Yosemite Romance Writers 2011 Speakers!
All meetings start at 10:30AM, and generally go to about 1:00 p.m.
They are at Marie Callenders restaurant at: 3602 W. Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA 93711 (Between Marty & Brawley)
Meetings include lunch and are $20.00 members and $30.00 non-members.
Registration is done online at their website, and more information about each speaker can be found there as well.
**Space and time are limited**
2012
January 21
Author Debra Salonen
YRW member Debra Salonen has 29 published novels to her credit, the most recent the May 2011 Harlequin Super Romance, A FATHER’S QUEST. A previous winner of Romantic Times’ Storyteller of the Year, in 2011 Debra’s May 2010 Super Romance, UNTIL HE MET RACHEL, won Romantic Times’ 2010 Reviewers’ Choice award.
In October Deb attended the 2011 Novelists, Inc. conference and returned with lots of current information to share with us. Her topic is PLAN B: writing outside the box–as opposed to setting fire to said box and shoving it over a cliff. She’ll discuss publishing options and career choices that can arise when you least expect them. In other words, a smart writer learns to think on her feet while flying by the seat of her pants and sitting her fanny in the chair.
For more information on Deb, visit her at http://debrasalonen.com/
February 18
A Workshop Trilogy:
Christina Gulke—A Night Out With Your Muse
Have you suffered from “writer’s block”? Are you looking for a writing jump-start? Learn how Christina shakes up her muse with music and film.
Sheri Humphreys—Taking the Backache Out of Backstory
Sheri offers us several different backstory techniques and shares what works for her. She’ll have character interview and outline templates available.
JoAnne Lucas—Person, Place & Things
A straight forward and often fun way to add to a character & place
We’ll also be presenting the 2012 SMOOCH award!
March 17
Bill Belew
Blogs—Still the Social Media Platform of Choice for Writers
Bill Belew is a problogger = he pays his sizeable Silicon Valley mortgage with revenue from his blog. Bill has taken 10 different and unrelated blog topics to more than 1 million unique visitors EACH and well over 50 million views overall. Bill has two published (not-self) books. He is an in-demand speaker – Mexico’s largest Writers Conference, Asia’s Largest Publishing.
Bill’s talk will cover:
1. 4 reasons why a blog is the social media platform of choice for writers
2. 4 biggest obstacles to getting a blog started
3. 4 key ingredients to attracting significant traffic to a blog/web site
4. 4 next steps every writer must take to bring attention to their work
Find out more about Bill Belew at http://billbelew.com/
April 21 ***SPECIAL PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP***
Workshop Recordings: Honing Your Pitch
From RWA 2007 Conference in Dallas: Honing Your Pitch—Making the Most of Your Editor/Agent Appointment
Winnie Griggs, Michelle Grajkowski, Cori Deyoe
From 2008 RWA Conference in San Francisco: Honing Your Pitch—Making the Most of Your 10 Minutes
Winnie Griggs, Laura Marie Altom, Melissa Endlich, Michelle Grajkowski
May 19
Author Kimberly Van Meter
Kimberly Van Meter has 18 contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels to her credit. 2011 saw the release of Harlequin Super Romances THE PAST BETWEEN US (March), A CHANCE IN THE NIGHT (April) and SECRETS IN A SMALL TOWN (May), and Harlequin Romantic Suspense novels SWORN TO PROTECT (July) and COLD CASE REUNION (August). She’s got two new ebook novellas out, too: A RED HOT MESS (March 2011) and THE RECKONING (April 2011).
You won’t want to miss Kimberly, speaking on Keeping It Real In Romantic Suspense. She’ll cover her methods of blending love and danger, keeping the readers engaged and biting their nails until the very end.
For more information on Kimberly, visit her website: http://kimberlyvanmeter.com/
AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT MAY
***SPECIAL PRE-CONFERENCE PITCH CRITIQUE***
The YRW Yahoo classroom will be open to all members for the month of May. In preparation for RWA National, members can participate in critiquing each other’s pitches. They’ll also have a honed pitch ready for the Pitch Workshop in June.
June 16 ***SPECIAL PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP***
Pitching Workshop: Getting Ready for National
Our published and PRO members play “agent”, giving one-on-one opportunity to role play 5-minute agent pitch appointments. Participants should have a honed pitch ready to go. Playing agent: Diane Story, Debra Salonen, Sheri Humphreys, Sharon Lathan, Donna O’Brien & Kimberley Smith.
July
No meeting. RWA National Conference is in Anaheim, July 25-28!
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