Confessions of a Workshop Junkie

Austin Mystery Writers

by Gale Albright

My name is Gale and I am a workshop junkie.
Yes, I confess it freely. I love to attend workshops and take copious notes. That’s how it started out. But it’s a slippery slope. Now the addiction has escalated to organizing workshops. I’m standing on shadowy street corners, outside book stores, tempting the innocent to “Come hear the authors. Come to the workshops. It won’t cost you a thing…except your soul!!!”
Well, not really. Maybe I’m in denial, but if you love listening to writers talk about how they write, how they got published, and how they create memorable characters, it’s already too late for you. You are lost.
You are a writer. You are a reader. There’s no cure.
So join the other lost souls and come to a fabulous all-day free mystery writing workshop at BookPeople at Sixth Street and Lamar Boulevard on Saturday, May…

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Murder On Wheels

Sisters in Crime

Sisters in Crime: Heart of Texas members Kathy Waller, Laura Oles, Valerie Chandler, Gale Albright, and former member Kaye George have short stories published in a new crime fiction anthology, Murder on Wheels, just released by Wildside Press. It is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Wildside Press website.

The eleven stories in Murder on Wheels put the pedal to the floor and never let up! Whether by bus, car, tractor, or bike, you’ll be carried along at a breakneck pace by the talented Austin Mystery Writers. These eight authors transport you from an eighteenth-century sailing ship to the open roads of modern Texas, from Alice’s Wonderland to a school bus yard in the suburbs of Dallas. Grab your book, hold on to your hat, and come along for the ride!

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April 2015

HOTSHOTS! Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas monthly newsletter

This month’s program will be on the third Sunday, April 19, instead of our usual second Sunday presentation.

The Art of the Book Cover
featuring Rebecca Byrd Bretz

According to Scott Montgomery, crime fiction coordinator at BookPeople in Austin, authors should pay attention to their book covers. “People say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover, but nobody does that.’ A photograph is better than an ugly book cover with shoddy, computer-generated art. An ugly book cover is a source of embarrassment for your booksellers.”
On April 19, award-winning graphic artist Rebecca Byrd Bretz will speak at the Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas meeting about creating book covers. She will describe her process of working with authors and the elements of successful cover design. “Meeting authors to hear them describe their stories brings the visuals I need to present them back in print,” she says, “and that is how…

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Rebecca Byrd Bretz and the Importance of Book Cover Design

Sisters in Crime

On April 19, award-winning graphic artist Rebecca Byrd Bretz will speak at the Sisters in Crime Heart of Texas meeting about creating book covers. She will describe her process of working with authors and the elements of successful cover design. “Meeting authors to hear them describe their stories brings the visuals I need to present them back in print,” she says, “and that is how a book cover is born.”

Rebecca Byrd Bretz

Ms. Bretz holds a commercial art degree and throughout her career has continued to study. She has worked for UpState magazine, textbook publisher Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Morgan Printing, and Ginny’s Printing, and has developed concepts for malls, hotels, spas, and clowns. She has created book covers through printing companies and agencies and as an independent designer. Clients include SafePlace, the Library of Congress, and numerous self-published authors. She has received a First…

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