A Presentation by Diane O’Brien Kelly, Attorney at Law/CPA

Intimidated by the IRS? Frustrated with the ever-changing tax laws? Confused as to whether you’re taking advantage of every opportunity to save a few bucks on your taxes? Here’s your chance to learn all the ins and outs–from an expert!

Diane O’Brien Kelly is a licensed attorney, a certified public accountant AND an award-winning writer, and she’s offering to visit your group (or chapter) to present a fabulous 2-hour workshop that delivers tons of information on taxes as they relate to writers.

Every writer needs at least a basic understanding of the tax rules relevant to their writing business. This workshop focuses on tax reporting and tax issues specific to a writing business, and will take the mystery and intimidation out of taxes. Even seasoned writers with many years of tax reporting under their belts are likely to learn a new thing or two in this informative presentation. As always, Diane adds a touch of humor to the presentation to keep the audience engaged.

The workshop covers:

1. How to distinguish between a hobby and a business and the tax rules relevant to each;
2. Deductible expenses, the options available, and the pros and cons of each option;
3. How to compute and pay self-employment taxes and estimated taxes;
4. How to establish a retirement plan for a writing business;
5. Record-keeping requirements;
6. Red flags to avoid;
7. Tips for hiring a tax professional and minimizing fees; and
8. Where to find forms and tax information.

Diane O’Brien Kelly is both a licensed attorney and a certified public accountant. Diane graduated with honors from the University of Texas accounting program, then proceeded to attend the University of Texas School of Law. Diane has worked as a tax specialist in both the Houston, Texas and San Diego, California offices of “Big Four” accounting firm KPMG Peat Marwick, as well as serving a stint in the Finance Division of the State of Texas Attorney General’s Office. Diane currently works at a law firm as a tax and business advisor. Diane serves as a tax columnist for the organization Novelists, Inc. Her tax articles have also appeared in Writer’s Digest Yearbook, Fort Worth Business Press, Romance Writers Report, and various RWA chapter newsletters.

Diane is also an award-winning humor writer. Her humor and fiction pieces have appeared in Byline Magazine, True Love Magazine, Northwest Family News, and various other publications. Diane publishes a fresh humor piece each month on the “Blarney” page of her website, www.dianeobrienkelly.com. She also publishes tax tips on her “Tax Tidbits” page. Diane’s seminar “Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Taxes” is very popular with writing organizations, and is offered in both a live and online format.

Diane is a member of Romance Writers of America, Dallas Area Romance Authors, Texas Library Association, various PTAs, and the Friends of the Mansfield Public Library. She is also a proud graduate of her local Citizens Police Academy.

Diane lives in Texas with her husband, two rambunctious kids, and enough cats and dogs to violate several city ordinances

Schedule for March 13th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 – "Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Taxes"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors

The Emily Meeting features an all day meeting with University of St. Thomas professor (retired) Sam Havens in the morning and USA Today Best Seller Patricia Kay in the afternoon.  Lunch is provided in registration fee and will feature the Emily Awards Presentation.  The registration fees are as follow:

WHRWA Members: $20
RWA Members: $45
Non-RWA Members: $60

Registration is now closed.

Note: TIME CHANGE.  Doors open at 8am, Business Meeting starts at 8:45am.

Morning Program

How Characters Happen Creating objective-driven characters. How to establish and payoff arcs, contrasts, flaws and back story. How to write dialogue in character.

Sam Havens is a retired professor from the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. Havens founded the Drama Department at the University where he teaches playwriting and screenwriting. Havens has written over fifteen plays with productions in the USA, Canada and Australia. His plays have been selected for showcase productions in New York City, Westport, Connecticut; Amherst, Massachusetts; and East Hampton, New York. He has received playwriting grants from the Ford Foundation and from the Texas Commission on Arts and Humanities. Three of Havens’ plays are published. Havens taught playwriting and screenwriting for ten years for Rice University’s School of Continuing Studies. In addition to writing and teaching, Havens performs voice-over narration for radio and TV commercials and industrial films. He is also an abstract artist and a consultant in presentation skills. Sam Havens and wife Gretchen live in Houston.

Afternoon Program

The Emotional Connection. Great books are about more than good plotting, likable characters, lots of conflict, and skillful writing. For a book to really grab a reader, the author must make an emotional connection with that reader. Otherwise, even though the reader may enjoy the book, it won’t be one he’ll remember. It won’t be one he’ll talk about. And it won’t be one he’ll recommend to others. In this session, we’ll learn various techniques for stirring the reader’s feelings and engaging him emotionally.

Patricia Kay is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 49 novels of contemporary romance and women’s fiction.  She is also an acclaimed teacher who formerly taught fiction writing at The University of Houston and now teaches exclusively online.  Pat has been a member of WHRWA since 1986.

Schedule for February 13th

8:00-8:45: Coffee/sign in
8:45-9:30: Business meeting
9:30-11:30: Speaker: Sam Havens "Characterization"
11:30-12:00: Emily Awards Presentation
12:00-1:30: Lunch and book signing
1:30-3:30: Speaker: Patricia Kay "Emotional Connection"

Beginning at 8:00 AM, we’ll have an early morning presentation, the first of the chapter’s quarterly 2010 “N2K” (Need to Know) Programs, designed to provide basic information to our newer members (and anyone else wanting a smaller, less intimidating venue to ask questions and learn more).

Early program:

Longtime RWA members Jo Anne Banker and Kay Hudson will present: “Everything You Need to Know About RWA But Were Afraid to Ask.” PAN, PAL, PRO, WIP – what are all these acronyms, and how can various tracks and programs benefit you as a writer? Where do I fit into the world of romance (tour of the sub-genres)? Why is volunteering important, how can it help the newcomer, and what do the various jobs (from the smallest, one-time errand running to the chapter presidency) entail? How does a member get to be a judge and what can be learned from the experience?

Main program (following 9:00 AM business meeting/break):

“Collision or Collusion: What Happens When Authors Collaborate.”
Best selling author and two-time RITA nominee Deeanne Gist teamed up with suspense author J. Mark Bertrand this year, and their collaboration was an eye-opening experience for both of them. Gist will take her audience through the often hilarious misunderstandings, misdirections and eventual success of their joint venture into romantic suspense. Learn valuable tips in co-authoring a book, giving and accepting feedback and blending two very different writing styles.

Deeanne Gist—known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee—has rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her four very original, very fun historical romances. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, two RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success. Prior to her novels, Gist wrote for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel. She also has a parenting line of products called I Did It!® Productions that is available nationwide. She has four grown kids and lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs. She has a very active online community on her website, her blog and her chat room.

J. Mark Bertrand is the author of BACK ON MURDER (Bethany House, 2010), the first in a series featuring Houston homicide detective Roland March. He earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston and now lives in South Dakota with his wife Laurie.

