Rhea Hawke discovers there is far more to the massacre of a spiritual sect, mysteriously linked to Dust, the contraband drug “of the gods” and a devastating prophesy of a catastrophic End of Age, triggered by the joining of twin souls. She unravels secrets of fractal geometry, deja vu, dreams and clairvoyance, multiple universes and space-time … and ultimately the greatest secret: herself …

“… a master of metaphor, Munteanu turns an adventure story into a wonderland of alien rabbit holes … a fascinating and enthralling read.”–Craig H. Bowlsby, author of Commander’s Log

You can pick up Outer Diverse at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, Borders and other quality bookstores near you. For those of you in Toronto, Bakka Phoenix Books is carrying Outer Diverse as well as Nina’s “Darwin’s Paradox” duology (set in Toronto) and her guidebook “The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now!”

Nina Munteanu

I am holding several workshops in the Halifax region and South Shore this fall and winter.

Here are some of my workshops for October and November 2011:

Workshops at the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia in Halifax and the South Shore:

1. Get Published, Write Now: 1-day 6-hr course — October 9th (Sunday) 10 am to 4 pm at WFNS, 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax REGISTRATION CLOSED

2. Master Class in SF Writing: 2-day 6-hr course October 22 & 23 (Saturday & Sunday) at WFNS, 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax REGISTRATION CLOSED

3. How to Use Blogs and Social Networking to Promote Yourself: 1-day 3-hr course — October 29 (Saturday) 1 pm to 4 pm at Golden Key BB, 964 Main St., Mahone Bay REGISTRATION CLOSED

4. Writing to Wellness: 1-day 4-hr course — November 6th (Sunday) 1 pm to 5 pm at WFNS, 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax REGISTRATION CLOSED

5. Writing To Wellness: 1-day 3-hour course — November 9th (Wednesday) 2-5 pm at The Biscuit Easter, Mahone Bay REGISTRATION CLOSED

Here are the Details:

1. Get Published, Write Now — CLOSED –Thanks for a great class!

“It was nice to have so much attention on my work–very inspiring and helpful.”–Angie MacKay

“Terrific class!.. Excellent examples, notes, presentations and discussions.”–Keith McPhail

This lecture and workshop course focuses on the important creative process in an author’s writing-publishing career: revision, marketing and promotion. Every finished work must first pass through the scrutiny of revision and editing before it is ready to market. Nina Munteanu (internationally published writer of short stories and five novels) provides you with the basic essentials of revision and editing, addressing the question of how much is enough and when to stop. She provides essential instruction on how to write successful pitches, queries and synopses (all necessary for novelists wishing to publish), how to interpret and handle rejection letters and more. Nina shares current markets for writing of all kinds from memoirs and non-fiction to short stories and novels (genre to literary fiction) and poetry. Students are encouraged to bring examples of their works and be prepared to discuss them. Students will be expected to write and share their writing.

Handouts and the booklet “What Writers Need to Know About Book Contracts” by Nina Munteanu are included.

Cost is $65.00

Register and Pay for the Sunday course located at WFNS office at 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax below:

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2. Master Class on How to Write and Publish Science Fiction — CLOSED
Saturday and Sunday, October 22 & 23 from 10 am to 4 pm (with short lunch break) at WFNS, Halifax This 2-day class is for serious writers who have finished or are near finished their WIPs and wish to publish them. The course consists of lecture and hands-on workshop focused on polishing craft and self-editing using your own work. You will be expected to submit and share a portion of your work and will receive critical feedback.

Lectures will cover essential tools of world building, research, plot integration and character development.

Lectures and workshops will provide direction on self-editing that includes evaluating story promise, conveying premise and theme into a compelling story with fulfilling end, critical aspects of draft rewrites, self-editing, and tools to polish your WIP into a publishable original work. Key elements of marketing (such as queries, pitching, blurbs, and synopses) will be covered as well.

Handouts and the textbook “The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now!” (Starfire World Syndicate) by Nina Munteanu are included. Location: the WFNS office on 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax. Cost is $125.00. Attendance limited to 10 people. Register and pay for the Saturday and Sunday course located at WFNS office at 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax below:

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3. How to Use Blogs and Social Networking to Promote Yourself — CLOSED

Saturday October 29th from 1pm to 5 pm at the Golden Key BB, Mahone Bay

Most promotion by authors is currently done online. The many opportunities boggle the mind, however, particularly for those of us who aren’t terribly proficient with internet social media.  Both published and soon-to-be published authors are using Blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Websites with podcasts and other social networks to great success. Learn how to command this incredibly inexpensive and highly potent and efficient medium to promote you and your work.
 
