SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A MEMOIR?

ARIA Academy Class

Tuesday, May 7, 2024, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Via Zoom

If you would like to know more about writing memoir, please consider joining me for this 90-minute online class I am teaching via Zoom.

Class Description: A memoir, unlike an autobiography, is an up-close look at your life that focuses on a particular topic or time period. It might be about why you love playing bluegrass fiddle music so much or what happened during your first year of marriage. A good memoir will reveal what you learned from your experiences as well as provide something meaningful for the reader to think about. In this interactive workshop, we will take a look at some well-written memoirs, examine different ways to organize them, and then try writing an excerpt or two. Join the class with your computer or pen/paper on hand and be prepared to begin your personal memoir journey.

Class fee: $30

Registration: The class is sponsored by ARIA (the Association of Rhode Island Authors) but anyone can attend. To register and pay for the class, visit the ARIA website by clicking HERE.

I hope to see you in class!

To help out one of my favorite little libraries, I’ll be running the 2024 Ukrainian Egg Fundraiser to benefit Davisville Free Library on Saturday, March 23, from Noon to 3 p.m. If you’d like to support the library, please join us that day to make eggs (call the library in advance to register), or purchase one of the already completed eggs displayed at the library (481 Davisville Road, North Kingstown, RI), made by me or my family ($25 donation). If you live too far away to visit in person, call the library to buy an egg and we’ll be happy to mail it to you ($25 donation plus $10 shipping).

Please help support the wonderful Davisville Free Library!

If you are looking for something to do in Rhode Island on any Saturday from now to the end of July, drive on up to the Glocester Heritage Society Building—a.k.a. the Job Armstrong Store—at 1181 Putnam Pike in Chepachet to meet some local authors and buy signed copies of their books at the ARIA Chepachet Local Author Event. Every weekend, several authors will be in the building, talking about their books. I’ll be there from Noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, and I’m bringing chocolate chip cookies!

If you happen to be out and about on Saturday, February 10, please stop by to see me at Wakefield Books in the Wakefield Mall at 160 Old Tower Hill Road in Wakefield, RI. I will be there from 10 a.m. to noon, signing copies of my books. They’d make great Valentine’s Day presents—just saying!

For those of you who live in the Rhode Island area, make sure to put the ARIA 11th Annual Rhode Island Author Expo on your calendar. On Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., over 130 local authors will be selling their books in the beautiful ballroom of Warwick’s Crowne Plaza Hotel. The event is free and open to everyone. I’ll be there all day and will even be part of a panel at 12:15 p.m., discussing how to encourage young authors.

Click here to visit the Expo Facebook page or click here to visit the Expo website. Click here if you’d like to see an alphabetical listing of authors and their table locations.

Hope to see you there!

Please join me and two dozen other published authors from around the Ocean State at Providence’s historic Rochambeau Library for their Local Author Fair. Meet the authors, buy some books, and have them autographed for fabulous Christmas presents. There will be authors of fiction, poetry, local history, other nonfiction, and even children's books. Stop by and say, “Hi!”

Rochambeau Library’s Local Author Fair

Thursday, November 16, 2023

4:00 to 7:30 p.m.

708 Hope Street

Providence, RI 02906

Information: Lee Teverow, Adult Services Librarian - lteverow@clpvd.org / (401) 272-3780

So apparently I am not as hardy as I thought I was... After considering the 3" of rain and the 20 mph wind gusts predicted for today, I've decided not to participate in the Exeter Fall Festival. Please catch me at another event soon. Like the book launch at Davisville Free Library in North Kingstown, RI, on Saturday, September 30 @ 2 p.m. Hope to see you there!

If you are a writer or a reader who has wondered what goes into writing a work of historical fiction, this is your opportunity to find out. On Saturday, October 9, from 4 to 6 p.m., I will be leading a seminar in which we examine successful historical fiction novels, discuss the pros and cons of the genre, and do writing exercises that illustrate the process of incorporating historical people and/or events into a storyline. The class will be held at Books on the Pond, an innovative new book store housed in three beautifully renovated barns located at 289 Narrow Lane, Charlestown, RI. The fee for the class is $20 and light refreshments—including my award-winning chocolate chip cookies—will be served.

Please join us for what promises to be an interesting, literary afternoon. Pre-registration is required: in-store, call/text: (914) 450-9598, or online: https://www.booksonthepond.com/event/fact-vs-fiction-writing-historical-fiction-with-lynne-heinzmann

Please join me for this free online/virtual event via Zoom when I will discuss my historical fiction novel, Frozen Voices, with Providence Public Library staff and guests. I am very excited to be the first author of the season to participate in this series of lunchtime talks. Virtual seating is limited to 19 participants, so make sure to register: https://provlib.libcal.com/event/8325475. I look forward to seeing you there!