Schedule for January 9th:

8:00 to 9:00 - Open doors - sign in/coffee plus Early Morning Bonus Session
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 11:45 - Main Program
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn

***Registration is required for this event. Register here. ***

Morning: Tips from Madison Avenue: The Selling Synopsis

If you’ve ever had trouble writing a synopsis, here’s a hint: pretend you’re writing an ad. An advertising copywriter for 25 years, Laurie Schnebly Campbell was amazed to discover that the same skills which helped her sell bikes, bouquets and birdbaths ALSO helped her sell books. Discover how to use those “Madison Avenue” techniques to interest editor-agent “buyers” in YOUR product!

Afternoon: Block-Busting: Putting the Joy Back in Writing

At some point, almost all writers suffer from the inability to tell the story they want. Part of writer’s block is a lack of joy in the process. So counselor Laurie Schnebly Campbell looks at the causes — including exhaustion, boredom and fear of success — and the benefits of this block. Writers take home new awareness of what works for them, and renewed inspiration for returning to the craft they love.

Laurie Schnebly Campbell combines 25 years of writing for an advertising agency with a background in counseling…and in writing for Silhouette Special Edition, where she won Romantic Times’ “Best Book Of The Year” award over Nora Roberts. Her latest book is a how-to for writers on creating characters with ANY-uh-grams, and she’s spoken on psychology and marketing issues for writers from London to Los Angeles and New Zealand to New York. In fact, she loves teaching so much that she chose her website (Book Laurie dot com) so people would find it easy to Book Laurie for workshops. She also enjoys playing with her husband and son, running the AskAnAuthor and WriterU class loops, vacationing in the red-rock town named for her great-grandmother Sedona, recording Talking Books for the blind, and working with other writers. “People ask how I find time to do all that,” Laurie says, “and I tell them it’s easy. I never clean my house!”

***For our November Meeting, the cost is $20 for WHRWA chapter members, $35 for RWA members, and $60 for everyone else. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required for attendance.

Schedule for November 14th

8:00-8:30 Coffee/sign in
8:30-9:30 Business meeting
9:30-10:00 Break
10:00-12:30 "Lessons from Madison Avenue: The Selling Synopsis"
12:30-1:45 Lunch/book signing
1:45-3:00 "Block Busting: Putting the Joy Back in Writing"

Please join us on October 10th, when we’ll welcome a panel of experts to answer your questions. To facilitate this forum, please look over the bios and consider what you’d like to ask our guests.

After careers in journalism and teaching English, Cheryl Bolen’s first novel was published by Harlequin Historical in 1998. For that novel, she was named Notable New Author. Six more novels set in Regency England followed, including the 2006 Holt Medallion winner for Best Historical. Her articles on Regency England have appeared in The Regency Plume and The Regency Reader, and she is a regular contributor to The Quizzing Glass. Since 1987 she has traveled to England whenever possible and confesses to a fascination over dead Englishwomen.

When most people look at Crystal Clifton “cop” isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. After all when you think “cop” the first image that usually comes to mind is a six foot four, 220 pound, muscle bound macho guy with a lot of body hair. At five foot two (and a half), without visible muscles or body hair, Crystal is the complete opposite of that mental image in every way. However, if you ask any of those macho guys that she works with, they would still tell you that she can get the job done, and you can always count on her to have your back.

Physician Kimberly Frost has given numerous medical presentations at the state and national levels and has received six awards for teaching and academic excellence.

In June 2008, she was a presenter at the RWA national conference where her talk, Medical Facts and Fallacies in Popular Fiction, was well-received. She currently splits her time between working and teaching at an urban trauma center and writing her humorous Southern Witch series, which debuted this year from the Berkley publishing group.

Laine Lindsey has been practicing law since 1992. He worked for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office until 1995, when he opened his own criminal defense practice. He is Board Certified in Criminal Law and is one of the few lawyers in Harris County approved to be appointed to defend death penalty cases. He also acts as a special prosecutor in cases where the Harris County D.A.’s office is recused because of conflicts.

William Simon specializes in Computer Forensics, Computer Crime, and Computer Security. He has worked on cases ranging from inappropriate use of e-mail to child endangerment to capital murder. William earned the “TCI” (Texas Certified Investigator) designation from the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators, and served as HTCIA’s Gulf Coast Chapter 2nd Vice President, and spent three years as moderator of the HTCN Forensic Forum.

Mike Thompson is a twenty-eight year veteran of the Houston Fire Department. A Texas Certified Master Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician, Mike has been assigned to an engine company, ambulance, ladder trucks, and is currently an engineer/operator on Tower 6, where he has crosstrained to assist in medical, hazmat, and water, below-grade, high-angle, tunnel, and extrication rescue.

Schedule for October 10th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Panel of Experts Program
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

“From Teasers through the Main Attraction: 7 Steps to Building Sexual Tension that Every Romance Author Should Know

We have been moved to the ATHENS ROOM for this meeting. (Our old meeting room)

Want to help your writing go from ho-hum to hot in the space of one evening? Want to take the sexual tension in your latest novel from sweet to sizzling? Then join multi-genre romance author Tracy Wolff as she guides you through seven steps that will make your characters’ attraction to each other pop right off the page.

Tracy Wolff collects books, English degrees and lipsticks and has been known to forget where—and sometimes who—she is when immersed in a great novel. At six she wrote her first short story—something with a rainbow and a prince– and at seven she forayed into the wonderful world of girls lit with her first Judy Blume novel. By ten she’d read everything in the young adult and classics sections of her local bookstore, so in desperation her mom started her on romance novels. And from the first page of the first book, Tracy knew she’d found her life-long love. Now a writing professor at her local community college, Tracy writes for New American Library, Harlequin Superromance and Spice. She also gives workshops around the United States–teaching students how to write everything from poetry to literary narratives and short fiction and instructing teachers on how to teach writing. Her first novel, A Christmas Wedding, was published by Harlequin in November of 2008 and will be followed by five more books in 2009 that run the gamut from contemporary to paranormal to erotic suspense.

She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and three young sons.

Schedule for September 12th:

8:00 to 9:00 - Open doors - sign in/coffee plus Early Morning Bonus Session: "Contest Judge Training" with Jo Anne Banker and Vicky Dreiling.
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 11:45 - Tracy Wolff presents "From Teasers through the Main Attraction"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Surviving Industry Changes: When it comes to publishing, the only thing an author can really count on is change. Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) chats about strategies to help you survive and thrive after such set-backs as the loss of an editor, the discovery that your line is folding, or the news that your publisher (or the market in general) is no longer buying what you’re selling. Survival tips from a dozen years in the trenches included, to help you focus on long-term goals, deal with difficult setbacks, and keep going.

Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the national bestselling author of 25+ sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances for multiple print and electronic publishers. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla has won or placed in over a dozen writing contests, including Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. Romantic Times has awarded her Top Picks, a KISS Hero Award and a nomination for Best Erotic Romance.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every book.

