1. No category

Tax breaks for writers, 101
by Tamra Westberry,
EIC
Leaving
your comfort
zone
Patricia
must be an exclusiveby
Hawaii,
tryWalters-Fischer
to schedule a
area in the house, such as a book signing at the local
room or a corner in a room. book store. That’s right, part
~It must be your only writ- of your trip can then be
ing office. If you are an au- claimed as a business exthor lucky enough to have pense.
an office out of the home
used for writing, then you
Williamson stressed the
can’t claim your home of- importance of keeping refice, too.
ceipts because you never
know when you will be auWilliamson also debunked dited. Keep record of gas
the myth that a writer may mileage. In 2007, the IRS
only claim a loss for two will pay 48 ½ cents per mile
years. Ever heard that one? for any driving you do for
As long as you can prove you your writing business.
are working toward making That’s right, even the miles
that big advance, you can to and from SARA meetings.
claim your writing losses for Williamson was kind enough
many years. How are you to give all SARAs little calworking toward making endars for our cars where we
those fat checks? Attending could track our miles to and
SARA meetings is one way. from any writing function.
Going to workshops, confer- In 2008, it will go up to 50
ences, buying books (even ½ cents per mile.
romance books) for research
are other ways.
Continued on page six...
time is
here.
As writ~It
AnTax
evening
with
Pamela
Morsi
ers, published or unpublished, do you know your exemptions?
Sharon
Williamson, CPA, who has
owned her accounting business since 1989, shared
some great tax advice at last
month’s SARA meeting.
For me, this was an eye
opening experience. I
learned that I have not been
claiming all of my available
exemptions. For instance,
did you know that if you
write from home, you can
claim the portion of your
house that you use as a business write-off. Let’s say, for
example, a writer uses ten
percent of her house for
writing. This could hurt the
writer when she sells the
house and has to pay a business tax on ten percent of
the house. I don’t think I’ll
be claiming my mortgage
this year, because eventually, we do plan on selling.
However, I will be claiming
ten percent of my home insurance and utilities.
Don’t forget to save your
receipts from all these functions. That’s right, even
SARA dinners are part of
your writer’s expenses. Conference fees, airfare, hotel,
Some things to know in meals at the conference are
case you decide to claim a all tax deductions. If you are
portion of your house as a a published writer and your
business write-off:
family is planning a trip to
Inside...
Good News...3
Help a child in need...4
Mastering POV...6
The Language of Love...8
War on Rejections...10
2
A letter from the president...
by Sydney Alfrido
Let’s get the word out . . .
At the last monthly meeting we talked about
volunteerism and what that
means to each of us. I’m not
going to go over that again
here. What I am going to do
is ask you all to help the
group by getting the word
out about SARA, who we are,
what we do, when we meet,
etc.
You casually ask if they’ve
read the latest Jo-Ann Powers or Pamela Morsi release
because if they were looking
for a good read, you could
recommend either or both of
their books as well as several other authors from your
writing group.
Means or our monthly
meetings? You don’t have
to wait until we have a
monthly meeting to make
a suggestion, put forth an
idea, or spread the word
about us through emails,
friends and family, blogs,
myspace pages, or other
means.
The point is that word of
mouth advertising is the
You don’t have to do any best, most accessible, cost
advertisement per say, what effective manner in which to
you need to do is take the get the word out about
opportunity to tell someone, SARA. We are in the process
one person, about us. The of developing some marketnext time you’re in the gro- ing material for the group,
cery store and you see some- but our budget being what
one with Elle Jame’s latest it is, the cost of doing anySo come on ladies – let’s
book in her cart say, “hey, thing on a large-scale basis
get
the word out.
she’s in our group.” Un- is just impossible. Even
doubtedly, they’ll ask what color printing is unrealistic
you mean and then the balls under our current budget
constraints.
rolling.
Happy Birthday!
February
Perhaps you’re in Barnes
and Noble or Borders shopping for this months releases. There are other
women in the isles shopping
for romance books as well.
The Love Letter is the
monthly publication of the
San Antonio Romance Authors and welcomes comments and submissions.
Please submit articles to
The Love Letter as an email
to [email protected].
