Index
Conference Schedule & Workshops
Free Pre-Conference Critiques
Critique Team
Meal Service
CD's & MP3's Available
Conference Binder
Book Sales
What to Bring
Travel
Directions
Departure
Extra Night Option
Two Hour FREE Evening Workshop Available to Early Arrivers
The Pre-Conference Buddy System for First Timers
Awards
Conference Schedule etc.
Tentative Conference Schedule: 2012_Conference_Schedule.pdf
Tentative Afternoon Workshop Schedule: 2012_Tentative_Wkshop_Schedule.pdf
Afternoon Workshop Descriptions: 2012_Wkshop_Descriptions.pdf
Free Pre-Conference Critiques (available only for fully paid registrants):
Any registrant may send the first 20 pages of two manuscripts or two articles, 2 children's books or 5 poems or 3 devotionals ahead of the conference for either critiquing or editorial review. Editorial review is by an editor of your choosing to see if your project is something he/she might be interested in for their company. It does not necessarily include critiquing. Critiquing is done by published freelance writers, with years of expertise in your area of writing, who assess your work, offering concrete observations and advice. (If you have never been published, you should choose critiquing instead of editorial review.) All submissions must be in hard copy and must be postmarked by Saturday, March 24, 2012, and/or received at Mount Hermon at the latest Tuesday, March 27th. Check Guidelines under FORMS for the explanation of proper formatting. The form for choosing the faculty members you want to look at your manuscripts will be up under “Forms” by February 1, 2012. NOTE: Bring along several copies of your manuscripts in case there is a second opportunity for submitting mid-conference.
Critique Team
This year's critique team consists of Christine Tangvald (Chairman), Jim Scott Bell, Joseph Bentz, Ethel Herr, Mona Hodgson, Randy Ingermanson, Kathy Ide, Jan Kern, Karen O'Connor, and Gayle Roper. The team will be available throughout the conference, Saturday-Monday afternoons, in the Hospitality Room from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm for walk-in critiques, first-come, first-served.
Meal Service
All meals are served buffet style at set times in Mount Hermon’s Dining Hall. Registrants eat at faculty hosted tables at noon and dinner. Complimentary refreshments each morning and afternoon between sessions. Our Snack Shop is open afternoons and evenings. PLEASE NOTE: WE CANNOT PROVIDE SPECIAL DIETS OF ANY KIND, but our director of food service will work with those who have food allergies by advance arrangement only. Please inquire of Annette Balch in Registration (annette.balch@mounthermon.org) if you have a special need.
CD's & MP3's Available
All general sessions and most workshops are professionally recorded and available for purchase at the conference through O.T. Studios of Whittier, California. Most are available for purchase to non-registrants by mail after the conference, beginning May 2012. Check the website for the order form after that time.
Digital Conference Binder: BYOB--Bring Your Own Binder
On March 16th, the entire binder will be available for download for those fully paid registrants. It is recommended that you read through the information and print off only those pages of importance to your chosen workshops and tracks to bring to the conference. There will be a few complete sample binders in Hospitality for reference during the conference. Or why not download the entire binder and bring your laptop to the conference. Most of our larger meeting rooms have WIFI access. You can actually type on the workshop outlines anything you want out of the instruction in class if your computer is battery charged.
Book Sales
Conferees who are published authors may bring their own books to place on consignment (20% fee) at our writers conference bookstore. All books must be pre-priced. Check for an Excel consignment form under Forms tab. You may give your book information to us in two ways:
- download consignment form, fill it out and e-mail it as an attachment to Bookstore Chairman, Joy Harrison, Joy2@qmail.com OR
- print it off, fill it out, bring it with you and make sure to give it to Joy when you deliver your books to the writers conference bookstore in Ivy Dining before the conference.
What to Bring
- Casual clothes are the rule for the conference
- Comfortable walking shoes (it’s hilly at Mount Hermon)
- Weather this time of year is erratic. Dress for warm, wet, cold, or beautifully sunny! Layering is the operative way to go.
- Laptops are not necessary but useful as we have Wi-Fi in various locations around campus.
- Flashlights helpful.
- Camera for photos of our majestic Redwoods, Beni Hoshi Cherry trees, Dogwoods, and Rhododendron!
Travel
Arrival Shuttles (Three Options)
- Head Start Mentoring Clinic shuttles run 1:30-5:00 PM, Wednesday, March 28th. Dinner marks the beginning of the mentoring clinic.
