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Member News
Amanda Collins shared the news that her entry,
Portrait of a Nightingale, is a finalist in both the New Jersey RWA's Put Your Heart
in a Book Contest and the Toronto
RWA's Golden
Opportunity Contest! Much good
luck!
Carla Swafford's manuscript, A Sheriff to Call Her Own, is a finalist in the Long Contemporary category
of the Maggies. Here's wishing you good luck
at Moonlight and Magnolias Conference.
Amanda Collins - Her entry, Portrait of a Nightingale, is a finalist in the historical category
of the 2008 Kiss of Death Chapter's Daphne
Du Maurier Contest! We're not surprised to
learn that Amanda loves Ms. Du Marier's "Rebecca." Amanda and other finalists will be
eagerly awaiting the results of the contest
at the KOD's Death by Chocolate Party at
the RWA® National Convention in San Francisco.
Congratulations on this honor, Amanda, and
we'll be rooting for you to win the final
prize.
Success at Silken Sands
By Nita Shoemaker
What a great conference! Everything was so
smooth and seemingly effortless. That's what
comes from having a great conference committee
and so many talented members to do the work.
I'm willing to bet that just about everyone
who pitched to the agent and editors got
a submission request. I asked our chapter
members for their input and here's what they
said:
Dianna Love - A successful conference experience depends
on what you expect from attending the conference,
in my opinion. If you go with no expectations,
then you must be pretty happy when you leave
<grin>, but I think most of us head
to any event with expectations.
I looked forward to presenting a workshop
with my nonfiction writing partner, Mary
Buckham, who traveled from Seattle, WA. My
expectations for Silken Sands? That I'd meet
people in our workshops who are excited about
working on their stories…that I'd reconnect
with people I haven't seen in a while…that
I'd make new acquaintances.
With regard to the workshop - we had a terrific
group who challenged us with questions that
showed they were really thinking deeper on
their stories and characters. I saw writers
I hadn't seen in a while and enjoyed the
chance to catch up. By the end of the weekend,
I'd gained a few new friends and met some
new readers at the signing.
As Albert Schweitzer said, "Success
is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is
the key to success. If you love
what you
are doing, you will be successful."
I always love what I'm doing
so no matter
where I go so I feel Silken Sands
Conference
ranks right up at the top of
my list of successful
conferences. Great job by all
who donated
their time to see this conference
come back.
www.AuthorDiannaLove.com
Don McNair - The luckiest thing that happened to me
was when my scheduled agent couldn’t attend
the Conference because her American Airlines
flight got canceled.
I pitched Caren Johnson instead. She appeared
stone-faced for the first two
or three minutes,
then smiled and said, “That could
work!”
Later, she said, “Nicholas Cage!”
I wasn’t sure what she meant, but pitched
away. Her smile grew larger,
and I shifted
into high gear. When I finished
she said,
“Send me a synopsis and three
chapters.”
She scribbled her email address
on a piece
of paper and handed it to me.
I grinned. She looked at me quizzically,
and I laughed.
“It’s just like ‘American Idol,” I said,
holding that piece of paper out
in front
of me in both hands. “Now’s when
I’m supposed
to run out into the hallway yelling,
‘I’m
going to Hollywood!’” She laughed.
Of course that was more than a week ago,
and I haven’t yet heard back.
But maybe I
will! Whether or not I get that
call, I’m
forever grateful to the Chapter
for putting
together such a superb Conference.
You outdid
yourselves, gals.
Martha Krieger (AKA Allison Knight) - My success was the excellent conference.
I did talk to Sherrilyn and she advised me
to sell my gothics as YA gothics. Caren Johnson
said she'd take a look - when it's finished,
but I'm only now recovering from the conference
and trying to put all the finishing touches
on things, e.g. the conference pictures.
It will be a month before I get the book
done. <sigh>
Fran McNabb - To me, success of Silken Sands was shown
in the smiling faces that left the hotel,
the smooth running "front" that
everyone saw, and the editors and agents
who went beyond the call of duty.
Personal success, I had a couple
of manuscripts
requested, won a critique, and
was able to
put faces with names. Meeting
new people
in the industry is always a joy
and a perk
to being conference chair (hint,
hint). And,
of course, I took home a cherished
award
and beautiful bread basket.
Carla Swafford - Beautiful beach, fun conference, and I
got to hang out with old and new friends
alike. I went to several wonderful workshops,
but the best one was Lenora Worth's. The
woman is talented, insightful and funny.