Internationally published author and essayist Nina Munteanu is an active blogger and proficient social networker of many years. She publishes several blogs and participates in many social networks on the internet. Nina will share her knowledge and experience in this interactive discussion and multi-media lecture. Nina will go over steps on how to build a blog, and cover topics like how to get traffic to your site, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), what makes a good blog, how to write copy, the pros and cons of social networking, and other topics related to internet promotion and marketing. Bring your imagination. Location: Golden Key BB, 946 Main St., Mahone Bay, NS. Cost: $60/student; price includes worksheets, example blog articles. Attendance limited to 7 people.

Register and pay for the Saturday course at the Golden Key BB in Mahone Bay below:

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4. Writing to Wellness — CLOSED … Thanks for a wonderful session!
Sunday, November 6th (Sunday) from 1 pm to 5 pm at the WFNS, Halifax $50.00

Wednesday, November 9th from 2 pm to 5 pm at The Biscuit Eater, Mahone Bay $40.00 

“Beautiful energy … well organized and interesting … It touched me more deeply spiritually and emotionally than I expected. It has motivated me to create the time and space to write again…” students of the class

Did you know that by simply keeping a journal, blogging or writing long letters, memoirs or fiction you are improving your health? The immediate and long-term beneficial effects of expressive writing have been clinically proven. Some of these include improved blood pressure, immune system functioning, lung and liver function, memory, social and linguistic behavior, and psychological well-being.

Join internationally published novelist, essayist and blogger NINA MUNTEANU for a candid discussion and exploration on wellness writing. Nina shares how she became a professional writer and how it helped her through various periods in her life. She discusses various forms of expressive writing (e.g., free writing, journaling, blogging, letter-writing, memoir and fiction); and through exercises, programs and other tools she shows you how you can enjoy a life of improved well-being through writing that is suited to your lifestyle. The workshop consists of lecture, discussion and hands-on exercises. Participants should bring a notebook and pen and be prepared to share.

Handouts provided.Recommended texts: Cameron, Julia. 1992 The Artist’s Way. Penguin Putnam Inc., New York, NY. 222pp.; Munteanu, Nina. 2009. The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! Starfire World Syndicate. Louisville, KY. 266pp.; Munteanu, Nina. 2010. The Writer’s Toolkit. DVD. Starfire World Syndicate. Louisville, KY. Location: the WFNS office on 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax. Cost is $50.00 at WFNS. Register below.

Register at the Biscuit Eater or pay at the door for the Wednesday course at the Biscuit Eater.

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If you missed a workshop that you hope Nina will give online or in your area let us know at nina.sfgirl@gmail.com [message line: Book a Workshop] Look for more online courses starting January 2012

Almost every aspiring (and successful!) writer has a few volumes of writing advice that he or she feels are indispensable–books we return to, re-read, and use as guideposts on our writing journey. Munteanu’s wonderful book might find that kind of home on your own bookshelf.

Beginning writers especially will find The Fiction Writer a resource for every step on the road to writing–from defining genre to writing a great beginning; from outlining and plotting to preparing the perfect submission package. It really is an A-to-Z of fiction writing, starting with the chapter “Alien Architecture: Building from Scenes to Worlds” and hitting every letter of the alphabet right through to “The Zen of Passionate Writing.” Munteanu includes examples and lessons from her own writing career, which serve to emphasize the practical value of her advice.

Although the book covers a lot of ground, there’s no “scattershot” feel to the advice. It’s practical and grounded, and liberally seasoned with constructive exercises and helpful lists and tables, such as “The Hero’s Journey Map” (complete with an explanation of three-act structure), “Ten Ways To Revise Your Story,” common sentence structure and grammar errors.

Despite the fact that readers may know Nina Munteanu as a speculative fiction writer (Darwin’s Paradox, Angel of Chaos), the vast majority of the advice and information in The Fiction Writer applies equally to writers in any fiction genres. Good writing is good writing, and Munteanu has worked hard to provide a guidebook that shows exactly how to achieve that result. Highly recommended!

reviewed by Sherry

Sherry Ramsey is the editor & publisher of The Scriptorium Webzine for Writers, a great resource for writers. Ramsey has also published a writing guide, The New Writer’s Guide to Just About Everything.

Nina Munteanu, Prospect Point

Nina will be in Nova Scotia March 2011, teaching several writing workshops in Halifax and the South Shore. 

Nina will also make an appearance in several Halifax schools and will be doing readings at libraries. She will also be signing her latest book Angel of Chaos at several Halifax bookstores, locations to be announced shortly.

