October 16, 2010 - Catholic Woman's Conference. Syracuse, NY.

speaking experience & topics

My Topics & Talks for Catholic or general Christian audiences

• Catholic Fiction: Why Catholics need contemporary novels they can call their own
  For Catholic Priests, Teachers, Youth Ministers, Librarians, & Booksellers. In this talk, I define Catholic fiction (not an easy task!), demonstrate why it's a critical component in building Catholic identity, and discuss the pitfalls and problems of marketing fiction to Catholics.

• Evangelizing the Imagination
  My most popular talk! I've given it to English classes, high school assemblies, drama classes, library groups, writer conferences, and teens at Catholic and homeschool conferences.  In it, I challenge the audience through an interactive discussion to re-think how we imagine good and evil. Of interest to teens, youth ministers, literature teachers, and anyone who works with teens and the media they love.
  MP3 version from the Dayton Conference 2010

• "No Matter What Happens, Blessed Be His Name" 
  Based on my experience of losing my young son, Joshua, this is an unusual retelling of the Book of Job with reflections on how to best support those who are suffering. 
  MP3 version from the Dayton Conference 2010

• Genius of Womanhood
  This talk, which I've given at pro-life events and to women's groups, reflects on the role of women in history through several vignettes on women's contributions to society, inspired by the Gospel and the culture of life.

• Pick Your Own Topic
  Feel free to ask me to talk on anything that will be of interest to your group! I am always interested in tackling a new topic.
  

Talks for Writers and Educators on Fiction

• How to Create Evil Characters When You're A Good Catholic
  Another fun talk!  An exercise in rethinking good and evil in the light of human experience, plus three tricks writers can use to portray evil actions that they've never committed themselves. Of interest to both writers and teachers of literature and storytelling.

• Which Comes First, the Plot or the Character?
  This classic connudrum was solved by the playwright Lajos Egri, and is the method still employed by Hollywood screenwriters today.  With an overview of both story structure and character building, this talk particularly explores the overlooked component that Egri used to tie both together in a satisfying whole.  Of particular interest to writer's groups and writing instructors.

• Working With An Editor
  What are editors and agents looking for in your fiction manuscript?  What part of your submission is really the "dealbreaker"?  What crucial component of your story are editors looking for in the first three chapters or thirty pages of your manuscript?  In this talk, I share my experience as both a writer and a fiction editor to decode standard submission guidelines so that you can give editors what they're looking for, and avoid the most common gaffes.

Pick Your Own Topic
Feel free to ask me to talk on anything that will be of interest to your group! I am always interested in tackling a new topic.

Regina's Writing Course for Teens

Interested in a four-session fiction-writing camp or course for your teen or adult writers' group?  I've created an intensive eight-hour fiction writing course that covers the following topics. Each session is two hours: it includes one hour of lecture and discussion, and one hour in reviewing student writing.  It includes material from my other writing talks and can also include a spiritual component on writing as a vocation.

• Which Comes First:  Plot or Characters?

• Building Your Characters

• Structuring Your Story

• Publishing Your Story

My Husband's Talks & Topics

• Holy Chivalry - Becoming a Knight in Shining Armor (especially for young men)
  MP3 version from the Dayton Conference 2010

• Our Fairy Tale Romance - How I met a "princess in disguise" and convinced her to marry me.
  (general audience, but particularly for those interested in Catholic/Christian courtship)

• Maximizing Marriage - How to live Happily Ever After (young adults & married couples)

• Fathers, Forefathers, and the Future of the Family (for dads)
  MP3 version from the Dayton Conference 2010

Book Regina for your conference! Email andrew AT reginadoman DOT com Call Chesterton Press:  540-631-0919  (ask for Andrew) Mailing Address: Regina Doman P.O. Box 949 Front Royal, VA 22630

In the talk "No Matter What Happens, Blessed Be His Name" I use the book of Job and our family's experience of losing our son Joshua to share insight about the meaning of suffering and the love of God.  I have given this talk at the 2008 Illinois Catholic Homeschool Conference and at the 2007 Midwest Catholic Family Conference.

I also have also spoken three times on the Genius of Womanhood, most recently at the Sisters of Jesus Our Hope Lenten retreat in Patterson, New Jersey in 2007.

I have spoken many times on Catholic/Christian Fiction Writing and "Evangelizing the Imagination". Most recently, I gave this talk at the Catholic Writers Conference in Somerset, New Jersey in August 2009, but I retitled the talk: How to create Evil Characters if you're a Good Catholic.