Rita Van Fleet - I received a request for the full historical
novella (His Second Chance) from Kensington's
Megan Records. When Don read a scene from
my paranormal shape shifter novella (The
Wedding Planner) at the evening critique
session, an editor from Champagne who was
attending as a writer requested the manuscript
after I add 5,000 words. Also, I won Deb
Werksman's critique at the raffle and she
said just to send her a synopsis and what
I had written on my historical novel-Queen's
Pawn-which I didn't pitch because it was
not completed.
Amber Shedeck (AKA Amber Leigh Williams) - Margo from Harlequin and Caren Johnson
requested a partial of my latest Southern
contemporary. It was fun spending time with
my writing friends. I've never done that
before so it was a whole different experience.
Cindy (Roussos), Joan (Turner), and I enjoyed
a game of putt-putt after the banquet. Sherrilyn's
speech was so beautiful and inspiring. I'm
so happy she's had as much success as she
has. She deserves it! Catherine Mann was
lovely. I especially enjoyed listening to
Dianna Love and Mary Buckham in the Break
Into Fiction workshop. Cynthia Eden's paranormal
workshop was also very informative. It gave
me lots of ideas for the wolf-shifter story
I've wanted to do for almost a year now :
)
All around, it was an incredible
conference!
I'm so happy I could be there
especially
at this point in my life!!!
Sheri Cobb South - I met with Caren Johnson, who requested
3 chapters and a synopsis of my 1930's Hollywood
mystery. She also expressed interest in representing
me in selling mass market rights to my Regency
mystery, In Milady's Chamber, and asked for
more information (sales figures, reviews,
etc.) on that book.
I also met with Megan Records
of Kensington
regarding mass market rights
to In Milady's
Chamber. While Megan said she
very rarely
edits mysteries, she referred
me to a fellow
Kensington editor who is acquiring
mysteries,
and told me to mention her (Megan's)
name
to him.
Amanda Collins - For me the conference was a great way
to get back into the groove after my heart
surgery in late February. I wasn't able to
stay for the whole conference, but while
I was there I got some great networking in
(thanks to Cindy Eden who took me under her
wing) and met with two editors and an agent.
From Margo Lipschultz at HQN, I got a request
for a partial. I also got a request for a
partial from Caren Johnson. And from Deb
Werksman of Sourcebooks I got a request for
a full. Not too shabby for someone who was
on the heart machine a little over a month
ago!
Also, I learned recently that
Hilary Sares
of Kensington requested the full
of my manuscript
Portrait of a Nightingale that
finalled in
8th place in the Silicon Valley
RWA® Contest.
It was one of three fulls she
requested from
the top eight in the historical
category.
Joan Turner - I had a very successful, first conference.
I was among the many who entered the Linda
Howard Award of Excellence contest, but only
one of the few that had a full manuscript
request! I also had submission requests from
both the editor and the agent I met with.
It was an all around phenomenal experience…
meeting published authors - big name people
- and understanding they are just like me,
attending very insightful and useful workshops,
hearing about the publishing side from the
editors, and being a part of something that
was a huge success. I can't wait for the
next one!
Nita Shoemaker - Just when I think I'm going to hear the
same old ho-hum workshops and meet with the
same old ho-hum editors and agents, I always
get a big surprise. Sign-in, goodie room,
workshops, appointments, book fair - all
were smooth and well prepared. The food at
the hotel was good (and plentiful). My conference
mate, Nanci Race and I had lunch with Deb
Werksman of Sourcebooks. What a great networking
experience. Although she didn't request anything
of mine, we talked about authors we knew
and she even bought lunch.
I had the honor of introducing
Dianna Love
and Mary Buckham for the first
workshop of
the session. It was a two hour
event and
the time simply flew by. The
other workshops
all seemed to end too soon. As
I sat there
listening, I was all too aware
of the other
workshops. What did I miss by
not popping
in next door? I wished there
were two of
me.
Pardon my gush, but the speakers
were phenomenal!
Who would believe that famous
author Sherrilyn
Kenyon was reduced to the welfare
state before
becoming one of the hottest authors
in our
time? Catherine Mann was equally
inspirational,
as was Roland Haas. Now, how
many people
ever get to listen to a lecture
by a former
CIA assassin?
I must mention the super awards
banquet with
our sister chapter Southern Magic.
I am so
proud that we now have the Fran
McNabb Achievement
Award. We can only strive to
live up to everything
this award represents.
As I prepared to attend one more
workshop,
I got the news that I had won
a raffle basket.
It was Rita Van Fleet's. When
I walked into
the first session, I saw that
basket and
it seemed to say, "Pick
me," and
later, it picked me.
As for my personal success: I
have a request
for a full from Megan Records
of Kensington.
Although this is a great invitation,
I find
that it pales in comparison to
the joy I
felt as I visited with my chapter
mates.
