BECOME GREAT SPEAKERS: TOASTMASTERS FOR WRITERS

By Jo Ellen Krumm

Writers, learn how to make your spoken word as exciting as your mystery novels at “Toastmasters for Writers” at our July 12 meeting of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles. Top members of Toastmasters will provide examples and guidelines for book readings and other author appearances. Out with the dull and in with the dramatic! One of our speakers is Michelle Gilstrap, a popular public speaker and district governor for Toastmasters International, the nonprofit organization that helps members worldwide perfect their speaking and leadership skills.  Michelle is a founder of the Toastmasters4Writers group, which “helps good writers become great speakers!” Active in Toastmasters for eight years, she holds the designation Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), educational level. She has received Excellence in Education and Excellence in Marketing awards from Toastmasters. Michelle has worked in journalism, marketing and membership, and currently serves as director of membership development for the Rotary Club of Los Angeles. A writer, she is working on her third screenplay. Our other speaker is Donna Sozio, writer, media personality and dating expert. The author of Never Trust a Man in Alligator Loafers: What his Shoes Really Say about his True Love Potential, Donna was interviewed by Tyra Banks, who dubbed her a shoe-ologist.  She has also appeared on Good Day LA, The Early Show and other programs, has been quoted in magazines including Seventeen and Splash, and has hosted fashion shows and other events. As part of the program, expect some lucky (and brave) volunteer among us to receive a critique of her book reading/speaking efforts, including valuable advice for improvement that we can all apply to our speaking engagements.

 

 

Reader:

Our featured author is L.M. (Linda) Quinn, who will read from her short story “A Not So Clear Case of Murder,” published in Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery (Arte Público Press, March 2009). The story’s heroine, Los Angeles-based research analyst Norah Galván, faces death with seemingly no way of escape. Find out more on Sunday, July 12. Linda, who lives and works in Los Angeles, also reviews books and writes travel articles. She has been a member of SinC/LA for five years.

 

 

Join us on Sunday, July 12, 2009, at 2 p.m. for refreshments and networking, with the program beginning at 2:30 p.m. We meet at the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room, 1115 El Centro St., South Pasadena. A $5 donation is requested from non-members.

MEETING DATES

MEETING LOCATION