Upcoming session:

MWA University – Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – 8:00 p.m. EST – Via Zoom

 Crime Is Kid’s Stuff

Writing mysteries for middle-grade and YA is no kid’s game… Join authors Michael Thomas Ford, Christina Diaz Gonzalez, and Fleur Bradley Visscher for a discussion about the ins and outs of writing YA/Juvenile mysteries. Learn how to pick your crime, navigate difficult topics, and hone that elusive voice. There’s time for Q&A so bring your questions for these award-winning MWA authors.

Registration is closed for this event.
 

Bios:

Michael Thomas Ford:  Michael Thomas Ford is the author of more than 85 books, most of them for young readers. He particularly enjoys writing spooky mysteries for middle grade readers and his work for that audience includes nine books based on characters from the cult favorite Eerie, Indiana television show, the Frightville series, and the standalone titles The Lonely Ghost and The Headless Doll.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez:  Christina Diaz Gonzalez is the Edgar® award-winning and USA TODAY  best-selling author of several novels including The Red Umbrella, A Thunderous Whisper, Moving Target, Concealed, Invisible: A Graphic Novel, and The Bluest Sky. Her books have received numerous state and international awards and have also been designated as an American Library Association’s Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, and as an International Reading Association’s Teachers’ Choice book. Christina currently lives in Miami, Florida with her family and a dog that can open doors.

Fleur Bradley Visscher:  Fleur Bradley Visscher is the author of numerous short crime fiction and mysteries for kids, including award-winning Daybreak on Raven Island and Midnight at the Barclay Hotel (Viking/PRH), as well as the Double Vision trilogy (HarperCollins). She is a literacy advocate and speaks at educator conventions on reaching reluctant readers. Fleur lives in a cottage in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies where she likes to foster rescue animals. You can find Fleur online at fleurbradley.com.

 

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Previous session:

Zoom webinar on author websites
When: Wednesday, Feb 5, 2025 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: MWA-U 2025 with AuthorBytes

In this presentation, AuthorBytes will share key insights it has gleaned from 25 years of creating websites for bestselling, mid-list, and debut authors. AuthorBytes’ Creative Director, Steve Bennett, will cover topics such as the elements of an effective website and how you can incorporate them into your web presence. You’ll learn best practices for conveying the core content that should be on every author website, why high-performance web hosting matters, and the importance of providing value-added content that increases your site’s “stickiness.” You’ll also learn options for creating a compelling website and the pros and cons of going DIY or hiring a web firm. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to improve your current site, the tips and practices you’ll learn will set you on the path to an engaging author web presence.

Link to video: https://bit.ly/MWAU-AuthorBytes

Presentation Materials

See what MWA-U sessions were held in 2024. View links to videos and support materials.