You are so wonderful. Thank you
one and all!
April 3, 2008 ~ Exciting news from Cynthia
Eden.
Kensington has offered her another
three-book contract! They want
her to keep
writing paranormal suspense/urban
fantasy
stories for their Brava line!
January 26, 2008 ~ New member Amanda Collins
is a finalist in the Silicon Valley RWA's
GOTCHA Contest with her Victorian Historical
titled Portrait of a Nightingale. Nice going, Amanda and Much Good Luck!
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January 17, 2008 ~ Peggy Cunningham has signed a contract with Black Lyon Publishing
to publish her first novel. Lily in Bloom by Margaret P. Cunningham is scheduled to
to come out in May of this year. It is the
story of a divorced, middle-aged woman who,
through the restoration of a garden puts
old ghosts to rest, finds a new career and
discovers that love blooms in the unlikliest
of places. |
January 3, 2008 ~ Carolyn Slaughter is a finalist in the Duel on the Delta Contest
(Inspirational category) with her contemporary
manuscript Joanna's Treasure. What a great way to start the new year!
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December 30, 2007 ~ Amber Leigh Williams
(member Amber W. Shedeck) got The Call from Red Rose Publishing in
September for her mainstream romantic adventure
Fox & Hound, which should be published in mid to late
2008. In November, she sold a romantic suspense
novel, Denied Origin, to The Wild Rose Press. She will begin
edits on Denied Origin in March and it should be released in late
2008. Way to go, Amber! |
| December 14, 2007 -- Donna McClaire (Member
Don McNair) is a finalist in the EPIC's Children/YA Category for 2008 with
his recently published book, "Attack of the Killer Prom Dresses,"
Calderwood Books. EPIC (Electronically Published
Internet Connection) was launched in 1997
as a special-interest RWA® chapter, and soon spun off as a separate
corporation. The EPPIE Awards have been given
annually since the first EPIC conference,
to recognize "outstanding achievement
in e-publishing." Winners will be announced
at the annual EPICon Convention in Portland,
Oregon on March 6-9, 2008. |
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December 11, 2007 -- Cynthia Eden placed 3rd in the Barclay Gold Contest for
published writers for her Secrets novella,
"The Wolf's Mate" (from Secrets,
Volume 18: Dark Passions) Yay! |
Mimi Bosarge won a Certificate and Cash Prize
for her entry "The Wait"
in the
Mississippi Poetry Society/Writers
Unlimited
Contest. What a wonderful accomplishment!
You make us proud to be Gulf
Coast Writers.
Martha Krieger (Allison Knight)
got a call
from The Alabama Library Association
informing
her that she will now be listed
with Alabama
authors. This is a fabulous honor.
The caller
had seen Rita Van Fleet's articles
about
our meetings in the newspaper.
Way to go,
you gals!
Kresley Cole's "No Rest For The Wicked" -- Winner in the paranormal category
of The Aspen Gold Contest for Published Authors
sponsored by The Heart Of Denver Romance
Writers ~~ Congratulations!!!
  
President Martha Krieger (AKA: Allison Knight),
top left with members of the Baton Rouge
chapter of RWA® ~~ Beth White with Lenora
Worth, and Fran McNabb with Carolyn Slaughter
~~ All recently attended a Readers Luncheon
in Baton Rouge sponsored by their local RWA®
chapter, another small group. It was their
first luncheon and our chapter was delighted
to be a part of it. Everyone had a great
time. Rita Van Fleet (our outstanding chapter
publicist) made special badges for our chapter
mates to wear (and spread the word about
Silken Sands Conference 2008). Surprise!
Surprise! Everyone had already heard about
it. We look forward to seeing them again.
AND... Check out the raffle basket full of
beach sand and all kinds of beach goodies
(including novels) donated by GCCRWA!
Dianna Love Snell announces a collaboration with Sherrilyn Kenyon. They are co -writing the next B.A.D. Agency
romantic suspens for Pocket - PHANTOM IN THE NIGHT - to be released June 2008. For more info,
go to www.DiannaLoveSnell.com Dianna and
Sherrilyn will be in New Orleans, LA the
last weekend of October for K-Con (Kenyon
Convention) that has been sold out for months.
For those interested in learning about K-Con
for next year, go to www.SherrilynKenyon.com
Dianna is also presenting retreats on how
to PLOT YOUR BOOK IN 2 DAYS with
Mary Buckham. For more information on that,
go to www.BreakIntoFiction.com
Dianna and Mary will present a two-hour hands
on workshop at Silken Sands
Conference in April 2008 on Power Openings
and Power Pacing using templates
from their Break Into Fiction Template Teaching
series that can only be gotten in
hard copy at a workshop.
