Meet the 2026 Novel Bookcamp Staff
Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat, Inc. ~ Newsletter 18; November 2025
Greetings, Campers! WELCOME to the very very late November issue of our monthly newsletter. Tell us what you think in the comments. This month we’re featuring the finale of Tips for Reading Your Work Aloud, and more! The next newsletter issue comes out in Mid-December 2025. To feature your news and updates, please click here to fill out the form. Don’t worry, we won’t spam you.
In This Issue
Notes From the Director
2026 All Genre Staff
More on Reading Your Work Aloud
Poll: What do you feel you need more of for your writing success?
Bookcamp Success Stories
Early-bird Discount
CHECK OUT THE 2026 NOVEL BOOKCAMP!…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Ready to apply to the 2026 Novel Bookcamp? Complete this application form today. APPLY NOW
Notes From the Director
by Dave Rank
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year (and every other Winter Solstice celebration) are upon us, and they are upon us in rapid succession these dark and chilly days. I know this is a busy time for everyone, yet consider gifting yourself a week focused entirely on your writing. You will find that at the next Novel Bookcamp, June 21-27, held at the serene Siena Retreat Center on the shore of Lake Michigan in southeast Wisconsin between Milwaukee and Chicago.
Book Coaches and What They Offer
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am with the quality of the instructional staff we’ve gathered for the 2026 Novel Bookcamp, our lucky 13th annual event. Joining our returning core instructors are several outstanding newcomers. I’m going to focus on two of them, our new Book Coaches, Robb Grindstaff and Suzy Vadori.
Our Book Coaches will work with writers with nearly finished manuscripts, wanting a final review before sending their works to agents or publishers.
Robb, our All-Genre Book Coach, handles reality-based novels (Historical, Romance, Mystery, and the like), as well as creative nonfiction. Technically, he is not new to the Bookcamp. He was an All-Genre Instructor back in 2023. He’s taking over the All-Genre Book Coach position, replacing retiring Lisa Lickel, who developed the Book Coach program, after 12 years of service with the Novel Bookcamp.
Robb brings distinguished writing credentials. An award-winning author of six novels and dozens of short stories, Robb writes contemporary southern fiction. He has edited more than 200 novels over 20 years and taught craft courses for a variety of writing organizations. A retired media executive, Robb’s journalism career ranged from newspaper reporter, news editor, publisher, and multimedia corporate executive. He retired from the news business in 2020 to concentrate on full-time writing, development editing, and writing instruction. He also produces the weekly online publication A Writer’s Block.
Suzy Vadori is our Speculative Fiction track Book Coach. She hails from Calgary, Canada, and is a bestselling YA Fantasy author, developmental editor, and certified Book Coach. She founded the Inspired Writing Community, a Residential Writing Coach for Writers Helping Writers, a touring member of the Young Alberta Book Society, and regularly presents at writers conferences across North America.
Suzy thoroughly enjoys working with writers in a variety of genres to prepare their manuscripts for submission and publication. “I’ve learned the craft from some of the best agents and writers in the business and can’t wait to pass on this knowledge to make your book pop off the page and grab your readers.”
Our Book Coach program is unique in the business. Each Book Coach is committed to reading your completed manuscript and preparing a written analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. And that’s before the Bookcamp even begins. During the Bookcamp, each client writer will have up to eight scheduled hours of one-on-one time with a Book Coach, as well as an additional three hours of group discussion on common issues and questions. Book Coach writers can also attend any of the myriad Bookcamp classes and presentations scheduled during the week.
Because of the time commitment involved, each Book Coach is limited to no more than five client writers for the week. So the earlier you apply, the better your chances of being accepted into the program. Past Book Coach program writers have said their experiences were well worth the investment.
CHECK OUT THE 2026 NOVEL BOOKCAMP!…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Ready to apply to the 2026 Novel Bookcamp? Complete this application form today. APPLY NOW
Meet the 2026 All-Genre Staff
The All Genre track includes three program options at the annual Novel Bookcamp in 2026. The 15th Novel Bookcamp week, June 21-27, offers separate All Genre Writing Retreat and Book Coach options in addition to its traditional All Genre Workshop.
The Workshop provides morning classes, afternoon one-on-one sessions with each instructor, a group critique, daily presentations on craft and publishing, as well as access to visiting literary agents who specialize in reality-based fiction genres. The 2026 All Genre instructors are novelists and writing instructors Christina Marracco and Kristin Oakley.
The Writing Retreat is designed for writers looking for a week’s worth of personal writing or story development time under the mentorship of award-winning novelist and writing instructor S.J. Rozan, who will offer daily encouragement, advice, and brainstorming opportunities. Access to additional Novel Bookcamp activities is also available.
For a select number of writers, All Genre Book Coach Robb Grindstaff will read their manuscripts, provide a written analysis, and offer one-on-one advice. A group session is also included. Access to additional activities is included as well.
The Novel Bookcamp also has a three-program track for Speculative Fiction genres such as Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Horror, etc.
Registration is open. Go to the website www.novelbookcamp.org for more information or contact Director Dave Rank directly at director@novelbookcamp.org.
CHECK OUT THE 2026 NOVEL BOOKCAMP!…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Ready to apply to the 2026 Novel Bookcamp? Complete this application form today. APPLY NOW
How to Do More Writing Stuff
Tips For Reading Your Work Aloud — part 3
by Jennifer Rupp
Pay Attention to Diction:
Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounc’d it to you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it, as many of our players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines.