- Early Arrivals shuttles run 1:30-5:00 PM, Thursday, March 29th. Dinner available, and breakfast on Friday. See below for info.
- Writers Conference shuttles run between 8:00 and 11:30 AM on Friday, March 30th from San Jose International (SJC). No San Francisco Airport shuttles available. The conference begins at lunch Friday.
Arrival shuttle service is available from the San Jose International Airport only by advance arrangement through Mount Hermon. You must fill out the shuttle form to receive this service and return it by March 27th at the latest. See FORMS section. Cost is $75.00 per person, round-trip from San Jose. We are unable to provide shuttle service from San Francisco airport. If you must arrive after 11:30am on Friday, March 30th, please think about renting a car for the week.
Directions
We are off Route 17 between San Jose and Santa Cruz, the ocean side of the coastal mountains. Exit at Mount Hermon Road toward Scotts Valley. Mount Hermon Road dead ends at Graham Hill Road (3.5 miles). Turn left on Graham Hill, and just past the small shopping mall on the left is Mount Hermon's "little sign." Turn left up the hill (Conference Dr.) which takes you into campus. (If getting directions to Mount Hermon on GPS, Google Maps or any other direction service on the web, input 37 Conference Drive, Felton, CA for best results.)
Departure
The conference ends after lunch Tuesday, April 3rd, with airport shuttle service beginning at 1:15 PM. Please plan any flight departure for 3:00 PM or later to allow for shuttle travel and necessary time in the airport before your flight. You’ll need to verify departure with our Transportation personnel in Hospitality no later than a day before departure.
Extra Night Option
Want to come a night early on March 29th to enjoy the beautiful Santa Cruz area and our McAfee Fieldhouse before the conference? Or maybe you live across the country and can't get in on Friday before noon. Consider this great way to be rested and ready for the conference. Dinner, overnight housing, and breakfast on Friday are available for only $90. A cozy fire, wireless availability, and a pleasant gathering spot await early arrivals in Central Lounge. Enjoy the historic Roaring Camp Railroad as well as virgin redwoods at Henry Cowell State Park within walking distance, and the Pacific Ocean beaches, Boardwalk, and fabulous bakeries and restaurants of Santa Cruz, just six miles away. Carmel-by-the-Sea and Point Lobos State Reserve are 60 minutes south, and San Francisco is 90 minutes to the north. Our McAfee Fieldhouse gym will be open for use as well. Check the box on your registration form if you want the early arrival option. We cannot provide transportation once you’re at Mount Hermon so why not consider a rental car or carpooling with other early arrivers to enjoy the area opportunities?
Two Hour FREE Evening Workshop Available to Early Arrivers
There is no program planned on Thursday, except a free two-hour optional workshop Thursday evening after the evening meal. This is an optional (but highly recommended) workshop, "Navigating Mount Hermon, A GPS For Every Aspect of the Conference." It will be led by Kim Bangs, acquisitions editor for Regal Books. You'll find insights, tips and clues to help you make your time refreshing, invigorating and successful--the long-eye approach, bathroom etiquette and editors will be part of our discussion. If this is the first time you've attended our Writers Conference, take advantage of this opportunity! This is a great guide for one of the best weeks of your life!
Pre-Conference Buddy System for First Timers
ARE YOU ATTENDING FOR THE FIRST TIME? Be sure to sign up for the Buddy System, a pre-conference program designed to help first-time registrants arrive prepared and ready to make the most of the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. For more information or to add your name to the list, contact Jeanette Hanscome: jeanettehanscome@sbcglobal.net.
ATTENTION RETURNING REGISTRANTS! Do you enjoy serving writers who are new to conferences? The Buddy System is in need of conference veterans (attending once makes you a veteran) to answer pre-conference questions from those attending this amazing but often overwhelming conference for the first time. To find out what is involved (it’s really not that hard) or sign up as a buddy, contact Jeanette Hanscome: jeanettehanscome@sbcglobal.net.
Annual Awards
Each year Mount Hermon gives out awards for Writer of the Year, Pacesetter, Poetry, Most Promising Teen Writer, Most Promising New Writer, & The Lauren Beyenhof True Grit Award. All awards are chosen and sponsored by the faculty and carry cash prizes and a news release for newspaper publication with publishable photo and are decided from the pre-conference manuscripts sent in. Winners will be announced at the Monday evening general session of the conference.