Check here for updates on Nina’s appearances and for specific times.

APPEARANCES, SIGNINGS & READINGS:

• Talk at Sacred Heart School, Halifax on March 18th at 3:30 pm
• Reading at The Biscuit Eater, Mahone Bay on March 24th at 7:oo pm
• Reading at Keshen Goodman Public Library, Halifax March 29 at 7:00 pm

COURSES INCLUDE:

• “How to Write and Publish Science Fiction” on March 13, 10 am to 4 pm (at the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia)
• “The Writer’s Toolkit” on March 19, 1-4 pm (at the Tantallon Public Library) and on March 28 at the Biscuit Eater, Mahone Bay, 1-4 pm
• “Writing the Memoir: from Idea to Research to Storytelling“ March 26, 2-4 pm (at the Bridgewater Library)
• “10 Commandments of Fiction Writing“ March 5 and March 12, 2-4 pm (at the Bridgewater Library)

COURSES:

How to Write and Publish Science Fiction. Cost $55/WFNS members; $75/non-members. Sunday, March 13 from 10 am to 4 pm. At WFNS, 1113 Marginal Road, Halifax. Includes work sheets and reference materials. Students are expected to bring an example of their current work.

What is Science Fiction? What isn’t it? What’s involved in writing SF and how do you get it published? Internationally published SF author, blogger and scientist Nina Munteanu answers these questions and more in an interactive & hands-on workshop designed to help you define your project, get started and successfully see it to publication. Learn some essential tools of this genre such as world-building, research, plot approaches and how to generate and follow through with premise, idea and theme toward a publishable original work. Students are expected to bring in and discuss their own works.  Workshop includes lectures, use of examples, discussions, exercises, readings and some writing. Recommended resource: The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! (Starfire World Syndicate) by Nina Munteanu, available at Amazon.

The Writer’s Toolkit. Free. Saturday, March 19, 1-4 pm. At the Upper Tantallon Library, Upper Tantallon. Includes work sheets and reference materials. Students are encouraged to bring an example of their current work. Also at the Biscuit Eater, Mahone Bay Monday, March 28th, 1-4 pm (cost of $50/person covers text book and coffee & dessert)

Every writer requires some necessary items in his/her toolkit to get published. This workshop introduces and discusses the most common challenges faced by writers serious about getting published. Areas covered include:

• getting started
• dealing with time management & writer’s block
• getting those ideas down and making a story out of them
• focusing and maintaining the staying power to finish
• incorporating all the elements of good storytelling like plot, character, theme and setting into a seamless story
• making your writing compelling, clear and exciting
• doing research and editing
• marketing, synopses & outlines, query letters
• overcoming fear (of failure, of success, of everything)

Recommended resource: The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! (Starfire World Syndicate) by Nina Munteanu, available at Amazon.

Writing the Memoir: from Idea to Research to Storytelling. Cost $40/student. Saturday March 26, 2-4 pm. At the Bridgewater Library, King Street, Bridgewater. Course includes work sheets and reference materials. Students are expected to bring an example of their current work.

Have you been writing your memoir for years, waiting to finish it and hoping to publish? You may be looking for direction on how and where to start and proceed and where to finish. Memoirs, like all good creative non-fiction, tell a story. Internationally published novelist and writing coach Nina Munteanu shares details of how you can outline, storyboard and complete your memoir and make it marketable to your target audience. 

The two-hour Lecture & Workshop, will cover the following:
·         Writing for your intended audience
·         Formulating the core idea into theme
·         Why and how to outline
·         Why, how, where and when to do research
·         Courage and privacy issues: what and how to reveal
·         General discussion of how to incorporate plot with theme in storytelling.
·         How to create a good story from truth
·         Mechanics of good storytelling (show don’t tell, language, POV, setting, etc.)
 

Ten Commandments of Fiction Writing. Cost $40/student. Saturday March 5, 2-4 pm and March 12, 2-4 pm. At the Bridgewater Library, King Street, Bridgewater. Course includes work sheets and reference materials. Students are encouraged to bring an example of their current work.

Although the act of creating fiction often involves the fluid chaos of the “muse”, published authors agree that some rules are required to successfully publish.  Seeing your fiction published involves more than mastering craft and technique; it involves adopting a winning attitude from passion to perspective.  Internationally published novelist and writing coach Nina Munteanu shares and discusses 10 imperatives that will guarantee your publishing success.  Come prepared to contribute. Recommended resource: The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! (Starfire World Syndicate) by Nina Munteanu, available at Amazon.

