August 07, 2006

OKRWA August 2006 Newsletter


From The Prez, Deborah Behrens:

RWA Nationals in Atlanta. Wow, what an experience! Not only did I gain oodles of knowledge, I met people who live as close as Tulsa to as far away as Germany.

Wednesday, I got up bright and early to attend the president’s retreat and I’m so glad I did, it was very informative. Guest speaker, Bob Harris, CAE, spoke about RWA Board and Chapter Excellence. I learned how very lucky I am to be a part of OK-RWA. We seem to be one of the chapters who are doing things right. I want to thank all of you ladies who’ve made this happen over the years! We also had a great luncheon and I met some very nice ladies.

Thursday, my first workshop was given by our very own Sharon Sala. What a wealth of knowledge this woman contains, and her willingness to share always amazes me. Not to mention her hilarious chicken stories.

Next I went straight to see PC Cast with guest speaker Gena Showalter talking about teen voice. These two play off of each other so well they should put on a show for us someday. I thoroughly enjoyed their banter and after Gena left, PC kept us going with some of her teaching stories. Throughout all of the fun, I learned some things about content, pop references, and being accountable for what you write when writing for teens.

I have to say my next workshop, Crispy Critters, gave me a little more information than I needed to know about what happens to people after they die. Did you know that breast implants explode when a body is cremated? I guess this is why I never pursued a career in medical science.

Over the course of the week I went to many workshops and publisher spotlights for which I took extensive notes. If I can read my hurried writing, I’m planning on typing up a few summaries and either posting them in the files section of the loop or giving them to Rinda for future columns in our newsletter.

I hope everyone who attended this year had as wonderful a time as I did and for those of you who couldn’t make it, we’ll see you next year in Dallas!

Deb

August 2006 Program:

What’s In Store for August?

The August program for OK RWA will be the recap of the Romance Writers of America National Conference. The conference attendees will report on events they attended, market trends, and other interesting news. For those not able to attend the Atlanta Conference, this is the next best thing.

And this program will be the first time we are in our new location at Penn Square Mall. The mall is located on the north east corner of NW Expressway and Penn(sylvania) Avenue (with I-44 just east of it). In the JC Penney wing, our meeting room is on the lower level by the customer service center. Someone there should be able to direct you to the room.

We plan to celebrate our solidarity by taking a group shot for the web page, so bring your best cowboy hat and come join us.

Saturday, August 19th at 1:00 p.m.

The Dreaded Synopsis or
“They want it in how many pages?”
By Cyn Marolt – www.cynmarolt.com

First off, my qualifier—this is only one way to write a synopsis. It works for me. Please don’t construe my points as THE definitive rules on how to write one. That said, here goes:

For the first paragraph or two, I create a synopsis brief, with the emphasis on BRIEF. Describe your story (without using character names) in an intriguing fashion, like a short book jacket blurb. Show the main character(s), the conflict, and what’s at stake. Get this right and you can use it for a website story brief or within the body of a query letter or for a pitch to an editor at conference. An example:

A relentless detective with the San Antonio Police Department is barred from an investigation into the disappearance and murder of her younger sister and forced to take another assignment. Skeletal remains buried in the wall of an old theatre destroyed by arson make an intriguing new case. But when the bones turn out to be a woman, close in age to her sister, the hunt for a killer gets personal--a vendetta for justice.

In the next few paragraphs, I focus on the main characters, capitalizing their FULL NAME when they appear for the first time. I stress the emotional landscape, the conflicts, or what they must have and why they can’t get it. And since the characters are linked to each other, I add a transition line leading from one to the other to provide a flow to the narrative. (i.e. The last thing on her mind is a detour of seduction with a mysterious stranger—a Mafia enforcer with a secret life he guards at all cost.)

The brief section on my main characters gives the internal/external conflicts and emotional risk—the compelling human factor. Then I launch into the story line, a seamless maneuver if done right. A synopsis is not a regurgitation of the story, blow by blow. It showcases your story telling and voice. Don’t telegraph your twists. Hook your reader then tease them with the threads of your mystery/suspense story. Keep upping the stakes on both the plot and the emotional upheaval between your main characters. Treat the emotional aspects like a subplot you weave into the story, escalating the turmoil. The layers add complexity to the unfolding drama, show your sense of urgency, and convey the depths of your black moment. No back story dumps. Pacing is important here too.

