AUTHOR BIO – 140 CHARACTERS
Award winning storycatcher Yvonne Kohano writes contemporary romantic suspense, psychological thrillers, and tips for creatives.
AUTHOR BIO – 50 WORDS
Award winning storycatcher Yvonne Kohano writes contemporary romantic suspense, psychological thrillers, and nonfiction tips on creativity, when she’s not gardening, cooking, traveling, reading or learning something new. Follow her at www.YvonneKohano.com (fiction), www.GooseYourMuse.com (creativity tips), and Facebook and Twitter to learn what tickles her about being a writer.
AUTHOR BIO – 100 WORDS
Award winner and storycatcher Yvonne Kohano writes contemporary romantic suspense in her Flynn’s Crossing series. She is also working on a psychological thriller trilogy, and producing nonfiction books with tips for creative types. In addition to running an indie press, Yvonne loves to cook (dedicated foodie), garden (plantaholic), travel (anywhere), and read and learn (anything). She, her husband and their dogs love their home in the Pacific Northwest. Follow her at www.YvonneKohano.com (fiction), www.GooseYourMuse.com (creativity tips), and Facebook and Twitter to learn what tickles her about being a writer.
AUTHOR BIO – PERSONAL VERSION
Hello, this is Yvonne, lifelong STORYCATCHER. I appreciate your curiosity about me, and about how I can help you enjoy your STORY.
I’ve always been passionate about STORY. The value of finding the right words and emotions and tone run through every aspect of my life. I never would have realized how important it is to who I am if I hadn’t decided to reframe my personal STORY a few years ago. You see, I’ve always believed that we each have themes that vibrate through our individual, organizational and societal existences. Mine is STORYCATCHING.
It was an epiphany moment. I left the world of corporate consulting and university teaching for full-time fiction writing. Jumping without the proverbial net, so to speak, I realized I had to define myself differently. “I am a writer” became “I am an author” and then “I am a storyteller”, but I still didn’t see the connection. The ever-popular bio we are all told to post on our creative website, social networking links and beyond never seemed on target.
That is, until I heard a label that resonated with me. “Storycatcher” is a Native American term meaning the person who can interpret a story for others. BINGO! I finally understood, for that is who I have been throughout my life. I AM A STORYCATCHER. And darned proud of it, too!
As a kid, my parents gave me boxes and blankets and encouraged me to entertain myself (and my little sister) by making something up. I did – worlds and creatures, puppet shows and holiday plays, rainy afternoon amusements and sunny backyard adventures. Later, I found I could write good papers in school, primarily because I could take the facts and braid them together to bring a cohesive STORY to what I studied.
Then I began my professional career(s), and the value of interpreting STORY increased tenfold.
- Accountant and financial analyst – explaining the STORY behind the numbers in a way that tilted the lens to help others understand concrete in reality through abstract figures.
- Management consultant – translating the STORY of an organization’s (or individual’s) operations and recommended solutions to help others make informed decisions.
- University professor – encoding the process of analysis and objective support into a STORY learners use to decode their understanding of problems in the world.
- Fiction writer – interpreting a theme that provides an uplifting message so that others can embrace a STORY as a means of escape or a method of learning about themselves.
And now, I’m blending it all together through my freelancing work. The things I love – gardening, food and wine, travel and destinations, and people and culture – are what I enjoy telling that STORY about the most. I love reaching out and grabbing someone’s attention through the written word, so their lives can transform in the best possible ways.
I am YOUR STORYCATCHER, and I invite you to join me on a journey to make your world a happier, more intriguing, and story-filled place!
AUTHOR BIO – LONG VERSION
A HOLT Medallion Award of Merit recipient in Romantic Suspense, storycatcher Yvonne Kohano enjoys channeling her characters’ voices, personalities, and passions in stories designed to delight readers and keep them up late at night.
Fictional Works
Her Flynn’s Crossing contemporary romance series is set in a fictional northern California foothills town nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The beauty and wonders of those peaks and the surrounding counties play costarring roles. Her characters wrestle with real life problems in their quests to accept themselves and discover love, with a happily ever after – or at least happily for right now – guarantee.
