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Home / Programs / Writing 360 Program / Thrilly Chilly January: Mentee Midyear Workshop

Thrilly Chilly January: Mentee Midyear Workshop

At Thrilly Chilly January Mentee Midyear Workshop, mentees got to know each other through dynamic small group story creation and cozy peer support sessions.

At this workshop, they were part of the Class of 2021 Anthology title reveal and brainstorm, connected with more mentees in the program, and worked together to create Thriller fiction facilitated by best-selling Horror/Suspense authors including Lisa Gardner,  Tosca Lee, Cate Holahan, Esme Addison, Cheryl Head, Kim Howe, Andrea Johnson, Sandra Brannan, Jennifer Chow, Tori Eldridge and Amy Zhang!

Lisa Gardner is a#1 New York Times bestselling crime novelist who began her career in food service, but after catching her hair on fire numerous times, she took the hint and focused on writing instead.  A self-described research junkie, she has parlayed her interest in police procedure, cutting edge forensics and twisted plots into a streak of twenty internationally bestselling suspense novels, including her most recent release, Before She Disappeared.

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels including A SINGLE LIGHT, THE LINE BETWEEN, THE PROGENY, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, ISCARIOT, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and been optioned for TV and film. A notorious night-owl, she loves movies, playing football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband. You can find Tosca on social media or hanging around the snack table. 

Cate Holahan is the USA Today Bestselling author of domestic suspense thrillers. Her latest book, Her Three Lives, will be published in April by Grand Central Publishing. Before turning to fiction, she was an award-winning print journalist writing for BusinessWeek, The Boston Globe, The Record, CNBC and others. A biracial author of Jamaican and Irish American descent, she is a member of Crime Writers of Color and Sisters in Crime. 

Ever since Esme Addison discovered Nancy Drew, she’s wanted to solve mysteries. As a mystery author, she’s finally found a way to make that dream come true. Esme lives in Raleigh, NC with her family. When she’s not writing or dreaming up new mysteries for her sleuths to stumble upon, you can find her dancing her calories away in Zumba, patronizing her local bookstores, or visiting the beach, the mountains, and all historical sites in between. The second book in her Enchanted Bay Mystery series, A Hex For Danger publishes on July 13, 2021.

Cheryl Head spent twenty years in public television and radio before turning to fiction writing. Her first novel, Long Way Home: A World War II Novel, is a story of the experiences of black soldiers in America’s segregated war-time army and was shortlisted by Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the African-American Fiction, and Historical Fiction categories. Head writes the award-winning, Charlie Mack Motown Mysteries whose female PI protagonist is queer and black. Head’s books are listed in the Detroit Public Library African American Book List. In 2019, Head was named to the Hall of Fame of the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, and she is a current member of the national Bouchercon Board of Directors. Book 6 in the Charlie Mack Motown Mystery series will be launched in June 2021, published by Bywater Books.

K.J. Howe is the international bestselling author of THE FREEDOM BROKER and SKYJACK. She is also the executive director of ITW, International Thriller Writers. Adventure and travel are her passions. She lives in Toronto, Canada. 

Andrea J. Johnson is a writer and editor whose expertise lies in traditional mysteries and romance. She holds an M.F.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and a copyediting certification from UC San Diego. Her craft essays have appeared on several websites such as Litreactor, DIY MFA, Submittable, and Funds for Writers. She also writes entertainment articles for the women’s lifestyle website Popsugar and is the author of the court reporter whodunit series the Victoria Justice Mysteries. In addition, she’s a member of the National Court Reporters Association, Mystery Writers of America, Maryland Writers Association, Eastern Shore Writers Association, and Crime Writers of Color. Her debut thriller, Poetic Justice, is the first in the VICTORIA JUSTICE series.

Jennifer J. Chow is the author of the #OwnVoices Sassy Cat Mystery series, the Winston Wong cozies, and other Asian-American novels. She lives in Los Angeles, where she hunts for all things matcha. Along with Sisters in Crime, she’s active in Crime Writers of Color, and Mystery Writers of America. 

Tori Eldridge is the Anthony, Lefty, and Macavity Awards-nominated author of The Ninja Daughter and The Ninja’s Blade. Her short stories have been published in horror, dystopian, and other literary anthologies, and her narrative poem appears in the inaugural reboot of Weird Tales magazine. Tori’s screenplay The Gift earned a semi-finalist spot for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Before writing, she performed as an actress, singer, dancer on Broadway, television, and film. Tori holds a fifth-degree black belt in To-Shin Do Ninjutsu and has traveled the U.S. teaching ninja martial arts and women’s empowerment.

Amy Zhang is the author of Falling Into Place, This Is Where the World Ends and The Cartographers (forthcoming). She lives in Brooklyn.

https://www.girlswritenow.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2020-21-MENTEE-MIDYEAR-Recap-video.mp4

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Presenting Girls Write Now Live: Unmuted Spring Performance Series!

Join Girls Write Now mentees and mentors and special guest honorees for a boundary-pushing performance series! This season, we’re proud to bring you eight shows—March 12, March 26, April 9, April 23, May 7, May 18, May 21 and June 11. Register now to join us in celebrating the power of shared stories!

Life Resources and Events

At Girls Write Now, we work to challenge and change the systemic racism and inequality by breaking down the barriers of race and poverty to elevate the voices of girls and gender nonconforming youth who are too often not heard—or worse, silenced. From mental and emotional wellness to advocating for racial justice, we are here to support you individually and as a community through our robust programming. Check out our calendar to see our current offerings or visit our Life Resources page to support you during this time.

Girls Write Now Stands in Solidarity with the AAPI Community

At Girls Write Now, we are alarmed and deeply disturbed by the recent incidents of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country. As ever, we are committed to challenging systemic racism and xenophobia, and standing in solidarity with our community as we process and heal through art and storytelling.

Become a Part of Our Community!

Girls Write Now is a dynamic, multi-generational community of writers on a mission. Complete our Inquiry Form to be notified when enrollment for the 2021-22 program year opens!

We’re Hiring!

Looking for more purpose-driven work in the new year? Check out available roles to join the team! 

GIVE. WRITE. NOW. And Thank you!!

Girls Write Now’s services are more essential than ever before—serving the hardest hit communities—and many of our young women and gender nonconforming youth have themselves become essential workers to help their families. They carry an enormous burden and face devastating loss, slipping further into poverty. To meet the need, we have enriched and extended our programs, leading the historical transition to virtual learning.

Get Involved!

Are you a licensed mental health professional who’d love to work with our community of writers and creatives? We’re seeking volunteer Wellness Advisors. Get more info & apply here!

Relive the Girls (Re)Write Now Awards

If you missed the awards, you can still watch it! Relive this revolutionary night of mini–master classes with honorees on empathy, art, activism & humor and Girls Write Now mentees on writing with purpose, climate justice & self-care. 

Writing from our Future Leaders

Taking Our Place in History: the Girls Write Now 2020 Anthology was published with support from Dutton and Amazon Literary Partnership, available for purchase from McNally Jackson Books and anywhere ebooks are sold!

Girls Write Now in the News

Girls Write Now’s work has recently been featured by the National Endowment for the Arts, Time Out New York, NYXT and more!

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