LARA CONFIDENTIAL the Newsletter of the Los Angeles Romance Authors Chapter of RWA

LARA CONFIDENTIAL The Newsletter of the Los Angeles Romance Authors Chapter of RWA

Editor’s Talk 1 "Promoting Excellence in Romantic Fiction Through Education and Community Service" Meeting Notes: The Changing Face Of LARA and Chick Lit 3 Presidential Prattle 4 EDITOR’S TALK IMHO 6 Hot Off the Keyboard 6 ebruary is Valentine’s month. That Wonderful Call 8 I think we ought to officially make it the National Romance Ticket to Reality 9 Writers’ Month as well. Isn’t that what we live for? Romance? How Finding Time to Write 10 would each of us define romance, if asked? PROs Review the Pubs 11 FFireworks? Flames of desire? Feats of derring-do? Or, as the German religious Author Dean Koontz: reformer Martin Luther once said, would you describe your romance as the “stir Impressions 12 the oatmeal” variety, the quiet kind of love that survives even the banalities of day- A Foot in Two Countries 13 to-day life? Is romance to you the guy (or gal) you married years ago who can still bring a smile to your face today? Contests: Springboard or Sandbar? 14 As it happens, I married my dear hubby (DH) twelve years ago on Valentine’s How You Can Become a Part Day (let’s hear it, now—“awwww”), and I still love him to his toes. We are the of Romance History 16 commitment type, and though the road hasn’t always been smooth, it’s been a ride that I never would have missed. I am sometimes reminded, however, of Mrs. Charlton Heston’s comments when asked if during fifty years of marriage to Chuck, she’d ever once contemplated divorce. This genteel lady smiled and said, “Divorce? Never. Murder, yes.” I get that. Maybe that says more about me than it should, but I think that’s romantic. Do your heroes and heroines have that kind of “stay together, no matter the weather” sort of love? When your reader closes the book that dragged them from conflict to black moment to happy ending in three or four hundred pages, do they see your couple living happily ever after fifty years from now? Or do they say, “Right, I give their relationship about a week”? Do your lovers have that Romeo

SSUE and Juliet (no wait, they died), Antony and Cleopatra (no...they died too), hmmm...okay, Ronnie and Nancy kind of love?

I Think about it. In this edition of the LARA Confidential, we have an amazing display of virtuos- ity by our members who are out there moving and shaking the romance industry tree at its roots, hoping for a peach to fall right on their heads. Check out the Mr. Romance Pageant pictures (yes, that really is Fabio with our Jax), and the Hot Off HIS the Keyboard feature for all of the events going on just this past few weeks. Happy Valentine’s Day, and Happy Reading! T Thieme Jackson Bittick

N Editor, LARA Confidential I LosAngelesRomanceAuthors.com Chapter # 25 February 2005/Volume 2 1 For inquiries on article submission President: Kim Winklhofer rules for the LARA Confidential Executive Vice President: newsletter or to request reprint Christine Ashworth permission, please contact: Vice President in charge of Programming: Janet Maarschalk

Thieme Jackson Bittick Vice President in charge of Membership: Editor, LARA Confidential Sandra Robinson P.O. Box 14392 Torrance, CA 90503 Vice President of Ways and Means: Roben Schaerf

Vice President in charge of Public or by email: Relations: Melissa Jarvis-Prieto [email protected] Treasurer: Jacqueline Crane

Newsletter: Thieme Jackson Bittick Newsletters are published one week prior to each meeting, Secretary: Jennifer Salmi and the publication deadline is PAN Liason and Advisor to the President: two weeks prior to each meet- Mollie Molay ing, which is typically held the PRO Liason: Deanne Avner third Sunday of the month. Website and Listserv Diva: Sandra Richards Next meeting: Sunday, February 20th. Los Angeles Romance Authors LARA member Roben Schaerf c/o Thieme Jackson Bittick P.O. Box 14392 P.O. Box 14392 will talk to us about writing Torrance, CA 90503 synopses.

Newsletter Design: Tai Shan Jackson LARA’s 2005 Foot in the Door Contest

Just a reminder that it’s time to get your “Foot in the Door”! With LARA’s annual writing contest, you’ll have the opportunity to polish up your query letter and synopsis, and get it ready to send off to that agent or editor. We encourage all of our members to enter! Deadline for all entries is April 15, 2005. We are in need of first-round judges, both published and unpublished. A training ses- sion will be held prior to the entry deadline for new judges and for those who have previously judged but would like to brush up on their skills. It’s a good opportunity to both share your knowledge and to learn! Please let Roben or Gina know if you are interested in judging. For detailed information, entry forms, rules, and info on where to send your entries, check out the LARA website: http://www.losangelesromanceauthors.com/contest.html Your contest coordinators, Gina and Roben, will be happy to answer any questions. Please contact them at: [email protected] and [email protected]

2 Meeting Notes: The Changing Face Of LARA and Chick Lit by Sandra Richards

The January 16th meeting saw new faces arrive and familiar faces welcomed to the Board. Lisa Carol Udall passed out the milestones recognition awards. LARA members are producing and on the move. LARA’s president, Kim Winklhofer, was given special recognition for her service in 2004. Cathy Yardley, Red Dress Ink author of Couch World and L.A. Woman, showed us the changing face of Chick Lit. Speaking of its origins in England, she cited Bridget Jones’ Diary as the tale that put the genre on the map. The Chick Lit heroine is savvy, single, and lives in a large city like London or New York. Her job is in a glamour industry like fashion or publishing, her boss is Evil, her lover cheats, and life has just im- ploded. Usually written in first person, the voice is hip, referencing designer clothes, bags, etc., even if the heroine is on a budget. Unlike romance, Chick Lit doesn’t have the usual happy ending. It is about the heroine’s journey, the Cathy Yardley, Red Dress Ink author, spoke on the changing irrepressible woman who overcomes all the troubles face of Chick Lit to January's attendees. in her life, and does it with panache. “The Chick Lit market moves fast,” Yardley said, Plot Your Novel pointing out the expansion into Mommy Lit, Eth- nic Lit, and Tart Noir. The genre is now branching Sponsor: Los Angeles Romance Authors out with comedy, mystery, and paranormal. Accept- Location: The Holiday Inn, Burbank, CA ing darker themes than traditional romances, it even Fee: $45.00 members. $50.00 non-LARA allows for protagonists to be killers. Date: May 21, 2005. 9:00-4:00 Want to know more? Check out the RWA online Are inspiration and intuition letting you down? chapter, Chick Lit Writers of the World at Carolyn Greene, the “Plot Doctor,” will share www.chicklitwriters.com. tried-and-true plotting methods, including stages of character growth and the power of Join us on February 20th, 2005, when LARA’s theme in this LARA sponsored workshop. own Roben Schaerf will discuss the topic of “Writ- ing Synopses.” For more information: www.losangelesromanceauthors.com