Submissions will be used at
the discretion of the editor
and may be edited for length
or suitability.
Still, there are things each
Sheila King...2-4
of us can do on an individual
level. How about coming up
with cost effective ideas for Margaret “Peggy” Cleaves...2-13
advertisement, workshops,
ways to improve Ways &
Allie Standifer...2-24
For signings, book features
and general news or notices,
the deadline is the first of each
month.
The accuracy of the articles
and announcements contained in this newsletter is the
sole responsibility of the submitting author and not this publication nor its supporting Executive Board.
The Love Letter and the San
Antonio Romance Authors
assume no responsibility for
the accuracy of market,
contest or conference news;
all information is presented in
good faith. Mention in this
newsletter should not be
construed as an endorsement by SARA. Our sister RWA
® contained in this issue, provided they credit the author,
The Love Letter and SARA.
SARA News
by Megan
Galloway-Winkler
with The Wild Rose Press.
The fantasy novella is slated
as one of nine stories in the
THE SONG OF THE MUSES
anthology due to release
this summer.
Judith Rochelle, writing
as Desiree Holt, has signed
a contract with Ellora’s Cave
for ONCE BURNED. the release of her former
Triskelion trilogy as a single
author anthology entitled
Masha Holl has contracted HOT WICKED AND WILD.
THE BRIGHTEST HEAVEN Additionally she has con-
3
tracted three
novellas, CRUDE
OIL, BEG ME,
and FOURPLAY,
with Total-E-Bound for release as part of their British
anthology.
Marian Stevens' manuscripts LIPSTICK AND CAMOUFLAGE finaled in the Duel
on the Delta Contest and
THE REBEL is a finalist in
the Golden Palm.
Words of Wisdom...
Colons and Semi-Colons, part 2 of 2
by Linda Carroll-Bradd
Semi-Colon
This punctuation mark is used more often than colons in mass-market fiction, but
not as often as you might think. Semi-colons are used to connect complete sentences that are closely related instead of a coordinating conjunction (like ‘and’ or
‘but’). A mistake often made is authors use the semi-colon when one of the sentences is only a clause.
CORRECT: The student uniforms were old; the colors were a faded yellow and washed-out brown.
INCORRECT:
The student uniforms were old; colors of faded yellow and washed-out brown.
Semi-colons are also used when a longer or more emphatic pause is desired, but the complete stop of a
period would be jarring.
EXAMPLE: In years gone by, the pasture was filled with bluebonnets; today black asphalt divides
scattered patches of the wildflowers.
Used when listing a series, the semi-colon makes a definitive break between items.
EXAMPLE: The train goes through Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; and
Reno, Nevada before reaching Portland, Oregon.
The semi-colon is also used to set off two clauses of similar construction, through balance or contrast.
EXAMPLE: The penthouse was too high; the basement was too low.
EXAMPLE: Miranda was always late; Millicent was always early.
Linda is writing a contemporary cowboy story, and plotting a contemporary paranormal romp.
4
Buy
a
book,
help
a
child
in
need
by Tamra Westberry, EIC
One author, one cover artist, and two publishers, have
teamed up to create a very
special project. All proceeds
from the sale of ON THE
RUN, a romantic suspense
novel by multi-published
author, Judith Rochelle, will
go to St. Jude’s Children’s
Hospital.
How a SARA and her publishing company are helping
give sick children hope...
ON THE RUN incorporates
romance, suspense and St.
Jude’s. When Robin Fleming
witnessed the murder of her
sister, Jamie, her only
thought is to grab her
nephew and run, from her
vicious brother-in-law. Running and hiding, covering
their tracks, they eventually
settle in Memphis to begin
a new life. Robin, now Laura,
though still grieving for her
sister, is determined to
make a good life for her
nephew. Then illness hits
Andy, and while Laura is
dealing with that crisis, bad
luck and unfortunate circumstances bring all the
players together again and
endanger everyone’s lives.
