MOUNT GILEAD – National best-selling fiction author from the Columbus area Patricia Sargeant will speak at noon on Friday, Oct. 21, at Mount Gilead High School as part of the Third Annual Mount Gilead Autumn Writers Retreat. The event is free and open to the public.
Sargeant strategically uses several pen names. She writes mysteries as Olivia Matthews and romance novels as Patricia Sargeant and Regina Hart. Her work has been reviewed in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and Suspense Magazine.
Among Sargeant’s newest books is "Murder Out of Character" about Marvey, a small-town librarian in Peach Coast, Georgia, who finds a mysterious list of names, some of whom may be in danger, and what happens next is no coincidence. She was drawn to write romance because she believes love is the greatest motivation. Her mysteries put ordinary people in extraordinary situations to have them find the hero inside.
The other keynote speaker is Brad Pauquette, also from central Ohio, who has enjoyed success as both an accomplished author and publishing professional. He has authored several books, including "Sejal: The Walk for Water," which focuses on the life of a 14-year-old girl from a remote village in India who carries water for her family on a daily basis. In the book, based on a true story, Sejal’s day begins like any other and ends like none she’s ever experienced.
Pauquette is also the founder of the Ohio Writers Association, the owner of two publishing imprints, and the founder and director of the School of Kingdom Writers. He is passionate about helping authors produce amazing work that changes the world, and has developed a number of bestselling titles as an editor and consultant.
In previous years, guest authors have been Morrow County’s own Mindy McGinnis, who specializes in young adult fiction, including her book "The Female of the Species," and Matt Betts of Columbus who writes fantasy and speculative fiction.
The Mount Gilead Area Writers Guild is hosting the event along with Mount Gilead Public Library and the Rose Heart Inn. The Third Annual Mount Gilead Autumn Writers Retreat will also include various seminars, workshops and a panel discussion aimed at interested writers of all ages.
Following the main speaking event at the high school, the Writers Retreat will reconvene at the Mount Gilead Public Library Annex at 2:30 p.m. on East High Street, with both Sargeant and Pauquette participating in a panel discussion on “What makes fiction lively and fascinating,” followed by “How plot complications deepen the storyline.”
On Saturday, Oct. 22, the Autumn Writers Retreat will meet at 10:30 a.m. for coffee, tea and refreshments at the Rose Heart Inn on East High Street in Mount Gilead. The itinerary begins with a workshop on fiction writing with the theme “Opening with Normal World and Progressing to Adventure World,” presented by guild member Chris Anderson. Next will be an informal seminar on “The Story as an Art Form,” followed by an audience-participation writing exercise.
During the early afternoon, there will be a workshop on Young Adult Literature, followed by a roundtable discussion on “Small and Independent Publishing Opportunities.” After a brief intermission, author and guild member Kevin Collander will conduct a hands-on workshop with the topic “Rhythms in Writing.”
All of the seminars and workshops are free and open to anyone interested in writing. The Mount Gilead Area Writers Guild meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month and is actively seeking new members.
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