At that conference I also spoke about the importance of fiction in building Catholic culture and identity, and the need for Catholics to have contemporary novels they can call their own.

My husband Andrew gives an awesome talk on holy chivalry in the modern world, "Becoming a Knight in Shining Armor" to teen boys.  For those of you who wonder if chivalry is dead, Andrew illuminates a path for holy chivalry and the weapons of the modern holy knight drawing upon scripture, the virtues, the sacraments, and his wife’s stories. 

In his talk, Our Fairy Tale Romance - How I met a "princess in disguise" and convinced her to marry me, Andrew gives hope to those still seeking a marriage partner and highlighting some signs for young people to look for in discovering their vocation and living "happily ever after." 

With a Masters Degree in Theology focusing on Marriage and Family from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and over 15 years of marriage experience and observation, my husband Andrew makes practical recommendations interspersed with ancedotes from our marriage and others on what to do to maximize the "happily ever after" marriage experience in his talk, Maxizing Marriage - How to live Happily Ever After. 

At the Celebrate the Faith Homeschool Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on April 24, 2009, Andrew gave a talk on Fathers, Forefathers, and the Future of the Family. He discussed the key role of fathers in the family…their role as bridegroom, priest, defender, and teacher.  Referencing scripture, theology, and his own family history, Andrew reflected how fathers can build upon the truth, goodness, and beauty that they’ve received from their forefathers (both temporal and spiritual) in order to pass on an inheritance of faith to future generations even in the midst of the numerous attacks on the family in society today…and have fun along the way.

For a CD copy of my talks, please see details at the bottom of this page.

letter from pastor

Here is a letter from my pastor about my status as a Catholic Christian.

VIRTUS traing certificate

I have a certificate for attending the VIRTUS training and am in compliance with the Safe Environment policies.

costs and policy

I love to give talks to adults and young people at conferences and schools. However, because I am a wife and mother, leaving home to speak is a little tricky. So my husband and I have come up with this criteria: giving talks has to support our time together as a couple and a family instead of cutting into that time. I therefore ask that hosts pay all travel and lodging expenses, and meals during the event for me as well as for my husband (including a rental car if transportation from an airport to the hotel and the place of the talk is not otherwise provided).

In addition, I ask for a $500 stipend to either cover the cost of paying for babysitting for our six children, or to defray the costs of bringing the children with us, depending on the venue. This speaking fee would cover a one-hour talk for adults: I am open to giving an additional one-hour talk to adults, teens or children on the same day at no additional charge. Additional one-hour talks on additional days would cost $250 per day per talk.  For his talks, my husband, Andrew, asks for a speaker fee of $250 per talk.

The speaker fees assume I will be allowed two tables to display and sell my books and merchandise, as well as books I have edited.

speaking to schools and school groups

Book Regina for your conference! Email andrew AT reginadoman DOT com Call Chesterton Press:  540-631-0919  (ask for Andrew) Mailing Address: Regina Doman P.O. Box 949 Front Royal, VA 22630

While I am in the area, I always welcome the chance to do some volunteer speaking to children and young adults in your local Catholic, Christian, private, or public school or homeschool group. If transportation to and from the school can be provided, I will do these talks at no additional cost.

I generally talk to English classes in the upper grades about writing as a career, and where the venue is appropriate, I talk about the relationship of the Catholic/Christian faith to the creative writing process.

I also have a character-based talk on writing that I have given in public schools and can give where a secular approach to the subject is required. In short, I can tailor the talk to whatever the teachers of the school think their pupils need to hear.

I also have done many story-time readings of Angel in the Waters for younger children with a question and answer period afterwards.

Again, talks to school children that are part of a paying venue have no additional cost.

recorded talks

A CD of my talk to teens, "Evangelizing the Imagination" is available from LCE Media for $7.50.
Click here to order.

A CD of my talk on suffering, "No Matter What Happens, Blessed Be His Name" is available from LCE Media for $7.50.
Click here to order.

A CD of my talk to women, "The Genius of Womanhood" is available from LCE Media for $7.50.
Click here to order.

A CD of Andrew's talk to teen boys, "Chivalry: Become Knights in Shining Armor" is available from LCE Media for $7.50.
Click here to order.

A CD of Andrew's talk to fathers, "Fathers, Forefathers, and the Future of the Family" is available from LCE Media for $7.50.
Click here to order.

For questions or to contact me about speaking, email me at regina@reginadoman.com.