Schedule for August 8th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Shayla Black Presents “Surviving Industry Changes”
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

“Getting the Word Out, with or without a Publicist”

Whether or not authors are fortunate enough to have a professional publicist at their disposal, they’re still responsible for helping alert and attract potential readers. Coming to West Houston RWA to share their knowledge on getting the word out, with or without a publicist, USA Today bestselling, RITA nominated romantic suspense (and now inspirational romantic suspense) author Karen Young teams with CBA bestselling inspirational romance author Kathleen Y’Barbo, who is also an exclusive marketing professional for Books & Such Agency (where Karen Young is currently represented).

About the speakers:

Kathleen Y’Barbo first discovered her love of books when, at the age of four, she stumbled upon her grandmother’s World Book Encyclopedias. Letters became words, and words became stories of far-away places and interesting people. Eventually Kathleen learned that her love of story could carry her off to places far beyond her small Texas Gulf Coast town. Then she hit the road for real, earning a degree in Marketing from Texas A&M before setting off to such locales as Jakarta, Tokyo, Bali, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Finally, the road led back to Texas and a career in writing, where within a decade, Kathleen is now a best-selling award-winning author of more than thirty novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than 850,000 copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad.

In addition to her skills as a writer, Kathleen is exclusive publicist for Books & Such Literary Agency. Thus, the girl who only dreamed of books now is thrilled to not only write them but also tell the world about other authors.

Kathleen is a member of Authors Guild, Advance Writers and Speakers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Words For the Journey Christian Writers Guild, and Public Relations Society of America. She holds a BBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and a certification in Paralegal Studies. A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has a daughter and three sons.

About Karen Young : Although I’ve written 35 books, I’m convinced that I didn’t choose a career as a writer; it chose me. After numerous long distance moves necessitated by my husband’s career, I realized I would never have enough time in one particular job to develop a career. So, out of sheer desperation after the tenth move, I decided to try writing a book. When a major publisher bought it, I knew that I had found a career! Or, as I mentioned, it had found me.

Writing fulfills something inside me like nothing else. I’m interested in people, in their lives, in who they are,
in their interests, in what makes them tick, in what makes them happy or sad or good or bad. Spinning a tale with characters drawn from whole cloth out of my imagination is just plain fun.

But I want my books to speak to my readers. I’m drawn to explore the problems of contemporary women. With three daughters of my own, I see first hand the ups and downs of relationships, of difficulties women face in balancing career with marriage and motherhood, with the challenge of blended families as a result of divorce and—looking beyond my family—to issues facing society as a whole.

Ten years ago, I lost my husband to a fatal heart attack. Not only was my world changed, but I was changed in ways too numerous to mention. One of the most joyous was that I was drawn back to the faith of my childhood. And, along with that, I began to explore the possibility of writing inspirational fiction. Over the years as I’ve conceived and developed plots relevant to the lives of contemporary women, there is one element that I feel is overlooked. And that is spirituality, faith. My books have always included the tension between right and wrong, but I mostly avoided adding the spiritual tension— those hard questions and struggles when characters inevitably dealt with trouble. Writing good inspirational fiction is not about adding a religious component to a book— it’s so much more. Now I freely explore the presence of a spiritual dimension to my characters. I can flesh out my characters to add the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual.

Early Morning Workshop:  “Building your Web Presence: Where your website ends…”

Just because you have a website, doesn’t mean that you are done with the internet.  There so many other ways out on the web to promote yourself and put yourself out there.  Your website is just the beginning, but it is your decision on how far you can go.  Sarah and Steph return to help you learn about the internet beyond your website.

About the speakers:

Stephanie Leary began designing websites professionally around the same time she started writing novels. Her web design work in higher education has garnered several awards, and she serves on the programming committee for the annual conference of the HighEdWeb Association.

A system administrator by day, Sarah Schroeder would rather be writing code or working on her latest romance work-in-progress. A RWA member since 1994, she received her PRO status in 2006, a delay which she blames on her college education.

In 2006, the two teamed up form Paged Media, a website development company for the literary minded and literary organizations.

Schedule for July 1th:

8:00-9:00 - Open doors - sign in/coffee plus Early Morning Bonus Session on "Building your Web Presence" w/ Sarah Schroeder and Stephanie Leary.
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 11:45 - Main Speakers Kathleen Y'Barbo and Karen Young
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Hone your pitching skills by practicing in a safe, friendly, and fun environment! Pitch practice helps writers:

Join four experienced, successful authors as they play the parts of experienced agents and editors (some of whom promise to crack their tiny whips) in what promises to be an exciting event. And if you don’t want to pitch (or model excellent pitching, if you’re a pro), you’re encouraged to observe and learn or just come and help out.

Our participating authors:

Patricia Kay: Patricia Kay is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 48 novels of romance and women’s fiction. A past Rita® nominee, Pat has written for five different publishers and currently writes mostly for Silhouette Special Edition. Her next release is HIS BROTHER’S BRIDE-TO-BE, an SSE that will be published in July. An acclaimed teacher, she formerly taught at The University of Houston but now limits her teaching to online classes.

Sophie Jordan penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History. A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature – teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love ANTIGONE, Sophie resigned to pursue her dream of writing. In less than three years, her first book, ONCE UPON A WEDDING NIGHT, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, TOO WICKED TO TAME, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller’s List. And as if she’s not busy enough, Sophie writes contemporary paranormals for Pocket under the name Sharie Kohler.

Heather MacAllister: Heather MacAllister has worked with a dozen editors during her more than forty books with Harlequin. A three-time Rita nominee and winner of the Golden Heart, Heather a new book out, UNDRESSED, Harlequin Blaze (6/09). Brenda Chin, her editor of fifteen years, bears no resemblance to Madison (see below). For that matter, neither does Heather.

Sharon Mignerey: Sharon Mignerey (www.sharonmignery.com) has written books for Silhouette Intimate Moments, Zebra, and most recently for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense (another imprint of Harlequin). Her most recent title is THE GOOD NEIGHBOR (11-08). She’s had articles published by The Writer magazine, and she’s a regular contributor to The Rocky Mountain Writer with a column entitled Muse Sings. Sharon is a student of craft, and she is a sought-after speaker who enjoys sharing with other writers. She’s recently returned to school in pursuit of a master’s degree, and will graduate in January 2010.

And their editor/agent personae:

Cruella Dreamcrusher (Pat Kay) is the (we won’t mention her age) owner of AgentsAreUs and all Cruella wants to do is make one more big sale so that she can retire in the manner to which she would like to become accustomed. She is very tired of starry-eyed newbies and thinks nothing of crushing their dreams, just as her name suggests. She advises that you’d better not waste her time. Give her your pitch quickly and you’d better make it good. Otherwise, her “nice lady” face aside, she’ll make mincemeat out of you and enjoy doing it.