Join Marilyn Harris, our fabulous researcher, and me as we discuss the publication of the second book of the Rose Island Lighthouse Series. Hear all about what inspired this book series, how historical fiction must be true to its era, and what goes into writing a book with a careful balance of both historical accuracy and creativity. Afterward, copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Please check out the flyer below for more details. Hope to see you there!

Please join our fabulous Book Team for the newly rescheduled book launch of our latest creation: The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman. This entertaining and informative book gives life to the true memories of Paul Stedman, a boy who lived in the Rose Island Lighthouse in the 1930s with his grandfather, Lighthouse Keeper Jesse Orton. In this second book of The Rose Island Lighthouse Series, charming short stories about Paul’s adventures are intermixed with factual chapters, whimsical paintings, and historical photographs. Written to be enjoyed by readers of all ages or shared with young children, The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman provides a fascinating peek into life in a lighthouse.

On Saturday, July 17 at 2:00 p.m. we will be gathering at the Davisville Free Library (481 Davisville Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852) to discuss our book-making process, share some excerpts from the book, sign/sell copies, and celebrate the book’s launch with family and friends like you. The event is free but pre-registration is required. Please email the library at: staff@davisvillefreelibrary.org

We hope to see you there!

On Tuesday, June 22 at 6:00 p.m., I will participate in a presentation at Smith’s Castle (55 Richard Smith Drive, North Kingstown, RI) about the Rose Island Lighthouse and hope you can join us. Brian Tefft, the Executive Director of the Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust will lead off the event with a discussion of Rose Island, past and present, and then I will talk about The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman, the latest book in the Rose Island Lighthouse Series, written by me and my fabulous Book Team: Marilyn Harris (researcher), Michaela Fournier (graphic designer), and Robin Roraback (illustrator). This book shows the lighthouse from the point of view of a young boy who lived there with his grandfather, the lighthouse keeper, in the 1930s. During my presentation, I’ll discuss the making of the book and even read an excerpt or two. Copies will be available for purchase and autographs—and I do love to sign books! Please stop by for an enjoyable, educational event.

Please join me on Friday, June 18 at 4 p.m. for an Author Talk at the adorable Willett Free Library in Saunderstown, Rhode Island. I will be speaking about our latest book in the Rose Island Lighthouse Series, The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman. This free event, hosted by the super-friendly Library Director Jennifer Shaker and her wonderful library staff, will feature stories about Paul Stedman, the grandson of LIghthouse Keeper Jesse Orton, who lived on Rose Island in the 1930s. While there, Paul had many interesting adventures, including encounters with a swimming cow, a naked steamboat castaway, and a uniformed lighthouse inspector. The Author Talk will include a discussion of the book, a reading, and a Q & A session. Books will be available for purchase, too. As an added enticement, I’ll even bring along a batch of my famous chocolate chip cookies for everyone to munch on, so please plan on stopping by!

NOTE: DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TICKET SALES, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED. STAY TUNED FOR A RESCHEDULED BOOK LAUNCH SOON!

On Saturday, June 5, from 1 to 4 p.m., My fabulous Book Team and I are participating in a Season Opening & Book Launch Event at the Lighthouse on Rose Island (see the flyer below). We have created The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman, another wonderful book full of stories and pictures that document life on Rose Island, this time through the eyes of the grandson of Lighthouse Keeper Jessie Orton during the 1930s. In appreciation of your $75 donation ($30 for children 16 & under), you will receive a signed copy of the book and have the opportunity to meet the Book Team at our book launch presentation. Your donation will also include the ferry ride to and from the island from the pier at Fort Adams State Park (free parking!), a guided tour of the Lighthouse and grounds, and light refreshments.

Won’t you join us for a wonderful day at Rose Island? The Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust is a 501(c)3 organization and all contributions are tax-deductible. For event tickets/reservations and additional information, visit www.roseisland.org or call (401) 847-4242. Thank you, in advance, for your support!

I am excited to announce I will be appearing via Zoom at Norwalk Public Library's (virtual) Indie Author Day. Together with two other authors and the fine folks from Woodhall Press, we will read from our latest books (I've got a new one coming out in May 2021) and participate in a panel discussion that provides valuable tips on book editing, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 7. Please see below for information on how to join the Zoom Room. Hope to see you there!

This weekend, FUMFA Poets and Writers Live (https://www.facebook.com/FUMFAlive) has invited authors Nick Knittel and me to appear live on their Facebook show, Sunday, July 26, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. I’d be thrilled and honored if you’d tune in to hear us! Both Nick and I graduated from FUMFA (Fairfield University’s Master of Fine Arts Program) and both of us were fortunate enough to win the Fairfield Book Prize (Nick: Good Things, 2011; Me: Frozen Voices, 2015). On Sunday evening, we’ll each present a reading from our work and then do our best to answer whatever questions are asked. Please come join the fun!