Can Dr. Gage Hollander, who
has fallen in love with Laura,
find a way to save them?
ally renowned but they also
are doing great research in
the area of cancerous and
blood diseases. I have been
so fortunate in the success
my career has had in such a
Why have Rhonda Penders short time, I wanted to be
and RJ Morris, publishers of able to give back. Where betThe Wild Rose Press, agreed ter to do this than to someto soak up all publishing place where children are a
costs and donate sales to St. priority?” Rochelle stated.
Jude’s? For Rhonda, it was
all about showing thanks.
Cover artist, Kim
Mendoza, who is also an in“In late summer, 2007, I spirational writer, is a firm
approached Judith Rochelle believer in giving back.
(SARA author) with an idea
of a project that would en“Most of my novels pour
able RJ and me to give some- into a non-profit organizathing back for all the won- tion,” Mendoza stated. “ I
derful things that had hap- know St. Jude’s is a good
pened to us since we opened place with a big heart. How Continued on page five...
in May 2006. I wanted to could I say no?”
find an organization that I
felt everyone, everywhere
Currently, ON THE RUN
would care about and really holds the top sales spot at
embrace,” Penders said.
the publisher’s web site. The
amount raised from sales of
This book has done just the book will be announced
that, with the proceeds from on The Wild Rose Press web
each five dollar download site twice a year. The first
going to the children’s hos- report to be posted at the
pital.
end of June 2008.
“St. Jude’s has always had
a particular place in my
heart because of the work it
does and because treatment
is not based on the patient’s
ability to pay. Not only is
their treatment internation-
“If you’ve purchased this
book, thank you for your
contribution to St. Jude’s, if
you haven’t purchased it
yet, I strongly encourage
you to do so.” Rochelle
stated.
The Merritt Contest
is now open for entries
5
The “Magic Moment”
The entry will be a 20-page “magic moment” from the novel: the pivotal, break-through moment from
the story as defined by the author. If the scene is taken from somewhere other than the beginning of the
novel, the entry should also include a 1-2 page “set-up” to explain the context of the scene.
Eligibility:
Entrants may be published or unpublished, but MS cannot have been accepted
for publication at the time of entry.
Categories and Final Judges:
• Short/Long Contemporary - Susan Litman, Harlequin
• Single Title - TBA
• Paranormal – Hilary Sares, Editor, Kensington Books
• Historical – TBA, Avon
• Erotica - Raelene Gorlinski, Editor-in-Chief, Ellora’s Cave
Entry Fees:
$20 per entry for San Antonio Romance Authors members; $25 for nonmembers. (If entering more than
one manuscript, fees may be combined into one check, but a separate entry/release form must accompany
each entry.) Payments can be made by PayPal or by mailing a check or money order payable to San
Antonio Romance Authors.
If you elect to use Pay Pal there is a $2 additional fee for a total cost of $22 or $27.
Questions: Please contact the Contest Chairs at [email protected] or visit
http://sararwa.net/contest.htm
Continued from page four...
formation on this project,
Rochelle’s other titles at you may contact Rhonda
The Wild Rose Press are RE- Penders
at
rpenders
DEMPTION, CUTTER’S LAW, @thewildrosepress.com.
SHADOW OF THE HAWK,
and LOVE WITH A PROPER
To see the amazing work
RANCHER. Among other St. Jude’s does, please visit
books, she also has new re- their
web
site
at
lease with The Lotus Circle w w w . s t j u d e . o r g .
titled ALWAYS ON MY MIND.
To purchase your copy of
To learn more about the ON THE RUN, please visit
SARA author, Judith Rochelle
author, please visit Judith www.thewildrosepress.com .
Rochelle
at Currently, the book is availStory by Tamra Westberry
www.judithrochelle.com.
able in e format, but expect w/a Tara West, YA paranorthe print release in early mal author. Please visit her
If you would like more in- February.
at www.tarawest.com
6
From the collection...
“Mastering POV” reported by Librarian, Beckie Ugolini
In “Mastering Point of View”
(2007 RWA 10 12-031), Lynn
Kerstan discusses first and third
person (single and multiple) POV
for the popular fiction writer.
Popular fiction, says Kerstan, tells
a story, but its real purpose is to
elicit emotion in the reader. And
writers can do this through effective use of POV.
otherwise be restricted if the story
were limited to one vantage character. Multiple POV also lets the
reader into a broader cast of characters—both hero and heroine, villains, and subplot characters.