LARA member Sandra Richards lives in Downey Contact: with one husband, one best friend, two rats, nine Janet Maarschalk, VP Programming, at cats, and one completed paranormal manuscript. [email protected] See back page for sign-up sheet.

3 Presidential Prattle If you’ve never participated on a A new screen shows you the dif- message board before and are a little ferent threads (topics) in this section. wary of them, I’m going to give you Threads are listed with the most re- by Kim Winklhofer step-by-step tutorial so you need fear cent on the top. To open a thread, them no longer. Not only that, but if you just click on it. At that point you take this tutorial, you’ll find out you see all the messages that have You know the “Meet and Greet” how to win a hardback copy of either been posted. Sandra K. has done a time of the monthly meeting? That’s Lisa Gardner’s The Killing Hour, or terrific job of explaining how the my favorite part, and I always wish Jayne Ann Krentz’s Truth or Dare. It’s message board works and the eti- it could be longer because I never have not chocolate, but hey, a book lasts quette, but no one seemed to be read- enough time to talk to other mem- longer and isn’t fattening. ing it. Hence, my handy-dandy tu- bers. But that’s not such a problem torial. anymore, because we now have the First, go to the www. message board on the LARA website! LosAngelesRomanceAuthors.com Let’s get out of that section and website and click on Members Only. back to the main area. You can use LARA’s new message board, or Fortunately, you do not get taken to a the back button on your browser. Or forum, is like a little Barnes and website featuring jackets from the sev- next to the buttons that say New Noble (sans books) that I can visit enties. Enter your user name (your last Topic and Post Reply, there are links whenever I want. There, I found out name in lower case, no hyphens) and to navigate to other parts of the mes- that Roben is taking a UCLA writ- your password (your RWA number.) sage board. Click on Los Angeles ing course and is sharing valuable If you have any difficulties, email Romance Authors Forum Index. exercises she’s learned about. I’ve dis- Sandra Kleinschmitt (aka: Sandra covered answers to questions about Richards), our webdiva at sandra@the- the paranormal genre. I’ve discussed daily-prophet.org. She’s amazingly LARA business with various com- quick to solve problems. Once you mittee members. Personally, I think have access to the Members Only area, the forum could be the best thing click on Message Board. that’s happened to LARA since the venue switch. Now, the message board is divided into sections. We’re going to check out Rules and Getting Started, so let your arrow hover over that title. Your arrow Voila. You’re back in the index, "Personally, I becomes a pointing finger and the title which is the central hub of the mes- gets underlined. That tells you the text sage board. think the forum is actually a link in disguise. Mwah- Now, it’s time to try posting a ha-ha-ha. Next, click on that Rules... message. First you have to register. could be the link. Up at the top of the window, click best thing on—you guessed it!—Register. that's happened to LARA since the venue Read the small switch." print and agree to the cont. on pg 5

4 terms. Fill in the registration info, You should see my little message Now, without further ado, it’s starting with your username, which about that movie. To comment on my time to find out how to enter the is the name that everyone will see topic, you have two choices. drawing for the free books! Using when you post. This time you can your newly learned skills, go to the One: click on Post Reply and type choose your own user name. Next, I’m Feeling Lucky thread in the Sug- your message. It’s that easy. (The New enter whatever profile information gestion Box. Good luck and enjoy Topic button is if you want to start a you’d like and set your preferences. the LARA Message Board! topic of your very own.) When you’re done, click Submit and return to the Index. Then you have to actually log in. Kim Winklhofer is entering her second year as president of LARA. Writing as Kim Crawford, her first published story, “Her Lucky Stars,” will appear in Woman’s World magazine the week of March 8th. Buy a copy or, as one of her favorite characters once said, “a disaster beyond your imagination will occur.”

The other way to reply is to click on the button inside my message that says Quote. If you click on that, my message gets quoted inside your own message. To practice posting a message, scroll down to Off Topic and click on it. You’ll see my thread The Incredibles. Click on that, too.

Okay! Those are the basics. I hope you come here often because I think this could be an excellent way to fos- ter the camaraderie that we’ve devel- oped in our group. I think messages of congratulations, sympathy, and/or support are much more meaningful when we truly know the people offer- ing them, and interacting on the message board is an excellent and easy way to get to know each other better.

