Gerry Bartlett was happy to receive a top pick and a five star review from Night Owl reviews for Real Vampires Don’t Wear Size Six. This is book seven in her vamp series and hits shelves August 2. Meanwhile she is off to England and Scotland to research for
book 9, so far untitled, date to be announced.

Cheryl Bolen’s A Lady by Chance is in the Top 10 romance sellers for Amazon UK. Its best showing has been Number 5. This is an electronic reissue of her 2000 Kensington Precious Gems book, selling for 99 cents. Sadly, the book has only made the Top 100 in
the larger selling U.S. market.

Also, for Cheryl’s __th birthday, No. 1 son (who treated the family to a weekend in New Orleans) read her 2002 book A Fallen Woman as a present to his mom! It was the first time he’s read one of her books. (He says he doesn’t like to think about his mom knowing
about sex stuff.) Following her custom of dedicating each book to a loved one, she had dedicated that book to him. He’s now decided Lifetime TV movies are missing out by not making the book into a television movie.

And one more thing for Cheryl. . .look in the Take Note section of the August edition of The Writer magazine for Cheryl’s mini article on Moleskines.

Sophie Jordan just landed her seventeenth foreign sale for her Firelight trilogy, selling to Taiwan. And she also just learned that Firelight is in its fourth printing. Also, her August historical romance, Wicked in Your Arms, earned a 41/2 stars TOP pick from RT BookReviews and a K.I.S.S award.

Vicky Dreiling’s historical romance How To Seduce a Scoundrel debuted at #45 on Nielsen Bookscan’s Top 100 Romances.

Shana Galen’s September release, Lord and Lady Spy, is on Publisher’s Weekly’s Top 10 Romances in their Fall preview edition.

Deeanne Gist’s historical novel, Maid to Match, won Book Buyers’ Best and National Readers Choice in the Inspirational Category. She has been acquired by general market agent David Vigliano of Vigliano Associates, who is listed by Publishers Marketplace as
one of the industry’s top deal makers and whose client list includes Jackie Collins, Larry King, William Shatner, Rocco DiSpirito, and more.

Lynn Lorenz’s first book with her new publisher, Etopia Press, will be released August 5th. The book, a space Regency called The Ambassador’s Daughter was described as “24 meets Jane Austin in space, with a female Jack Bauer.” She’s also thrilled that her novella, C’est La Vie, set in New Orleans and Provence, France, is also releasing in August from Amber Quill Press—Amber Allure. Currently, she’s working on several deadlines and is on a first name basis with the folks at her local Specs.

Joan Reeves is testing the nonfiction ebook waters. Last month she added an ebook that’s a “best of” compilation from SlingWords, her popular blog. Written Wisdom, Quotation-Inspired Essays, 2005-2010, is inspiration, motivation, and encouragement disguised as
an ebook. If you want to know how to persist, this is the book that illustrates that allimportant skill by an author who’s been in the trenches for a long time. In the end, she’s not only survived the slings and arrows of publishing, she’s finally prospered.
Joan Reeves is loving the ebook life and buying way too many bottles of champagne! The most recent bottle was opened in mid-July to celebrate the sale of more than 80,000 ebooks in less than 4 months. This month she publishes her fifth romance, the second book in her Texas One Night Stands series: Romeo and Judy Anne. Of course that means,more champagne!

Linda Warren’s book Skylar’s Outlaw won The National Reader’s Choice Award for Long Contemporary in New York at the national conference. A weekly online read by Linda Warren, The Cowboy Next Door, is available at www.eharlequin.com. http://tiny.cc/8hpo6

Joanna Wayne just signed a 3-book contract for books to be released in 2012. The series is Big D Dads, and the titles are: Son of a Gun, Live Ammo, and Big Shot.

TJ Bennett reports that the memoir she co-authored, At the End of the Day: How One Man Learned to Live Like He Was Dying, is a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association contest in their Non-fiction/Memoir category (winners to be announced in August). In addition, she’s received news of another foreign sale of her historical romance, The Legacy, to Spain.