Continued from page one...
It’s not too late to go back
and calculate how much you
spent on writing last year.
Many of us are avid readers
and can spend upwards of
$1,000 a year on novels.
Hey, those are business expenses. We have to keep up
with the market. What about
our Internet fees? Most of
my Internet usage is chatting on the writer loops or
checking my sales stats.
There are other examples of
exemptions, but I’m not a
tax agent, and can’t recite
them all.
new vantage point.
With each,
the writer
must identify “without
any
subtly, that
the POV
h
a
s
changed.”
Use the character’s name, their
personal awareness, and their
emotional reaction to anchor the
reader in the new POV.
However, with third person multiple POV comes responsibility.
Even as she acknowledges the classic exception to the rule, Kerstan
The form of POV a writer warns us against head-hopping,
chooses to tell her story is impor- saying, “Nora is Nora. I’m not
tant. Each has advantages and dis- Nora. You’re not Nora… You ain’t
gonna be another Nora.” Changadvantages.
ing POV within a scene, she feels,
Regardless which form of POV
Older romances almost exclu- disrupts the intimacy. Writers can
sively used first person single POV. do it—it’s not wrong, or bad—but a writer chooses to work with,
This format let the reader bond they need to do it well to maximize careful use of voice, word choice,
action and reaction, can grab the
closely with the heroine, while pre- the benefits.
reader and draw them into the
serving an air of mystery around
When shifting POV, there are story. To illustrate masterful uses
the hero. The heroine (and the
reader) doesn’t realize the hero’s tricks writers can use to make the of POV, Kerstan reads a series of
true feelings until he reveals them transition clear and natural. excerpts from best-selling writers,
There’s the “hand-off,” an “un- including Janet Evanovich, Jennito her in the HEA.
subtle” but effective technique fer Cruise, and fantasy writer
But Kerstan feels most modern where an object passes from the George R.R. Martin.
romance writers end up using current POV character to the next.
-Beckie Ugolini, writing as
third person multiple POV. This And then, there’s the “movement,”
technique allows the reader to see giving the new POV character an Wilhelmina Rush
and experience events that would action to draw the reader into the
The bottom line is that
you as a writer, whether
published or unpublished,
have tax rights. Know those
exemptions, or make sure
your tax agent is well versed
in tax law, and you could
save a lot of money on your
return this year. If you have
any further tax questions,
Sharon Williamson’s San
Antonio office phone is
210-366-4328.
Story
by
Tamra
Westberry, w/a Tara West,
author of YA paranormal
romance. Please visit her
at www.tarawest.com .
7
Cowboy Seduction
by Layla Chase
(review by Masha Holl)
Merrick is out to prove her
wrong. On all counts. And
with style.
You don’t fall in love with
your best buddy. Especially
not when you’ve been pouring your heart out to him
about everything, including
your boyfriends.
No, it can’t happen. Especially when your best
buddy is just like your father, one of those unreliable rodeo-riding, glorychasing cowboys.
At least, that’s what Lacy
Durant thinks. And Clint
Sit back and enjoy a delightful tale that will make
you smile and wish you
could travel to Texas to
meet Clint and Lacy.
vivid settings.
You can always count on
humor, sensuality, and a
good time in a story by Layla
Chase.
Layla Chase knows how to
evoke emotion and bring to
life her characters. Nor does
she hesitate throwing in
heartbreak into their paradise when everything seems
perfect. Her writing is rich
and smooth, and her descriptions invite you into
Please support your SARAs...
Romance Day booksigning
at Barnes and Noble
West
0
1
5 IH
1263
Booksignings by...
Saturd
Judith Rochelle,
ay, Fe
bruary
Marilyn Campbell,
9th
2
p.m.
Joie Del Rio, Layla Chase
Kimberly Kaye Terry,
Jo-Ann Power and Tara West
Special appearance by Mark Johnson,
Romantic Times Magazine Cover Model
winner for 1996
Meet your fellow SARAs at TGI Fridays, northwest corner of IH 10 & DeZavala,
Saturday, February 9 at 12 noon, prior to the Barnes & Noble booksigning.
