| So often in life we’re presented with both-and situations. For me, February was both a difficult and a nourishing month. On the horribly difficult side, I unfortunately had to say goodbye to my sweet cat, Helix, after months of trying to bring him back to health. It was and remains incredibly hard, even though it was the right decision. If you want to know more, I talk about the decision in more depth here. On the nourishing side, I had the opportunity to connect with dear friends and make some writing progress on the fourth installment of the Lady Astronaut series. I’m nearing the end, which is always difficult for me. It’s hard when both the devastating and the uplifting present themselves side by side. If you’re finding yourself in a similar situation, consider this a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself, as I’m trying to be. One of the bright spots in February came through virtual opportunities to learn and gather. Teaching is one of my favorite activities, and it was a joy to interview Dr. Thomas Wagner for my Interviewing Experts series and host a workshop about honing sentences in writing. |
| March is kicking off with even more opportunities to connect and learn, including some travel. Here’s what’s happening in my world, this month and beyond. |
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Public Classes, Awards, and More)
Upcoming Public Event: Worldbuilding Con
March 18-19, 2023 on Twitch
Mary Robinette Kowal will join Tracy Hickman and Keith Baker in speaking at Worldbuilding Con 2023, presented by World Anvil. There will be sessions on fantasy worldbuilding, magic systems, geography, and much more – presented by industry experts in publishing and game design. This event is virtual and free to the public.
Upcoming Public Class: Barriers to Writing
April 23, 2023 at 3pm Eastern
This class looks at what keeps people from writing. This is less about problems with the story and more about all the external things. It’ll cover environmental factors, mental health, and tricks for pushing past all of this to write.
| I’m teaching classes throughout the year, on a variety of writing topics. Click here to take a look at the full 2023 class schedule and save your space for future sessions. |
| Writing Workshop Grant: For each of my workshops I offer one or more seats for a person of color of a marginalized gender or sexuality, funded in part by my Patreon supporters. Head to the registration page for more information. |
Writing Excuses Retreat: Alaskan Cruise
September 3 – 11, 2023
| This September, Writing Excuses is journeying to Alaska aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, and you’re invited. We will gather together in Seattle on September 3rd and depart for a September 4-11 Alaskan cruise that will provide the perfect blend of writing classes, critique groups, community building, and luxurious vacation. We’re also thrilled to welcome guest instructors Mahtab Narsimhan and Fonda Lee. |
PATREON EVENTS
The below events are open to anyone who becomes a Patron at a participating level. If the below sessions are of interest to you, you can head here to become a Patron.
Not only will you gain access to upcoming events, but you will also unlock my archive of past interviews, workshops, and Q&As.
Monthly Q&A and Writing Date
March 13 at 8:00pm Eastern
Join me for monthly online Q&A and co-working! I’ll open a Zoom session and we’ll start off with a half hour of Q&A, followed by quiet co-working, and finish off with a bit of social time. I’ll take questions about my most recent writing class, general writing topics, and more.
Book Club with Liza Palmer on Nowhere But Home
March 14 at 8:00pm Eastern
Every third month of the year I host a book club for Patreon supporters at the Interviewing Experts and Authors level. During this session, I’ll discuss the book with the author and ask questions about it. At the end of the session, you get to ask them questions, too.
This month, I’m thrilled to chat with Liza Palmer, internationally bestselling author, about her fifth novel, NOWHERE BUT HOME. It’s about a failed chef who decides to make last meals for the condemned in Texas. The novel won the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction in 2013.
February Patreon Class: Unlocking Session
March 27, 2023 at 8:00pm Eastern
Each month, I host a private writing class for Patreons who are supporting at the $30+ level. This month, we’ll pick four volunteers at random to help unlock a thing that the writer is stuck on. It might be plot, character, voice… The idea is to give you a chance to talk it out in a safe setting with guidance to help you get past the barrier and back to writing.
WHERE TO FIND MRK
(Upcoming Events and Appearances)
I have quite a bit of travel coming up in the next few months. Here’s where I’ll be:
- March 4 in Seattle, WA: I am teaching about the M.I.C.E. Quotient for the Emerald City Romance Writers this weekend. If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you. Register for the event.
- March 9-10 in Springfield, IL: My children’s book, Molly on the Moon has been selected as an Illinois Reads title! I’ll be at the 2023 Illinois Reading Council Conference to speak. Learn more.
- May 5-6 in Berkeley, CA: Panel speaker at the Bay Area Book Festival. Learn more about the event.
- May 8-13 in Bear Lake, Utah: I am teaching at a horseback riding themed Writing Excuses Retreat with New York Times bestseller, Dan Wells, YA author and horseback rider, Mikki Helmer, and trail guide, Montana. Learn More.
- May 18-20 in Berlin, Germany: Speaker at Metropol Con. Learn More.
- June 2-4 in Kansas City, MO: Guest of Honor at ConQuesT 54. Learn More.
To look further ahead, you can view my entire event calendar here.
I hope to see you at one of my upcoming online or in-person events! If you’d prefer to receive these updates in your inbox, you can sign up for my newsletter from my home page (scroll to the bottom).