Not everything comes up roses in Y J Kohano’s fictional lands, though. Her psychological thriller trilogy even scared her as she wrote it. Originally intended to be about the reincarnation of ancient legends, these characters decided they had different stories to tell. Can you step inside someone’s mind and direct their actions? What will people do when they believe they’re going crazy? The trilogy seems to have taken on a life of its own (as they often do) and now appears to be growing into another series.
Yvonne the Writer
In case you’re wondering, Yvonne is a pantser, as in, she does not plot out her fiction books before writing them. The characters tell her where they want to go and what they feel they should do. Talk about having someone inside your mind! Writer’s block never seems to be an issue; finding the volume button for over-zealous character wannabes can be, though.
Nonfiction Facts
A 35-plus year career as a management consultant, academic and graduate professor meant Yvonne was always writing, but not always something as fun as her current works. She turned her full time attention to fiction in 2011. Alas, once a consultant, always a consultant. Today, in addition to being a published fiction author, she helps writers and other creative types take advantage of the lessons she’s learned and avoid the mistakes she’s made. Her fictional “Complex Characters in Compelling Stories” live happily with their nonfiction siblings, creativity tips to “Goose Your Muse”.
Teaching runs in Yvonne’s blood. The best part for her is helping others advance their skills and understanding so they can take that more steps forward without help, the next time around. Training topics include author business planning, self-publishing, writer productivity, romance tips and tricks, and character and conflict. She also assists writers one-on-one to advance their writing and publishing processes.
Yvonne is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Sacramento Valley Rose, Rose City Romance Writers, and Greater Seattle RWA. Follow her at www.YvonneKohano.com (fiction), www.GooseYourMuse.com (creativity tips), and Facebook and Twitter to learn what tickles her about being a writer.
Thanks for supporting all of us who write so that you, our readers, can enjoy the escape of a well-crafted story!
SPEAKER INTRODUCTION
A HOLT Medallion Award of Merit recipient in Romantic Suspense, storycatcher Yvonne Kohano enjoys channeling her characters’ voices, personalities, and passions in stories designed to delight readers and keep them up late at night.
Her Flynn’s Crossing contemporary romance series is set in a fictional northern California foothills town nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her characters wrestle with real life problems in their quests to accept themselves and discover love, with a happily ever after – or at least happily for right now – guarantee.
Not everything comes up roses in Yvonne’s fictional lands, though. Her psychological thriller trilogy even scared her as she wrote it. Can you step inside someone’s mind and direct their actions? What will people do when they believe they’re going crazy?
A 35-plus year career as a management consultant, academic, and graduate professor meant Yvonne was always writing and telling stories, but not always something as fun as her current works. She turned her full time attention to fiction in 2011. Alas, once a consultant, always a consultant. Today, in addition to being a published fiction author, she helps other writers take advantage of the lessons she’s learned and avoid the mistakes she’s made. Her fictional “Complex Characters in Compelling Stories” live happily with their nonfiction siblings, creativity tips to “Goose Your Muse”.
FIVE FUN FACTS
My husband and I used to raise llamas.
I am a shy introvert – though no one seems to believe that.
Things always seem to grow bigger – much bigger – than they are supposed to in my gardens.
I am a great cook.
My bucket list is all about travel with dear hubby.
TOPICS I SPEAK ON
Never straying all that far from her educator roots, Yvonne enjoys speaking to groups on tips and tricks relevant to being a writer today. Her style is humorous and interactive, relating personal stories with industry expert perspectives. Topics include:
- Creating Your Author Business Plan
- Self-publishing pitfalls and pleasures
- How I Write a Book – Inside an Author’s (Scary) Head
- Channeling Your Inner Author
- To Blog or Not to Blog – Voice and Platform
- Building Your Social Media Presence
- It’s Relationship, Not Romance
- Thriller Clues and How to find Them
- Plotter or Pantser – You Decide
- Tangled Characters and Archetypes
- Building Conflict, Building Suspense
- Finding Tools for Inspiration
- No One Best Way to Write a…
- Being Your Best Creative Self
Length of talks and depth of material depend on the unique needs of each audience. Is your group curious about a writing craft or author-related topic, but it’s not on this partial list? Let’s discuss it!