Iona A. Besseller (Sophie Jordan/Sharie Kohler) is a hungry junior agent at a large New York based agency, one of many vying to rise in the ranks and acquire as many bestsellers as possible … but she’s picky, dreads a long list of “unsold” authors. Tired of reading too many manuscripts that read like wannabe JR Wards, she wants a completed manuscript that is one-of-a-kind fresh! Give her a to-the-point pitch in ten seconds or less and let her do the rest of talking so she can try to figure out if you’re a diamond in the rough who would actually make a deadline.

Madison McKenzie (Heather MacAllister) is a New Yorker to the core and has a tendency to forget that there is life outside Manhattan . She has a degree from Hideouslyexpensive University , and a lifestyle supplemented by a trust fund. As a Senior Editor with Diamond Romance, she’s experienced and over-worked, and has a stable full of authors. She’s only doing conference pitches because it’s required. If she takes on anyone new, it’ll have to be for a project that’s polished and fresh, from an author who acts professional and has done her homework. She’s not into warm fuzzies and she doesn’t baby authors. Her efficiency sometimes makes her appear abrupt and impatient, but she truly loves publishing and wants her authors to succeed.

Lydia MacBeth (aka Sharon Mignerey) has been an editor for various major publishers for nearly 30 years. She takes credit for discovering several (now) NYT best-selling authors. She has a keen eye for detail and story structure, and she knows what she likes. She’s always on the hunt for that next NYT best-selling author.

Schedule for June 13th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 12:00 – Patricia Kay, Sharie Kohler, Heather MacAllister, and Sharon Mignerey starring in our "Pitch-A-Palooza"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors

“Suspense Techniques to Make Any Book a Page-Turner”

No matter what your genre, you must captivate your reader’s attention from the very first page. Romance author Laura Griffin shares suspense writing techniques that will help writers of any genre hook their reader’s attention early and keep turning the pages.

Laura Griffin started her writing career in the basement of the Vanderbilt University Student Center, where she edited the campus paper. After graduating from Vanderbilt, she took a job as a newspaper reporter in the Chicago suburbs, then moved to the Philippines, where she wrote travel articles, before returning to her native Texas. Laura grew up in West Houston, graduated from Stratford High School, and now lives in Austin, where she is a founding member of the Hula Hut Girls Book Club.

Laura’s debut novel, ONE LAST BREATH, won the 2008 Booksellers Best Award for romantic suspense. She is currently working on a romantic suspense trilogy, for Pocket Books, that will kick of this fall with the novel UNTRACEABLE.

In The Early Morning:

“Building your Web Presence: Using Wordpress for your website.”

You’re a writer, and these days, you need a website. It’s a given. But it doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think. Steph and Sarah show you that getting started isn’t all that hard with Wordpress on your side.

Two versions of Wordpress will be demonstrated. First, Wordpress.com – the “blogging” site – is a great place to get started for the DYI’ers. Secondly, Wordpress CMS – the “download” – is there when you want to make your site more complex. Oh… and did we mention that the CMS is free?

Stephanie Leary began designing websites professionally around the same time she started writing novels. Her web design work in higher education has garnered several awards, and she serves on the programming committee for the annual conference of the HighEdWeb Association.

A system administrator by day, Sarah Schroeder would rather be writing code or working on her latest romance work-in-progress. A RWA member since 1994, she received her PRO status in 2006, a delay which she blames on her college education.

In 2006, the two teamed up form Paged Media, a website development company for the literary minded and literary organizations.

Schedule for May 9th:

8:00-9:00 - Open doors - sign in/coffee plus Early Morning Bonus Session on "Building your Web Presence" w/ Sarah Schroeder and Stephanie Leary.
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 11:45 - Main Speaker Laura Griffin on "Suspense Techniques to Make Any Book a Page-Turner"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Join bestselling author Sharie Kohler/Sophie Jordan as she bares all in a revision “expose” with “Revision: Baring It All”. From those self-imposed revisions to the dreaded editorial revision letter, she will share the realities involved in pain-stakingly revising your manuscript. With examples from her own revision letters and those of other authors, she will strip away the mystery of editorial revision letters and offer tips on how to revise your manuscripts. Whether you’re a published author revising your umpteenth book or an aspiring writer hoping to get your manuscript as polished as possible before hitting an editor/agent’s desk, this workshop will deconstruct the fears and myths and show you another approach to revising.

Sharie Kohler/Sophie Jordan is the USA Today Bestselling author of historical romance and paranormal romance for Avon/Harper Collins and Pocket/Simon and Schuster. A former high school English teacher, Sharie is now a full-time writer, wife and mother. After recently completing her ninth novel since the publication of her first book in 2006, she’s considering wall-papering her office with her revision letters.

Schedule for April 11th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 11:45 - Speaker
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

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.

Schedule for March 14th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:45 to 11:45 - Speaker
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

This is a Registration Required Event. Registration is now closed.

Fat Nude Writing: Find your Raw Voice and Revel in It! (AM session)

Critically acclaimed novelist and NYT bestselling memoirist Joni Rodgers speaks about stripping away self-doubt, plumping up authentic voice, and producing work that is both personally fulfilling and market friendly. Illustrating with her own adventures in the industry (starting with The Worst Possible Way to Become a Published Author and moving on to Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful—Hate Me Because I Get Paid!), Joni shares what she’s learned and inspires you to explore the art, craft, and business of writing with lots of laughter along the way.

Boxing the Octopus: Eight Strategies for Mastering the Many-Tentacled Beast that is the Writing Life (PM Session)

Literary working girls Colleen Thompson and Joni Rodgers go live with some of the lessons and laughter found on the BtO blog, offering thinky thoughts and hard-learned advice, plus plenty of Q&A on balancing the eight challenges that can punch a writer’s lights out:

• Building the Book
• Managing Research
• Critique Group Dynamics
• Querying
• Agent Relations
• Publishing Process
• Getting Paid
• Artistic Being and Wellbeing

Joni Rodgers’ Bio:

Born into a family bluegrass band, Joni Rodgers grew up on stage and voiced over 3,700 radio and television commercials before being diagnosed with cancer at age 32. She used the chemo downtime to complete her first two novels and place them unagented with small but prestigious literary presses. In addition to her syndicated and national magazine columns, she’s contributed to Family Circle, Rosie, Lifetime, The Houston Chronicle, and other periodicals. Joni’s hilarious memoir Bald in the Land of Big Hair was published by Harper Collins in 2001, excerpted in Good Housekeeping and Chicken Soup For the Soul, condensed by Reader’s Digest, and released worldwide by Bertlesmann and Headline Hodder. She’s since worked as a celebrity memoir guru, ghostwriting the lives of the rich and famous at Random House and Simon & Schuster. Her third novel, The Secret Sisters, was a hardcover released from Harper Collins in 2006.

