. The event is being held at the Elkton Public Library, 301 Newark Avenue, Elkton, MD 21921.

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I've been invited to present at the First State Writers Retreat on Nov. 3, held at the historic Hale-Brynes House (606 Stanton Christiana Rd, Newark, DE). I'll talk about how to "read" submission guidelines for publications.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/5210143349084092/  

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Join me as I discuss the basics of putting the "scare" into readers. How do you write horrifying fiction that keeps your readers on the edges of their seats? Harness your fears for well-conceived horror plots. Learn how to create believable monsters (including the human ones). Most of all, make fear fun--always remember horror and humor are kissing cousins. The class will be held at the Kirkwood Public Library, 600 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE. A book signing will follow the event.

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/11730475 

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During this workshop, I'll dive into the best strategies for submitting short stories to anthologies – all the essentials for getting the best chances for acceptance. Learn how to target stories to anthology themes, decipher guidelines,  handle contracts, and much more. There will be handouts and open discussion throughout, followed by a book signing. The class will be held at the Bear Public Library, 101 Governors Pl, Bear, DE.

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/12707460

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I try to attend the C3 conference every year, participating in panel discussions and other events. This year, screenwriter, publisher, and producer Lee Goldberg is the keynote speaker. He worked on many TV series including Diagnosis: Murder, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Hunter, Spenser: For Hire, SeaQuest, The Glades, and Monk. Looking forward to this! The conference is held at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel Columbia, 5485 Twin Knolls Rd., Columbia MD.

http://creaturescrimesandcreativity.com/

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In this workshop, I'll explain how to write believable villains in your fiction and establish suspense and tension that keeps your readers flipping pages. Equally important is juxtaposing your villain with a strong protagonist who is equal to the task. I'll show you how to create distinctive characters and enhance your story's plot. A book signing will follow the class. The workshop will be held at the Appoquinimink Community Library, 204 E. Main St., Middletown, DE.  

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/12147314

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Join me and 20+ other local writers of various genres and nonfiction for an afternoon of getting to know the authors, chatting, and checking out all their books currently available. Such events are always fun! The event will be held at the Appoquinimink Community Library, 204 E. Main St., Middletown, DE. 

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/12516414

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During this workshop, I will provide an overview of the writing process for short stories. I'll discuss topics like finding ideas, selecting titles, developing plots, characterization, settings, dialogue – all the basic essentials. There will be handouts and open discussion throughout. A book signing will follow. The workshop will be held at the Appoquinimink Community Library, 204 E. Main St., Middletown, DE.

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/12147310

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Debbi Mack interviewed me on the Crime Cafe Podcast, talking about my thriller Harvester of Sorrow, my other crime fiction, and my writing process and future projects. A wonderful and illuminating conversation!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFbvci9nFjw 

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Will Hahn and I will discuss how to determine (and, more important, how not to determine) the best cover for your book. Plenty of examples, both good and bad, will be shared. The discussion will be held at the Kirkwood Public Library, 600 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE. A book signing will follow the event.

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/11730464

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I'll join a group of panelists (including Lois Hoffman, Crystal Heidel, Joanne Reinbold, Greg Smith, Margo McKenzie, Liz DeJesus, and Bruce Rule) to discuss the pros and cons of self-publishing. Will Hahn will be the moderator. Sure to provide some valuable information for the attendees! The discussion will be held at the Kirkwood Public Library, 600 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE. A book signing will follow the event. 

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/11505444 

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I'll be presenting a two-hour workshop on how to submit short fiction to anthologies on Saturday afternoon and participating in a panel discussion on agents and publishing. Jonathan Maberry is the keynote speaker, and that's definitely a plus!   

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Join me as I discuss the basics of putting the "scare" into readers. How do you write horrifying fiction that keeps your readers on the edges of their seats? Harness your fears for well-conceived horror plots. Learn how to create believable monsters (including the human ones). Most of all, make fear fun--always remember horror and humor are kissing cousins. This workshop is being held at the Appoquinimink Library, 204 E. Main Street Middletown, DE. A book signing will follow the workshop.  

https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/10976927

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During this workshop, I will provide an overview of the writing process for short stories. I'll discuss topics like finding ideas, selecting titles, developing plots, characterization, settings, dialogue – all the basic essentials. There will be handouts and open discussion throughout. A book signing will follow.

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In this workshop, I'll explain how to write believable villains in your fiction and establish suspense and tension that keeps your readers flipping pages. Equally important is juxtaposing your villain with a strong protagonist who is equal to the task. I'll show how to create distinctive characters and enhance your story's plot. A book signing will follow the class.  

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Join me with fellow thriller writer Greg Smith for a fascinating conversation about crime writing. We'll also talk about how we developed our novels (among other things) and take questions. Sure to be an informational and fun time! The discussion will be held at the Hockessin Bookshelf, 7179 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, Delaware 19707. A book signing will follow the event. 

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I will participate in three panel discussions at the annual Creatures, Crimes, & Creativity conference (C3). The conference is held at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel Columbia, 5485 Twin Knolls Rd., Columbia MD.

http://creaturescrimesandcreativity.com/

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During this workshop, I'll explain how writing effective dialogue is essential to storytelling and how you make it memorable and realistic for readers. I'll show how to create distinctive characters and enhance your story's plot, and will offer many examples of superb dialogue from popular literature. A book signing will follow the class.  

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This panel discussion about effective world-building will be moderated by Weldon Burge. Learn the elements of creating realistic, yet fictional, worlds, based on the experiences and skills of our panelists. They will discuss how to invent fictional history, geography, culture, magical properties, and other aspects of creating a believable world. A book signing will follow the event.

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During this workshop, I'll dive into the best strategies for submitting short stories to anthologies – all the basic essentials for getting the best chances for acceptance. There will be handouts and open discussion throughout. 

https://campscui.active.com/orgs/NewarkArtsAlliance?season=3294931&session=58656435

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I'll be one of the writers attending Authors Day at the Bear Public Library in Bear, Delaware. 

https://nccde.org/291/Bear-Library

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During this workshop, I'll provide an overview of the writing process for short stories. We'll discuss ideas, selecting titles, developing plots, characterization, settings, dialogue – all the basic essentials. There will be handouts and open discussion throughout. 

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I will teach a two-hour workshop for teenagers on the topic of writing short stories. The workshop is scheduled during the Kent Library's annual Young Writers Conference.  

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I'll will be the moderator during the panel discussion, "Just the Facts: The Secrets of Writing Crime Fiction," at the Bear Public Library on September 17, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Joining him will be best-selling suspense, thriller, and mystery writers Lisa Regan, Austin Camacho, J. Gregory Smith, Chris Bauer, Ira Porter, and JM Reinbold. 

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I will present a brief discussion about independent publishing for the St. Mary's and Calvert Counties Chapter of the Maryland Writers Association. 

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I will explain how writing effective dialogue is essential to storytelling and how you make it memorable and realistic for readers. In this workshop, I'll show how to create distinctive characters and enhance your story's plot. A book signing will follow the class.

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Ocean City (MD) Comic Con (December 11, 2021)

Cindy and I will be vendors representing Smart Rhino Publications at this year's Ocean City Comic Con. I'll also have available my thriller, Harvester of Sorrow. The con takes place at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD.

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Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity Conference (September 10-12, 2021) 

I will participate in a number of panel discussions at the annual Creatures, Crimes, & Creativity conference (C3). The conference is held at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel Columbia, 5485 Twin Knolls Rd., Columbia MD.

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