There’s still time to sign up for the star-studded 10th Annual Lake Chapala Writer’s Conference, scheduled Wednesday, February 26 through Friday, February 28.
Registrations are being accepted as late as Tuesday, February 25. The event begins with a kick-off cocktail party, poolside at Hotel Danza del Sol (Zaragoza 165, Ajijic) on February 26, 5 p.m. The conference winds down at the same venue with a prize-filled wrap-up party on February 28.
The opening and closing panel discussions will be “My Personal Journey to Becoming a Writer” on February 27 and “Creativity –Where Ideas Come From” on February 28.
Scheduled workshops include “Turning Fact into Fiction,” “The Real World of Self-Publishing,” “Making Your Scenes Sizzle,” “Clear Writing,” “Getting Your Point Across,” “The Reader/Writer Relationship” and “Writing Short Stories.”
Headlining the slate of four presenters is Canadian-born author Lawrence Hill, whose tome “The Book of Negroes” (published under the title “Someone Knows My Name” in the United States) became a number one best seller in Canada and won the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize.His keynote speech is set for Thursday, February 27, noon. Those who would like to hear Hill speak without registering for the entire conference can purchase advance-only luncheon tickets for 150 pesos at Diane Pearl Coleciones or American Legion Post Seven.
Miranda Hill, Lawrence’s wife, also joins the roster of noted speakers. A communications consultant and freelance writer, her first book of fiction, “Sleeping Funny,” debuted in 2012. An acclaimed short story writer, her tales have appeared in Reader’s Digest, The New Quarterly and The Dalhousie Review. Miranda Hill will engage attendees in workshops focused on improving clarity in any writing genre and on brevity in short story writing, essays or non-fiction pieces.
Speaker Claudia Long’s debut historical fiction novel, “Josefina’s Sin,” will be followed by a sequel, “The Duel for Consuelo,” in the spring. Both books are set against the backdrop of late 17th century Mexico and depict the impact that art, poetry and the church had on women during the colonial period. Born in Mexico City, Long lives in California, where she practices law and concentrates on writing about her passion – the life of Mexico’s most famous woman poet, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz.
The most prolific writer of the four presenters is John Scherber, who has just published his 19th book, “Into the Heart of Mexico: Expatriates Find Themselves off the Beaten Path.” A Minnesota native, Scherber and wife Kristine moved to San Miguel de Allende in 2007. He has penned 11 “Murder in Mexico” novels and authored an award-winning non-fiction account of the expatriate experience, titled “San Miguel de Allende, A Place in the Heart.” He will inform local writers about the real world of self-publishing and also discuss the relationship between the writer and reader.
The event takes place in a huge conference room at a beautiful hacienda-style venue, with easy parking and a protected patio area for breaks and book sales.
Register at Diane Pearl’s Coleciones or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The cost is 1,500 pesos until February 25.