Colleen Thompson’s Bio:

Former Houston-area teacher Colleen Thompson is the RITA-nominated author of fourteen novels, from American-set historical romances (written as Gwyneth Atlee for Kensington) to her current fast-paced, sensual romantic suspense (written for Dorchester). In addition to writing novels, Colleen is a frequent contributor to magazines such as Writer’s Digest and The Romance Writers Report and habitual workshop presenter. Neither of which gets her out of writing synopses.

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 11:45- Joni Rodgers on "Fat, Nude Writing"
11:45 - 12:00 - Introductions
12:00 to 1:00 - Lunch/booksigning
1:00 - 1:30 Emily awards presentation
1:30-3:00 Joni Rodgers and Colleen Thompson on "Boxing the Octopus"

Authors on Publishers Panel

The panel: Gerry Bartlett, Berkley; Kristi Gold; Harlequin; Sharie Kohler, Pocket; Kerrelyn Sparks, Avon; Colleen Thompson, Dorchester; Kimberly Ungar, NAL; Moderator- Lark Howard

Join us as WHRWA authors give us the low-down on their publishers in a lively panel discussion that will give you an inside’s peek at what really goes on in the world of print publishing.

What kind of books do their imprints put out? What kinds of books are their publishers looking for? What’s it like to work with their editors? How did they get to their houses? The panel will address these questions and many more. Whether you’re looking for a publisher or perhaps thinking about moving houses, this is your chance to learn from first hand experience. Don’t miss it!

A number of free sample books will be given away at the meeting.

Schedule for January 10th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Author Panel
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Alfie Thompson presents About a Story – Lights! Camera! Fiction! – A WHRWA all day event!

Registration is closed.

Forget work and learning. We’re going to watch a movie…and discuss in detail how characterization and character goals and growth go hand in hand with creating conflict and developing a Five Star plot. Who’s bringing the popcorn?

Alfie Thompson’s received her first “we’re buying your book” call in December 1989. Since then, writing as Val Daniels, she has sold 9 more books to Harlequin/Silhouette, including 8 Romances, 1 Shadows (romantic suspense) and 1 Special Edition. Her books have been published in 22 languages and 32 countries and have sold 2.5 million copies.

Her most recent book was published by Running Press (a division of Perseus) and is a non-fiction book on learning to write fiction by watching movies. Lights! Camera! Fiction! A Movie Lovers Guide to Writing a Novel by Alfie Thompson is available in bookstores and from the usual online booksellers.

Alfie has given writing workshops from New York City to Hawaii and served for five years on RWA’s Board of Directors. As conference chair in 1990, she initiated the first ever “Readers For Life” literacy booksigning which has raised over a half million dollars for Literacy since its inception.

Registration is required for the event. Entry fee is $20 for WHRWA members and $30 for non-members.

Tentative Schedule for November 8th:

8:30-9:00 -> Registration and coffee
9:00-9:45 -> Business Meeting with Pal Reviews
9:45-10:15 -> Coffee and Social Break
10:15-11:45 -> Alfie Thompson presents "About a Story"
11:45-12:15 -> Introductions
12:15-1:30 -> Lunch and Booksigning with Alfie Thompson and local authors
1:30-3:00 -> Alfie Thompson presents "About a Story" cont.

Character Motivation: Blame it on Their Parents and Other Ways to Explain Why Our Characters Do What They Do

Why does your hero refuse to make a commitment? Why is he afraid of career-driven women? Why can’t your heroine trust men? Why does your heroine refuse to wear perfume? Without the proper motivation, our characters not only come across unbelievable and flat, but unsympathetic and sometimes just plain weird. Christie Craig, multi-published author, will help you find the skeletons in your character’s closet and bring them out for a dance. Christie will show how a character’s background is the key to a character’s motivation. She’ll explain the difference between the deadly back story that warrants rejections and the much-needed character-building scenes that make our heroes and heroines leap off the pages and into the hearts of our readers.

Christie Craig is an award-winning, multi-published writer whose non-fiction and photography have appeared in almost three thousand national magazines. A Golden Heart finalist, and a finalist in more than fifty RWA-sponsored contests, she has gained a well-deserved reputation for writing romance fiction that has both witty humor and a suspenseful, sexy tone. Published by Silhouette in the 90s, she recently broke back into fiction in a big way, making four book sales in one day. Her first single title romance novel, DIVORCED, DESPERATE & DELICIOUS published by Dorchester , hit the stands in December 07. Her second novel, Weddings Can be Murder will be out in June 08 and her third scheduled release, DIVORCED, DESPERATE & DATING is set for December ‘08. Her latest non-fiction book, co-authored by Faye Hughes, is to be released September 08, is The Everything Guide To Writing a Romance Novel through Adams Media.

Schedule for October 11th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Presentation
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Due to the pending landfall of Hurricane Ike in the Houston Area, it has been decided to cancel the September 13th meeting. The Author Panel on Publishers has been reschedule for January 10th, 2009.

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, getting the characters from the first page to the thrilling end can be daunting. Sometimes writers lose their way: the story seems to fall apart, or things don’t seem quite right, or perhaps the writer even loses interest. Chances are that one or more essential, though not so obvious, story components have gone astray. Sandra K. Moore’s “Constructing a Manuscript” workshop can help beginning writers understand story structure, and aid advanced writers in taking their craft up a notch.

Drawing from her experience as a seasoned contest judge, a student in the University of Houston Graduate Creative Writing Program, and a published author, Sandra describes story symptoms, shows where they’re likely to arise in a manuscript, and provides suggestions for correcting the problems. Her March 2008 release, WITHOUT A TRACE, earned 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times Book Review. In her “other life,” Sandra is a Product Manager for a Fortune 500 company.

Schedule for August 9th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Sandra K Moore presents "Constructing a Manuscript"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Everyone always asks WHRWA member Michele Dunaway how she does it and assumes she’s Superwoman. The thing is, though, Michele’s not even close and she’s dealt with just about every stressor known to man, most of them all within the same year. This highly-interactive workshop will apply to both veterans and beginners alike and will deal with things such as how to balance a full time day job with full time writing, how to battle jealousy (surprise, it’s really something else)), how to achieve your goals, and when to say yes and when to say no. Come dressed to move around the room and discover the inner superwoman (or man) within.

Ever since she was in first grade, Michele Dunaway wanted to be a writer. In 1988, she set a goal at her five-year high school reunion to be published by the year 2000. While she authored professional journal articles, and compiled the Journalism Education Association Middle/Junior High Curriculum Guide, it wasn’t until August of 1999 that Michele learned she had sold her first novel to Harlequin American Romance. Since then Michele has sold over 15 novels to Harlequin and her works have been translated into French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Japanese among others. Describing herself as a woman who does too much but doesn’t know how to stop, Michele also teaches high school English, advises the school yearbook, and raises two daughters and five spoiled housecats.