As announced at the June meeting, Cheryl Bolen has gotten the rights back to her Brides of Bath series of sensual historicals set in the Regency and has put them up at Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. The middle book, With His Ring, was a runner-up for Best Historical novel in 2003 by Texas Gold. Also, her Precious Gems Regency historical that was only available in Wal-Marts, is now available digitally. It’s a fun read titled A Lady by Chance and sells for 99 cents. You can visit her website at www.CherylBolen.com.

Vicky Dreiling (How to Seduce a Scoundrel) and Sophie Jordan (Wicked in Your Arms) will be signing and discussing their newest historical romances at Katy Budget Books on July 30th 3:30-5:30. http://www.katybooks.com/event/sophie-jordan-vicky-dreiling-event Shana Galen has a new Facebook fan page. She really wants you to LIKE her. http:// www.facebook.com/pages/Shana-Galen/211315085575366

Kristi Gold is thrilled to announce that her first Superromance, His Best Mistake, is a finalist for the National Reader’s Choice Award. Winners will be announced at the RWA conference in New York on July 29th.

Alison Kent sold her contemporary westerns to Berkley Heat on an unofficial exclusive May 31st. The tentative release schedule is 11/12 and 02/13.

Joan Reeves had her most exciting day ever on Amazon this month. All four of her romances zoomed onto the Top 100 Paid list. Her first ebook Just One Look had been on that list for more than a month, and all 4 had been on the various romance bestseller lists. In one 24 hour period, she sold almost 3,000 books. When the dust settled, one book had slid off the Top 100, but three remain on.

Kerrelyn Sparks survived her first keynote speech at the Heart of Dixie Romance Readers’ Luncheon in Huntsville, Alabama. She’s also done workshops at the Comicpalooza event in Houston and the NOLA summer conference in Shreveport, Louisiana. Meanwhile, both her 2010 books, Eat Prey Love and The Vampire and the
Virgin finaled in the Colorado’s Award of Excellence contest. Eat Prey Love went on to win! And The Vampire and the Virgin won an Award of Merit from the Virginia Romance Writers HOLT Medallion contest. For more information please visit www.kerrelynsparks.com or find her on Facebook.

Linda Warren is proud to announce her Book, Skylar’s Outlaw, has won the Holt Medallion in long contemporary given by the Virginia Romance Writer’s. Also, the book has won The Bookbuyer’s Best in category series.

Sandra Worth is just back from a book signing in La Jolla with Margaret George. From La Jolla she went to San Diego to attend the Historical Novel Conference. She was particularly delighted to meet old friend Karleen Koen, and to get to know Persia Woolley (The Guinevere Trilogy) and Donna Cross (Pope Joan).

Natalie C. Markey launched her author website and appreciates feedback. www.NatalieCMarkey.com

Brandie Nickerson’s short story, “Locke between Loyalty and Love” was published in the June 1st edition of Cynic Online Magazine

Linda Warren’s Skylar’s Outlaw is a finalist for National Reader’s Choice Award and The Reader’s Crown Award.

Jessica Trapp has updated both of her websites–the one for the medieval books and the one for the ladybug picture books. www.jessicatrapp.com and www.jessiefern.com

Jo Anne Banker’s Golden Heart finalist, Lost and Found, was requested by one of the three final editor judges. Jo Anne won’t find out who requested it until after the conference, but she sent it off to RWA® to be forwarded
along.

Lara Chapman, Tera Lynn Childs, and Sophie Jordan will join a group of Texas YA Authors for statewide book signings this month. Check their schedule and stop by for some great reads! www.chillsandthrillsteenbooktour.wordpress.com.

Linda Barrett is delighted to announce that her book, QUARTERBACK DADDY, is a finalist in the Write Touch Readers’ Award contest – Long Series Contemporary category. The Wisconsin RWA chapter sponsors the contest.