Congratulations to Gulf Coast Romance Writers
for their achievements in the Georgia Romance
Writers Maggie Contest!
2007 Published Maggie Awards Finalists:
SINGLE TITLE -- Kresley Cole, A Hunger Like No Other
LONG CONTEMPORARY--Catherine Mann, Fully Engaged
2007 Unpublished Maggie Awards Finalist:
SHORT CONTEMPORARY--Carla Swafford, The Preacher's Son - Honorable Mention
Fran McNabb's second book, HALF MOON RISING, will be published by Avalon Books in June
2008. Set along the Mississippi Gulf Coast,
the book is a tender romance about two friends
falling in love.
Cynthia Eden has sold three novels and two novellas to
Kensington Brava. Her first Brava release,
HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT, will be available in May of 2008.
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 2007 RITA Winner for Best Paranormal Romance
"A Hunger Like No Other" by Kresley
Cole -- Pocket Books, Star - (1416509879)
Lauren McKenna, editor! |
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 And the winner is... Dianna Love Snell's
"Worth Every Risk" won the RITA
for the Best Long Contemporary Romance! |
Dianna Love Snell’s Worth Every Risk is a
Double RITA Finalist in “Best First Book”
and “Best Long Contemporary" categories.
Martha Longshore, writing as Tess Pendergrass has a Silhouette Bombshell novel coming
out in April. The title is -- Missing Incorporated.
Beth White's book, On Wings Of Deliverance, will be released on April 1, 2006. Her new
book from Zondervan, Fireworks, is set for release in May 2006.
Beth White's book, Under Cover of Darkness was nominated for a 2005 Romantic Times
Reviewers Choice Award for best Love Inspired
Suspense.
Fran McNabb GOT THE CALL! Avalon Books wants to buy
her novel, A Light in the Dark. She is also a finalist in the Linda Howard
Award of Excellence Contest for her long
contemporary entry, Cooling Waters.
Ginny Vail's workshop, "Google This! Tips and Tricks
for Writers" has been accepted for the
National Convention and will take place on
Saturday July 29 from 3:15pm - 4:15pm.
Carolyn Slaughter's manuscript, Love on a Dime, continues to win contests: ACFW (American
Christian Fiction Writers) Noble Theme Contest
-- 1st place Historical Category. Her Retreat Toward Love took 3rd place - Inspirational Category
- in the Red River RWA - Ticket to Write
Contest.
Beth White got the news from her agent that Zondervan
has offered a blind 3-book contract for books
to release in August 07, April 08, and October
08. She had just sent her agent a one-book
proposal, so the timing was great. She will
be signing books for Sounds of Silence (her December release from Steeple Hill
Love Inspired) at LifeWay Christian Store
in Mobile (at Colonial Mall) on December
10, 11-1.
Don McNair (our lone male) reports that Medallion Press
is putting together six full-color illustrations
for The Long Hunter. He says the whole process seems so long
and drawn out, but he is enjoying it.
Sheri Cobb South’s good news is In Milady’s Chamber is now up on the Five Star web site (google
"Five Star Publishing," click on
"Coming Soon," select "January"
from the pull-down menu of months) and Amazon
(this one doesn't show any real details about
the book, but it's nice to know it's available
there!)
Ginny Vail's book, To The Limit, a Silhouette Intimate Moments, is a finalist
in the Aspen Gold Contest.
Martha Krieger's book, Come Spring, placed second in the Ignite The Flame Contest
(Widows & Orphans entry category).
Carolyn Slaughter's book, Love on a Dime,
placed second in the 2005 Winter Rose contest,
Inspirational Category. The book also made
the second round finals in the American Christian
Fiction Writer's Noble Theme Contest.
Don McNair's book, The Long Hunter, Medallion Press, was announced in RWR's
First Sales.
Beth White's book, Under Cover of Darkness, a Love Inspired Suspense, is available as
of July '05; her book, Sounds of Silence,
a LI Suspense will be available in Dec. '05.
Catherine Mann's book, Code of Honor, Harlequin, is on the shelves now. Her next
book, The Captive's Return, a Silhouette
IM will be available Oct. '05.
Martha Krieger (writing as Allison Knight) made a sale in June to Wings e-Press. The
working title is Simon's Brides, and it will
be available in May 2006. This is the fourth
book she has written for Wings, and she hopes
they will buy the four sequels. She has written
six other books, which were published byKensington
(Zebra).
Cathy Mann is a 2005 RITA Finalist in the Best Long
Contemporary Romance Category with her book
JOINT FORCES. This book is also a finalist
in the Long Contemporary Category in the
2005 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest!
