Light refreshments & coffee / tea available 8:30 - 4:30 Sat / Sun @ Serendib House, 332 Wisconsin Ave. (near the Y).
COSTS: All tickets are $30-$45 sliding-scale, unless marked as FREE workshops. Some need-based scholarships are available; if interested, please request one by dropping a note to Mary Anne Mohanraj, mohanraj@mamohanraj.com, with the subject line: MARAM SCHOLARSHIP.
ACCESS NOTE: We regret that as this our workshops are currently taking place in a private historic home, they are not wheelchair accessible. We also have a gentle dog and two kittens in residence. If any of these pose an access difficulty, or if you have other access needs, please send a note to Mary Anne Mohanraj, with the subject line: MARAM ACCESS. If we can possibly accommodate your needs, we will!
SCHEDULE:
8:30 -- doors open
9 - 10:30 -- Writing Science Fiction That Sells (Alec Nevala-Lee): $30-$45
11:00 - 12:30 -- Personal Essay Writing (Deborah Jian Lee): $30-$45
1 - 2:30 -- Traditional Publishing & Self-Publishing (Mary Anne Mohanraj): FREE
3 - 4:30 -- Iraqi Lentil Soup (Dima Ali): $30-$45 (plus $5 materials fee)
Sun 2/24:
8:30 -- doors open
9:00 - 10:30 -- Seed Starting: Invest Time and Love, Not Money (Stephanie Walquist): $30-$45
11 - 12:30 -- Three Plant-Based Soups -- CANCELLED
1 - 2:30 -- Intro to 3D Printing with TinkerCad (Kurt Hedlund): $30-$45
3 - 4:30 -- Intro to Crochet (Mary Anne Mohanraj) -- FREE
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:
Saturday 9:00 – 10:30: Writing Science Fiction that Sells
Science fiction offers a thriving audience for short stories, but it can be hard for beginners to break into professional markets, and even established writers can have trouble making consistent sales. We’ll discuss strategies for writing stories that are compelling from the very first page, based on the principles of effective characterization, plot structure, and worldbuilding, with examples drawn from a wide range of authors and publications.
Alec Nevala-Lee is a novelist and freelance writer who has sold over a dozen stories to the magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact. His group biography Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction (HarperCollins) was recently named one of the best books of 2018 by the Economist. Three of his suspense novels have been published by Penguin, and he contributes occasionally to the New York Times Book Review.
Cost: $30-$45. Registration max: 15
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Saturday 11:00 – 12:30: Personal Essay Writing
This workshop will teach the fundamentals of how to find your voice, sharpen your ideas and tell your story through cinematic scenes that keep readers hooked.
Deborah Jian Lee is an award-winning journalist and author of Rescuing Jesus: How People of Color, Women and Queer Christians are Reclaiming Evangelicalism. She has worked as a staff reporter for the Associated Press, taught journalism as a professor at Columbia University, and written for Foreign Policy, Time magazine, Slate, The Atlantic, Playboy, Religion Dispatches, Forbes, Reuters, GOOD, WBEZ, WNYC and many others. She hosts the podcast Kaleidoscope.
Cost: $30-$45. Registration max: 15
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Saturday 1:00 - 2:30: Traditional Publishing & Self-Publishing
You've written something (or are writing something, or hope to write something), and you'd like to learn more about paths to publication. In this lightning overview, you'll learn about big presses, small presses, university presses, and the basics of indie publishing, including a short intro to crowdfunding an arts project. The publishing world has changed rapidly in the last decade, and this workshop will give you a good sense of where things are right now. Next year will surely be different!
Mary Anne Mohanraj has published over a dozen books with big presses (HarperCollins, Random House, Penguin) and small presses, and has even indie-published a few books too. She's run multiple successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo arts campaigns. Learn more at www.maryannemohanraj.com.
Cost: FREE. Registration max: 30
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Saturday 3:00 - 4:30: Iraqi Lentil Soup
This soup is a staple in any Iraqi house, it’s so yummy and perfect for cold winter nights. It can be prepared ahead of time and freezes well. No prior experience needed. If you know how to turn the stove on, then you are good to go. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
Dima Ali is a local Mom, Activist, and Artisan. Dima was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq. She immigrated to the US more than 16 years ago. Among the few things she brought with her from Iraq was her family recipes box. Cooking provides a comfort zone and a small reminder of Dima’s first home and childhood. Dima cooks for her family, friends, and community.
Cost: $30 - $45 + $5 materials fee. Registration max: 7
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Sunday 9:00 - 10:30: Seed Starting -- Invest Time and Love, Not Money
Whether you want to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, or flowers, you can save a tremendous amount of money if you start with seeds. It's simple, easy, and tremendously satisfying. No gardening experience needed!
Stephanie Walquist, co-founder of West Cook Wild Ones, is a life-long gardener. She has been growing many types of plants from seeds since the 90's. She never tires of watching those first leaves make their way to the light.
Cost: $30-$45. Registration max: 15
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Sunday 11:00 - 12:30: Three Plant-Based Soups -- CANCELLED
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Intro to 3D Printing with TinkerCad
Get an introduction to 3D printing by interactively learning to design a simple keyfob/keytag/luggagetag using the internet based Tinkercad tool. Follow along with the workshop leader designing your own key tag and create a design file to be 3D printed after the workshop. This class is appropriate for a beginner to 3D printing / design, who is generally computer literate. The class requires a laptop; if you don't have one and would like to participate, let us know (mohanraj@mamohanraj.com) -- some laptops may be available for loan during class.
Kurt Hedlund is an electronic hardware developer and manager. System, circuit board, ASIC and FPGA designer and manager, in leading edge systems mostly involving wire speed packet networking. Applying theory and leading edge technology in a practical manner for manufacturing and real world applications is my specialty.
COST: $30 - $45. Registration Max: 8
Intro to Crochet
Learn how to wield a little hooked stick and a ball of yarn! Soon you'll be able to make anything from a cozy scarf to a chunky hat to a warm blanket to a cute little stuffed animal. No experience or supplies needed -- just sign up and come ready to have fun!
Mary Anne Mohanraj is a yarn enthusiast. :-)
Cost: FREE. Registration max: 30
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Our next workshops will take place on March 24th -- save the date! A portion of all proceeds will go towards securing a permanent accessible physical space for future workshops and classes. Donations are also gratefully accepted; Maram Makerspace is sponsored by the Speculative Literature Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
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