Award winning author and psychotherapist Dr. Joan Blacher will discuss the process of writing mystery novels at the November 8th meeting of the Ventura County Writers Club

(Ventura, CA – October 15, 2011) How can a writer make the transition from non-fiction academic writing to fiction? At the November 8th meeting of the Ventura County Writers Club (VCWC), Dr. Joan Blacher will talk about the experiences she went through while transitioning to fiction in her presentation “Writing a Mystery.” She will discuss the inspiration for her books and give a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how mystery writers develop their chilling plots, how they choose their compelling characters and how they determine their particular settings when they create stories of murder and mayhem.Dr. Blacher is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice and was a university professor and director of a counseling and guidance graduate program. She has authored two mystery novels, Lethal Lake and Murder Canyon, and co-authored Difficult Teens: A Parents Guide for Coping. She’s been published in counseling and educational journals, mystery publications, magazines, newspapers, and she is a former member of a counseling journal’s editorial board. In 2003, the California Association of Marriage Family Therapists awarded her the Carl Vincent Award for her literary contribution to mental health with the publication of Difficult Teens.

In addition, she’s lectured and given workshops on writing, psychological and educational topics throughout the United States and has served on mystery writers’ panels. Radio appearances have included NPR interviews about dysfunctional and abusive families, difficult teens and mental health issues. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the American Psychological Association and the California Association of Marriage Family Therapists. She has served on community boards that provide services to troubled children and families, including the Ventura County Mental Health Board, where she served as its chair, and Interface Children and Family Services Board where she served as chair of its Council Against Domestic Abuse.Maggie Westland, chair of the VCWC’s 2012 Poetry Contest, will inform attendees about the new audio/visual category added to the next contest. Entries will be posted on YouTube and judging will be for both audio, visual, animation, slam and other hybrid poem forms that are capturing a large segment of poets. The contest opens January 1 and submissions will be taken through February 15, 2012.This will be the last club meeting before the contest opens as VCWC does not meet in December.The meeting will begin promptly at 7 PM at the Pleasant Valley Senior Center in Camarillo. The public is welcomed to all meetings, which are free.

CALENDAR INFORMATION
November Meeting of the Ventura County Writers Club
November 8, 7 PM
Pleasant Valley Senior Center,
1605 Burnley St, Camarillo, CA
Guest speakers: Dr. Joan Blacher and Maggie Westland
Open to Members and non-members.  No fee.

For more information on the Ventura County Writers Club, visit: http://www.venturacountywriters.com/