Kerrelyn Sparks is thrilled that her latest release, VAMPIRE MINE, has survived three weeks on the USAToday and New York Times bestseller lists. Kerrelyn is the keynote speaker at the Heart of Dixie Romance Readers’ Luncheon in Huntsville, Alabama, and she’s also scheduled to appear at Comicpalooza at the George R Brown convention center in May.

Linda Warren reports that Skylar’s Outlaw is a finalist in Long Contemporary Romance for the BookBuyers Best Award, the Oklahoma Reader’s Choice Award and the Colorado Award of Excellence.

Sarah Andre finaled in the 2011 Golden Heart- Romantic Suspense for LOCKED, LOADED and LYING. She double-finaled in the Sheila LOCKED, LOADED and LYING – RS (Leis Pederson, Berkley); WINDBURN -ST (Emilia Pisani, S&S), and she finaled in the Wisconsin FAB 5 LOCKED, LOADED and LYING- ST (Latoya Smith, Grand Central).

Colleen Thompson is happy to announce that her June release, CAPTURING THE COMMANDO (her first book for Harlequin Intrigue) has received 4 1/2 stars and a Top Pick from Romantic Times.

Joan Reeves has taken the ebook challenge. At times she feels as if she’s suffered a TKO due to the technical aspects of formatting, which differ from platform to platform, but she’s weathering the storm with 2 ebooks, JUST ONE LOOK and THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE, published and a third to be published before the end of April. Just One Look has proved to be immensely popular on Kindle, and has landed her on the Fiction Bestseller list on the English platform of XinXii, European Digital Publishing.

Natalie Cook Clark, writing as Natalie C. Markey’s book, “Caring for Your Special Needs Dog” comes out in May from Who Dares Wins Publishing.

Vicky Dreiling sold translation rights for her historical romance HOW TO MARRY A DUKE to Turkey.

Lynn Lorenz has a new publisher – EtopiaPress http://www.etopia-press.net/ who has contracted two books from her. One is a space regency, due out in June and the other a romantic suspense, due out in Aug, both traditional romance. She’ll also have her first gay romance ghost story, Cemeteries, out with Amber Quill Press – Amber Allure this summer, along with another novella. Both are set in New Orleans.

Sandra Worth is excited to report Lady of the Roses and The King’s Daughter: A novel of the First Tudor Queen have sold foreign rights to Germany.

Kay Hudson was thrilled–and stunned–to learn that her historical manuscript, PAPER HEARTS, is a finalist in the Golden Heart contest. She started Paper Hearts ten or twelve years ago, and the manuscript has passed through three or four computers, at least two word processing programs, several openings and numerous contests (with wildly varying results). Set in 1870s Texas, a little upriver from the Gulf Coast, Paper Hearts may be the only manuscript in its category to feature a javelina pelt, a baby alligator, and a (taxidermied) flying pig in the opening chapters.

In the published author category, Jessica Trapp’s DEFIANT is a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence contest.

Another finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence contest is Christie Craig, whose Shut Up and Kiss Me is a finalist in the Single Title Category. In release news, the first book in the Shadow Falls series, Christie’s new YA series, Born at Midnight, written under the pen name C.C. Hunter, released March 29th.

Georgia Ward, aka Georgia Tribell reports that her Harlequin Nocturne Bites story, Demon Love, will be released May 2011.

Also in release news, Joan Reeves just published her first ebook, JUST ONE LOOK, which was a formerly print published romantic comedy to the Kindle. She’s blogging about the process so others can learn from her adventures — and misadventures. Look for Kindle Progress Report posts on her blog: SlingWords.blogspot.com. On the personal side, she’s thrilled to report that her daughter Adina is able to walk normally, unaided, for the first time since the surgeries began two years ago. Now, that’s even better news than any book sale or publication!

