Saranna DeWylde has always been fascinated by things better left in the dark. She wrote her first story after watching The Exorcist at a slumber party. Since then, she’s published horror, romance and narrative nonfiction. Like all writers, Saranna has held a variety of jobs from an operations supervisor for an airline, to an assistant for a call girl, to a corrections officer. But like Hemingway said, “Once writing has become your major vice and greatest pleasure, only death can stop it.” So she traded in her cuffs for a full-time keyboard. Saranna is a member of RWA and lives in Kansas halfway between prisonville and one of the most haunted towns in the US.
Saranna is available for speaking engagements and workshops in person and some workshops online.
Compelling Villains- I'm especially qualified to give this workshop because of my history in law enforcement and working with the baddest of the bad as a segregation officer in a maximum security male facility. I address why villains need to be compelling and how to make them more compelling based on my experiences and interactions in a very hands-on and interactive way. Hand outs, pictures, and workshop exercises.
Tattoos- In recent years, tattoos have become more and more acceptable in mainstream society. Many more inked heroes and heroines have emerged, but it's important to think about the tattoos you give your characters. Many of them have cultural significance besides whatever you wish it to mean. Some are ancient tradition for certain groups, some identify a criminal element, and some are considered a revered art form. Some are all three. I've put together a program that draws on my love of the craft (I have 7), the history of the art in America and abroad, as well as my experiences identifying the criminal element. This includes handouts of sketches, copies of real tattoos, etc.
Prison-Procedure, staff, inmate processing, housing, clothing, daily life, slang, etc. distilled for the writer's reference.
"Writing isn't something you try, it's something that tries you." Ray Garton
Saranna is available for speaking engagements and workshops in person and some workshops online.
Current Workshops:
Compelling Villains- I'm especially qualified to give this workshop because of my history in law enforcement and working with the baddest of the bad as a segregation officer in a maximum security male facility. I address why villains need to be compelling and how to make them more compelling based on my experiences and interactions in a very hands-on and interactive way. Hand outs, pictures, and workshop exercises.
Tattoos- In recent years, tattoos have become more and more acceptable in mainstream society. Many more inked heroes and heroines have emerged, but it's important to think about the tattoos you give your characters. Many of them have cultural significance besides whatever you wish it to mean. Some are ancient tradition for certain groups, some identify a criminal element, and some are considered a revered art form. Some are all three. I've put together a program that draws on my love of the craft (I have 7), the history of the art in America and abroad, as well as my experiences identifying the criminal element. This includes handouts of sketches, copies of real tattoos, etc.
Prison-Procedure, staff, inmate processing, housing, clothing, daily life, slang, etc. distilled for the writer's reference.
Representation:
I'm represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency.Quotes and Inspiration:
"If your life is burning well, then poetry is just the ash." Leonard Cohen"Writing isn't something you try, it's something that tries you." Ray Garton