West Houston RWA

Speaker TJ Bennett presents: “Finding the Dark Side of Your Knight in Shining Armor.” Using her professional training in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), TJ will share techniques for finding and using the dark side of character that is the primary source of internal conflict between the hero and heroine. Even writers who are acquainted with personality type will learn a different way of examining character and conflict, and will discover techniques for quickly defining what they might have instinctively struggled with for years. If you’ve ever heard the expressions ENTJ, ISTP, ESFJ, etc., you’ll learn how each of these archetypal characters handles stress—and how the same stressors can provoke wildly different reactions in different types. If you have no idea what these letters mean, come and learn more. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your hero’s emotional responses to the dark moments of life, and will take away a handout that describes the hero conflict types most frequently represented in romance literature—and ways to resolve storylines that stay true to your hero’s character type.

While employed with the Department of Defense and later as president of her own Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) consulting and training business for several years, TJ Bennett employed the MBTI instrument to help Fortune 500 CEOs and government executives develop successful work teams. Called an “author to watch” by Romantic Times Magazine, TJ is a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist. Her debut novel, The Legacy, a historical romance set in Early Reformation Germany, explores the destructive nature of secrets. Reviewers have called the novel an “emotional rollercoaster,” “an overpowering, extraordinary tale,” and a “fast-paced tale that grabs your heart from the beginning and keeps it to the very end.” All About Romance recently awarded The Legacy “Buried Treasure 2008” status and named it a Desert Isle Keeper, saying it “…features the best relationship between hero and heroine [the reviewer has] read in a long time…”. TJ’s follow-on novel, The Promise, will be a May 2009 release and has already earned a TOP PICK award from Night Owl Romance.

TJ’s work reflects her “Dark and Daring Romance” brand. She knows a lot about the black moments of life and uses that knowledge to enhance her writing. She believes that nothing is ever lost, and no painful experience is in vain: it’s all research. Visit her at www.tjbennett.com.

THE MOMMY MAKEOVER by Kristi Gold
Reviewed by Karen Burns

Kristi Gold has one again struck gold with The Mommy Makeover, the fourth book in the O’Brien family series. Mallory, Aidan, and Logan O’Brien have all found love and now their brother, Kieran, is the focus. Kieran’s journey begins with a precocious eleven year-old, Stormy Stevens, who aspires to be a softball player. She hires him as a personal trainer for her mother.

Erica Stevens has been a widow for six years and works as a massage therapist to support herself and her daughter. A former gymnast, she’s always conscious of the extra thirty pounds she carries and reluctantly agrees to Kieran’s offer for a few training sessions. Yet as she loses the pounds, she gains confidence in herself as a woman and realizes the extent of her attraction to Kieran.

Kieran O’Brien is the perfect physical advertisement for his own health club. While he’s built a successful business he’s managed to avoid getting serious with a woman—until her meets Erica. He’s immediately captivated by her along with enjoying softball lessons with Stormy. Yet a medical emergency nearly destroys their budding romance.

The Mommy Makeover is delightful, heartwarming, and sexy. Erica and Kieran are the perfect pair,
much happier together than separate, if they can make that leap. After reading you just might want to visit your local health club. Erica and Kieran make exercise a truly engaging activity.

WOULD-BE WITCH by Kimberly Frost
Reviewed by Jo Anne Banker

Tammy Jo Trask comes from a long line of witches, but at the ripe old age of twenty-three, she’s never manifested a bit of magical power – not even one tiny spell. Although her momma and her Aunt Melanie, when not off gallivanting Lord knows where, still hold hopes that Tammy will come into her power, it’s not like she needs lots of magic in her small Texas hometown of Duvall.

Tammy Jo’s hunk of an ex-husband doesn’t believe in magic, but he loves the girl. Deputy Zach Sutton is a man who knows what he wants. Evidently he thought that meant it was okay to ignore Tammy after they said their “I dos.” But even after she gets the divorce decree that says, “I don’t,” it’s impossible to say, “I won’t,” when Zach wants to give her a little of his sweet lovin’.

So Tammy Jo moves on and becomes the best little pastry chef in town. Course that’s before she lets her redheaded witch’s pride overrule common sense and gets herself fired. Then things go from bad to worse.

When a strange burglar strikes and carries off Tammy Jo’s family locket, which just happens to housethe family ghost, Tammy must turn to the sexy wizard, Bryn Lyons, for help with developing her powers. The problem with Bryn is that anyone with the Lyons name is off-limits for witches in Tammy’s family. A big no-no. Why, hasn’t she been taught that since she was a baby?

But what’s a girl supposed to do when her very own ghost’s soul is at risk. After all, Bryn did give
Tammy Jo her kitten and new best friend, Mercutio. And no, he’s not a leopard, he’s an ocelot.

As it turns out, vampires and werewolves – and some other surprising creatures – can keep a girl
pretty busy. What follows is a witty and fun adventure that involves Tammy testing her powers by casting a few spells and testing her limits with two sexy, sometimes lovable, sometimes wouldn’t-you-just-love-tosmack-‘em guys.

Kimberly Frost brings a charming new voice to the paranormal world of romance. It’s a tasty treat and I enjoyed every page.