Kerrelyn Sparks’s latest release, Vampire Mine, is # 10 in the Love at Stake series, which is currently contracted for 12 books.!HarperCollins has asked for four more books,!so negotiations are under way to bring!the total to 16!

In additional sale news, Vicky Dreiling sold translation rights for HOW TO MARRY A DUKE to Russia.

Deeanne Gist’s MAID TO MATCH is a RITA final for Inspirational Romance. In personal news, Cheryl Bolen was thrilled to be selected in the first class of inductees for the South Houston High School Hall of Honor. A plaque with her photo and the field in which she made her accomplishments appears on the wall at the school, which opened in 1959. In other news, she just received Japanese copies of her book A DUKE DECEIVED. This is the THIRD time that same title has been published in Japan. (And she was just ready to get her rights back on it.
Now she’s got to wait 10 more years!)

In other personal news, Michele Dunaway received a Gold Key from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, March 18, at a very moving luncheon ceremony in the Lowe Library rotunda at Columbia University in New York City. This month she’s off to Anaheim, and excited that gets a chance to catch up on reading during the flight. Sometimes being a teacher is a glamorous job.

Also, Starting February 22nd and for a limited time, Kerrelyn Sparks’ How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire will be available for FREE as an e-book with bonus material– an excerpt from Vampire Mine! Vampire Mine goes on sale March 29th! For more information, please visit www.kerrelynsparks.com.

PJ Mellor’s news is her March release, ISLAND NIGHTS, will be excerpted in the Hot Reads section of the May 2011 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.

Kim Lenox is excited to share news that her three-book SHADOW GUARD series has sold to a German publisher.

Jo Ann Robisheaux (writing as Claire Sanders) has signed two contracts with Barbour Publishing. “Equally Yoked” will appear in the September, 2011 release “A Quaker Christmas” and “New Garden’s Inspiration” will be out in 2012.

Jo Anne Banker has had a run of good luck with contests lately. Her manuscript, LOST AND FOUND, won The Golden Rose. Jo Anne also found out that it finaled in the Southern Magic’s Linda Howard Award of Excellence. Susan Litman, Special Editions editor, requested the full from a previous contest (Launching A Star). Jo Anne submitted it in January. Also, Roberta Brown of the Brown Agency, who had requested a partial
from the same contest, also requested the full.

In non-writing related news, long-distance member Michele Dunaway awaits the Emily results (she’s a finalist) and gets ready to end her yearlong, self-imposed sabbatical. On the “day job” level, Michele just found out she’s been named a Special Recognition Adviser in the Journalism Education Association’s Yearbook Adviser of the Year competition. Life is good.

Jessica Trapp is on the cover of the RT Bookreviews magazine this month. Her fourth medieval romance, DEFIANT, will be on shelves in early December. Her Get Trapped in a Book Writing Gang meets Mon-Thurs from 9:30 to 1pm at Starbucks across from Bay Brook Mall. All writers welcome.

Gerry Bartlett is happy to know there will be an eighth book in the Real Vampires series. No definite title yet but the Berkley trade paperback will be a February, 2011 release.

Jane Myers Perrine accepted a contract for a three-book deal from Christina Boys at FaithWords/Center Street. The series deals with a young, inexperienced minister who is called to a small church in Central Texas. The first, THE WELCOME COMMITTE OF BUTTERNUT CREEK will be published February, 2012.

Lara Chapman very excited to be checking in with the news that Bloomsbury UK will be publishing FLAWLESS! They are planning a paperback original edition to publish just about simultaneously with the US edition in May 2011.

Patricia Kay is pleased to announce the sale of her 51st book to Silhouette. DESIGNING WOMAN will be a part of the Hunt for Cinderella III series, The Fairy Godmothers, and is slated for publication in November 2011. MEET MR. PRINCE, the last book of the Hunt for Cinderella II series, Seeking Prince Charming, will be published in February. The Hunt series books are a continuing collaboration between Pat and authors Lois Faye Dyer, Christine Flynn, and Allison Leigh.