Bring your appetite, your sense of humor, and tell us about the most
romantic Valentine’s Day you’ve ever had. The winner of the best story will
receive chocolate Valentine’s candy!
8
Hidden Treasure-Historical Truth
Flowers, the Language of Love By Katherine Bone
To-morrow is Saint
Valentine’s Day. All in the
morning betime, And I a maid
at your window, To be your
Valentine.
Ophelia: IV, v:49, Hamlet
Prince of Denmark, W.
Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Valentine’s Day is a day set
aside to honor love. How we
show affection to others on
Valentine’s Day reveals a lot
about ourselves. In the past,
poets raised the bar by writing passionate sonnets of
courtly love.
Many of these famous poems by Keats, Byron, and
Shakespeare, have been immortalized and whispered
throughout the ages, romantically branding hearts. Today, old traditions and poetic
sentiments have been transferred to gifts of Valentine’s
Day cards, chocolate candy,
and flowers. Of the three,
however, the most endearing
symbol of love can be found
in the hidden meanings of
flowers.
Flowers silently declare,
“Be mine!” as in the plea of a
dozen red roses. “I can’t live
without you!” a devoted
primrose insists. “Please forgive me,” implores the purple
hyacinth. “There’s rosemary,
that’s for remembrance. Pray
you, love, remember. And
there is pansies, that’s for
thoughts.” Ophelia: IV, v 173
“There’s fennel for you, and
columbines. There’s rue for
The following article appeared in Feb. 2008 issue
of The Heart Monitor, the
newsletter for the Heart of
Dixie Chapter. Permission
granted to use or forward
with proper credit.
you, and here’s some for me.
We may call it herb of grace
o’ Sundays. O, you must wear
your rue with a difference.
There’s a daisy. I would give
you some violets…”
Ophelia: IV, v:179-182, Hamlet Prince of Denmark, W.
Shakespeare (1564-1616)
In 1718, Lady Mary Wortley
Montague wrote the “Secret
Language of Flowers”. Louise
Cortambert, writing under
the pen name Madame Charlotte de la Tour, wrote Le Language des Fleurs, in 1819.
The book was widely popular
and a Victorian equivalent
was
written
by
Miss
Corruthers of Inverness in
1879. The Language of Flowers, by Jean Marsh was published in 1884. Entirely dedicated to flowers, it set the
standard for all floral knowledge to come.
During Queen Victoria’s
time, women invented ways
to communicate with those
society had forbidden them to
address. Creating secret missives, women used pictures of
flowers to convey hidden
meanings rather than simply
writing a message on a card
or stationary that could be
easily interpreted. Clever attention was also given to the
specific day a message was
received.
Many Victorians didn’t approve of sending these
'notes'. But one woman,
Esther Howland, after graduating from Mount Holyoke
College in 1847, proved otherwise selling valentines
worth $5,000, in 1848. Emily
Dickinson, also a graduate of
Mount Holyoke College,
noted Esther’s struggle to sell
her 'love notes' in a letter she
wrote to her brother, February 14, 1848. “Monday afternoon Mistress Lyon arose in
the hall and forbade our sending any of those foolish notes
called valentines.” Esther’s
valentines eventually netted
more than $100,000 in annual sales.
Victorians used floriography
to convey language through
a limited selection of flowers,
acknowledging various numbers thereof, and their specific genus types. Secrets included how flowers were
worn. For instance, a flower
worn upright granted a positive reply. A flower worn upside down achieved the opposite effect. A ribbon not only
added beauty to an arrangement, bouquet, tussiemussie, or corsage, but it,
too, had purpose. Tied to the
left, a colorful ribbon gave a
nod to the giver. Tied to the
Continued next page...
Continued from previous
page...
right, a ribbon paid homage
to the recipient. And not to
be outdone, flowers also answered the deepest longing
within a suitor’s heart by relating the answer, ‘yes’ when
given with the right hand, or
‘no’ when offered with the left
hand.
