The Muddle in the Middle: Hank Phillippi Ryan — Wednesday, April 19, 7 pm EDT (Note that this meeting is one week later in the month than usual).

Your fingers are poised over the keyboard. You have a rocking first act to your novel, and you even have an idea of how to end your story with a twist and a bang and a shot at certain bestsellerdom. But now what? You’ve hit 36,000 words—how are you going to get from that great beginning to the kickass ending? You’ve hit the muddle in the middle. But USA Today best-selling author Hank Phillippi Ryan will show you how these central pages can be crafted to intrigue, surprise and delight your readers—and have them turning the pages as fast as they can. Never fear—with practical advice and specific tips, Hank will show you the way to the magic in the middle.

Hank Phillippi Ryan is the author of 14 thrillers, winning five Agathas, five Anthonys, the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award, and 37 EMMYs for her television investigative reporting. National book critics call her “a superb and gifted storyteller;” she’s the only author to win the Agatha in four categories: Best First, Best Novel, Best Short Story and Best Non-Fiction. Her newest is the page-turning standalone thriller THE HOUSE GUEST, released in February 2023. A story of psychological manipulation exploring the dark heart of marriage and friendship, it’s Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise. Publishers Weekly says, “Ryan is a master of suspense!” The Library Journal starred review calls it “Binge-worthy.”