5 IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) is A: “Two worthy peeves from Hot Off the Keyboard a feature in which LARA mem- a worthy contest loser: bers respond to the 1. Add another category question of the (Last minute news from titled ‘Slush Pile Winners’ for month posed on those stories not fitting into any the grapevine) LARAlink. genre but which possess a particu- February’s question lar pizzazz. This is to allow those is: losers who don’t know what genre they’re writing in to be- IMHO come winners. Q: “Other than late an- 2. Make a list of the top nouncement of finalists, what is 10% of entrants in each genre re- your #1 pet peeve about con- ceiving the highest scores (in al- tests?” phabetical order, of course, so as YEAH, BUT DID I WIN? A: “My number one pet peeve not to insult losers). This would (Contest News) is when it is obvious a judge is also prove beneficial to the math challenged who will no longer not familiar with a genre they’re Katie McGuinness reports that have to guess where they would judging. This hasn’t actually hap- Riding For A Fall finaled in New have placed if they would have pened to me, but to everyone I England RWA’s 2004 “First Kiss” placed or whether they should in- know who writes chick lit. I contest, and Family Ways received stead write bedside stories for know it’s a newer genre; hope- an Honorable Mention in the shut-ins or people trapped in el- fully contest judges will catch up Connecticut RWA’s 2004 evators.” Ethel Ann Pemberton with the trend soon!” Lisa Carole CONNections contest. Thieme Udall (aka: Lisa Bradley) A: “What really frosts me, is Jackson Bittick finaled in the Fan- A: “My big beef with contests when a judge hasn’t read my story tasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal is that they generally lump all carefully and comments about my chapter’s 2004 “On the Far Side” the paranormals together. There’s error, when she is the one that got contest with Dreamweaver. Janet a big difference between a futur- the time frame messed up! Can’t Maarschalk placed second in the istic, historical time travel, or they read it more than once be- Rose City Romance Writers 2004 vampire story. fore placing the seal of God on “Golden Rose” contest, and won my blood, sweat and tears?” the Grand Prize in the Maine They also do this with con- Anonymous RWA’s 2004 “Golden Synopsis” temporaries and sometimes contest, both for One For The A: “My number one pet peeve single title versus category. Oh, Road. Sandy Robinson finaled with about contests is: when judges and the synopsis thing—the ones her vampire novel in the San José make negative comments that are that ask for a 1-2 page one—how chapter’s 2004 “Gotcha” contest. can you really condense that not worded in a constructive way, much and get an idea of flavor and do not suggest any specifics PAN NEWS for the story?” Melissa Jarvis- to improve the work. Comments Prieto such as, ‘Your hero has no re- Linda O. Johnston informs us deeming qualities’ just make me that her on-line chat for defensive...as in, ‘Yes, he does! NovelTalk on Jan 5 went well. Keep reading!’ instead of actually About 16 people vis- considering what the judge had to ited and they were a say.” Gina Bono “lively, interested cont. on group.” pg 7

