Oct. 15, 2002 Four-time award-winning author Cristina Kessler will conduct a two-day fiction writing workshop on St. John's Maho Bay Pavilion on Nov. 16 and 17. The workshop will include plot and character development, dialogue and "tricks to getting started."
And, of course, there will be lots of writing. Each participant will have a short story well under way by the workshop's end. One editing session is also included for those who complete a short story after the workshop.
A resident of St. John, Kessler has written and published numerous children's books, countless articles for national and international magazines and newspapers, and co-founded a women's magazine in Ethiopia. In addition to presenting fiction workshops internationally, she is now most proudly the "Author-in-Residence" at the Julius Sprauve School on St. John.
Shirley Joseph, Sprauve School principal, beamed with pride at the recent publication of a book of stories written by Sprauve students under Kessler's tutelage. "Ms. Kessler has harnessed the raw talent of these kids and has really instilled in them a love of writing," Joseph said.
In the past 20 years, Kessler has conducted writing workshops for teachers, children and aspiring novelists in over 15 countries worldwide. "I hold these workshops to share my love for writing and to encourage and empower those people who have always wanted to write to get started," Kessler said.
Fees for the two-day workshop are $230, with a portion of the proceeds going to "The Wheelchair Foundation" to buy one wheelchair for a handicapped person in Ethiopia. Closing date for registration is Nov. 10.
To register for the workshop or for more information, call Kessler at 779-4331, visit her Web site at www.cristinakessler.com or email her at bamakocdk@hotmail.com.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.