Conclave: A Journal of Character

18/02/2024

Only three more weeks to register for the WriterCon Cruise, which sails April 21-28 from Galveston. Join us for an aspirational seven splendid days in the Western Caribbean. In addition to the writing-conducive environment, you'll get more than 20+ hours of instruction, some classroom, some small-group, and some one-on-one, with authors and agents and more. Take this chance to transform your writing life! www.writercon.com/cruise/

17/02/2024

Audible ia running a sale involving my last Dan/Ben novel, Partners in Crime. You can get it free by signing up with Audible, and you can cancel the Audible membership within 30 days at no charge. So go for it!

Check out this great listen on Audible.com. The Grim Reaper is coming to the courtroom—where Daniel Pike and Ben Kincaid may face their final judgment. In Florida, defense attorney Daniel Pike is stunned when his legal files are ransacked and his lover, Maria Morales, disappears. In Oklahoma...

13/02/2024

🌟 CALLING ALL DANIEL PIKE AND KENZI RIVERA FANS!

READY FOR THE BIG REVEAL???
I’m seeking your creative sparks to name this unprecedented showdown between Daniel Pike and Kenzi Rivera (Splitsville). I normally choose my own titles, but I’ve haven’t come up with anything I like, so I’m turning to you, readers. Dive deep into your imaginations and think of a title that encapsulates the thrill, the mystery, and the background of the story (described in my previous post).

Submit your title suggestions to me by email ([email protected]) for a chance to make your mark on the Daniel Pike legacy. If I choose your title—and I will choose one of them—then you’ll be acknowledged inside the book and have lifelong bragging rights. For legal reasons, I must notify you that any titles sent to me will become my property and may be used by me as a book title or for promotional purposes. Deadline for submissions: February 29 (Leap Day), 2024. Can’t wait to see what brilliant titles you come up with. Let the brainstorm begin!

12/02/2024

🌟 CALLING ALL DANIEL PIKE AND KENZI RIVERA FANS! 🌟

WHAT'S THE TWIST?
Yesterday I revealed that a new and different Daniel Pike novel is on the horizon. And the twist? For this 8th installment, Dan finds an unexpected adversary—in Kenzi Rivera, the star of my Splitsville series. But this is not a rehash of the Dan/Ben teamup from Partners in Crime. Forget team-ups—this is a cage fight between two brilliant legal minds set against a backdrop of comics, Hollywood, popular music, and hotblooded human emotion.

HOW CAN YOU BE A PART OF THIS ADVENTURE?
Read tomorrow's post!

11/02/2024

🌟 CALLING ALL DANIEL PIKE AND KENZI RIVERA FANS! 🌟

As the author of the Daniel Pike series, I’m thrilled to announce that the next adventure is on the horizon, and it will be unlike anything I’ve done before. This time, Dan returns to the sunny and enigmatic streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for an electrifying legal thriller that pits old allies against each other in a high-stakes battle of wits and wills.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the BIG TWIST...and then Tuesday I'll reveal how you can be a part of it!

10/02/2024

The next issue of WriterCon Magazine releases Monday. This is the longest issue yet, focusing on (writer) relationships. Of course we have how-to articles on writing romance/romantasy, and also on agent relationships (and how to get one), writing to your passion, gifts for book lovers, and much more. Subscribe now so you can see what words will be on this beautiful cover!!! www.writerconmag.substack.com

09/02/2024

Skiing is fun, but cold. I'm ready for the Caribbean!

Set sail with us from April 21-28, 2024, on the majestic Harmony of the Seas as the WriterCon Cruise (led by me) charts a course through the stunning Western Caribbean for an unforgettable eight-day voyage designed to inspire and elevate your writing. Dive into a comprehensive program offering 20+ hours of specialized writing instruction tailored to your aspirations. Our curated workshops cover a wide array of topics from the art of writing to the nuances of publishing. AND IT'S FUN! Don't miss out.

In 2024 the WriterCon Cruise sets sail on a new ship: the Harmony of the Seas. The eight-day itinerary includes many Western Caribbean stops, including

22/01/2024

Just saw the new issue of WriterCon. It's the best one yet and goes out this week! New articles on hot marketing trends, sparking creativity, writing advice, and an interview with Steve Berry (more than twenty NYT-bestselling books). If you don’t already have a paid subscription, get one! www.writerconmag.substack.com

20/01/2024

We’ve added three more faculty members, so we now have eight people on our Cruise faculty, four authors (including two major-list bestsellers), two publishers, an audiobook engineer, and a top agent from the Sarah Jane Freymann Agency. This will be the third WriterCon cruise—and four of our previous attendees are now published with excellent houses. On the cruise, you will receive more than 20 hours of on-board instruction, plus a private meeting with the agent (and anyone else you request). You may even be able to squeeze in time for the hot tub. So yes, you will learn (but we also have lots of fun).

13/01/2024

Would you or your friends like to join us for the WriterCon Cruise? Open to writers, readers, aspiring scribes, writers seeking agents, audiobook narrators, and anyone else who wants to have a great time. Spend a peaceful week at sea with time to focus on what you love most—in the perfect environment.

In 2024 the WriterCon Cruise sets sail on a new ship: the Harmony of the Seas. The eight-day itinerary includes many Western Caribbean stops, including

06/01/2024

Is there a common theme here? (Hint: It isn't about hairlines.)

31/12/2023

Submitted for your approval: NYResolution #1: This is the year I read more. Join reading groups. Post about books, not politics. Appreciate that books provide entertainment and enlightenment and it's not a problem if you forget to charge them before you go to bed.

28/12/2023

A little post-Xmas smile...

24/12/2023

Support the arts. And have a splendid holiday! Share the joy!

22/12/2023

I MADE IT! Took more than 30 years of work, but I've finally made the big time. I'VE BEEN BANNED IN FLORIDA! My novel Dark Eye (published in 2005) has been removed from the shelves, along with 670+ others. What I like best is, at least four of the other names on the list are writers I taught or published. So basically, the "woke mob" is me and my students...

Here is a list of the 673 books removed from teachers’ classroom shelves in Orange County for fear they might violate state law and rules on “sexual conduct:”

21/12/2023

Today is not only National Crossword Day but the 110th anniversary of the first crossword. So hoist a glass and think about how all the work you might've gotten done but for this entertaining diversion. Kadey made this lovely holiday criss-cross-style puzzle for WriterCon Magazine. It's not interactive, so you'll have to print it to solve it. Hint: It helps if you listen to Mariah Carey...

18/12/2023

Did you get the William Bernhardt Newsletter (Holiday Edition) yesterday? If not, send me an email ([email protected]) and I'll add you to the mailing list. It's complete free and filled with all my latest projects and news. Plus photos of my gorgeous family!

17/12/2023

Look at everything in the holiday issue of WriterCon Mag! Subscribe today so you'll get your copy first thing tomorrow!

WRITING CRAFT
Writing a Christmas Anthology
Leveraging Online Events and Holiday
Parties for Your Book Marketing
INSPIRATION
The Gift You Know Can't Fail
Five Gifts to Give Yourself as a Writer This Season
ENTERTAINMENT
Top Gifts for Writers
Holiday Movie Bingo
FEATURE
Q&A with Dan Short (Santa)
IN REVIEW
The Kingdom of Sweets

16/12/2023

On Monday, the holiday issue of WriterCon Magazine will be released (via Substack). Perfect gift for your writer friends—or anyone else! You can enjoy the lovely inspirational pieces from Betsey Kulakowski and Barry Friedman, the Christmas puzzle, Holiday bingo, and much more. Subscribe at writerconmag.substack.com