6 The e-zine The Motivated Writer meeting in recognition of the fact Posner. Jacquie Crane (aka: Jax) (www.TheMotivatedWriter.com) that they are out there swinging, got a request for a full manu- also featured an interview with or pitching as the case may be, even script from Anna Genoese at Tor Linda in January. if they don’t always hit the home Forge after only one week, based runs. For those who aren’t famil- on her query and partial, of her Mollie Molay notes that she, iar with it, the recognition is for a very first manuscript. Janet got Robert Hecker, Roben Schaerf, and submission to an editor or agent a request for a partial from an Linda and possibly our newer PAN that ultimately resulted in a rejec- agent, submitted a partial to members are scheduled to appear tion, or an “R” as some prefer to Harlequin Mills & Boon Medi- at the Porter Ranch Library in cal Romance, and has two Northridge on February 15 at manuscripts out with other 2:00pm to discuss the topic publishers. Kim Winklhofer “Romance is in the Air.” If you’re has sent in her requested sub- in the neighborhood, stop by. mission from Kate Duffy at Shannon Donnelly reports Brava. Lisa has finished another that her book Lady Scandal made manuscript, and she’s preparing it onto the Romantic Times it to send out. Book Club’s reviewer’s choice for MORE Good News: Deanne Best Regency of 2004. got a request for more material Gail Burch tells us that Zebra from an editor at Harlequin Inti- is publishing her “funny-vampire- mate Moments, as well as an en- Regency” romance in September couraging phone call from a re- under her pen name, Maggie questing agent in which compari- MacKeever. Look for Waltz with sons to Linda Howard were men- a Vampire in a store near you. Sig- tioned (and it wasn’t even Deanne net Regency is releasing Cara King’s doing the mentioning)! first novel, My Lady Gamester, in EVEN MORE Good News: December 2005. Both Gail and Madeleine J. Laird, a new LARA Cara are new to LARA. Welcome, member and a book reviewer for ladies, and congratulations, all! the Romantic Times, won the op- GOOD NEWS / call it (or, occasionally, The Thing portunity drawing for a chance to NOT SO GOOD NEWS That Must Not Be Named). sit in on a plotting boot camp ses- Roben Schaerf, Janet Maarschalk, sion with the “Four F’s” (don’t ask NOT So Good News: Do you Lisa Carole Udall (aka: Lisa Brad- what it stands for—I’d have to know who the all time strikeout ley), Sandra Kleinschmitt (aka: eliminate you if I told you). The king was? Babe Ruth. Know who Sandra Richards), and Deanne “Four F’s” is a PRO level critique the all time home run king was? Avner, we salute you! Keep read- group consisting of Roben Schaerf, Yup, Babe Ruth. As someone once ing, though. Seems many of the Thieme Jackson Bittick, Gina said, you miss 100 percent of the same names keep popping up for Bono, and Janet Maarschalk. The shots you don’t take. All it takes is Good News as well. group is not accepting new mem- one to hit it out of the park, right? bers at this time. GOOD News: Kassia Krozser Okay, enough baseball analo- got a request for a full manuscript Congratulations to all, and I gies. All this is by way of saying from the Knight Agency (which hope I didn’t miss anyone. If so, a few brave souls received the looks like it may be opening a Los send those e-mails to me at “Hanky-Formerly-Known-as- Angeles office). Jodie Gottlieb ac- [email protected] and let me the-Boo-Hoo” award at January’s quired a New York agent, Marcy know. 7 That Wonderful Call Needless to say, I’d kept my day job ing had been, having an agent say since writing hadn’t started to pay the she’d represent me could only be bills (or even so much as a pencil!). topped with this call. She said the by Christine Locksy And, to a certain extent, I’d just kind publisher would mail her a contract of pushed it out of my mind. There for me to sign but it might be a few was nothing I could do now to make weeks or more before I saw it. I really it happen any sooner than it was going The group back in the conference didn’t to on its own, so best not to dwell on room couldn’t help but see my gi- know what it too much. to expect, gantic grin as I returned to the meet- when it Surprise, surprise! I was at work one ing, and they were so happy to hear might pos- day about six weeks later when my cell my news. Sharing my excitement sibly hap- phone rang during a meeting. I gener- with them was so much fun, and I pen, or ally ignore calls during a meeting, but really felt that I’d surpassed a mile- where I’d I can never resist glancing at the num- stone in my fledging writing career. ber on caller ID. When it showed the be when I I happily signed the contract with 212 area code, I just knew it had to be received Kensington Publishers the following my agent. After all, she’s the only per- ‘the call’ – month (September 2003), and they son I know in New York City! Could or even if I would ever receive the released my book, A Proper Introduc- it really be “that call”? call. It’s something I’d dreamed tion, in October 2004. It is a Regency about and envisioned happening Romance, and I’ve madly entered it countless of times, but each day came in every contest I can find including to an end with no result. RWA’s RITA and several local chap- My agent is a sweet lady, but a ter competitions. Hopefully, I’ll have bit of a ditz. She always sounds some- some exciting contest news to share what scatter-brained over the phone. with all of you over the next few But, she did come through with a months! contract to represent me and said she Christine Locksy joined LARA and would market my book to editors. RWA in 2004 and is slowly, very Ditz or not, she was my lifeline to slowly working on her next Re- seeing my name in print. gency novel plus a grand family saga set after the end of the Civil I had no idea how long it would War. take to hear back from her that Ignore this call? Not on your life! I someone wanted to publish my first calmly walked out of the meeting and novel. It felt so great to actually have answered my phone. And wonder of an agent, and it sounded so wonder- wonders – my agent said an editor fully pretentious to say that to my wanted to publish my book! She friends! sounded as excited as I felt and con- And, I had told just about every- gratulated me on the news. They one I knew and worked with about would pay an advance of $3,000 – a finally finishing my novel and shop- bit low she felt, but they wouldn’t go ping it around to agents. They were any higher with an unknown, unpub- wonderfully supportive and asked lished first-time author. how it was going, but I didn’t have I was just thrilled to be offered any- much to report since signing with my thing, and this amount sounded like a agent in July 2003. small fortune to me. As fun as the writ- 8 Ticket to Reality ribly wrong when I noticed at least 100 original Mr. Romance who started it beautiful women filling the rest of the all…drum roll please, Mr. Fabio him- space and no male counterparts at any self. Yes, yours truly had a photo op- by Jacqueline Crane of the tables. The theme was the Roar- portunity of a lifetime when I received ing 20s and quite a few women were a hug that literally took my breath dressed in flapper dresses and boas. away. Some even had cutesy bobs to complete the ensemble. Okay, I’m certain the women at my table didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. Our suspicions were confirmed when the emcee announced we were lucky par- ticipants in a reality show called Mr. Romance to be aired in March on the Oxygen channel. I immediately heard soft groans of “what have I gotten myself into.” Well, maybe I said it out loud. Could you blame me? LARA members Jacqueline Crane (aka: Jax) and Lisa Carole Udall vamping it up at the Several minutes later the hostess of Mr. Romance Pageant. the show introduced, not one, but twelve gorgeous specimens of the op- When I answered a posting for two posite sex perfectly suited in tuxedos! Jax receives a hug from famed cover tickets to a fundraiser event for Pedi- Whoa—back up, a room full of hot model Fabio. atric Aids, I never thought I’d be women and only twelve…let’s count stuck smack in the middle of a real- them, twelve HOTTIES! These men I won’t tell you which two men I ity show. Thanks to Medallion Press were chosen from thousands of entrants had my eye on, but I will tell you and The Romantic Times, I attended to become students in a Romance 101 that Romantic Times, Harlequin, and the benefit held on Tuesday, Decem- training school. They were forced to the Oxygen network are certainly ber 2, 2004. In my mind I had this room together with no contact with the working hard to put the “man” back picture of ball gowns and tuxedos, outside world, until tonight. into romance. What did I learn from live entertainment and blank checks. all this besides enjoying myself? Noth- With all reality shows, the rules were Instead, Lisa Carole Udall (aka: Lisa ing is what it appears and although I extremely strict. These men were al- Bradley), my friend Amanda, Roben wanted to crawl under the table at lowed to only read romance novels as Schaerf and her daughter Anna, the beginning of the night, I ended reference guides in order to learn the Debra Holland and a few other up leaving as an extremely giddy art of seduction. This meant no televi- women from the Orange County schoolgirl with a major crush on a sion, magazines, Internet access or step- Chapter were at a loss for words. gorgeous sea captain. ping foot outside the house walls. As The location? The Biltmore Ho- part of the show they would attend two Jacqueline Crane, aka Jax, has worked tel. It was unbelievably beautiful with functions, the charity event and the ac- as a staff writer for several local breathtaking chandeliers, balconies tual Mr. Romance Pageant in which one independent music and entertainment magazines in Orlando, Florida. She has and intricately designed ceiling art. contestant would end up with the It was like stepping into a romance written fourteen screenplays, is owner crown of Mr. Romance. The winner of Jaxadora Design, a home-based novel. Complete with dreamy ambi- would receive a few incredible prizes, graphic design business, and holds a ance, delectable appetizers and plenty including a one-year modeling contract Bachelors degree in Communications. of pink champagne and Red Bull. with the Oxygen network as their In 2004 she was elected Treasurer of The tables were immaculately dressed spokesman and become the next cover the Los Angeles Romance Authors and is the co-founder and web designer of with appropriate silverware and glass- model to grace Harlequin’s future ro- Romance Divas, an online romance ware in all the right places, which co- mance novels. incidentally jarred memories of long writer’s resource forum. For more Speaking of hot men, the highlight information, check out: past etiquette classes as a youth. www.romancedivas.com and of my night was meeting the first and I realized there was something ter- www.jaxadora.com. 9 Finding Time to Are you too critical of your own work? to write has a lot to do with having the time to write. When I make a Why are you critical of your work? Write decision, I have time. When I am When you invalidate yourself, you are hung up and can’t decide, I have no merely repeating in your own words by Brenda Knutson time. For example, should I write or the criticism of others. This criticism should I change my daughters’ dia- will take time away from your writ- pers? Surprise—the consequence is I don’t have time to write. ing. In order to criticize yourself, you indecision. I have four children under the age have to first have a thought, emotion, of four: three-year-old triplets and an or effort. Then you have to counter So, decide you are a writer. Al- eighteen-month-old baby. I don’t that thought, emotion, or effort such most like magic, you’ll find that you have time to write. that it denies or smothers your own are happier and you have more time thought, emotion, or effort. This takes to do the things you enjoy most, and We’ve all heard stories of success- energy and time and creativity. Imag- that you will learn to prioritize as a ful people who didn’t have enough ine all the energy, time, and creativity result. (Don’t worry, my sitter time or money when they started you can get back if you don’t criticize knows how to change diapers.) writing. What changed? How did they yourself! go from unsuccessful to successful? Do you have a hard time just sit- When and how did they find What is the solution? Well ting down and starting? Then decide time and money to live their the solution that works for where and when to write. Go there dreams? I have learned that me is simple: Be, Do, Have. with your laptop, pen, paper, and whatever tools you need to write. the most common barrier What does this Then, sit down and write. For me, people blame for not living mean? “Be” a writer. it’s the library. I pay a sitter five days their dreams is not enough Assume the identity a week for a few hours each day and time or not enough money. of a writer. Do I take my laptop to the library and I Sounds reasonable, right? what a writer write. Why the library? No one calls does. Create Wrong. These are not real rea- me there. My kids aren’t calling my ideas, stories, charac- sons, and successful people know name and friends, family, and ters, and plots. Have that. Usually, there’s a different telemarketers aren’t calling me on the what a writer has: stories excuse behind no time and no phone. Also, the library has lots of and time to write those money. Let’s examine some of the reference books, including dictionar- stories. real reasons. ies and thesauruses. So, what place Does someone disapprove of what Now let’s talk a little more works for you? about “Do.” Think of writ- you are doing? The next time you find yourself ing production as income. To do this, being “reasonable” and not writing If someone disapproves of your try keeping track of how much you because you don’t have time or writing, you need to decide how im- write for just one week. Pick pages or money, cut it out! Being reasonable portant that person is to you. Are they minutes per day. Graph it. Make a is nothing more than trying to make important enough to cause you to game out of it. If you find you’re win- something illogical and intolerable give up your dream? I hope you’re not ning this game, keep on graphing your make sense. Don’t go into agreement spending time thinking about this. statistics as a writer. Sooner or later, you with not having time or money to The answer is no. I don’t care if that may find you have to keep a separate write. It’s your dream, live it! person is your husband, wife, mother, graph for the income you earned as a father, daughter, or son. They have writer! LARA member Brenda Knutson creates their own dreams. Would you kill stories and time to write those stories. their dreams? No. So why give them Let’s talk about “Have.” Sometimes Writing is the one hat Brenda has worn consistently in her life of many hats: an this power over you? I worry about not having time to write. I learned that making a decision attorney, a sales manager, a wife, and a mother. 10 In this feature, a LARA member acter driven novels, emotion is the “spunky kid” Sugar Beth’s plans, with PRO status reviews a pub- glue that holds all of these ele- hires her to work as his house- lished author’s book from any ments together. Her style of fun, keeper, devises a cruel get-even subgenre of romance. yet poignant, fast paced romps de- scheme, and in the process, dis- liver time and time again. covers a worthy opponent. Did I mention he also manages to fall In Ain’t She Sweet? Sugar Beth PROs Review the in love with her…again? And Carey appears to be as close to a Sugar Beth, the former beauty Pubs villain as you can be without mur- who has now evolved into a dering someone. She used to own humbled-by-life, yet strong by Janet Maarschalk the world in high school—at least heroine, proves herself deserving that’s what the reader is made to of both the reader’s respect and Publication: Susan Elizabeth think—and shoved it in the town’s empathy, and the hero’s love. Phillips’ Ain't She Sweet? collective face. But fifteen years and three marriages later, stripped When Susan Elizabeth of her youthful looks, all of her Phillips skillfully unpacks this money, and most of her hope, she story of redemption, a bitter- comes limping home. Dressed in sweet secondary love story also dime store designer clothes, ac- unfolds, the truth about her half- companied by a manipulative bas- sister and the father they shared set hound, and one noble secret, is unraveled, and the town is fi- she stumbles into the unforgiving nally exorcised of old hurt and arms of Parrish, Mississippi. Her grudges. Former friends once last ditch plan is to find a valuable again open their arms to Parrish’s family heirloom painting, sell it to favorite bad girl, and this time the highest bidder and get out of she proves that she has become Dodge. Another selfish endeavor, the woman she was meant to be. you ask? Perhaps. How do I love thee Susan Retribution is the only thing on Elizabeth Phillips…let me count British ex-patriot Colin Byrne’s the ways. mind. When the former beauty queen shows up on his doorstep, his bitter memories of how she Janet Maarschalk, LARA and wrongly accused him of something Heartbeat On-line RWA chap- that ruined his reputation are fore- ter member, has recently There are no villains in Susan most in his mind. And as the say- finished writing her sixth Elizabeth Phillips’ brand of “big ing goes, living well is life’s best novel and is already in the romance.” No murder or may- revenge. Now a well-respected planning stages for the next. A hem. So how does she write a writer, he owns and lives in Sugar PRO RWA member, she is a single title plot without a bad Beth’s family home and is admired multiple contest winner and guy? Conflict. She fills her sto- by the very people that used to LARA’s VP of programming. ries with oodles of external cir- adore her. But is he happy? cumstances and situations, mixes And how, you may ask, do these that with secrets and personal delightful foes manage to fall in fears, and then throws in a whole love? Through a fun and master- cartload of emotional baggage for ful game of cat and mouse, Colin, good measure. And in her char- the “lost soul,” blocks all of the 11 Author Dean Koontz: sometimes the jokes were at his thinker, he tends to avoid brain- own expense, which I found dis- storming with other authors and Impressions armingly appealing. Okay, I sup- editors. He told many stories of pose it’s obvious that I devel- his struggles with editors who by Lisa Carole Udall oped a little crush. Trust me, the wanted to make changes to his man is utterly charming! manuscripts. It seems he often won out, and we can clearly see He also took a few moments from his enormous success that to talk about the work he and I recently had the privilege of he knows what’s good for his his wife do with organizations hearing Dean Koontz, best-sell- career, and is in touch with what for disabled children as well as ing author of numerous thrilling his fans want from him. suspense novels, speak at the with animals. When the OCC Orange County Chapter of chapter president had him The main message he wanted RWA. From what I know of his present the director of the to get across is that no matter the books, I expected to see a som- Women’s Transitional Center great success a writer may have, ber man with drawn features, a with a donation raised for their the writing process doesn’t shadow in his eyes closing him abused women’s shelter, he an- change. One doesn’t magically off from intimate contact with nounced that he and his wife become capable of knocking out the outside world. Instead what would match the donation a 100,000-word manuscript in a I found was an incredibly warm, week. Editors and agents don’t articulate, and hysterically funny necessarily become less opinion- man who made every person in ated about one’s work, and in the room feel as though he were fact everyone has higher expec- having a private conversation tations. There are still days when with him or her. he sits down to write and struggles to make his stories He spoke quite a lot about the come to life. In the end, I’m aw- business end of publishing. His fully glad he does. tales were long and involved, but © Lisa Carole Udall, 2005 I never felt bored or anxious, because the main thing I realized about this man is that he is a su- perb storyteller. Whether he was talking about the lengthy and Lisa Carole Udall, aka Lisa difficult process of working with Bradley, has been writing screenwriters and producers contemporary romance for two amount. It’s nice to see a person years and has a children’s book whose ideas about putting his who is generous with their well- due to be released in early books on film were quite differ- earned wealth, and who hasn’t let March. She writes a monthly ent from his own, or telling sto- fame go to his head, allowing it article for ries about his dog, Trixie (who to completely insulate him from www.RomanceDivas.com, and is now has her own book out, Life the rest of the world. the author of four unpublished is Good), there was always humor manuscripts. in his voice and in the way his But what did he have to say eyes crinkled at the corners when about writing? He told us he smiled. Watchers was his favorite book to write. It seems he’s a bit of a His humor runs heavily to sar- plotter as well as a bit of a casm, which I happen to like, and “pantster.” An independent

