October 03, 2007

OKRWA October 2007 Newsletter

October 2007 Program
Saturday, October 20th 1:00pm

Plotting

Want to learn a fun and creative way to plot out that difficult story?

Then come and join Rachel Vincent and Rinda Elliott for some hands-on plotting fun!

We’re going to combine a past, popular workshop called Pulling Characters from the Air with a new way to plot using different colored Post-It Notes on whiteboard.

We’ll be plucking ideas from your imaginations and using them to create two main characters, complete with goals and motivation. Then members will break into groups to plot. This is the best part of the workshop—when you get to hear the very different and creative stories that come from such inventive minds.

Members will vote on the best story then we’ll show you how we’d plot it on whiteboard! We hope everyone will go home full of ideas and enthusiasm!

From The Prez: Vicki Hudoba

Hello Outlaws,

To those of you that couldn’t make our last meeting, I missed you. It was a fairly small meeting but a very powerful one for me. The program was tip sharing. I got lots of good tips from everyone but the real gem was Sharon Sala. All of us soaked up her very sage advice and took notes on her writing tips. From all of us, thank you Sharon.

We had new members and potential new members attend which is always exciting. I can’t wait to get to know all of you better. Sometimes it’s hard for our newbies to understand exactly what’s going on and what in the heck we are talking about. A few added details during the conversation can be most helpful. To all our new friends, please don’t hesitate to ask questions we are all eager to share and help you get settled in. I hope both old and new can attend our next meeting. Rinda and Rachel have agreed to share some of their plotting and storyboarding techniques. I’m counting on a full house.

Our annual NRCA contest is officially starting this month. Details about the contest can be found on our website. Also, I will be happy to answer any questions that might pop up, feel free to call or email me. I will be sending out the call for both category coordinators and readers hope everyone is ready. I am both excited and nervous to be taking over as contest coordinator. Terri has done such an awesome job, she has left big shoes to fill, but never fear she has promised to help me over any rough spots.

See you at the meeting!

Vicki

New Releases




True Lies
Jaci Burton

Mia Logan is a hypnotist with futuristic Earth's Alien Crime Enforcement Unit. Her specialty—hypnotizing suspects into confessing their crimes. Ric is a M'Loran who hunts down alien criminals. Ric and Mia are hot on the trail of the notorious Vad, a ruthless killer who has escaped his Earth prison.

While hunting for Vad, Mia gives in to her secret desire for Ric and challenges that she can hypnotize him. Her ulterior motive - having the sexy M'Loran under her control.

Ric knows he can't be hypnotized and lets Mia believe he's under her control. He's completely mesmerized by Mia without benefit of hypnosis and caters to every one of her sexual desires.

As their feelings escalate, so does their guilt about the lies they've told. The truth catches up to them at the same time they find Vad. They must fight to capture and subdue Vad, and face the truth about their feelings for each other.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Buried Secrets
Margaret Daley

Hidden treasure?

Fresh from her grandfather's funeral, Maggie Somers was shocked to fi nd his home—all she had left of him—ransacked. What wasn't so shocking was that a Collier stood among the wreckage. Maggie had grown up hearing all about the Collier clan—liars and thieves who couldn't be trusted. Yet Zach Collier asked Maggie to have faith in him, to put their feud and their families' to rest. His grandfather had also recently passed away. Zach was sure the man—like Maggie's grandfather—had been murdered for something hidden among his possessions. Something Zach and Maggie had to uncover before they became targets.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Stranded With A Spy
Merline Lovelace

Escape from hell?

To hell was more like it! When Mallory Dawes, suddenly infamous in the States, decided to take that vacation to France, her problems were just beginning: a lost passport. A car swept out to sea. Missing travelers' checks. And a mysterious, if intriguing, man who always seemed to turn up just when she was in trouble...

Cutter Smith—code name: Slash—was told to keep the beautiful blonde in his sights. But as his interest in her veered from the professional to the intensely personal, Cutter knew the cost of falling in love would be high indeed. And he would have to pay the price—.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



The Ransom
Maggie Price

WE HAVE YOUR SON!

The ransom for five-year-old Matthew was one million dollars cash. And in a terrifying instant all of Kathryn Conner's dreams of a new life at her family's Texas ranch, far from the scandal of her failed Hollywood marriage, were blindsided by the only thing that mattered: saving her son.

A desperate mother will do desperate things, even turn to a man who loved and left her long ago, a man whose touch still haunted her dreams. But Clay Turner was her last—her only—hope at finding Matthew. Clay knew what was at stake, shared her pain and understood what it took for her to seek him out. Because the look in Kathryn's eyes reflected the same searing memories fighting their way back to his heart, as well.


This time, he won't let her down.





Member News


Linda Broday has a novella in an anthology coming in Feb. It's Give Me A Texan and features Jodi Thomas, Phyliss Miranda, DeWanna Pace and me (Linda Broday.) It was acquired by Hilary Sares at Kensington Publishing. The stories are centered around Amarillo, Texas.

The same four ladies have also sold a second anthology to Kensington called "Give Me A Cowboy" and it'll release Feb 2009. It's been two exciting projects for me after a lull. Linda’s last book, Redemption, released in 2005.

Linda also has a new website for and by western romance authors. PetticoatsandPistols.com. Along with Linda on this website are ten other authors, Lorraine Heath, Geralyn Dawson, Pam Crooks, Karen Kay, Elizabeth Lane, Stacey Reimer, Charlene Sands, Cheryl St. John, Pat Potter. They each blog twice a month and right now have a huge grand opening contest going on. It's a place for not only them, but other authors as well, to promote new western romance releases (except erotica) and post announcements. The authors are very excited about it and have gotten excellent response.


Kensington Publishing has just sold the Dutch rights to three of Georgina Gentry’s Texas books.


The first book in the YA House of Night series, Marked, by PC Cast and Kristin Cast, has been nominated for the 2008 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List.

A bit about the award:

The purpose of the list is to identify titles that will attract non-readers. The list significantly influences library and school purchases and recommendations within the educational community. The list is published in Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine [VOYA], Booklist, School Library Journal and on the YALSA website..

Award winners will be announced in January 2008 during ALA Midwinter


Margaret Daley’s book, Hearts On The Line, won first place in the Book of the Year Contest for American Christian Fiction Writers in the short suspense category.


Amanda McCabe has signed a new contract with Harlequin for four more books and a novella.


Linda Goodnight’s book, A Season for Grace , won first place in the Book of the Year Contest for American Christian Fiction Writers in the short contemporary category.


Please join us in congratulating our members on these fantastic achievements.


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From the Editor
Please, send all member news, new releases, writing articles, etc. to Debbie Behrens at Debehrs@aol.com .


Posted by Debbie Behrens :: 7:50 PM :: ---------------oOo---------------