Armand from Shana Galen’s THE MAKING OF A GENTLEMAN has been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice “Best Historical Knight in Shining Silver” (Best Historical Hero).

Colleen Thompson is thrilled to announce that DEADLIER THAN THE MALE, a Silhouette Romantic Suspense 2-in-1 edition written with Sharon Sala, hit the Borders/ Waldenbook series bestseller list in its first week out.

And Michele Dunaway is thrilled that BABY IN THE BOARDROOM got an RT nod for Best Harlequin American Romance.

Teri Thackston will be signing Deadly Climb, her 2001 Lone Star winner in the romantic suspense category, on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Vintiga Park Harvest Festival.The festival is a free community event that celebrates food, wine and art, and is a daylong event for the whole family. There will be a children’s area with lots of fun activities as well as an artist alley showcasing local and regional artists and craftsmen. Vintage Park is located at 10805 Louetta Road (the southeast corner of Louette Road and Highway 249).

Just as she reaching that familiar plateau involving banging her head against the wall, Kay Hudson received two pieces of encouraging news. PAPER HEARTS placed first in the historical category of the Toronto Gold contest and has gone with the other category winners to the Golden Ticket round, and JINN & TONIC is a finalist in the paranormal category of the Golden Pen contest. Jinn & Tonic is also a finalist in the general paranormal category of the On the Far Side Contest, sponsored by the online Fantasy, Futuristic and & Paranormal Chapter of RWA.

Linda Warren is happy to announce her December book, Her Christmas Hero, received a 4 1/2 Top Pick from RT.

Gerry Bartlett is still popular in Germany with her second Glory St. Clair book, REAL VAMPIRES LIVE LARGE, chosen as a book club “Cheeky Vampires” selection for March, 2011. Love those euros!

TJ Bennett’s book, THE PROM I SE, is a finalist in the historical category for Heart of Denver’s Aspen Gold Published Authors contest.

Jo Anne Banker is happy to announce that she received a request from Wanda Ottewell with Superromance on her current WIP, Lost and Found, from her final in the TARA contest. Jo Anne recently found out the same manuscript finaled in the Golden Rose. The editor judge in that contest is Susan Litman with Special Editions.

Donna Grant’ s is thrilled that Books 7 – 10 have been contracted in her historical/ paranormal Dark Sword series from St. Martin’s Press. Also, WICKED HIGHLANDER, book 3, releasing November 2 got 4.5 Stars Top Pick from RT Book Reviews!

NY Times bestselling author Bob Mayer has 40 books published. He has over three million books in print and is in demand as a team-building, life-change, and leadership speaker and consultant. Bob graduated from West Point and served in the military as a Special Forces A-Team leader and a teacher at the JFK Special Warfare Center & School. His latest book is Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear & Succeed. He teaches novel writing and improving the author via his Warrior-Writer program. He lives on an island off Seattle. For more information see www.bobmayer.org

Saturday, November 13th – Bob Mayer’s One of a Kind Warrior Writer Workshop:

I have created a unique and innovative workshop called Warrior Writer that focuses on educating writers how to be successful authors in all aspects of publishing. I have run this workshop through various writing groups and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The basic concept is for me to present the Warrior Writer Workshop for your group on a Saturday as your normal meeting, or as a special presentation. No limit on participants. Run completely through your group. Then on Sunday, I run a smaller A-Team Writers Workshop.

WHAT IS WARRIOR WRITER?

Warrior Writer is a holistic approach that gives the writer a road map to become a successful author. Warrior Writer integrates the artist’s creativity with the business savvy needed to succeed in publishing. This is the only workshop that covers all aspects of an author’s role from creator of the book to being an integral part of the business end of seeing that book in a reader’s hands. The world of publishing is changing at an incredible rate. New technologies have required authors to adjust to a different mindset. Today’s authors have to not only write the better book, but create a platform for themselves. Social media is also changing the face of marketing. Formal author training does not exist in traditional publishing. Warrior Writer fills this gap by giving authors the tools they need to be successful in today’s new face of publishing.

