OCTOBER ZOOM MINUTES

ATTENDANCE: Vicki Whelan-White Dan Palmer Larry & Rosemary Mild Katharine Nohr Dennis Ihara Kent Reinker

1. SPEAKER: Dan Palmer, owner of Galahad Inc. He started working in the protection industry in 1987 for the leading celebrity protection company in Los Angeles until 1995 achieving the position of Director of Special Field Services. He trained in Behavioral/Threat Assessment and worked as a case manager assessing thousands of inappropriate communications and contacts. He has also have worked on several music concert world tours with the largest being 7 months long, 121 shows, with over three million people attending. I started my company in 1995 and modeled it after the Chivalrous Knights, who’s Code of Ethics and services closely represent ours. For the past 2 decades Galahad is a world leader in personal protection and bodyguard services, corporate security, and security consulting. The firm’s bodyguard, personal protection and corporate security expertise has serviced some of the world’s most famous and prominent public figures, entertainers, cultural figures, and corporate officers. Galahad’s staff is regularly retained as experts in a wide array of security disciplines, including: threat assessment, prevention of stalking and unwanted pursuit, privacy intrusion consultation, and high-level investigations.

a) He says how blessed and fortunate he is to have so many fantastic clients over the years and one client for over twenty four years. He is also passionate about the environment and animals and has traveled to see the most amazing places on earth. He is on his 5th passport from filling pages and actually have a stamp from the DDR at Check Point Charlie in East Berlin. He loves doing what he does and his work is different everyday and everyday is filled with different challenges.

2. ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Our election of officers will take place next meeting on November 18th. Positions to fill are President and Secretary. The current President will step down in a supportive position of the new President, as Vice President.

3. CAROL: As everyone has probably heard, Carol Catanzariti has passed away. She will be greatly missed.

4. NATIONAL 50k NANOWRIMO CHALLENGE: To participate use the following link to register https://www.sistersincrime.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?alias=SinC50K20 You will get weekly encouragement and prompts and emailed invitations to all our planned activities, including write-ins, webinars before and after November, and a special event to celebrate at the end of the challenge.

5. FIRESIDE CHATS: we spend a relaxed, informal evening with acclaimed, bestselling authors and learn from the masters – in the comfort of your own home (and with a delicious beverage of your choice - adult or otherwise) at your side. In 2020, these events are sponsored so that all interested writers may attend (via Zoom) at no cost.

a) The first Fireside Chat on Oct 29 at 6:00 PM (9 PM ET) is: Put the Chill in Your Thriller! with our own Lori Rader-Day. She will share her secrets to writing a gripping page-turner. What makes a spellbinding thriller? Action? Suspense? A treacherous villain? High stakes? Join us to find out.

b) November 12, 2020 at 6:00 PM (8 PM ET) with Barbara Hinske - From Novella to Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie

c) December 3, 2020 at 5:00 PM (7 PM ET) with Kellye Garrett - Screenwriting Tips for an Award-Winning Novel

6. BAMBOO RIDGE WORKSHOP – Oct 24-25 Michael Little sent out information, does anyone need a copy?

7. LECTURE: Sunday, October 25th, 2:30–4:00pm. Please join us. For "Writing Like Cats & Dogs: How to Include Believable Animal Characters in Fiction" with Amy Shojai, CABC. More than 85 million US households (67%) include pets as part of the family. It makes sense for fiction authors to include pets in the storyline. Some of us take it a step farther and the animal character becomes an active participant in the plot. Yes, animal companions may be effectively included to evoke sympathy or empathy in human characters or situations. However, too often the critter becomes little more than a parody creature or is used as a disposable prop. That leaves readers dissatisfied at best, and angry at worst. How many of y'all have thrown a book across the room and refused to finish it due to "something" that happened to an animal in the story? In this fun, interactive powerpoint session, learn how to unleash believable animal characters in your work, and what missteps to avoid to prevent hissing off your readers. Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified animal behavior consult for cats and dogs, and the award-winning author of more than 30 nonfiction pet care titles. She also writes pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE that include a German Shepherd viewpoint character in the September & Shadow series. Her latest thriller HIT AND RUN adds a Maine Coon cat as a viewpoint character, with several guest appearances by readers' nominated pets. In addition to her membership in SinC, Amy is a member of International Thriller Writers, an Honorary Lifetime Member of OWFI, an award-winning member of Dog Writers Association of America and founder of the Cat Writers' Association.

8. PHOTOCON HAWAI’I VIRTUAL is Hawaiʻi’s Fourth Annual Premiere Educational and Informational event with online virtual workshops for Professional, Amateur and Enthusiast Photographers. Multiple workshops • Free Registration • Free Photo Contest Entry

November 6-8. REGISTER at http://photoconhawaii.com

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