12 A Foot in Two was a penal colony and settled with The only difference between city people from the British Isles in 1770. and country folk in Australia is the Countries Those in- speed of speech, but a few colloquial- habitants fell isms come to mind. In the state of by Roben Schaerf into three Queensland they call a suitcase a “port,” distinct whereas in my home state of New G’day mate. As a native Aussie liv- groups: the South Wales, if we packed a port it ing in California and trying to write British Of- would be liquor. Queenslander’s say for an American audience, I often find ficer and his family, the less than glam- “eh?” after everything…like our Cana- myself caught up in an odd mix of orous convict, and the native Aborigi- dian friends, aye? Aussies drive on the expressions, cultural differences, and nal. Aboriginal people had lived on the left hand side of the road and our car’s ways of stringing words together to land for over 40,000 years and had a trunk is called the “boot” – we use the pass as acceptable speech. I revert to my culture, belief system, and distinct lan- metric system so miles are measured native language, blending American- guage, with words like “billabong” (a in kilometers, and acres are hectares. isms with Aussie expressions, when waterhole in a dried up river bed), “boo- Many words have had a vowel added under stress or in the deepest emotional merang” (a curved flat wooden instru- to the end, making everything into a aspects of my storytelling. Without my ment), “bunyip” (a mythical bush spirit), diminutive; for example, Hell’s Angels critique group I’d be lost. They circle “yakka” (word for work), and “woomera” become “bikies.” Of course, if you’re the weird expressions and write, “what (stick used for throwing spears). The going to have a bash at writing about a does this mean?” Then I give them my British language often had no name for good old Aussie “mate,” or “bloke,” best wrinkled brow, puzzled gaze, and the strange environment, or unfamiliar you must also pepper your words with say, “How come you don’t know?” land, flora, and fauna – new words were a good dose of expletives. A separate Then it hits me; I’m not speaking their invented using Aboriginal expressions discussion, and way too wild for these language. With a foot in both coun- combined with the slang of the early pages. convict settlers. tries (I travel to Australia every year or The Australian language, like two and all of my family live there) Some Australian words have a differ- American, is forever evolving. Last it’s hard to remember who takes title ent connotation in America. For ex- week my mother used an to which phrase or expression. ample, a rubber is not a condom, it’s an expression I’d never eraser. Oops! I learned that the hard way, heard – it was blush, blush. Some words have been ‘hoon’ and re- shortened beyond recognition, for ex- fers to a hooli- ample, afternoon becomes “arvo” and a gan, or yahoo. “fag” is a cigarette. The letter “h” is often Guess it comes dropped by the Aussie, and most speak from hooligan and larrikin, which with a slight nasal sound. We also put were in vogue in my youth, but “an” in front of words like historian, maybe, on second thought, it’s just whereas an American uses “a.” Not a an Aussie abbreviation for the good thing when writing to the Ameri- word hooligan – I mean, who can audience. Ahh, I have so much to needs to say the whole word when it learn…sigh. Then there is spelling. Cen- can easily be abbreviated, eh? – Lan- tre becomes center; programme becomes guage! – No worries! We’ll figure it program; theatre becomes theater. But out! what do you do when The Sydney Roben Schaerf is twice published ‘Strine’ – Australian that is – is a Harbour finds its way into your writ- in women’s fiction in Australia. ing, yet in America the word Harbour is She works hard at learning the weird conglomeration of languages. Of craft of romance writing and is in course, the original language was pri- spelled Harbor? constant pursuit of the elusive marily British. The “land down under” American contract. 13 Contests: Springboard Typically, you get helpful feedback from preliminary round judges. or Sandbar? < If tears are your first response to their comments, tuck them into a Monthly meetings: Part One drawer for a week or two. When your wounds have healed, review the Meetings of the Los Angeles by Katie McGuinness suggestions thoughtfully. More often than not, the judge has flagged a Romance Authors are held at Writing contests sponsored by genuine weakness. Her proposed fix the Barnes and Noble in RWA chapters can help you climb may not work, but don’t use that as out of the slush pile or they can an excuse to ignore the problem. If Encino, usually on the third stall your career. How you ap- you doubt her wisdom, distill the proach them determines the result. comment into a phrase, for example, Sunday of the month. Guests “slow pacing,” and enter it on a chart. Why Enter Contests? If you update the chart as other con- are welcome to attend one test results arrive, you may begin to meeting for free. Coffee and Final rounds are usually judged see a pattern. by editors and hungry agents. chat starts at 10:00 AM. Occasionally, a final judge will request your full manuscript, a re- General meeting starts at lationship will develop and, with 10:30 AM. great good luck, you will sell. Even if none of these occur, finalling enhances your writing re- Address: sume. Some contests are more prestigious than others, with the Barnes & Noble Booksellers Golden Heart topping the list. Other highly regarded contests in- 16461 Ventura Blvd., clude the Emily, the Jasmine, the Encino, CA 91436 Maggie, the Molly, and Finally a Bride. However, you should be But remember, some judges will (818) 380-1636 aware that a few editors claim they give unreasonably low scores or un- ignore or discount most contest re- kind comments. You can count on Cross-street: Hayvenhurst sults. it. Unjust critics are a hazard all con- testants eventually encounter. Don’t let them sap your ambition or your happiness. It’s not fair to be marked down because the heroine has short hair and “everyone knows men prefer long hair,” but it happens. The only way to minimize the risk of being zinged by a crackpot is to pick your contests care- cont. on fully. pg 15

