Conference Time

by Fran McNabb

After a lot of soul-searching, financial probing, and writing needs, I decided to once again attend RWA’s National Conference this year in Orlando. I’ve been attending nationals since 2001 or 2002 when I went to my first one as a new non-published RWA member in New Orleans. I was like a kid in a candy store. I wanted to see and to experience everything—and tried to!

I went to as many workshops as I could fit into my day, took copious notes, and talked to as many other writers as I could. By the end of the day I was exhausted, and by the time I drove home I collapsed. It took days for me to recuperate.

As a published author with many local, regional and national conferences under my belt, I now consider myself a seasoned conference attendee. My expectations are totally different. I have volunteered to help during the conference. What better way to meet new people. I will still attend as many workshops as I can, but I’ll be more selective. My goal now is to work on marketing and career info. I might drop into some craft workshops as well because I think we are never too old or too experienced to learn something new. If I can take away one bit of new information from a workshop I feel I’ve used my time wisely. Sometimes just being reminded of things we know we should be doing as a writer is as important as the new info we get.

When I’m asked to give recommendations to new writers, I always tell them to attend as many writing conferences and workshops as possible. Learning is never complete. 

 

If you're going to RWA this year and it's your first conference, plan for an exciting, educational few days. Wear comfortable shoes, dress in layers, plan your days so you can have downtime, attend workshops that will best fill your needs as a writer, but most of all have fun.

I look forward to a great time in Orlando. If you see me, please stop and say hello.

FRAN MCNABB grew up along the Gulf Coast and uses that setting in many of her novels. She writes tender romances and presently has eight available through most major outlets. She and her husband live on a quiet bayou harbor and enjoy boating, fishing, and visiting the local islands. Writing, painting, and spending time with grandsons fill the rest of her days. Visit her at www.FranMcNabb.com  or contact her at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net. She loves to hear from her readers.

Conferences Big and Small

by Fran McNabb

Most professions have conferences to bring people of the same interests together. Writers are no different. In fact, writer groups might offer more in the way of conferences and retreats than some professions. Is there a conference in your future?

I attended my first writers’ conference in 2002. I was a newbie member of Romance Writers of America and a want-to-be-published author. This conference held in New Orleans was a national conference for RWA and a biggie for someone who had never been to one. I was like a kid in a candy

store. I wanted to attend every workshop offered, starting bright and early in the morning and running well into the night. Needless to say, I realized attendees really needed to make choices. Sleep had to come sometimes.

From that huge conference of over 2,000 in attendance, I went on to be conference chair of Silken Sands, a much smaller conference on the Gulf Coast with my local RWA chapter, and I loved, loved, loved putting it on. I met some of the most wonderful people in the industry and today I still run into some of them. In fact, recently I attended The Magic of Books, a really small local conference, but even with its intimate attendance, I reconnected with several old friends, and, of course, met some new ones. 

My point in today’s blog post is that no matter where an author attends a conference or how big the conference might be, conferences are a tremendous asset. By sharing experiences during breaks or sitting in instructional workshops, there is no better place to learn the craft of writing and publishing, and learning the craft is what every author needs. I have two degrees in English, but I learned how to write for publication and the etiquette of the publishing process through others more knowledgeable than I.

Authors are sharing individuals. If you haven’t been to a conference lately, maybe it’s time to find one. It doesn’t have to be a big one. If you have an interest, there is a conference for you from smaller more personal functions to national one put on by ACFW, Mystery Writers, RWA and other big organizations.

If you have a favorite conference, I’d love for you to put a link in the comment section. I'm sure others will find it helpful. It's not too early to plan your conference schedule for 2017.

I’ll start:

The Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat, March 22-25, 2017, is small, personal retreat on a serene setting in south Alabama. A discount for early-bird registration is being offered until Jan 1. Check it out at http://bluelakecwr.com/

 

FRAN MCNABB writes sweet romances for Montlake Publishing and for The Wild Rose Press. She also has two Indie Published books. She loves to hear from readers at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net or at her website www.FranMcNabb.com

Riding the Contest Rodeo

The call came while we were stopped at a rest area off a highway in a rather deserted section of Northwestern Ohio. I was driving from Indiana to our home in North Carolina with my daughter and her three small children, who would all be visiting us for a couple of weeks.