Schedule for July 12th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Michele Dunaway presents "Superwoman"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

WHRWA Welcomes Bestselling Author and Entertainment Journalist Candace Havens for an all day workshop

In the morning:

FAST DRAFT is a way to get that first draft down in two weeks or less. Using writing exercises and a hardcore set of rules, writers can tap into the creative well and finish their manuscripts. This is a system that makes writers accountable and teaches them to send that internal editor on vacation.

In the afternoon:

REVISION HELL is a process for getting through revisions without going insane. By focusing on various style, grammar and story-telling elements writers can revise their manuscripts at a faster pace improving continuity, transitions and the overall feel of the book.

Bestselling author Candace Havens has written five novels, “Charmed & Dangerous,” “Charmed & Ready” (mass market release Aug. 2008), “Charmed & Deadly” and the upcoming releases “Like A Charm” (Feb. 2008) and “The Demon King and I” (Nov. 2008). Her books have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is the author of the biography “Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy” and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities including Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many more. Her entertainment columns can be read in more than 300 newspapers across the country. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 900 writers. She does film reviews with the Dorsey Gang on The Big 96.3, and serves as a mentor for young writers.

Registration is Closed.

Tentative Schedule for June 14th:

8:30-9:00 -> Registration and coffee
9:00-9:45 -> Business Meeting with Pal Reviews
9:45-10:15 -> Coffee and Social Break
10:15-11:45 -> "FAST DRAFT"
11:45-12:15 -> Introductions
12:15-1:30 -> Lunch and Booksigning with Candace Haven and local authors
1:30-3:00 -> "REVISION HELL"

Early Session – 8:15 to 9:15 a.m.
Tera Lynn Childs presents “Writing For Teens: Rules Need Not Apply”

Interested in writing fiction for teens? Curious about the genre that’s getting so much industry buzz? Join WHRWA’s own debut author, Tera Lynn Childs, to learn what the world young adult fiction is really like and what it takes to make it in this booming market where rules are distant memories. (Hint: It’s more than dictatorial homecoming queens, sweet pecks on the cheek, and adding a “like, you know” every third sentence.)

10:45-12:00 Noon
Jane Myers Perrine presents “IN THE BEGINNING or HOW TO START YOUR BOOK WITH A BIG BANG”

Using many examples and discussion, Jane shows what will draw the editor or reader in during the first few chapters of your book–and what won’t.

Jane Myers Perrine has wanted to be a writer since her third-grade teacher told her she should be one. She credits the members of WHRWA for helping her make that happen. In 1999, she was a Golden Heart finalist. That book was published by Avalon in 2001. She sold two more books to Avalon and four to Steeple Hill.

Schedule for January 12th:

8:00 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
8:15 to 9:15 - Early morning workshop with Tera Lynn Childs presents: Writing For Teens: Rules Need Not Apply
9:15 to 9:30 - Break
9:30 to 10:30 - Business meeting and PAL reviews
10:30 to 10:45 - Break
10:45 to 12:00 - Program - Jane Myers Perrine presents: IN THE BEGINNING or HOW TO START YOUR BOOK WITH A BIG BANG
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Judy Duarte presents: “JUGGLING: The fine art of writing two different genres for two different editors and two different houses.”

Multi-published, award winning author Judy Duarte shares her story of juggling a category career and a new single title career—how she got there and all it entails. She’ll define the differences between category and single title–from money to voice, from promotion to deadlines–and how it feels to handle two editors and two houses and still love what she writes. Whether it’s juggling or keeping all the plates spinning, the techniques and tips she’ll share will get you thinking beyond a “work in progress” to a “career in progress.”

Judy Duarte always knew there was a book inside her, but since English was her least favorite subject in school, she never considered herself a writer. An avid reader who enjoys a happy ending, Judy couldn’t shake her dream of creating a story of her own. So in 1996, she joined RWA and decided to make that dream come true.

Her unpublished stories have not only won the Emily and Orange Rose, but made her a double Golden Heart finalist in 2001. COWBOY COURAGE, her first book, hit the shelves in March of 2002. Since then she has sold twenty-five more books, including two women’s fiction novels to Kensington, the first of which, MULBERRY PARK, will be released in April of 2008.

Schedule for April 12th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Judy Duarte presents "JUGGLING"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Joanna Wayne presents “Ho-Hum to Sparkle”

Does your critique group find no fault with your manuscript, but it fails to rate high in contests? Do you get “nice” rejections letters?

Joanna Wayne, author of 35 romantic suspense works in single title, category and novellas will discuss adding sparkle to your manuscript, that special something that will make an editor sit up and take notice. An editor once said the hardest book for her to turn down is one where’s there’s nothing wrong, but it simply doesn’t stand out. Ms. Wayne will delve into simple techniques that can change your perfectly good manuscript into one that comes alive on the pages. You’ll discover ways to tweak word choice, characterization, plotting and emotion that will turn your book into a winner.

Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994. Now, with over thirty-seven published works to her credit consisting of novels and novellas, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and single-title novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards including the prestigious Texas Gold Award. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.

Schedule for March 9th:

8:30 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
9:00 to 10:00 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:00 to 10:30 - Break
10:30 to 12:00 - Joanna Wayne presents "Ho-Hum to Sparkle"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with various authors
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

Please join us for the 2008 Emily awards meeting featuring Margie Lawson’s day long workshop on “Deep Editing”.
Margie Lawson is collecting rave reviews with every master class she teaches. A counseling psychologist, Margie has developed innovative psychologically-anchored editing systems and techniques that will teach you how to write a page-turner.

DEEP EDITING is for the writer who wants to impact the unconscious of the reader, learn fresh editing techniques, and edit for power. Participants will learn the EDITS System and take it deeper, see the interplay of patterns on the page and analyze what’s needed to strengthen their scene. This is not a broad-brush approach; it’s a roll up your sleeves and get to work making a difference on your manuscript workshop. In addition, 25 rhetorical devices will be introduced, along with when and how to use them.

In the last three years, Margie has taught a dozen on-line courses and presented full-day Master Classes in over thirty cities across the U.S and Canada. Her deep editing techniques have been used by hundreds of pre-published writers as well as authors ranging from debut to multi-award-winning. Formerly a college professor, Ms. Lawson holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. Her resume includes clinical trainer, psychologist, sex therapist, director of an impotence clinic, hypnotherapist and keynote speaker. For further information, see her website: www.margielawson.com.

How to Sign-Up:

Registration is required for this meeting and there will be a limit of 90 attendees so sign up early. Registration will open January 20th. Registration is Closed.

Materials

This is an all-day hands-on workshop. Attendees should bring the three chapters of their work in progress, a red pen, and a set of multi-colored highlighters (pink, yellow, orange, blue and green).