14 Another reason to enter contests processor to create exactly 25 lines per singled out to avoid judges who is to develop the courage to eventu- page? If you polish your first chapter don’t understand or dislike your ally send your work to a publisher. until the pages are thin, but neglect the specialization. rest of your manuscript, what good Finally, contests provide valida- If your goal is getting in front of will a request do? tion. You are a writer. Judges will read an editor, make sure the category you your draft more carefully than they plan to enter has a suitable final read Nora Roberts! judge. An editorial assistant with an inspirational publisher will be Why Avoid Contests unlikely to request your spicy romance. They are expensive, with average entry fees between $20 – $30, plus Review the score sheet carefully postage to and from the contest coor- to be certain your proposed entry cov- dinator, plus duplicating costs. ers all the bases. For example, if the hero makes only a cameo appear- ance in the first chapter, you should skip contests that weigh heavily the character of both hero and heroine. As noted above, some contests are more prestigious than others. More noteworthy contests are more competitive with more criti- Which Contests to Enter cal judges. To minimize getting blindsided If entering contests still appeals by a flaky judge, look for contests to you, look for Part Two of this judged by published authors or, at article in the March LARA Confi- least, trained unpublished writers. dential, where I’ll discuss winning Contests that automatically discard strategies. Waiting for results can be nerve an entry’s low score mitigate grad- racking and receiving negative feed- ing insanity, as do contests that in- back can be shattering. If you tend Katie McGuinness traded the clude an additional judge if the range to be anxious and don’t take criti- drudgery of drafting legal docu- between high and low scores on an cism well, stay away from contests. ments for the whimsy of writing entry is too great. There are other ways to break into romance. Although she has publishing. Check out the “Entered Consider the number and variety finalled in over a dozen RWA A Contest Lately?” thread in the Writ- of contest categories. Some contests chapter contests and even won a ing Romance Community at combine single title, romantic sus- few, she’s still waiting for the www.eharlequin.com to read case his- pense, and chick lit in one category. call. tories of contest-induced neuroses! Chick lit writers believe they’re dis- advantaged by this approach. Other The biggest reason to avoid con- contests lump all contemporaries tests is that they are time-consuming (single title plus short series and long and potentially distracting. Would series) into one group. If you write you rather write another chapter in in a particular sub-category such as your work in progress or drive to the paranormal or inspirational, look for copy shop after fighting your word contests in which those genres are 15 How You Can Become would know that. The discerning eyes of contest judges propel an author to a Part of Romance publication. Also talent and hard work, History but that’s another article.) “Oh no,” you say, “that’s simply too by Kassia Krozser much power for little ole me. I can’t make those kinds of life altering decisions. I don’t want to be the one who On a Saturday night in July, forces someone to undergo standard somewhere in the Reno Hilton, a deviation.”* You’re probably even whole lot of freaking out will be thinking, do I have the skills to differ- going on. entiate between a “5” and “6”? Tami Cowden sums up her GH The answer is: yes, you do. You have judging approach like this: “Well, the necessary chops to judge the Golden speaking as a GH winner who had a Heart. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little typo on page 3, I’d say don’t make secret: despite its prominence and im- any decisions until you are well into portance and ability to launch careers, the story. Look at the overall big the Golden Heart is, if not numero uno, picture - were you engaged by the one of the easiest contests to judge. writing, did you enjoy the pace and Ever. flow, does the story line make sense To judge the Golden Heart, you and come to a satisfying conclusion, read and score entries. I’ve done it many do the characters appeal to you, does times, and asked other experts, who the story fit the category in which it offered their sage advice. No need to was entered, was the overall presen- analyze goals, motivations, or conflicts. tation professional? If the answer to Unless it’s something you really enjoy all of those is a yes, then those fac- doing in your spare time. You don’t tors are far more important than in- struggle through paragraphs about why dividual details for which you might This hysteria culminates with the secondary characters were too in- take points off in a contest with a approximately ten lucky, if incom- trusive. You don’t explain that the plot detailed score sheet. If the answers prehensible, souls standing on a felt, well, a little thin. All you do is tend to be no, well, then give the stage, holding back sobs. It is, of read and score. score that reflects your lack of en- course, only my assumption, but thusiasm for it.” nobody is wishing they were at Looking at it like that, it is Linda Rooks, 2004 multi-final- home, wearing fuzzy slippers. somewhat frightening that such a powerful contest is so simply ist and past Golden Heart winner, Many enter the Golden Heart (in judged. It seems there should be agrees. She doesn’t read, score, mail, fact, this year, many, many, many more angst attached. Not that en- and forget it. She sits “on the entries entered), and few walk away with trants don’t suffer. If you ever want for a few days. Maybe individually, the necklace. Those who do remem- to have a good time, sit back and maybe as a group. When you see a ber with heartfelt affection the skim the flurry of emails sent the really bad entry or a really good en- hardworking souls who made it all last week before mailing manu- try, you fine tune your skills. The possible: Golden Heart judges. scripts. Normally level-headed more you judge, the better you become. (Sure, you could argue that tal- people suddenly indulge in font cont. on After a few days, I ent and hard work play a part in the freak-outs. It may not be pretty, pg 17 look at the entry process, but without judges, nobody but it sure is excellent theater.

