Ep43: C.R. Rowenson shares his Magic System Seminar, “The Hidden Tool Dean Koontz, Tana French, and Others Use to Bend Reality”

A Note from Jeffrey James Higgins and Hope Katz Gibbs, ElainesLiterarySalon.com — Hello friends! We were thrilled to host a seminar on Jan. 29 featuring award-winning author and writing coach C.R. Rowenson. The video and podcast of the event is now live on our Salon site, InkandescentRadio.com, Spotify, Apple, and iHeart Radio. Pick your favorite channel to watch and listen. We know you’ll learn a lot! Big news: On March 7, C.R. Rowenson will be in-person at ElainesLiterarySalon.com for another amazing workshop — “The Thriller Writer’s Supernatural System — Designing Extraordinary Elements for Your Manuscript.” Get your ticket today! When: Saturday, March 07, 2026 from 10am-4pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Buy your ticket here: SupernaturalSystem.eventbrite.com About the January 29 seminar, “The Hidden Tool Dean Koontz, Tana French, and Others Use to Bend Reality” Why do some thrillers stay with readers long after the final page? What do authors like Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, Tana French, and Blake Crouch do that others don’t? They use a rarely-discussed tool: Reality-Plus. What you’ll discover: Learn what Reality-Plus is, see how different authors deploy it across thriller styles, and discover how to make strategic use of reality-bending elements that add depth without turning your thriller into fantasy. Meet the Author: Fascinated by magic since he could imagine pine cones as fireballs, C. R. Rowenson is an award-winning author, blogger, and writing coach that studies magic-building like others study oil-painting. His prime directive is to help all kinds of storytellers craft and repair the magic systems in their stories. You can visit him at crrowenson.comto witness, fuel, or join in his obsession. Read all about Clark’s nonfiction and fiction books! (more…)