Hamlet Act 3, scene 2
Trippingly, one of the many excellent words Shakespeare invented. He invented the word excellent, too. In this passage, Hamlet is directing the players to speak trippingly or nimbly with feeling rather than decry the lines as many actors of the times did. I bring this up not because it’s a good idea to read your piece like a Shakespearian actor, but rather that you pay some attention to your diction. We Americans can be very lazy with our speech. One constant infraction is dropping the final consonant of a word - particularly plosive consonants - like t’s, b’s, d’s and p’s. So, script becomes scrip. Husband becomes husban. Just becomes jus and so on. Find the words you might be glossing over and practice getting them right.
Interpret Your Work: Facial expressions speak volumes. I’ll bet you can tell when someone on the other end of the phone is smiling. Our facial expressions translate when we speak. Use them to reflect your words.
Try this: Read the following phrase aloud with a straight face and then read it again with a genuine smile and see if you can hear the difference.
“Jeffery didn’t know if he wanted to kill her or kiss her.”
Which Jeffery do you like better?
Operative words can change the meaning of a sentence. I found this next exercise on the Science Fiction Writers of America site: Try this: Answer the following questions using only the sentence: “The ball is on the table.”
· What is the ball on?
· Is the ball under the table?
· The ball is not on the table, is it?
The answers to these questions lie in lifting or stressing the operative word in the sentence. Be aware of the operative words in your writing that communicate meaning.
Finally, too much hand gesturing can distract listeners. Be selective. Choose moments when a gesture will have meaning and employ it - two or three moments at the most. Avoid all other hand waving.
Don’t Forget to Make Eye Contact: If there’s one thing that will set you above all other readers, it is the ability to make eye contact. Determine in advance four to six moments when you can make eye contact with an audience member - a different person each time. Just a brief moment, but a definite eye-to-eye contact. Eye contact connects you to your listeners. It personalizes your reading and creates fans.
Mark Your Manuscript: Because you don’t need to memorize your reading, you can add crib notes to your manuscript. Underline words you want to lift or accent, highlight points where pace or energy may change, mark the spots where you need to pause. Anything to give you the cues you need to deliver the best reading possible.
Your listeners are number one. When it’s your turn to read, select your piece with them in mind. Respect them enough to rehearse. Know that what they want most is to hear you. Read using your voice, read so you can be heard, and read with meaning. You have been asked to share. Do it with joy, dammit!
Bookcamp Success Stories
2024-2025 Camper Lee Cantillon is pleased to announce that she has joined Scribe Hive Publishing, a women-owned publishing cooperative dedicated to providing mutual support and assistance to its authors so they are able to share great stories that want to be told. Her debut book, a Middle Grade fantasy titled Away with the Fairies, will be released in 2026. It will be the first in her Fairy Lakes series.
2024-2025 All Genre instructor Jason Tanamor was recently signed by Tina Schwartz of the Purcell Agency. Jason and Tina were introduced at the 2025 Novel Bookcamp.
Glory Unbound, the second novel by Assistant Camp Director Deborah L. King, has been chosen to be taught along with Beloved by Toni Morrison and Native Son by Richard Wright In the English 3381 - Introduction to African Literature course at Houston Christian University for the Spring 2026 semester.
Please share your successes and camp stories & photos! Click here to fill out the form.
CHECK OUT THE 2026 NOVEL BOOKCAMP!…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Ready to apply to the 2026 Novel Bookcamp? Complete this application form today. APPLY NOW
Novel Bookcamp Early-bird Discount
THE EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31st!
For the Early Bird Discount ($90,) you must pay in full by December 31, 2025 (Registration materials can be submitted by May 15, 2026). Commuter pricing is not eligible for Early-Bird Discounts.
Whether you’re starting out on the journey to craft a book, nearly done with your first draft, or preparing that final edit, the Bookcamp, Writing Retreat, or Book Coach programs can help you meet your writing goals.
The cost for any Novel Bookcamp Program is less than you’d pay for a week-long, all-inclusive vacation. One registration fee includes room with private bathroom, meals, special events, instruction, and coaching. The camaraderie and friendship you’ll develop with fellow writers are, of course, free. Flexible payment timetables, early registration discounts, and a variety of program options make Novel Bookcamp an excellent investment in your writing career.
If you have questions, email Dave Rank director@novelbookcamp.org
If you would like to speak to an alum, email Jennifer Rupp at jrupp25@gmail.com
THE EARLY-BIRD DISCOUNT DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31st!
CHECK OUT THE 2026 NOVEL BOOKCAMP!…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Ready to apply to the 2026 Novel Bookcamp? Complete this application form today. APPLY NOW
NEXT ISSUE: Let’s Look at Book Marketing!
Please share your Bookcamp stories and photos! Click here to fill out the form.
Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat, Inc. Supportive Friends
Members of each Supportive Friend organization can enroll in a Novel Bookcamp Workshop or Writing Retreat at a discounted rate.
Chicago Writers Association (CWA)
HerStry, LLC
Off Campus Writers’ Workshop (OCWW)
Wisconsin Writers Association (WWA)
Chippewa Valley Writers Guild
CHECK OUT THE 2026 NOVEL BOOKCAMP!…June 21st—27th, 2026!
Ready to apply to the 2026 Novel Bookcamp? Complete this application form today. APPLY NOW
I was signed up and ready to go to Bookcamp in 2020, but a pandemic changed that plan. I attended the Speculative Fiction session of Bookcamp in 2022. It was wonderful experience! I highly recommend anyone serious about their writing to attend. I learned a lot, made great connections, had a wonderful time, and received encouragement from the professional staff to continue my writing. The one thing that stuck with me is that I was told by more than one of the professional writers that I was writing at a professional level. If I wanted to get published then I needed to be stubborn and never quit. My first novel, Electromagnetic Assault https://brucelanday.com/books-and-writing/ is coming out in April 2026.