16 you’re going to survive this process (and tests. I promise you it will be worth "Judging please hurry – people actually calendar the extra effort. the day the finalists are announced, and Not judging this year? Save your- late judges make for late announce- self the time of remembering to vol- contest ments), here’s your action plan: unteer next year, and get yourself entries is a 1. Open the package. Take out all online and head to the RWA website the paper. Put the score sheet in a place (www.rwanational.org). Go to your great way to nowhere near your shredder. You’ll member profile and add yourself to need this later. the GH judging pool. improve your 2. Pick up an entry, any entry, and read it. Think about where it falls * Despite a critique partner who own writing." in the scoring range. Then do this with patiently explains this concept every another – remember, you don’t have year, I have absolutely no idea what to rank your entries against each other. this means. I do know that it is im- again. Usually, with the really bad If you have a bunch of nines, cool. I portant. It seems to me it should and really good entries, it’s just a envy you. come with a little instruction matter of deciding if it’s a 2.1 or a 3. Have manual. Also a shiny carrying case. 2.2 or 8.8 or an 8.9 respectively. a glass of The harder entries are in the middle wine. Take (4-7). I spend more time, even re- a day or Kassia Krozser has the proud reading the entry sometimes, to two off. distinction of being one of two make sure my opinion is valid. Fi- Three if members of her critique group to nally I make a judgment and it’s usu- you have never final in the Golden Heart. She also runs ally within the range I gave at the first time. Re- read.” www.booksquare.com, a blog for read if you need writers. Judging contest entries is a great to (like Linda, I read way to improve your own writing every contest entry at (sad, but true, but you see your own least twice...those An Agent, Please middle ones are really faults more clearly in the work of by Ethel Ann Pemberton others). Judging is also a way to give tough). If you’re back to the community. Judging the lucky, you have at Golden Heart has an added bonus: least one entry that My fingers fly across the keys when an entry you judged finals, you stuck with youafter reading it. In composing artful works feel like you’ve really made a differ- my opinion (never humble), stories to join the others in my drawers ence in a career. When it wins, you that stick have something special. revealing all my quirks feel like you’ve won, too. 4. Finish the score sheet. Remem- Five hundred pages just this month So, you, the one staring at your ber, you don’t have to use the whole a novel it’s become judging packet and wondering how range of numbers. Each entry stands Too much to say, can’t stop to wait on its own merits. Hard, but you’d for writer’s block to come. want the same for you. No time to market manuscripts 5. Return scores to the RWA of- Selling’s not my caper fice. Wait for finalist announcements. I need to find an agent now Gloat when entries you judged final. before I drown in paper 6. Volunteer to judge other con-