To avoid a detailed recounting of the case and retain my mystery, I outline who the major players are without revealing ‘whodunnit’. This is another way to keep your synopsis brief, yet show the intricacies of your plot.

Every step of her case reveals another suspect to consider. RUDY MARQUEZ is the guilt-ridden brother with something to hide. FATHER VICTOR MARQUEZ is a catholic priest and the older brother of the victim, but is he trying to protect his family or only himself by keeping secrets? SONJA GARZA was the victim’s friend, but Becca fears she has an agenda all her own when she catches the girl in several lies. At first, Becca feels compassion for the murder victim, ISABEL MARQUEZ. That is, until Isabel’s past reveals a more sinister side. Did the dead girl play a part in her own demise or was she an innocent pawn in a deadly game? And MATT BROGAN, the dangerous leader of the trafficking ring, is one of the last people to see Isabel alive—providing the detective another direct link to Cavanaugh.

For proposals, I limit my synopsis to 5-7 pages. (It’s intended to entice an editor to request your full manuscript from a partial submission.) In romantic suspense, editors generally expect the world to be restored with an emotionally satisfying ending. But no matter what genre you write, the ending of your book should be clear and all main questions answered. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. J

Conference Notes from Cindy Sorenson:

YA Recap

While YA or Young Adult romance may never be a major focus of the RWA, it was wonderful to see more and more YA featured at this year’s conference in Atlanta. There were two YA specific workshops—one presented by our very own, amazing PC Cast—and they were both full. The keynote speaker for the first luncheon was none other than Meg Cabot, who in addition to writing The Princess Diaries, is exceptionally funny. To make things even more exciting, Pocket included their YA books in the giveaways. I think I came home with six YA’s, including one (Oh My Goth) from our very own, super talented Gena Showalter.

A lot has changed in just a year. The consensus of editors and agents at the convention is: YA is very hot right now. So what do you need to know if you’re considering writing a YA? Well, as with any genre, you need to love it. You need to read heavily in it. There are so many different types of YA, so you need to take into consideration the tone, the voice, and the POV. In fact that is what is so appealing about writing it—it is freeing. But with freedom comes responsibility. As PC Cast pointed out, we, as authors, might be the only strong female presence in our young readers’ lives. So while the push is often to take the action in YA’s to the edge—edgier, edgier, edgier, it is important to remember to depict these activities responsibly and honestly. You need to avoid sounding like “a mom wrote this book,” but not forget you are still a voice of wisdom.

New Releases:

Finding Nick by Janis Reams Hudson

Injured New York firefighter Nick Carlucci had long ago retreated to quiet Tribute, Texas, determined to escape his demons. He was done with remembering -- and feeling. And then beautiful reporter Shannon Malloy hunted him down -- and got him back to doing both.

Shannon refused to let Nick avoid her. She was intent on unlocking the secrets he kept -- secrets that tied in to her own painful past. But when the tenacious reporter finally gained full access to the elusive hero, would she get more than a story -- say, maybe a one-way ticket to Nick's heart?


Member News:
Cyn Marolt 's book No One Heard Her Scream is ...

1. Finalist - 2006 Maggie Contest - Georgia Romance Writers - Contemporary Single-Title Category
2. Semi-Finalist - 2006 Molly Contest - Heart of Denver Romance Writers - Romantic Suspense Category
3. Finalist - 2006 Jasmine Contest - Low Country Romance Writers - Mainstream/Romantic Elements Category
4. 3rd Place - The 2006 Daphne Du Maurier Award - Kiss of Death Mystery/Suspense Chapter - Mainstream Category
5. 1st place in the 2006 Great Beginnings Contest hosted by the Utah/Salt lake City RWA Chapter in the Mystery/Suspense category.

Janis Reams Hudson The first book in her Tribute, Texas, trilogy, Winning Dixie,was a June release from Silhouette Special Edition. Book two in the series is Finding Nick, an August release that recieved 4 1/2 stars from RT. Riley andHis Girls, coming in December, is the third and final installment of thetrilogy.

P.C. Cast has signed a new two book contract with Berkley for Goddess Summoning Books #6 & 7.


Editor's Note:

I would love to see all member news! Contest finals, wins, contracts, new releases, finished manuscripts,etc... If you have an article to share, it is more than welcome. If you have a new release, forward the blurb along with your website to me. Please email me by the 1st of the month to get it into the newsletter. Thanks! RElliott4@aol.com
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