On Wednesday, January 8 at 7:00 p.m., I will do a book presentation of The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase (CCWC), at the Willett Free Library (45 Ferry Road, Saunderstown, RI). Published by Woodhall Press in June 2019, this innovative book is the first in the Rose Island Lighthouse Series and chronicles the boyhood of Wanton Chase, who lived at the lighthouse with his grandparents in the early 1900s.

Brian L. Wallin, a noted Rhode Island author and historian wrote, “The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase is the work of a talented quartet of Rhode Island women who have created a charming and historically rich account revolving around prominent Narragansett Bay landmark, the Rose Island Lighthouse. Although this book is aimed at a middle school audience, adults will take equal pleasure bouncing between the charming adventures of a young boy surrounded by a rapidly changing world.”

For the library presentation, I will discuss some of the history contained within CCWC, do a brief reading, and then will happily answer any questions you might have. Copies of the book—both hardcover and paperback—will be available for purchase and signing.

So please come to this wonderful library in beautiful Saunderstown and hear entertaining and educational stories about the Rose Island Lighthouse!

Please join me at School One in Providence (220 University Avenue, Providence, RI 02906) for a seminar class I’m teaching for GrubStreet: Providence on Monday, November 18, from 6 to 9 p.m.

The class description:

Becoming Your Own Best Editor

Every writer would benefit from a great editor, someone to read and evaluate her work and suggest ways to craft it into the best piece of writing it can possibly become. But professional editors are busy and look for projects that already have a high level of polish, so before submitting to them, you need to become a skilled editor of your own work yourself.

In this hands-on seminar, we will experiment with several different levels of editing. We’ll look at editing some of the “big picture” items, such as a piece’s overall message/story, structure, voice, or tone. We’ll check out how to evaluate secondary elements, such as sub-plots, characters, and point-of-view. And we’ll even examine some common mistakes made with sentence structure, grammar, and spelling—all those little things that are important to get right if we want our work to be taken seriously.

This class will show writers of both fiction and nonfiction how to become their own best editors, making their work marketable in the professional world.

This is a cross-genre seminar, applicable to any kind of writing.

Scholarships are available.

For more information, please visit this site: https://grubstreet.org/programs/providence-class/

Hope to see some familiar faces there!

Please join the fine folks from Woodhall Press and me at Fairfield Public Library’s From Pages to Publication: A Writer’s Conference from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2019. The Library is located at 1080 Old Post Road in Fairfield, CT.

Since November 1 marks the start of this year’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), the Library has set aside space on Saturday for those wishing to begin work on their new novel. For those who want to attend the free conference, the morning’s agenda features a keynote address by author Ellen LaCorte, book signings, sales, and networking. In the afternoon, the Library has planned a wonderful slate of events featuring a host of speakers talking about writing and publishing plays, poems, novels, short stories, and more. From 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., I will be participating in An Overview of Publishing with Woodhall Press, during which we will discuss a wide variety of topics including writing, illustrating, editing, and publishing.

Please come join us for what promises to be a fun and informative day!

Please join me at School One in Providence (220 University Avenue, Providence, RI 02906) for a seminar class I’m teaching for GrubStreet: Providence on Monday, October 28, from 6 to 9 p.m.

The class description:

Getting Emotional: How to Layer Your Character's Feelings

Have you ever struggled trying to portray your characters’ emotions? How someone experiences and expresses emotion often has complex individual, social, and cultural undertones. Much of the way people show their emotions is non-verbal. Therefore, capturing nuanced feelings on paper can be a daunting task.

In this seminar, we will start by examining and identifying different degrees of emotions. A character can be many levels of angry—irritated, aggravated, pissed off—and as writers, we must be able to pinpoint exactly what she is feeling at that moment in the story. We’ll look at some non-verbal indicators of emotion, moving beyond the smile and the frown to more subtle but effective details, keeping in mind differences due to age, culture, conflict, and other factors. We’ll wrap up the class by exploring our written environments, identifying ways we can use the physical aspects of a scene to amplify our characters’ feelings, as though they were actors on a stage. All of our investigations will be accompanied by in-class writing exercises to experiment, discover, and deepen our understanding of craft when it comes to writing emotions.

Scholarships are available.

For more information, please visit this site: https://grubstreet.org/programs/providence-class/

Hope to see some familiar faces there!

