ENDRENÉ ANN SHEPHERD’s career started the moment she had people in her life telling her that no, artists don’t starve, they can make a very reasonable living if they are willing to put in the work it takes to be successful. She started selling drawings to her grandparents at five cents a piece at the age of seven, and it’s only been onwards and upwards from there! “The best thing I ever did for myself in terms of accepting my legitimacy as an artist was to get over the fear of wasting my talent. Potential isn’t something that can be depleted through usage”.

WORKSHOP: ILLUSTRATION
Most people think that they can’t draw, which isn’t true, and even if it was true, it wouldn’t matter! This is an illustration workshop for everyone. We’ll explore how art and language can coexist-- one form inspiring the other -- and we’ll have fun doing it.

RICK COGBILL is a freelance writer, author, and humor columnist living in the beautiful Okanagan Valley located in southern British Columbia, Canada. Rick spent over 20 years in the automotive repair industry as a licensed technician and shop owner, including a short-term stint fixing Land Rovers in Africa, before trying his hand at writing in 1998. That’s when the first edition of his column The Car Side appeared in Automotive Parts & Technology (AP&T), a national trade publication for automotive technicians and shop owners across Canada. The popular column features Slim and the gang at Slim Shambles Auto Repair, and for the past twelve years has appeared monthly in publications such as SSGM (Service Station & Garage Management) and now currently in Canadian Technician magazine. Rick’s column is also featured on the website of Motor magazine, the largest automotive trade journal in the US. Based on actual field fixes, The Car Side combines teaching with laughter, a recipe that Rick’s readers have thoroughly enjoyed. Rick’s first book, A Fine Day for a Drive, was released in September 2009, and provides the long-awaited humorous account of how Slim Shambles Auto Repair first came into existence, along with hilarious stories about Slim’s family and his home town of Slumberland. You can find out more about Rick’s book by visiting online at www.thecarside.com.

WORKSHOP: FUNNY OR NOT, HERE I COME
Do you like to laugh? Do you like to make other’s laugh? Then do it with your writing. Writing humour is like creating a secret joke that nobody knows about until you share it with them. Watching people chuckle (or laugh uproariously) as they read your stories is fun, so come and learn how you can add some soul-cleansing laughter to your work. In this class, we’ll talk about punch lines (how to build them up, but not kill them), exaggeration (how far should you go?), openings and closings – tying it all together, and much more. We’ll discover how to find humour in everyday life, and then put it down on paper for others to read. Every student will have an opportunity to create their own humour piece, and together we’ll polish them to a shine. Funny or not, here we come!

LORNA SCHULTZ NICHOLSON is the author of 16 published books, including both fiction and non-fiction. Her hockey fiction series has been nominated for numerous awards and every book has been awarded the Canadian Children’s Book Centre award for Best Book for Kids and Teens. Her hockey fiction series includes: Interference, Roughing, Against the Boards, Delaying the Game, Northern Star, Too Many Men and Cross-Check and Holding. Lorna has also written three Recordbooks. Winning Gold is the story of the 2002 Women’s Olympic Hockey gold medal win in Salt Lake City; Fighting for Gold is the story of the 2006 Canada’s sledge hockey Paralympic gold medal victory; and Pink Power is the story of the first ever Women’s World Hockey Championships in 1990 when Canada put their women in pink jerseys. She has co-authored a motivational YA book with Cassie Campbell titled H.E.A.R.T and written Dany Heatley’s story in a book titled Dominant Dany Heatley. She also wrote Home Ice, a book on the Canadian Men’s 2010 Olympic hockey team, and The Next Ones, a biographical book on future hockey stars. Because writing is her passion, Lorna is working on a new YA fiction series which will include six different sports. She is also co-authoring a YA fiction series that has nothing to do with sports!
Website: www.lornaschultznicholson.com

WORKSHOP: REAL WRITING
Are you interested in true stories? Do you like reading about fascinating people? Do you like writing about amazing events? Writing non-fiction is just as creative as writing fiction. In this class you will learn how to interview, gather information and write incredible stories that will keep your reader turning the page. If you have ideas about stories that you think are interesting bring them to class. Be prepared to have fun writing!

JEREMY BEAULNE teaches literature, composition, and film at Okanagan College.  He is also the Web editor of KidsWWwrite, an online journal featuring work by writers aged five to sixteen published ten times a year by the Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers. Jeremy is passionate about community theatre and has acted in a variety of productions, including two one-man shows. He has also directed several plays, including The Reluctant Resurrection of Sherlock Holmes, Blood Relations, Between Yourself and Me, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Dracula. His most recent project was directing the inaugural production of Okanagan College’s Red Dot Players, an eighteenth-century comedy called The Beaux’ Stratagem.

POETRY WORKSHOP: THE POETRY TOOLBOX
What’s so amazing about alliteration? How does onomatopoeia make poetry sizzle and pop? In this workshop, instructor Jeremy Beaulne introduces students to some of the key sound and figurative devices poets use to enhance their writing. Students will experiment with these devices and learn how they can use them to create exciting, vivid poetry. They will also discuss theme, voice, form, and various other aspects of poetry.

BARBARA MANNING GRIMM has made her living as a writer for more than 40 years. From reporting news for a daily print newspaper to managing a 10,000 article online subscription library, she has worked in a variety of jobs in a variety of media. She was city editor at the Penticton Herald for 14 years and senior editor at Bongarde Media for 18 years. She has also written for broadcast and has produced public relations campaigns for clients. She has created training materials for corporations and written and edited newsletters, ezines, web articles, marketing pieces and social media communications. She is currently the managing editor at Freemark Information Services, a publisher of business-to-business solutions for Canada’s financial industry.

WORKSHOP: A CAREER IN WRITING
Barbara will be talking about the importance lifelong learning and editing your own work. She will also talk about employment opportunities for writers in the future. She will present writing examples and help participants improve them with editing. She is also planning to share her 5 top secrets to writing success.

As well as your morning workshops, we have an inspirational lineup of guest lecturers presenting to you in the afternoons.

Monday - Public Speaking - Janice Perrino (Summerland Mayor)

Tuesday - Social Networking - Allison Markin

Wednesday - Writing and Directing Movie Scripts - Sandy Wilson

Thursday - Campers present ‘Open Mic’

Friday - Campers Book Signing Event