Dogwood conference will be held in Ashland, Kentucky

The Dogwood Writing Conference returns this year, featuring authors from the Tri-State area, a session on marketing and a critique panel.

“This conference is a great place for beginning writers or those interested in writing fiction to learn more,” Cathie Shaffer, KYOWA Writers president, said. “Dogwood is deliberately kept small so that no one feels intimidated and everyone has a chance to chat in a friendly atmosphere.”

This year’s conference will be Saturday, April 30, at the Holiday Inn Express near Ashland. The registration fee is $50, which includes lunch.

“We’ve seen a number of people who have attended a Dogwood conference become published authors,” Shaffer said. “This is a great place to learn more about the business as well as hone your skills.”

The Dogwood Writing Conference began in 1999 as a way for local authors to attend a writing conference without having the expense of traveling to a large city. It offers a combination of education and networking.

Heading up this year’s session line-up are authors S.G. Redling and Tobi Doyle, both of Huntington, West Virginia.

Redling, a graduate of Georgetown University, has spent fifteen years waking up the good folks of the Tri-State on the WKEE-FM morning radio show. She recently wound up her headphones for the last time and is focusing on thrillers, mysteries and urban fantasy.

She is the author of more than a half dozen novels, including the best-selling thrillers “Flowertown” and “The Widow File.” A former morning radio host and avid traveler, Redling is also a language geek, wine enthusiast and a so-so gardener. She currently lives in her home state of West Virginia with a wide array of wildlife.

Doyle calls herself “an author, narrator, workshop presenter and sarcasm creatrix,” writing under two pen names. Tobi Doyle writes fun and steamy romantic suspense, contemporary romance and flirty bits of fluff. T. Doyle writes merry murder mysteries.

Award-winning photographer Mark Shaffer, a reporter with the Ironton Tribune, will lead a session on photography for freelancers. A session on marketing and marketing materials will feature Dave Lucas and Pam Hall.

The conference marks the return of the ever-popular critique panel.

Attendees can bring the first two pages of their work to be read aloud by a narrator and critiqued instantly by the panel of authors and editors.

Payment can be made at the door; credit cards and checks will be accepted. Reservations are not required, but can be made by e-mailing mizcathie@yahoo.com.