How flowers were used betrayed a giver’s true intentions or delivered a promise
of everlasting love. A Victorian bouquet arrived only after thorough planning and introspection. Modern habits of
packaging multiples of the
same flower appear primitive
in contrast to Victorians who
believed assembling a variety
of flowers, taking time to organize shapes and sizes, textures and colors, made honoring loved ones a cherished
art.
Here’s a breakdown of Victorian Flowers and their
meanings:
*Apple Blossom- preference,
promise
*Azalea- temperance, abundance, romance
*Basil- hatred, best wishes
*Columbine- folly, desertion
*Daisy- innocence, newborn,
“I share your sentiment”
*Daffodil- regard, emblem of
regard, chivalry
*Holly- foresight, domestic
happiness
*Iris- message, inspiration
*Ivy- fidelity, friendship, marriage
*Lavender- distrust, luck, devotion
*Lily- purity, modesty
*Marigold- sorrow, jealousy,
health, grief or despair, desire
for riches
*Morning Glory- affection,
transience of life
*Myrtle- love, marriage, fidelity
*Oak- hospitality, liberty
*Pansy (Heart’s ear) - thoughtfulness, thoughtful recollection, think of me
*Primrose- consistency, early
youth, I can’t live without
you
*Rhododendron- danger, beware
*Rose (single) simplicity,
beauty
Red: love, passionate love,
beauty, I love you
Yellow: zealous, friendship,
joy, freedom
Pink: grace, beauty, happiness, gratitude, appreciation,
admiration
Black: you are my obsession
Orange: you are my secret
love
Hibiscus: delicate beauty
Thornless: love at first sight
Bouquet of mature blooms:
gratitude
Tea: I’ll remember always
Bridal: happy love
*Thistle- defiance
*Tulip- fame, declaration of
love, my perfect lover, reclamation of love
Red: my perfect lover, reclamation of love
Purple: royalty
Pink: caring
White: forgiveness
Yellow: hopelessly in love
*Violet- faithfulness, loyalty,
modesty, humility
*Water-Lily- pure of heart
*Zinnia- thoughts of absent
friends
Famous editor of Godey’s
Lady’s Book, Sarah Josepha
Hale, wrote Flora’s Interpreter, in 1833. Here is her
9
language of flowers list.
*Damask
red
rose- bashful love
*Amaryllis- beautiful but timid
*Dandelion- coquetry
*Variegated tulip- beautiful
eyes
*Narcissus- egotism, self love
*French marigold- jealousy
*White rose- “I am in despair”
*Larkspur- fickleness
*Scarlet poppy- fantastic extravagance
“Yet, no- not words, for
they ~But half can tell love’s
feeling; Sweet flowers alone
can say What passion fears
revealing~A once bright
rose’s wither’d leaf,~A
tow’ring lily broken-Oh, these
may pain a grief~No words
could e-er have spoken.”
Thomas Hood (1799-1885),
friend of John Keats.
Ask for flowers this
Valentine’s Day. They are
guaranteed to brighten a
dreary February day and a
love-sick heart. When your
bouquet arrives, cherish it.
Look deeply into each flower,
discover its hidden secrets.
Revel in the knowledge that
you are loved.
Katherine Bone loves receiving gifts of flowers and
chocolate
candy
for
Valentine's Day. She’s a PRO
Liaison for the Heart of Dixie
and Southern Magic Chapters, and a member of Hearts
Through History online chapter. Other Hidden TreasureHistorical Truth articles can
be found at her website,
www.katherinebone.com.
10
Declaring War on Rejections
by Donna Labbe
Rejection - What a horrid
word. As a writer it means
many things to us. It makes
us sad, erodes our confidence and can send us into
a depression. Sometimes it
can even stall our writing.
the recent market report
from the RWA home page
and pain stakingly went
through the Agents and Publishers for my genre. I made
a list of what each wanted
submitted with a query and
if they wanted E-query or
For me it has done all of snail mail. Prioritize the list
the above until recently. I in order of who you want as
received a rejection that your dream Agent/Pubmade me snap and Declare lisher.
