“Speed-Dating” by the Bay at our 7th Annual
Meet-the-Agents, Editors, & Publishers Event
Saturday, March 27th, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sinbad’s Restaurant, Pier 2, San Francisco
$50 WNBA member, $65 non-member, or $75 at the door
(Buffet Breakfast and Pitch Tips, included)
Space is limited (we sold out last year) –
Register by March 15th
Register via PayPal at www.wnba-sfchapter.org or mail your check made out to WNBA-SF to 4061 East Castro Valley Blvd., #193, Castro Valley, CA 94552

One Woman’s Path to Publishing began at Meet-the-Agents 2009: Mary Jo McConahay’s Maya Roads: Travels Through Time and Space in the American Rainforest will be published by Chicago Review Press, Spring 2011. She met her agent, Andy Ross, at our sold-out MTA event last year, so sign up now to assure your place.

“Last March I joined a hundred other men and women from the WNBA San Francisco Chapter at Sinbad’s Restaurant for its annual Meet the Agents event. From the windows, views of the Bay were the blue of dreams, and expansive enough to calm the most nervous. I won’t say I wasn’t a little jittery as I looked around the room, at the agents waiting. The hours were so learning-intensive and fun, and I called an agent I met, to whom I felt connected, and within a few days we were literary representative and client… some six months later, I signed the publisher’s contract.” Click here to read her entire article on WNBA-SF’s blog. www.maryjomcconahay.com

Sign up soon to secure your spot - response is high.
http://www.wnba-sfchapter.org/

Christopher C. Payne is a brand new author writing under the pen name of Duncan Moron. His recently published book, Duncan’s Diary, Birth of a Serial Killer, received the Editors Choice designation and is well on its way to a successful launch. It is on the shelves of several bay area bookstores, including the San Francisco Airport Bookstore, which sold out its initial stock order in less than a week. Duncan’s Diary has received upwards of sixteen rave reviews on Amazon.com, fourteen of which are five out of five stars. Everyone who touches the book, loves it.

Christopher lives in Northern California, has three daughters and until his recent book release had maintained a career in corporate accounting. While the two fields might seem worlds apart he has successfully managed to bridge the gap and is currently in the process of writing his second novel.

Christopher is an active member of the WNBA where he currently holds the position of treasurer. He can be found on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/duncanmoron, or his website, www.journalstone.com, where he consistently enlightens his followers with blog posts and tidbits into his everyday life.

When did you start writing?

I started writing approximately two years ago.  I had never written or attempted to write anything before.  Well, I guess since high school for a creative writing assignment.  I just opened the computer and started typing.  Little did I know a few months later a book would pop out.  I was as shocked as everyone who knew me.

Why did you choose your particular genre?

Strangely enough I didn't pick it.  I had no preconceived notion of what I was writing.  There was no storyline or agenda.  I simply wrote and the character went off in his own.  It was an interesting process.  I didn't even know how it would end until I was almost there.  After the book was completed they told me it was a horror novel so I just went with it.


What inspired you to choose your subject matter?

I was going through a divorce myself and as anyone who has gone through that process knows, it is difficult.  I think that propelled me into a dark spot which is reflected in my writing.  I tend to have a darker side anyway, but during this time period I went way South.  I think this is why Duncan (the main character) was so lost and violent.

How difficult/easy has your experience been as a published writer?

Since this was my first experience I had no idea what to do once the book was complete. I didn't know about agents, or publishers or anything really. I fell into self publishing, after taking the advice of a friend and went that route. It has been an interesting learning process.  I think writing the book was the easy part. With the success Duncan's Diary seems geared up for I will solicit agents for my second book and see if I can let somebody else do that part of the process. I hope to devote a little more time to writing versus so much time marketing and selling.

What advice would you give other aspiring authors?

Interestingly my Facebook friends have risen from 200 to well over 2,000 in the last four weeks, since my book started taking off. It is still growing by approximately 50 people a day. I am now getting questions from several aspiring writers asking my advice, ranging from how to write, all the way through to publishing. I realize I might get into trouble by more experience authors than me for saying this, but my advice to them has been simple.  Open your computer and write. Let your characters and story develop on its own. If you have a storyline you are doing nothing more than attempting to box your plot and theme inside four walls. Leave it open and let it go where it sees fit.  If you are passionate about it, the story will find its way. This is for fiction obviously.

Anything else you would like to share with the WNBA?

My writing content and stories are dark. I am very appreciative of the WNBA for accepting me, even though I am not mainstream in my approach, style and content. So far, with only a couple of exceptions, the WNBA has been so supportive. I can't thank everyone enough for the advice, guidance and encouragement I have been given. I truly had no idea what I was doing and if it were not for this organization, I might not have a book out there in the public today. I spent the first few months a little afraid to even tell members about my book. I had no idea what everyone's reaction would be. I have since found how wonderful the group is and I can't thank this organization enough for what it has done for me.