Much Good Luck!
Ginny Vail's first book for Silhouette Intimate Moments,
TO THE LIMIT, written as Virginia Kelly,
is a Finalist in the Best First Book category
of the Virginia Romance Writers' Holt Medallion
contest. Wonderful News, Ginny!
Martha Longshore's book, written as Tess Pendergrass, BAD
MOON RISING, my latest Hope Point Mystery
from Five Star, is a finalist in the Romantic
Suspense category of the 2005 Gayle Wilson
Award of Excellence. Great News, Martha &
Good Luck!
Dianna Love Snell's new book, a romantic suspense (Silhouette
Intimate Moments) title: WORTH EVERY RISK,
is on the shelves now. Check out the New
Books page for cover and description.
Carolyn Slaughter is a finalist in the Winter Rose Contest,
Inspirational Category, with her manuscript,
LOVE ON A DIME. Final Round Judge is Diane
Dietz, Steeple Hill. Congratulations and
Good Luck!
Nita Shoemaker won the 2005 Jeannie Gray Golden Friendship
Award for her essay entry in the contest
sponsored by the GH99ers. All entrants wrote
an essay on why they entered the Golden Heart
Contest. The prize is a $100 check and a
beautiful certificate.
Congratulations! Don McNair sold a young adult novel, titled THE LONG
HUNTER, to Medallion Press. The hardcover
book, which features a coming-of-age story
set in the 1770's, will be published in early
2006.
Martha Longshore got a call from her agent letting her know
that Silhouette has offered to buy two Bombshells
from her, based on the proposals he sent
this fall. The manuscripts are due next January.
We're thrilled for you, Martha!
Beth White received cover flats for Under Cover of Darkness,
her first Love Inspired Suspense title, due
out in July. She will post it on her website,
www.elizabethwhite.net, as soon as she gets permission from Harlequin.
Also, on Jan. 20, she was the guest speaker
for a brand-new Christian book club which
met at Crossroads Bookstore in Mobile. She
talked about her journey into publishing,
and about new developments in the genre of
Christian romance.
Catherine Mann had two books out in November: PURSUED, a
Silhouette Bombshell, and a novella, The
Wingman's Angel, in an anthology with Rachel
Lee, Merline Lovelace -- A SOLDIER'S CHRISTMAS
(HQN Books). Check out the New Books page
for cover and description.
Martha Longshore is pleased to announce that her latest Hope
Point Mystery, BAD MOON RISING, by Tess Pendergrass,
will be available from Five Star Publishing
in December, 2004. When a clumsy cop teams
up with a not-so-psychic softball mom to
find her missing ex-fiance, nothing is safe,
especially not their hearts.
Beth white has good news. Her first book for Steeple
Hill, UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS, will be a
launch book for Love Inspired Suspense. It's
scheduled for July 05. The second book of
the series, THE SOUND OF SILENCE, will come
out December 05.
Kresley Cole recently sold three highland historical
romances, featuring the dark and dangerous
MacCarrick brothers, to Pocket Books for
a trilogy. Called the Dark Hearts Series,
the first is IF YOU DARE, May 2005; the second
is IF YOU DESIRE, Feb 2006; and the last
is IF YOU DECEIVE, slated for Summer 2006.
Her current July release, THE PRICE OF PLEASURE,
was an RT 4 1/2 Star Top Pick!
Carolyn Slaughter is a finalist in the Noble Theme Contest
(Historical Category) sponsored by the American
Christian Romance Writers. Well done, Carolyn!
Nita Shoemaker is winner of Stella Cameron's 2004 Scarlet
Boa Contest!! Congrats Nita!
Virginia Vail, writing as Virginia Kelly, sold The Temptation of Nicholas Romero, her 2003 GH Finalist, to Silhouette Intimate
Moments. The book has been retitled To the Limit. Release date is June 2004
The third book in Tess Pendergrass's Colorado Trilogy, Colorado Sunrise (Five Star, January 2003), is now available
from Amazon.com and the other major online
book retailers.
COLORADO SUNRISE by Tess Pendergrass (Book
3: The Colorado Trilogy) "Characters
from the previous books in Pendergrass' Colorado
Trilogy are involved in this compelling tale,
but readers can jump right in even if they
missed the first two titles... Featuring
two romances in one novel, this is a surefire
winner for fans of westerns and historical
romancs because Pendergrass creates believable
characters and nicely rendered settings."
- Booklist
Copyright 2008 by GCCRWA and J.P. Shoemaker
All images courtesy of GCCRWA and J.P.
Shoemaker
Background image courtesy of Artistic
Designers
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