WHAT WARRIOR WILL ADDRESS:

It is a nine-step plan that will give writers a flow to becoming the most successful author they can be. This includes finding personal blind spots that are hurting the writing and their career. Warrior Writer will help writers develop a plan to enrich their writing, and overcome hurdles.

Integral to the program is how to develop a career path with agents and editors that includes author goals in terms of books, theme, unifying concept, all the way down to organizing one’s day-to-day writing. The ins-and-outs of running a business as a self-employed author, and become an integral part of the publishing world including doing an ‘author’ dissection of a successful author whose career can serve as a template for yours. Of particular focus in creativity are finding true fears, developing courage to conquer them, and uncovering each person’s unique creative tactics & strategies.

November 13th Schedule (8am to 6pm):

8:00-8:30 AM Sign in
8:30-9:00 Quick business meeting/elections.

Schedule Warrior Writer Presentation

9:00-9:50: Introduction to overall Warrior Writer concept.
10:00-10:50: WINS: Setting a strategic writing goal; subordinate tactical goals and aligning them
11:00-11:50: WHY & WHERE: Understanding your goal intents; and your writing environment and interaction in the publishing world.
11:50-1:00: Catered lunch
1:00-1:50: CHARACTER: Understand your character, blind spots, and character traits of successful writers.
2:00-2:50: CHANGE: The three steps of change and the five stages.
3:00-3:50: COURAGE: What do you really fear, how to build courage, build a plan to expand your comfort zone by venturing into your courage zone.
4:00-4:50: COMMUNICATE & COMMAND: Evoke the responses you want with your communication; take charge of your writing career.
5:00-5:50: COMPLETE the Circle of Success and integrate all the Special Forces.

Saturday, November 13^th Registration Fee

WHRWA Members: $10
Other RWA Members: $45
All Others: $60

Registration capped at 75 participants. First come, first served.

Optional Sunday, November 14^th A-Team Writer’s Workshop

To learn more and sign up for this extra, for-fee workshop (not a WHRWA event) please visit – http://www.eventbrite.com/org/205142012?s=1229204

Use code RWA75 to receive a special discount!

WHAT IS THE A-TEAM WRITER’S WORKSHOP?

This workshop is limited to 12 participants to ensure excellent feedback to participants. This workshop will utilize the principles of Warrior Writer and The Novel Writers Toolkit and will be focused on both the participants writing as well as their business model. We will cover aspects of writing such as the original idea, locking down core conflict, query and synopsis writing as well as developing career goals that are in-line with each individual author and uncovering blind spots.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

All participants will receive a copy of The Novel Writers Toolkit, Who Dares Wins, a copy of Who Dares Wins outline, a submission critique of cover letter, one page synopsis and the first ten pages of manuscript. This is over a $100 dollar value in material and work even before the day-long workshop.

Testimonials for WARRIOR WRITER WORKSHOP

Susan Wiggs (#1 NY Times best-seller): “Bob Mayer is a gifted writer and a generous teacher.”

Terry Brooks (#1 NY Times best-seller): “An invaluable resource for beginning & seasoned writers. Don’t miss out.”

Elizabeth George (NY Times best-seller): “Something for every writer. My hat is off to Bob.”

John Tulliius (Director Maui Writers Conference): “Fiction writers everywhere will have the advantage of Bob Mayer’s teaching wisdom.”

Chicken Soup Creator Jack Canfield (#1 NY Times best-seller): “Your Warrior-Writer focus is a great one. I always loved at the Maui Writers Conference how your programs delved deeply into the psychological models you need to develop characters. Now you are using that same knowledge to develop people. As we say in California– way cool! Much love to you my friend, and congratulations on the new book, it looks great!”