COST: (checks or cash only)

WHRWA Members: $20
RWA Members: $45
Non-RWA Members: $60

Location

Memorial Drive Christian Church
11750 Memorial Drive
Houston, TX 77024

Meeting Schedule:

8:30-9:00 -> Registration and coffee
9:00-12:00 -> DEEP EDITING, Part 1
12:00-1:30 -> Emily Awards Presentations, Lunch and Booksigning of WHRWA authors' February Releases (PJ Mellor, Kerrelyn Sparks, and Joanna Wayne)
1:30-5:00 -> DEEP EDITING, Part 2

Colleen Thompson presents “How to Hurt the Ones You Love”.

Since conflict is the key to keep tension high, pacing brisk, and readers eager to turn the pages, even the nicest author needs to have an arsenal of methods for turning up the heat on his/her protagonists. In “How to Hurt the Ones You Love,” Colleen Thompson examines the importance of conflict, ways to deepen it, and how to know when you have gone too far.

RITA-nominated romantic suspense author Colleen Thompson has written thirteen novels, including her latest, The Salt Maiden (Leisure, 12/07) and Head On (Love Spell, 7/07). For more information, visit her at http://www.colleen-thompson.com or check out http://www.boxingoctopus.blogspot.com her blog for emerging writers

Early Morning Session

Kimberly Chambers (w/a Kimberly Frost) presents “Wish For It; Work for It: The girl’s guide to goal-setting”.

Ever get to the end of the month and realize that the word count is lower than planned? The editing stalled out? That you didn’t get around to updating your website? How about making your 2008 a little different? Join Kimberly Frost as she shares strategies she’s learned about how to set goals and achieve them. The workshop will include questions and prompts to get members thinking about their own lives so they can generate individual wishes and goals and personal strategies to achieve them.

Kimberly Chambers (aka Kimberly Frost) juggles a career as a doctor and her writing career (her first novel Would-be Witch and its sequel sold to Berkley), and has recently taken on new responsibilities as president of WHRWA. Working with highly successful and extremely busy professionals, she’s learned the fine art of goal-setting and following through to make them happen.

Meeting Location: Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Drive, Houston, 77024

Schedule for January 12th:

8:00 - Open doors - sign in/coffee
8:15 to 9:15 - Early morning workshop with Kimberly Chambers: "Wish For It; Work for It: The girl's guide to goal-setting"
9:15 to 9:30 - Break
9:30 to 10:30 - Business meeting, PAL reviews & introductions
10:30 to 10:45 - Break
10:45 to 12:00 - Program - Colleen Thompson:"How to Hurt the Ones You Love"
12:00 to 12:30 - Booksigning with Colleen Thompson, Christie Craig, Sharie Kohler/Sophie Jordan, and Nina Bangs
12:30 - Adjourn to lunch

On November 10th, we bring Sharon Sala…

West Houston RWA is taking the year out with a BANG with Best Selling Author Sharon Sala.For this all day meeting, Sharon will present in the morning “How To Write Yourself Out of A Corner”. All writers end up at both ends of the writer’s seesaw at some point. Have you ever had a story and characters come alive for you – and simply slathered and stroked words onto the page until you found yourself painted into the proverbial plot corner? Or even worse, have you ever stared at an empty and blank computer screen with an even emptier and blanker creative mind’s eye? At our November meeting, Sharon Sala will give us her overview of how to “fix” plot problems and writer’s block.

Sharon will continue in the afternoon with “Coloring Outside of the Lines”. Which one of us hasn’t had an agent, editor or contest judge tell us we “can’t” use a character, a setting, a story line – or a writing technique – because it will make our work unmarketable? Come out and listen to Sharon Sala demonstrate when and how to “break the rules” and make it work.

The workshop will run from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM (More information on Schedule). Lunch will be included in the cost of the workshop $20 for WHRWA members, $30 for non-members. (Register here.) Sharon will be signing her latest releases at the meeting, which will be held at the Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Drive, Houston, 77024 (map via yahoo).

With 70 plus books in print, award winning author Sharon Sala, who also writes as Dinah McCall, still has to remind herself from time to time that this isn’t a dream. She learned to read at the age of four and has had her nose in a book ever since. Her introduction into romance came at an early age through the stories of Zane Gray, Grace Livingston Hill and Emily Loring. Her pride in contributing to the genre is echoed by the letters of her fans. First published in 1991, she’s now a five-time RITA finalist, Winner of the Janet Dailey Award, four-time Career Achievement winner from Romantic Times Magazine, five time winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award and five time winner of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence, as well as numerous other industry awards. Her books are regularly on bestseller lists, such as the New York Times , USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, WaldenBooks mass market, and many others. She claims that, for her, learning to read was a matter of evolution, but learning to write and then being published was a revolution. It changed her life, her world, and her fate.

Tentative Schedule for November 10th:

8:30-9:00 -> Registration and coffee
9:00-9:45 -> Business Meeting with Pal Reviews
9:45-10:15 -> Coffee and Social Break
10:15-11:45 -> “How To Write Yourself Out of A Corner”
11:45-12:15 -> Introductions
12:15-1:30 -> Lunch and Booksigning with Sharon Sala and local authors
1:30-3:00 -> “Coloring Outside of the Lines”

October Meeting

Who:

Main Meeting: Karleen Koen
Premeeting: Jo Anne Banker and Vicky Dreiling

What:

Main Meeting: Alter Egos/Creating A Character Facebook
Premeeting: THE GOLDEN RULE OF THE CONTEST CIRCUIT, or Judge Others As You Would Have Them Judge You – Part 2

When:

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

Where:

Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Drive, Houston, 77024

More about this month’s program:

Alter Egos/Creating A Character Facebook

Everything you need to create vivid characters is inside you. Come experience a fun, interactive workshop in which writing and imagination exercises show you how to dive inside and fetch details that create characters who stand up and walk around on the page.

Taken from my Continuing Education Something Novel 8-week class at Rice University, this is one of my favorite set of exercises, and one which my students’ find inspiring. It’s fast-paced, interesting, and when you’re done, you have the beginning of any number of characters waiting to be added as friends and the realization that your imagination is all you need.

“Her large cast-both historical and fictional-are sharply rendered, and the larger-than-life. Alice makes a memorable heroine-imperious, even vindictive, but always unwavering in conviction.” Publishers’ Weekly on Dark Angels

“Alice is a great character, vivid and three-dimensional, constantly seething with plots, ploys and pride.” Washington Post on Dark Angels

Karleen Koen is the author of three novels, Through A Glass Darkly, a New York Times Bestseller, Now Face to Face, and Dark Angels, released in September of 2006. She teaches a continuing education course on novel basics at Rice University in the fall and spring. She is an award-winning editor and writer, having worked in the Publications Department at the University of Houston and many moons ago on a local home and garden magazine. She has extensive freelance experience and is one of the founders of Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WIVLA). Her interests are history, gardening, cats, shoes, and misbehaving grandchildren.

