April Meeting Preview: Peggy Townsend - Creating Memorable Main Characters and Their Sidekicks
By Shari Clare
Sherlock Holmes, Scarlett O’Hara, Sam Spade, and Miss Marple! What are the secrets to creating memorable characters? Whether it’s the protagonist or the sidekick, how do these characters engage the reader? Best-selling author Peggy Townsend will share the secrets.
Besides crafting an engaging plot, it's essential to develop a protagonist and supporting characters that captivate readers, making them eager to turn the page and anticipate a sequel. Keep in mind, the same principles apply when portraying real-life individuals in a memoir.
After retiring from a long career as a reporter for the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Townsend shifted her focus to fiction. Her inspiration came from some of her most intense experiences as a reporter, like chasing a murderer through a graveyard and investigating a knife fight with a flashlight.
Her engaging crime fiction, paired with a standout query letter, first drew the attention of a leading New York literary agent. Although that opportunity didn’t materialize, she persevered and connected with her current agent, who sold her books to Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Along with her novels and the stories she has written for the Santa Cruz Sentinel, her work has also appeared in publications that include Catamaran literary magazine, Santa Cruz Noir, The Boston Globe Magazine, Memoir, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Her motto: “Persistence and will are what will bring you success.”
Join us at the April meeting for an informative and inspiring experience.
Who: Peggy Townsend
What: Creating Memorable Characters
Where: Saratoga Senior Center
19655 Allendale Ave, Saratoga (Diagonally across from West Valley College)
When: Saturday, April 11, 10:30 am
Includes: Continental Breakfast
Admission: Members $10, Nonmembers $15
Details: southbaywriters.com Branch of California Writers Club