May 19th: 10am in Room 150 - SNOW Science Center

Want to punch up dull prose, tighten flabby sentences, and transform passive voice into active? Verbs are the key! We'll spend the first 15 minutes reviewing the verb basics that are most germane to creative writers (tense, gerunds, and participles). Then I'll give you six verb-focused tips for revising listless sentences, and we'll do a little practice as a group. Finally, we'll review a narrative analysis of several bestselling authors' work to see how the pros use verbs to craft "unputdownable" prose.

May 19th: 10am & 3pm in Room 112 - SNOW Science Center

Join produced Hollywood screenwriter Michaelbrent Collings as he takes you through the basics of screenwriting, from structure to format to character to dialogue and more. Learn why you only write what you see, and why you never say what you want to say when writing a screenplay. A great intro to people starting out their screen writing career, or just wondering what it’s all about.

May 19th: 10am in Room 124 - SNOW Science Center

Jared Beckstrand has spent his career as an animator at studios such as Dreamworks, Don Bluth, and 12 years for Walt Disney Animation. Some of his film credits include Tarzan, Hercules, The Emperor's New Groove, Princess and the Frog, and coming later this year, Mary Poppins Returns. He will be sharing his contributions to story writing through illustrations.

May 19th: 10am in Room 125 - SNOW Science Center

Come ride with Marleen to the rugged west, the land of horses and cattle.  Learn how cowboy poetry became an important part of the cattle drives moving north from Texas.  Hear poems written by the classic cowboy poets and listen to Marleen recite original poetry that springs from her rural roots growing up on a North Dakota farm.

May 19th: 10am in Room 151 - SNOW Science Center

Lynn Barron is the author of the book Cleaning the Kingdom, a book his time working at Disneyland in the Custodial department and never-before-published stories about Disneyland. He is also the creator of the podcast The Sweep Spot, a podcast about Disneyland history, current events and memories from guests and hosts about working at Disneyland. Learn about how he used his podcast to promote the success of his book.

May 19th: 11am in Room 150 - SNOW Science Center

Michaelbrent Collings is an international bestseller, produced screenwriter, member of the WGA, and multiple Bram Stoker Award and Whitney Award Finalist. Join him as he walks you through the ten steps that any author or artist must take to achieve — and maintain — a successful career.

May 19th: 10am & 11am in Room 147 - SNOW Science Center

Reading is fun! Being read to is sometimes even better! Miss Ani has been a Children’s Literacy Advocate and Homeschool Educator for many years and hopes to continue building the desire to read in young children and future generations.  Storytime With Miss Ani will focus on several reading books that will delight and entertain young children, as well as their parents.  Activities that promote the focus of each story will also be included, so come ready to be entertained and get creative!

May 19th: 11am & 2pm in Room 112 - SNOW Science Center

Lyrics can be written but great lyrics must be crafted. We'll start with the HOOK.  Then we'll look at song structure. Within that structure we'll look at rhymes (true rhymes versus false rhymes), rhyming patterns and meter (Ya gotta have that rhythm!). But we'll save the best for last. We'll pick the best HOOK from the class and write a chorus around it.

May 19th: 11am in Room 124 - SNOW Science Center

This in-depth, informational and inspiring presentation will cover the different publishing options, the pros and cons to each, and many things that authors NEED to know to make a good decision on which publishing option is best for them. In addition, many marketing and promoting ideas will be presented as well as proven formulas that have been used by Dave and dozens of authors he has represented over the past seven years to create success with their penned works. Learn the reality of publishing today and how to benefit from current opportunities for authors of all genre and readership.

May 19th: 11am in Room 125 - SNOW Science Center

Utah's Poet Laureate, Paisley Rekdal will present her collection of poetry, curated like any art exhibit. Her ability to find poetry in unexpected moments and places, become hallmark in a clarifying voice that you won't want to miss.  Her poetry invites clarity to everyone's world. Her distinctive poetic voice speaks to everyone. . .come listen.

