By KEVIN GUSTIN / Community Columnist

If you aspire to be a best selling novelist or just have a story to tell, now is your opportunity to interact and learn from an award-winning author.

The Pelham Public Library in cooperation with the Shelby County Arts Council is bringing award-winning author Robert Inman to the Pelham Public Library for creative writing workshops March 4-7.

Participants will have the opportunity for instruction in the full range of topics for writing fiction, from short stories to novels. Topics will include character and plot development as well as creating effective dialogue.

Information about how to get works published will also be covered including publishing in electronic formats. All this from one of Alabama’s own accomplished novelist, screenwriter and playwright.

Workshop participants will share up to 15 pages of written materials to be critiqued by Inman prior to the workshop with suggestions for improvement.

Robert Inman, a native of Elba, is the author of four novels, all published by Little, Brown and Company: Home Fires Burning (1987), Old Dogs and Children (1991), Dairy Queen Days (1997), and Captain Saturday (2002). He has also authored seven stage plays and six screenplays among other projects.

There are two opportunities to participate. An “Early Bird Special” is being offered Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3-5 p.m. for $79 per person limited to the first 20 people to register.

The longer regular workshop will be offered Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 6-9 p.m. for $99 for the first 20 people to register.

Registration will be accepted either at the Pelham Public Library or online at ShelbyCounty

ArtsCouncil.com by clicking on Robert Inman Writing Workshop. Registrations and manuscripts must be received by this Friday, Feb. 22.

While in town, Inman will also appear on March 6 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Shelby County Arts Council gallery for a public reading of his latest book.

This program is provided in part by grants from SouthArts and the Alabama Humanities Foundation.

For a complete list of events and to learn more about the Shelby County Arts Council, please visit ShelbyCounty

ArtsCouncil.com.

Kevin Gustin is president of the Shelby County Arts Council board of directors.