$49/month guarantees you four weekly coaching sessions a month in this exclusive club of writing enthusiasts.   

In this Master Writing Class you meet with Nina once a week in a teleseminar for an hour of lecture and discussion on popular writing and publishing topics. Each of you gets a chance to ask Nina questions on specific issues you are facing during the question and answer period following her entertaining lecture. Nina covers all the big issues that both new and established writers face daily in their careers. as she brings her wit and humor to examples from her own adventures as a pre-published and published writer.

Issues like:

• getting started
• dealing with time management & writer’s block
• getting those ideas down and making a story out of them
• focusing and maintaining the staying power to finish
• incorporating all the elements of good storytelling like plot, character, theme and setting into a seamless story
• making your writing compelling, clear and exciting
• doing research and editing
• marketing, synopses & outlines, query letters
• overcoming fear (of failure, of success, of everything)

During each session you have the chance to discuss any topic you are facing in your current writing project. Join our group, participate and learn.

Here’s what some of Nina’s coaching students say:

“Nina was warm and encouraging.  I felt free to share my fears and ask questions.  She was extremely knowledgeable, gracious and honest.   I felt as though she really wanted me to succeed as a writer, and was a mentor sent to provide guidance and inspiration.”–Zoe Hicks, GA

“Nina Munteanu’s command of the subject matter and her ability to explain in a way that the audience understood was excellent. As a hopeful author, I found her words inspiring.”—Amanda Lott, GA

“Rarely have I encountered someone of Nina’s considerable talent and intellect tied to such an extraordinary work ethic…A gifted and inventive writer, Nina is also an excellent speaker who is able to communicate complicated ideas in simple terms and generate creative thought in others. Her accessible, positive approach and delightful sense of humor set people at ease almost immediately.”–Heather Dugan, OH

“Nina provided invaluable advice with humour and finesse. It’s great to have access to such a friendly and funny individual who’s willing to be a sounding board to both beginning and career writers.”–Marie Bilodeau, Ontario

“What you’ve done for me, Nina, is you’ve just opened up a whole new world. You’ve shown me how to put soul into my books.”–Hectorine Roy, Nova Scotia

Classes run every Thursday at 2 pm EST starting January 5th. There are limited spaces for this Master Class so availability will be on a first come basis. Once you successfully register, you will get an email with information on how to get in on the next call. Sign up for your first class here the first week of January 2011. See you in January!

UPDATE: Thanks for your wonderful response. Registration is now closed due to full capacity. Please check us at the beginning of each month for openings to Nina’s Master Class. In the meantime, please check out Nina’s online courses and if you have a project that needs a jumpstart or some work check Nina’s one-on-one coaching opportunities.

Hi there!

Nina Munteanu - The Writing Life

You’ve landed on the website of Nina Munteanu, internationally published Canadian SF author and ecologist.  Nina is living her dream of the writing life!  She is currently putting the finishing touches on her next science fiction novel.  And if you’re lucky, you might catch her at one of her writing workshops where she coaches great fiction writing!

The Mentor: Nina is frequently sought after for one-on-one mentoring as well as personal coaching and group workshops on all aspects of writing and publishing.  Because she has published frequently in both fiction and non-fiction, she knows exactly how to help her clients succeed in getting their works published.

The Ecologist: Nina currently does research and gives talks in science and limnology (No! That isn’t the study of limbs! She studies freshwater) and is driven by a passion to help keep our planet’s environment healthy.  In April 2010 she participated in talks with the Dalai Lama as part of the Mind and Life XX Conference on Altruism and Compassion in Economics in Zurich, Switzerland, where she participated in discussions on the use of ecological relationships in economic policy. Nina is a passionate traveler, and has tasted her way around the world from Bangkok to Paris.

The Author: Nina has published award-nominated short stories all over the planet (with translations into Greek, Romanian, Polish, and Hebrew). Two of her several novels, “Angel of Chaos” and “Darwin’s Paradox” (science fiction ecological thrillers by Dragon Moon Press), explores humanity’s co-evolution with machine intelligence and Nature’s intelligence. She also writes critical essays and reviews, several of which have appeared in Strange Horizons, IROSF, and The New York Review of Science Fiction. Her personal heroes include Dr. Lynn Margulis and author Ray Bradbury. Nina’s guidebook on writing, The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! is currently used in schools and universities across North America.

The Blogger: Nina is also  The Alien Next Door, author of the award-wining blog which hosts lively discussions on pop culture, travel, science, writing and philosophy. Nina co-authors an environmental blog on climate change, Climate of Our Future. She frequently guest-blogs on Toulouse LeTrek, her feline friend’s travel blog.