FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007

CONTACT: Steve Dolan
(619) 594-5664
sdolan@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - Mary Castillo believed there was good reason for attending the San Diego State University Writers' Conference.

When I attended the SDSU Writers' Conference in 2001, I had a gut feeling that I was in the right place and at the right time, she said.

Was she ever! As a result of attending the writers' conference, she has had five books published with another one on the way.

If you would like to possibly follow in Castillo's footsteps at the 24th annual SDSU Writers' Conference, mark down the dates of Jan. 25-27 at the Doubletree Hotel in Mission Valley.

"Although I didn't meet my editor or my agent at the SDSU Writers' Conference, I was put on the right path to meet them in 2003 when I sold my first book, "Hot Tamara" to Avon Trade," Castillo said. "The knowledge and insight from the SDSU Writers' Conference workshops, and chance encounters with publishing professionals prepared me for the transition from hopeful writer to published author."

This annual conference is among the largest of its kind on the West Coast. It annually includes one-on-one consultations and hands-on editing assistance. Participants will learn ways to sharpen their writing skills and make connections with editors and agents of fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting while learning how to publish in the traditional manner or on the Internet.

The conference offers participants workshops on fiction and nonfiction. Industry experts will be on hand to discuss how to produce screenplays from inception to finished product and how to attract the necessary attention to get them produced. Top editors, agents, and industry professionals will be available to meet one-on-one to critique writing and offer specific advice about how to take a project forward.

Nothing is guaranteed in this business and the SDSU Writers' Conference gave me the knowledge and insight to be swift of foot," Castillo said. "But even more so, being in the middle of all that energy impressed upon me how important it is to love what we do ... I still have my badge from that conference hanging off the corner of my desk. It symbolizes the first step on a long, rewarding journey.

For more information on Castillo's career that surfaced from the SDSU Writers' Conference, visit www.MaryCastillo.com.

Advance registration is now available for the 2008 SDSU Writers' Conference. The fee to attend the conference is $365 through Jan. 2 and $399 after Jan. 2. Each conference participant may schedule up to three consultations. Consultations do not require pages submitted in advance of the meeting and must be scheduled prior to Jan. 8.

The advance reading appointment fee, which is $40, must be received with your appointment form and your work no later than Jan. 2. Advance reading appointments are not accepted after Jan. 2.

No other conference gives you as many opportunities to meet so many top editors and agents in one weekend. It's an incredible way to jumpstart your career," said Erin Grady, past participant and author of Whispers, Echoes, and Web of Smoke.

For more information on the SDSU Writers' Conference, call (619) 594-2517 or visit www.NeverStopLearning.net/writers/

SDSU's College of Extended Studies engages the community with a wide variety of lifelong learning classes, seminars, certificate programs, and SDSU undergraduate and graduate degrees. Career advancement courses are offered in many areas of management, leadership, and quality improvement while self-enrichment courses range from astronomy to web design. Additionally, the College offers over 35 certificate programs, online courses, and many other learning opportunities. To register or for more information, call (619) 265-SDSU (7378) or log on to www.NeverStopLearning.net.