May 19th: 11am in Room 151 - SNOW Science Center

The fear of rejection and failure is the single greatest obstacle to success in adult life. Taken to its extreme, we become totally preoccupied with not making a mistake; with seeking approval for security above all other considerations. Fear of failure interferes with performance, inhibits expression, and stifles creativity. For artists, musicians, performers, and writers this obstacle always looms large in their legend. Every piece of work they produce is intended to be seen, heard, or read with a critical perspective. In this session we are going to look at this often-daunting obstacle from a different perspective, particularly as it pertains to creative types of all kinds.

May 19th: 1pm in Room 112 - SNOW Science Center

Do you think it isn’t funny when you’re afraid? Do you think laughter is the best medicine, and never something to fear? If so, you’re wrong. Join international bestseller and multiple Bram Stoker Award Finalist Michaelbrent Collings as he takes you through horror and comedy, laying out the elements of both, and explaining why they are really just one side of the same coin. 

May 19th: 1pm in Room 124 - SNOW Science Center

Your book is written, printed, and in your hands. Congratulations! Now you need to get it into the hands of your readers. One exciting way to do this is to sell your book at festivals, expos, and fairs. In this class, you’ll learn the basics of drawing people to your booth, engaging them in discussions, and closing the deal. You’ll also learn tips and tricks to help you enjoy the experience more and look forward to your next one. Come learn what this author wishes she knew before she did her first booth.

May 19th: 1pm in Room 125 - SNOW Science Center

Using her abundant creative talents, Candy takes us through exercises to enlighten our creative minds and strengthen writing skills. We will learn to connect our voices with our personal life experience in nature, music, art; explore forgotten corners, capture poetic translations of personal discovery.  

May 19th: 1pm in Room 147 - SNOW Science Center

A stray dog gets adopted by soldiers training to fight in World War I. He accompanied these men to France where he proved to be a brave and valiant mascot. Author, Marilyn Richardson will read selections from her book. There will be an opportunity for students to write a story from an animal’s point of view, make a medal of honor, and be trained by a Drill Sargent.

May 19th: 1 pm in Room 150 - SNOW Science Center

Astronomy-loving Calliope June has Tourette syndrome, so she sometimes makes faces or noises that she doesn’t mean to make. When she and her mother move yet again, she tries to hide her TS. But it isn’t long before the kids at her new school realize she’s different. Author, Ellie Terry, will share her own experience with Tourette’s as well as some of the selections from her book, written mostly in poetry. Students will be engaged in a Found Poetry Art Project.

May 19th: 1pm in Room 151 - SNOW Science Center

Come join author, Russell Estlack, as he dispels some of the myths of the Old West. Guaranteed, he’ll introduce you to characters and events you have never heard of before. Student theater ambassadors will help reenact some of these exciting short stories.

May 19th: 2pm in Room 124 - SNOW Science Center

Creating page-turner tales involves learning effective techniques.  Mastering an effective-writing process is akin to being a really good cook.  It’s all about what spice to put in, what to leave out, when to stir, when to bring action to a rolling boil and when to turn off the heat. Folding emotion in purposefully makes readers feel deeply what you want them to feel, exactly when you want them to feel it. As with cooking, timing is critical and so is considering the tastes of who you’re inviting to your feast. Fit your point of view characters and their challenges to your readers.

May 19th: 2pm in Room 125 - SNOW Science Center

A panel of five highly credentialed, award winning published poets, will spotlight the Literary Arts Festival answering questions about their craft.  LaVerna Johnson, Candy Lish Fowler, Susan Foster, Pam Tucker, come together in a perfect poetic storm of literary genius.   Who can say it better?  Who could teach us more?  You won't want to miss it.

May 19th: 3pm in Room 124 - SNOW Science Center

As video killed the radio star, creative writing programs killed fiction. Or so the story goes. This workshop will look at contemporary authors for understanding and appreciation. We will identify and understand the thematic concerns of the authors and analyze each work in terms of traditional fictional elements. We will also cover how contemporary writing can help with promoting your book through blogging and different ways to use blogs when attracting readers.

May 19th: 3pm in Room 125 - SNOW Science Center

Life is a series of moments. Adding a smile or a chuckle to as many of those moments as possible improves the quality of life for all. Shane will discuss the benefits of laughter and how to add humor to your writing or speaking projects. He will discuss specific techniques that you can use to brainstorm and create humorous content, especially in the realm of funny poetry.