Premeeting – Judges Workshop

Forget the old parable of “Judge not, lest you be judged,” because if you enter onto the contest circuit, you can bet your ego you’ll be judged. Ever heard that the best defense is a good offense? Awareness of “good” and “poor” judging will help to keep you sane when an entry you were counting on to final so as to be seen by a targeted agent or editor comes back slaughtered by a less than wise or tactful judge.

Learn the ins and outs of judging, how to dissect a contest entry, fairly judge its pieces, and find positive things to say, while offering a worthwhile critique. Judging is also a great way to advance your own craft knowledge.

Join Vicky Dreiling and Jo Anne Banker for the second half of our contest judge’s training workshop, offered as an early morning presentation beginning at 8:15 AM on October 13th. Doors open at 8 o’clock.

Jo Anne Banker, as yet unpublished, is working on her third book, a contemporary targeted for Superromance. She is the president of West Houston RWA and a member of Bay Area and NW Houston Chapters of RWA. Jo Anne has contest experience from both ends of the spectrum. She has finaled in over one-third of the 19 contests she has entered with 3 manuscripts and one short story. She also was the Contest Coordinator for the NW Houston RWA Lone Star contest for four years and has judged in many other contests.

Vicky Dreiling is aiming for a dual career. Her “day job” in marketing came in handy at the recent national RWA conference. Her two-line elevator pitch at a workshop earned her a request for the full manuscript from an agent. In between business trips to New York, Paris, and London, she’s busily putting the finishing touches on her Regency-set historical. A former Emily contest coordinator and Golden Heart finalist, Vicky has judged the Emily for several years.

Who:

Main Meeting: WHRWA Author Heather MacAllister
Premeeting: Jo Anne Banker and Vicky Dreiling

What:

Main Meeting: Plotting from the Inside Out
Premeeting: THE GOLDEN RULE OF THE CONTEST CIRCUIT, or Judge Others As You Would Have Them Judge You – Part 1

When:

Saturday, September 8th, 2007

Where:

Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Drive, Houston, 77024

More about this month’s program:

Heather will teach a plotting workshop based on Randy Ingermanson’s “Snowflake” method of novel design, but putting her own inimitable spin on it.

Do you know what your novel is about? Heather will work through the one sentence synopsis. Yes, a one sentence synopsis before we work through to a selling paragraph.

Not only will this help you conceptualize your novel, the results can be used in query letters, pitches, promotion material and with your editor and marketing department.

Heather MacAllister has published 41 books with Harlequin. Her award-winning romantic comedies have been translated into 25 languages and published in dozens of countries.When she’s not writing, Heather spends her time collecting vintage jewelry, watching fireworks displays and killing plants.

Premeeting – Judges Workshop

Forget the old parable of “Judge not, lest you be judged,” because if you enter onto the contest circuit, you can bet your ego you’ll be judged. Ever heard that the best defense is a good offense? Awareness of “good” and “poor” judging will help to keep you sane when an entry you were counting on to final so as to be seen by a targeted agent or editor comes back slaughtered by a less than wise or tactful judge.

Learn the ins and outs of judging, how to dissect a contest entry, fairly judge its pieces, and find positive things to say, while offering a worthwhile critique. Judging is also a great way to advance your own craft knowledge.

Join Vicky Dreiling and Jo Anne Banker for the first half of our contest judge’s training workshop, offered as an early morning presentation beginning at 8:15 AM on September 8th. Doors open at 8 o’clock.

Jo Anne Banker, as yet unpublished, is working on her third book, a contemporary targeted for Superromance. She is the president of West Houston RWA and a member of Bay Area and NW Houston Chapters of RWA. Jo Anne has contest experience from both ends of the spectrum. She has finaled in over one-third of the 19 contests she has entered with 3 manuscripts and one short story. She also was the Contest Coordinator for the NW Houston RWA Lone Star contest for four years and has judged in many other contests.

Vicky Dreiling is aiming for a dual career. Her “day job” in marketing came in handy at the recent national RWA conference. Her two-line elevator pitch at a workshop earned her a request for the full manuscript from an agent. In between business trips to New York, Paris, and London, she’s busily putting the finishing touches on her Regency-set historical. A former Emily contest coordinator and Golden Heart finalist, Vicky has judged the Emily for several years.

Tentative Schedule for September 8th:

8:00 – Open Doors – Sign in/coffee
8:15 to 9:15 – Early Morning Workshop: Judges Training, Part 1 with Jo Anne Banker and Vicki Dreiling
9:30 to 10:15 – Business meeting, PAL reviews, introductions
10:15 to 10:30 – Break
10:30 to 12:00 – Plotting from the Inside Out with Heather MacAllister
12:00 to 12:30 – Booksigning and Quickie Critiques
12:30 Adjourn to lunch

Who:

WHRWA Author and USA Today Bestselling Author Patricia Kay

What:

A CAST OF THOUSANDS
or Who Are These People, Anyway? and What Do They Want?

When:

Saturday, August 11th, 2007

Where:

Memorial Drive Christian Church, 11750 Memorial Drive, Houston, 77024

More about this month’s program:

Patricia Kay, USA Today bestselling author of forty-six novels of romance and women’s fiction and a former RITA nominee for her December, 2000 single title from Berkley, will talk about the people who people your stories. Pat says that for her it’s always about the characters. If she doesn’t care about them and believe in them, she can’t root for them, and if she can’t root for them, why read the book?

If you want your agent, your editor, and (hopefully) your readers to want/buy/love your book, you need to make sure they care about and are rooting for your characters. Pat will do her best to help you achieve that goal.

Tentative Schedule for August 11th:

8:30 – Open Doors – Sign in/coffee
9:00 to 9:45 – Business meeting, PAL reviews, introductions
9:45 to 10:15 – Break
10:15 to 12:00 – Pat Kay – A CAST OF THOUSANDS
or Who Are These People, Anyway? and What Do They Want?
12:00 to 12:30 – Booksigning and Quickie Critiques
12:30 Adjourn to lunch

The RWA National conference is the same weekend as out July meeting! Many members will be cheering Kristi Gold and Deeanne Gist that very night.

The August Meeting (8-11)

A CAST OF THOUSANDS
or Who Are These People, Anyway? and What Do They Want?

Patricia Kay, USA Today bestselling author of forty-six novels of romance and women’s fiction and a former RITA nominee for her December, 2000 single title from Berkley, will talk about the people who people your stories. Pat says that for her it’s always about the characters. If she doesn’t care about them and believe in them, she can’t root for them, and if she can’t root for them, why read the book?

If you want your agent, your editor, and (hopefully) your readers to want/buy/love your book, you need to make sure they care about and are rooting for your characters. Pat will do her best to help you achieve that goal.

More info to come.