Puerto Vallarta Writing Workshop Boasts Internationally Noted Panel

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO (PRLeap) January 12, 2007—The Puerto Vallarta Writers Group will host its second annual Writers Weekend Workshop, February 2-4, which is titled, "A Weekend Workshop for the Writer Inside Each One of Us!" Whether aspiring writer or polished pro, and no matter where your writing interests may lie—poetry, fiction or non-fiction, stage or screenplays—there is something in this program for you.

For the Weekend Workshop, the process of writing has been broken down into four steps; Generating Ideas; Finding Your Format, Following Through, and Getting Into Print.

Heading the impressive list of keynote speakers is Karen Blomain, international writing conference presenter, author, and poet. Karen, a native of Pennsylvania, has received two PEN USA Syndicated Fiction Prizes and numerous fellowships and residencies. She has published four volumes of poetry and has edited an anthology of regional poetry. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University, and has conducted writing workshops in France, Ireland, Austria, Russia, and throughout the United States. She and her husband, writer and photographer Michael Downend, have written a play whose equity production opens in Pennsylvania in March, 2007. Karen is gifted with an aura that simply inspires. She will present the themes, “Generating Ideas,” and “Following Through.”

The other featured speakers are the co-founders of two of the oldest writers groups in Mexico, those in Ajijic, on Lake Chapala outside Guadalajara, and San Miguel de Allende, in the central highlands of Mexico. Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez—known to his many friends as Alex—is the editor of “El Ojo Del Lago,” one of Mexico’s most successful English language periodicals. Living and working in Hollywood for 25 years before moving to Ajijic, Alex has written stage and screenplays, has seven novels to his credit, and has also written, produced, and directed several feature length films. Having mastered so many of writing’s most challenging styles, Alex is the ideal choice to address the topic “Finding the Format.”

Last, but by no means least, noted international author Susan Page from San Miguel de Allende has written four books on relationships, and a publishing guide for writers. Susan’s books have been translated into 20 foreign languages and have sold over a million copies in the U.S. and worldwide. She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, CNN, NPR, and others. Excerpts of her work have appeared in People Magazine, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, Redbook and scores of other publications. Susan is a natural to comment on the major preoccupation of all writers—“Getting Into Print.”

The weekend includes a Friday evening Wine and Cheese reception, a Saturday Buffet Dinner at La Hacienda restaurant, and a Sunday afternoon Author Book Signing at The Lazy Lizard on Los Muertos beach. All this, including the dinner, is offered for a Registration Fee of only $700 pesos (about $65 U.S.). Registrants can purchase guest tickets for the dinner Saturday evening dinner while quantities last for an additional $220 pesos per dinner.

The Workshop will be held at the International Friendship Club, conveniently located a block north of the Rio Cuale on Insurgentes Avenue, above the HSBC bank, in the heart of downtown Puerto Vallarta.

A complete Workshop Schedule is attached to this email, as well as a Registration Form which can be filled out and brought with payment to any January meeting of the Puerto Vallarta Writers Group, held Saturday mornings at 10:30 at the International Friendship Club. Information is also available online at www.pvwritersgroup.com.

Out of town inquiries should be directed to Dan Grippo: dangrippo@yahoo.com; Puerto Vallarta telephone: (322) 222-7819; U.S. (Vonage) telephone: (312) 637-9629.

Space is limited, so please act now if interested