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Crime-Writing Workshop: Dennis Tafoya          Dennis Tafoya, author of the highly-praised new crime novel, The Wolves of Fairmount Park, is bringing his Crime Writing Workshop to the Clinton Book Shop on August, 11th at 7:00pm. Tafoya, who lives in Bucks County, PA, is hoping that all would-be thriller writers will be interested in getting a few tips on the creation of successful crime fiction. "All good writing is the same, at some level, but crime writing has some special elements," says Tafoya, whose latest novel is coming this week from St. Martin's Press. "Plotting, character development, the sense of place, all of these aspects have to work, whether you're talking about The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, or No Country for Old Men.” Tafoya will read selections from his own and others' works, trying in a few minutes to put across how successful crime authors follow the conventions - or break them. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to write a short scene. "The great thing about sharing selections from some classic books is that they make us want to write," so Tafoya will lead the workshop in a short, guided writing exercise, and will read some of the work to the class. The fee for attending this workshop is $26.00 and includes a signed copy of The Wolves of Fairmount Park.  For those who can’t make the workshop, you may order a signed copy through the Clinton Book Shop Dennis Tafoya's latest novel, The Wolves of Fairmount Park, published by St. Martin’s, is set in his native Philadelphia and deals with a heroin addict trying to unravel a mystery involving drugs, organized crime and the shooting of his young nephew. Tafoya’s novel received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and raves from Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus and Mystery Scene, which called it “a dark portrait of a harrowing world inhabited by characters threatened by addictions, passions, and secrets.” Tafoya’s first book, Dope Thief, was called, “a finely nuanced character study of a criminal trying to get out of the downward spiral of his crimes” by Las Vegas Weekly and picked up a Spinetingler nomination. Tafoya is currently at work on his third crime novel, “Black Horse Pike.” "I thought the short crime-writing workshop would be a cool way to get out and introduce my book to people,” Tafoya says. “It combines the traditional signing with something a little more interactive." And, he says, you never know, there just might be another Elmore Leonard out there, waiting to be discovered.