Q: How long have you been writing?
Since around the seventh grade. As a kid, I wrote a sort of soap opera in roughly 250-word increments. The original characters were in high school and middle school, but there were some Star Wars characters and supermodels thrown in for good measure. Writing was so much fun…just a hobby, of course.

Q: How long did it take you to publish?
No time at all. Did I mention that I’m a sophomore in high school right now? Okay, honestly…I was not an overnight success. I became serious about trying to get published in 2002. I attended a writers’ retreat that focused on craft, and I rewrote a manuscript several times to practice what I’d learned about storytelling. It took me three years to generate a book that I felt was ready to send to agents. Would-Be Witch and a sequel sold to the Berkley Publishing Group in June 2007.

Q: How many manuscripts do you have hidden away/under the bed/in storage?
I have two in the closet that will never see the light of day. I also have a lot of partially finished/different versions of projects on my laptop.

Q: Do you have a writing schedule and if so, what is it?
I don’t have a writing schedule.

Q: Do you have a critique group? If yes, how many are in the group?
Not presently. I was part of a critique group for about five or six years. It was a mixed genre group, and I really liked it, but the way I write and edit my work is different now and not really amenable to using a critique group. I tend to do some brainstorming and then write the entire manuscript without showing much to anyone. When I’ve polished the first draft and have fixed any problems that I find, I give it to my two critique partners. They do a very detailed critique for me and then I revise the manuscript with their comments in mind.

Q: When developing an idea for a new story, which comes first – the plot or the title or the characters?
Often I’ll start with a premise, then I do some exploratory writing to get to know the characters and at the same time I’ll brainstorm the plot a bit. I have a terrible time coming up with titles. Titles usually come last.

Q: How do you handle new story ideas that pop up when you’re in the middle of a project? (ex: notebook by the bed/separate word file, etc?)

I jot notes in a writing journal or sketchbook…or on scraps of paper. Sometimes I’ll indulge myself and write four or five thousand words on something new just to scratch that itch. If I’ve written scenes, I’ll keep the story notes and the loose manuscript pages in a binder or folder. When it comes to the actual creative process, organization and routine aren’t a high priority for me.

Q: Have you ever gotten to the middle of a project and got bored or lost your momentum? If so, how did you handle it?
That hasn’t happened recently, but when I was learning to tell stories in novel form, it happened several frustrating times. I later realized getting stuck in the middle of a book was a symptom of not knowing the story’s ending. Now when I begin a book, I figure out the climax so I can write toward it.

Q: Finish this sentence: If I could write anything I wanted and knew it would sell, it would be…books that don’t fall easily into a genre or subgenre.

Q: What is the best advice you ever received?
Keep writing, and you’ll be published.

Q: What is the worst?
Vampire fiction is passé. (It was the summer of 2004, and the paranormal market for vampires was not even close to saturation. I regret that I abandoned the urban fantasy that I was working on in favor of a project that I liked less.)

Q: What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I love that “in the zone” writing where the characters do their thing and I just trail after them writing about what happens. When I’m deep enough in their world, I don’t even exist. I find that very cool.

Q: What is your least favorite part of the writing process?
Re-writing.

Q: Which came first for you – the editor or the agent?
The agent.

Q: How many contests did you enter before you sold? How many did you final in?
I entered one contest, but I didn’t final. It was when I’d just started writing romance and I was hoping for helpful feedback, which I got.

Q: How do you promote your books?
For Would-Be Witch, since it’s my debut, I’m doing a little of everything. My website, of course. Also, bookmarks & brochures, a couple ads and book signing events, teaching workshops, a blog tour, and MySpace. It’s overwhelming, but I wanted to feel like I’m doing something to help the first book succeed. I definitely plan to spend less time on promotion after this month. I’m looking forward to just getting back to writing books! My favorite days are always when I get lost in a story and don’t have to come out.

First, let me wish everyone a happy Valentine’s Day, and good luck to all those who
finaled in WHRWA’s Emily.

One person we’re all pulling for is our very own JO ANNE BANKER. Jo Anne is proud to announce that she has finaled in the Emily contest in the Series Contemporary category with her newly completed This Child is Mine. This is Jo Anne’s first final at her WHRWA home chapter, making it a tasty treat. Sending you good karma, Jo Anne, and keeping our fingers crossed.

In release news, KERRELYN SPARKS is delighted that HarperCollins (Avon Books) is going to make the first two books in her Love at Stake series available as e-books. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire and Vamps and the City were originally released in print only. More good news: Kerrelyn will be interviewed in the Writers on Writing section of the RWR, tentatively scheduled for the May issue which coincides perfectly with her next two releases, coming out back-to-back in April and May. For more information, please visit her website at www.kerrelynsparks.com.

We love sequels, and KIMBER FROST has learned that Barely Bewitched, the sequel to her debut novel, will be a September 2009 Berkley Release.

Our very own JOANN ROBISHEAUX (writing as CLAIRE SANDERS) has a booksigning scheduled for February 7th at Brazos Bookstore from 11:00 to 5:00. She’ll be signing her debut novel, a contemporary romance titled Fresh Start.

TERI THACKSTON also has a sequel. Congrats to Teri for another contract with Cerridwen Press for a new western romance called The Salvation of Captain Ben Chandler. It’s the sequel to her western that came out last year.