At the rest stop, I was feeding snacks to the two older boys, aged three and a half and two, while my daughter changed the baby’s (three months) diaper. When the phone rang, I almost didn’t answer, but I don’t give out my cell phone number to many people, and it was a weekday, so it might be an important business call.

It was, but not in the way I expected. I heard a voice saying “Congratulations. The Detective’s Dilemma is a finalist in the Category/Series category of the Published Daphne Awards.” I think there was a bit of a silence and then maybe some stuttering excitement on my part. I couldn’t tell this wonderful woman that I’d completely forgotten I’d entered the contest! (To be fair to myself, I was helping to herd around three children under the age of four.  I had a few other things on my mind.)

It took a while to sink in that she meant it and it wasn’t a mistake.  I don’t think I really believed it until I saw the official list of finalists and found my name there.

I’ve been a finalist in contests before, and I’ve even won a few, but I had a long drought between books before this one so it’s been a long time before I’ve even entered one.

I don’t enter a lot of contests, usually no more than two or three per book, mostly due to the cost (entries fees plus cost of shipping books). My track record is so-so.  Looking back, I think I’ve probably made it to the finals in about one third of the contests I’ve entered. That’s probably actually a pretty good percentage, considering the number of entries most contests get.

For The Detective’s Dilemma, I only entered three – the Rita, which was more pro forma than anything since I knew I had zero chance of even being a finalist, and two other chapter contests. I didn’t final in the other one.  I didn’t expect to final in any of them.

To me, that’s the key to making the whole contest thing work. I look on it as a gamble that sometimes pays off, but more often than not doesn’t. Readers’ tastes differ and they’re not all going to like my books. In most contests it takes only one judge not liking your book to sink its chances. It may not be fair, but it’s reality and you always have to take that into consideration when entering. So I choose my contests carefully, and I build up no expectations of anything good happening, other than getting my book into the hands of a few new readers.

I enter the contest, send off the books, and then put it totally out of my mind. I move onto the next project, usually the book I have in progress and concentrate on that. Occasionally I’ll get one of those great phone calls or an email letting me know I made it to the finals. More often, I hear nothing or get an email saying “I’m sorry to have to tell you…”  There was a time when that could send me into a tailspin of depression. Not anymore.

Now, I’m more than happy to celebrate when good things do happen, and I’m always excited to congratulate my friends’ good news as well. But I shrug off the routine. But if it doesn’t happen, I shrug and move on. I’ll try to make the next book the very best work I can. But not to win contests. I want to win readers.

And because I don't want to lose my Good Grandma credentials, here are pictures of the daughter and three grandchildren who were visiting us:

Cassian (age two) is the redhead; Liam is three and a half.

Sarah with Liam and the baby, Henry (three months).

The Detective's Dilemma was published by Kensington/Lyrical Press in November, 2014, and is still available in trade paperback and ebook formats.

PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T

by Zelda Benjamin

"Pain is Temporary. Quitting lasts Forever."

Lance Armstrong

Almost every morning my husband and I ride a 5 mile loop on our bikes. We stop at Dunkin Donuts for coffee and tea before circling back. The other morning as we rode by the drive-thru I heard a man say to the lady next to him,  "I should go home and ride my bike."

Wow - I had just inspired someone to go out and exercise. Little did he know he inspired this blog post.

In nursing (my day job) there is a generalization that nurses eat their young.

It's true that many seasoned nurses believe intimidation toughens new nurses when in reality it decreases confidence.  I can vividly remember when as a new nurse I was initiated by fire. I also remember the nurse who took me under her wing and helped me develop my skills and confidence. The kind nurse is the one I have tried to emulate. 

When I started to take my writing career seriously, I took the advice of a writer friend and joined writing groups. First I joined Romance Writers of America (RWA). At my first conference, I was amazed by the people I met. Strangers openly shared their experiences, encouraged my aspirations, and offered advice on everything from the start of my story to being published.

The other group I joined was my local chapter, Florida Romance Writers (FRW). 

To this day the group has been wonderful. We share each others accomplishments, no matter how small. Rejections are dealt with with chocolate and inspiration to move on. 

On a smaller scale, my critique group is made up of a group of kind and talented writers. I would have given up writing a long time ago if not for them. 

Alyssa Maxwell, CynthiaThomason, Karen Kendall, Nancy Cohen, and Sharon Hartley 

We continue to celebrate events, share our knowledge, and inspire each other.

Wishing you inspiration, love, and chocolate.

www.zeldabenjamin.com