War on Rejections. This has
been the most freeing expeStep 3. Mail. Send them
rience of my writing career. out. In my first mailing I
Looking back, I realize I sent out ten, a mix to both
could've done this earlier agents and editors. I also
because it is only a state of keep an Excel spread sheet
mind. When I shared this of who I sent to, when, whatinformation with my cri- query & pages, snail or Etique partners it encouraged query, and response. When
them to send in a story she'd I receive a response I note
been holding onto and she it down in the spreadsheet
sold it.
and send out another query
This told me the story
needed to be shared with
others. You too, can Declare
War on Rejections. You may
not need to go through the
first step, but I'm sure
you've felt it.
for every rejection.
The following article ran
in the February 2008 issue
of Mainely Romance, the
newsletter of the Maine
chapter of RWA. Permission granted to sister
chapters to forward or reprint with proper credit.
receive feedback that points
in that direction.
Step 6. Celebrate. One of
these days it won't be a rejection, it will be The Call.
This is what we are all working for.
The amazing thing is since
I've embraced my new philosophy against rejections is
that I am now consoling my
family when I get a rejection, instead of them consoling me. I also find that my
writing routine has become
more consistent with a
higher volume. I believe the
change came about when I
took the fear of failure and
put it away to concentrate
on becoming successful as a
writer, no matter how long
it takes.
Step 4. Analyze. When you
receive the rejections back
in the mail analyze them. I
have received some really
nice rejections. Nice you
say? Yes, nice. Some were
I wish you well in winning
personalized and gave me your War.
Step 1. Get Angry. One the type of feedback I
doesn't declare war because needed and some were typiDonna Labbe is a PRO memthey're happy. I received a cal form letters.
ber of RWA, the New England
rejection in record time.
and Maine chapters. She
This was a request from a
Step 5. Don't take it per- writes sensual psychological
conference and the rejection sonally. Remember this is a
thrillers, which is a very
was received three days af- business. They are not attherapeutic outlet for stress.
ter sending it out. This had tacking you as a person;
While waiting for the call she
my head spinning for days. they are looking at your
continues to create twisted
work. Remember this every villains. Visit her website:
Step 2. Plan. I sat down at time you read a letter and
www.DonnaLabbe. com
the computer and pulled up be prepared to revise if you
Writing Announcements
11
by Lupe Gonzalez
the story as defined by the author.
If the scene is taken from somewhere other than the beginning of
the novel, the entry should also include a 1-2 page “set-up” to explain the context of the scene.
Eligibility:
Entrants may be published or unCONTESTS
published, but MS cannot have
2008 Harlequin Presents Instant been accepted for publication at
Seduction Contest
the time of entry.
Goal: To help them find new authors
Categories and Final Judges:
On-line submissions accepted only • Short/Long Contemporary - Sufrom January 1 through February san
Litman,
Harlequin
14, 2008.
•
Single
Title
TBA
Email address for entries: • Paranormal – Hilary Sares, [email protected]
tor,
Kensington
Books
Include the first chapter and a syn- • Historical – TBA, Avon
opsis of a previously unpublished/ • Erotica - Raelene Gorlinski, Ediunsubmitted novel
tor-in-Chief, Ellora’s Cave
For
more
info:
http://
www.iheartpresents.com/
Entry Fees:
Writers’ Exchange Contest
The Writer Magazine
Show your sense of humor. Sharing a favorite faux pas from your
writing career.
Deadline: May 31, 2008
Entry Fee: None
Word count: 50-250 words
Prize: $50, a one-year subscription
to *The Writer*, and publication
in the magazine and/or online at
Writermag.com.
http://
For
more
info:
www. w r i t e r m a g . c o m / w r t /
default.aspx?c=a&id=3635
SARA Merritt
The “Magic Moment”
The entry will be a 20-page “magic
moment” from the novel: the pivotal, break-through moment from
$20 per entry for San Antonio
Romance Authors members; $25
for nonmembers. (If entering more
than one manuscript, fees may be
combined into one check, but a
separate entry/release form must
accompany each entry.) Payments
can be made by PayPal or by mailing a check or money order payable to San Antonio Romance Authors.
If you elect to use Pay Pal there is
a $2 additional fee for a total cost
of $22 or $27.