On Saturday, September 21, from 1 to 3 p.m., please join me and our Book Team at the Rose Island Lighthouse, where we will be doing a presentation/signing of The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase (Woodhall Press, 2019). The book chronicles the boyhood adventures of Wanton Chase, who lived with his grandparents at the Lighthouse from 1910 to 1916.

Speaking about the book, Charlotte Johnson, a founding member of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation said, “These four talented women have superbly woven a young boy’s true-life stories with historical facts, original illustrations, and period photographs to create a book that is written in a style that is enjoyable to read, educational, and captivating for all ages. I heartily recommend it!” 

To get to the book presentation/signing, The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation (RILF) has arranged for a FREE ferry ride from Fort Adams, Newport. Just be at the Fort Adams ferry landing at 12:45 p.m. Saturday. The RILF is also waiving their island landing fee for everyone attending the book event, so, if you’ve never been to the Lighthouse before, this is your chance to visit for FREE! And while you’re at it, why not pack a picnic and enjoy a lazy afternoon on Rose Island?


Please RSVP to reserve your spot on the ferry (limited to 40 passengers) through the link provided.

Please join me on Tuesday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m., when I will be doing a book presentation of The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase (CCWC), at the Jamestown Philomenian Library (26 North Road, Jamestown, RI). Published by Woodhall Press in June 2019, this innovative book is the first one in the Rose Island Lighthouse Series, and chronicles the boyhood of Wanton Chase, who lived at the Lighthouse with his grandparents in the early 1900s.

Brian L. Wallin, a Rhode Island author and historian noted, “The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase is the work of a talented quartet of Rhode Island women who have created a charming and historically rich account revolving around prominent Narragansett Bay landmark, the Rose Island Lighthouse. Although this book is aimed at a middle school audience, adults with take equal pleasure bouncing between the charming adventures of a young boy surrounded by a rapidly changing world.”

For the library presentation, I will be discussing some of the history contained within CCWC, do a brief reading, and then will be happy to answer any questions you might have. Copies of the book—both hardcover and paperback—will be available for purchase and signing.

So come on over to this wonderful library in beautiful Jamestown and hear entertaining and educational stories about the Rose Island Lighthouse!

Please join me as I begin a new adventure as an instructor for GrubStreet: Providence. On Monday, September 9, we will be hosting a Showcase & Info Session at School One, 220 University Avenue, Providence, RI, presenting information about our upcoming Fall 2019 classes.

Check out this site for more information about the event: https://grubstreet.org/findaclass/class/fall-grubstreet-providence-showcase-and-info-session/

I am very excited to be teaching for GrubStreet, the nation’s largest independent writing center. I hope you come to this event to find out more about them!

This weekend, please join me and a host of other excellent authors, speakers, and presenters at the Hollihock Writers Conference, one of the best little writing conferences in Southern New England. They are offering an excellent slate of events starting at 11 a.m. on Friday and continuing straight through to 5:30 Sunday evening. And the organizers are committed to keeping the conference affordable to all, charging only $69 for a three-day pass!

Check out Hollihock’s website for full details: https://www.hollihock.org/

I am presenting a seminar on Creating Memorable Main Characters on Sunday, August 25 from 11 to 11:50 a.m. and would love to see your familiar face in the crowd!

This Saturday, August 24, from noon to 2 p.m., join me at Wakefield Books in Wakefield, RI, where I’ll be signing copies of our new book, The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase (Woodhall Press, 2019). The book chronicles the boyhood adventures of Wanton Chase, who lived with his grandparents at the Rose Island Lighthouse (Newport, RI) from 1910 to 1916.

Speaking about the book, Charlotte Johnson, a founding member of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation said, “These four talented women have superbly woven a young boy’s true-life stories with historical facts, original illustrations, and period photographs to create a book that is written in a style that is enjoyable to read, educational, and captivating for all ages. I heartily recommend it.” 

So, if you’re looking for (very!) early Christmas presents or just trying to escape the muggy August heat, please stop by this charming book store, check out their excellent selection of local and national best sellers, say “Hi!” to me, and buy a copy (or two!) of CCWC.

I hope to see you there!

The final workshop I’m teaching this summer for the University of Rhode Island’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will be held on Tuesday, August 20 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and it’s all about inventing unforgettable main characters:

Creating Memorable Main Characters

Great stories contain unforgettable main characters with unique qualities that allow them to linger in readers’ minds long after their books are read. But do all these memorable characters share any common traits? Yes, they do! We will examine many examples of stellar main characters and discuss what makes them special. Then, using what we have learned, we will create our own memorable main characters in some creative writing exercises.

Like my other workshops, this one will be informative and interactive, teaching you new ways to write and giving you some practice in doing so. To enroll, register online at web.uri.edu/olli or call the school at (401) 874-4197. Please join us!