17 Los Angeles Romance Authors Presents Carolyn Greene “The Plot Doctor” Got a great idea for a romance but don’t know where to begin? Know your beginning and end but not much in between? Carolyn is just what the doctor ordered. Whether your book is in need of a quick fix or on serious life support, Greene’s step-by step plotting methods can help you too! This interactive workshop is open to all levels of writers. Attendees will learn to:

Brainstorm your book- capture the idea when it’s just a tiny spark Build fully realized characters in three easy steps Outline and structure your novel—great for writing a synopsis Create believable conflict Keep the reader hooked and the action going Break through writer’s block Have a payoff ending to leave the reader satisfied

When and Where: Saturday, May 21, 2005. 9:00 A.M. TO 4:00 P.M. Carolyn Green is a much-sought after Holiday Inn: Burbank Media Center – (818) 841-4770 speaker who has 150 East Angeleno Avenue, Burbank, CA 91502 taught her “Plot Doctor” methods to writers all over the country. She Cost: is a bestselling author and has been a finalist $45.00 for LARA members, $50.00 all others for RWA’s prestigious Parking Fee of $2.00 with validation. RITA award. Her next work on shelves will be Ms.Greene’s workbook Prescription for Plotting, will be available for $30.00. Birds of a Feather, in September 2005, from Continental breakfast included. Special hotel room rate for attendees from out of the area: $99.00 Guidepost Books. Space is limited, so please enroll early!

For more information please go to www.losangelesromanceauthors.comwww.losangelesromanceauthors.com. Mail registration form and check made out to LARA to: Janet Maarschalk 3088 Texas Avenue Simi Valley, CA 93063

Registration form. Tear off and mail in with check to LARA.

NAME: ______$45.00 _ $50.00 _ Workbook ($30.00)

ADDRESS: ______Email: ______

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