John Gilstrap's Presentation Topics

Broken Bones, Ballistics & Backdrafts: Technical Stuff That Writers Should Get Right
Fiction readers are getting more sophisticated all the time, and it's a writer's job to get the details correct. New York Times bestselling author John Gilstrap brings his thirty years of experience as a firefighter, EMT, safety engineer and hazardous materials specialist to the classroom in a lively, interactive session to teach the basics of projectile ballistics, fire behavior, how explosives work, and how the human body functions. What actually happens when a person gets shot or stabbed? Do silencers really work? What's the difference between a fire, a deflagration and a detonation? Was there really another shooter on the grassy knoll when JFK was shot? These and many other questions will be answered. Note: This presentation contains graphic imagery. (Target audience: writers' groups, CSI fans, journalists; 60-90 minutes)
A/V Requirements: Data projector; sound system. John prefers to speak with a wireless lavaliere microphone.

Dare To Dream
If New York Times bestselling author John Gilstrap had listened to the advice he received from parents, teachers and friends, he never would have published a thing. As it is, he listened to the naysayers for at least 20 years too long. In this moving, inspirational presentation, John decodes the culture of negativity that keeps artists of all stripes from achieving the dreams they were born to live, and gives people the tools to turn it all around. It's never too early, and it's never too late to dare to dream. (Target audience: commencement exercises, civic groups, inspirational keynote; 30-50 minutes)
A/V requirements: John prefers to speak with a wireless lavaliere microphone.

Adrenaline Rush: How to Write Suspense Fiction
Award-winning thriller author John Gilstrap presents a day-long seminar on the construction of intelligent suspense fiction. What makes for a strong plot? How do you take cardboard characters and give them life on the page? Through lively lectures and writing exercises, students get a peek at the skeleton that gives structure to the stories that keep us reading long into the night. (Target audience: writers' groups, writing classes; 4-6 hours)
A/V requirements: Data projector. John prefers to speak with a wireless lavaliere microphone.

Blood on the Page: Using Research to Create Credible Fiction
Bestselling author John Gilstrap writes critically-acclaimed thrillers featuring military tactics and surveillance, but has never served in the armed forces. He writes about crimes and cops, but he's never served in law enforcement. In this session, you'll learn how to make minutes of research look like years of first-hand experience. (Target audience: writers' groups; 60 minutes)
A/V requirements: Data projector. John prefers to speak with a wireless lavaliere microphone.

Whose Story Are You Telling?
Choosing the correct point of view is one of the key elements of dramatic storytelling. Bestselling author John Gilstrap has been praised by Publishers Weekly for "flawless characterization" in his books, and in this interactive session, he'll walk you through the critical decisions that help you propel your story through the most dramatic set of eyes. Bring paper and a pen, because there'll be a writing exercise. (Target audience: writers' groups; 60-90 minutes)
A/V requirements: Data projector. John prefers to speak with a wireless lavaliere microphone.

Adapting Stories for the Screen
In setting out to adapt the work of another author for a film, it's important to understand from the very beginning that the mission is not to take the author's vision from the page and reproduce it on the screen. Instead, the mission is to create a story for film that happens to be based on a story previously told in print. New York Times bestselling author and five-time screenwriter John Gilstrap knows better than most that it's not as easy as it seems, and he's anxious to share the details with you. (Target audience: writers' groups, writing classes; 50 minutes)

About the Presenter:

John Gilstrap is the New York Times bestselling author of eight thrillers, the latest of which, Threat Warning, will be released in July 2011. His previous books include Hostage Zero, No Mercy, Six Minutes to Freedom, Scott Free, Even Steven, At All Costs, and Nathan's Run, four of which were selections of the Literary Guild. His novels have been translated into more than 20 languages.

John has also adapted four bestselling novels for the big screen: Red Dragon (uncredited) from the Thomas Harris novel, for Dino DeLaurentiis Productions; Word of Honor (from the Nelson DeMille novel, for Dino DeLaurentiis Productions); Young Men and Fire (from the Norman Maclean book, for Baltimore/Spring Creek Pictures/ Warner Brothers); and Nathan's Run (from his own novel, also for Warner Brothers). Currently, he is writing the screenplay for his book Six Minutes to Freedom for Sesso Entertainment. A former firefighter and EMT, John holds a master's degree in safety from the University of Southern California and a bachelor's degree in history from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.

Standard honorarium: $3,500 ($5,000 for presentations longer than two hours) plus travel expenses.

Contact: john@johngilstrap.com