Questions: Please contact the Contest
Chairs
at
[email protected] or
visit
http://sararwa.net/
contest.htm
WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
The Dark Lord’s Castle
Small independent publisher of
online historical romances set in
the Medieval, Renaissance, Georgian, Regency or Victorian era.
Also publishes contemporary stories if the story takes place in a
castle setting.
Send a detailed synopsis with the
first three and final chapter of
manuscript.
Email to: book.submissions
@thedarkcastlelords.com
For
more
info:
http://
www.thedarkcastlelords.com/
authors.htm
WORKSHOPS
FTHRW March Workshop: Creating a Full Time Writing Business
Dates: March 3rd-30th, 2008
Instructor: Virginia McCullough
Cost: FREE to FTHRW members;
$20.00 for all others
Registration Deadline: February
27th, 2008
Tapping into the world of nonfiction writing.
For more info: http://fthrw.com/
workshops
PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Free Promo Ops at The
CataNetwork
For CataRomance, Ecataromance,
Single Titles and Sensual, you can
submit a smooch, an excerpt, a fun
fact, request an interview and/ or
request a book review. You can
even go on there and chat about
what you’re reading and inspire
others.
For
more
info:
http://
cataromance.com/ or http://
www. e c a t a ro m a n c e . c o m /
index.php
12
by Linda
Carroll-Bradd
Membership Report
(as of 2/1/08)
During this past month,
SARA has gained one member, bringing our total to 48.
ing. You can most easily receive support when you’re
in touch with the other
chapter members.
Critique Groups
Kharities contact Linda at
[email protected]
Upcoming meetings are: Inperson meeting possibility
is 2/16.
Online 2/7, 2/21, 3/6
Welcome to:
Celia Yeary, a retired
teacher who taught high
school biology, lives in San
Marcos. She writes contemporaries and historicals and
her Texas historical novel, W.I.T.C.H.E.S. (Writers in
All My Hopes And Dreams, training
can
handle
has been contracted by The
encouragingsuggestions)
Wild Rose Press.
meets Friday evenings for
Last, sign up for the Forum brainstorming and sharing.
on the SARA website and Con-tact Sydney K. Alfrido
read about what’s happen- at [email protected] .
Don’t miss the next meeting...
Wednesday, February 20
Wah Kee Chinese Restaurant
18360 Blanco Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78258 - 497-6669
North East corner of 1604 and Blanco Road
in the strip center behind Luby’s cafeteria.
Meeting starts at 6:30, but come early to order food.
Romance Day at Barnes and Noble
12635 IH-10 West
Saturday, February 9th at 2 p.m.
Booksignings by... Judith Rochelle,
Marilyn Campbell, Joie Del Rio, Layla Chase
Kimberly Kaye Terry, Jo-Ann Power and Tara West
Please come support your SARAs.
2007-2008
SARA Officers
President
Sydney Alfrido
1st Vice President
RubyChristine
2nd Vice President
Ellen Wulf
Treasurer
Gimoy Louie
Recording Secretary
Linda Carroll-Bradd
Corresponding Secretary
Patricia Walters-Fischer
Parliamentarian
Marjorie Brody
Immediate Past President
Sydney Alfrido
Communications
Patricia Walters-Fischer
PAN Liaison/PRO Liaison
Jo-Ann Power/Tamra Westberry
Newsletter Editor
Tamra Westberry
Librarian
Beckie Ugolini
Merritt Contest coordinators:
Beckie Ugolini &Margaret Batschelet
Assistant Coordinator:
Patricia Walters-Fischer
Kharities Coordinator
Linda Carroll-Bradd
W.I.T.C.H.E.S. Coordinator
Sydney Alfrido
Hospitality
Patricia Walters-Fischer
Membership
Linda Carroll-Bradd
Special Events Coordinators
Judith Rochelle & Mary Fechter
Ways & Means/Web Liaison
RubyChristine/Sydney Alfrido &
Judith Rochelle
Love Letter Reporters
Sydney Alfrido, Linda Carroll-Bradd,
Megan Galloway-Winkler, Lupe
M.Gonzalez,, Masha Holl, Gimoy Louie
and Beckie Ugolini