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15th Annual Southern Lights Writers Conference March 28-30, 2008 - Jacksonville Marriott - Jacksonville, FL Online Registration | Mail-In Registration | Schedule of Events | Conference Home SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS: |
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Track 1 - Craft World Building for the Paranormal Romance - Alyssa Day and Deidre Knight
Meet two rising stars of paranormal romance as they discuss successful world building.
Dialogue: Writing Between the Lines - Elizabeth Hoyt Writing fantastic dialogue can lift your book from good to SOLD. This workshop covers the mechanics of dialogue, how to tell if your dialogue is working, and how to show what your characters are thinking when they’re not speaking. Polishing to Publish - Elizabeth Hoyt In order to sell in today’s competitive market, your manuscript doesn’t just have to be good, it has to be perfect. Learn both revision and editing techniques in this workshop so that you can polish your manuscript to perfection for the editor of your dreams.
Creating Ethnically Diverse Characters Without Relying On Stereotypes – Tracy Montoya & Michelle Monkou Kimani author Michelle Monkou and Harlequin Intrigue author Tracy Montoya have racked up more than their fair share of reviews with phrases like "multi-layered characters," "realistic characters that felt like close friends," and "characters that leap off the page."
How do they do it? By not relying on stereotypes. Sure, being women of color, they'd probably get smacked around by friends and family if they wrote a clichéd African-American gangbanger or a stock Latina housekeeper. But there's more to creating vibrant characters than culture and ethnicity.
Whether you're writing a cowboy or a librarian, a millionaire or a search-and- rescue tracker, an alpha male or a shy heroine, a person of color or a person whose skin tone actually matches the "flesh"-colored Crayola crayon, Michelle and Tracy can help you figure out how to add that extra something that makes your characters come alive.
The Writer's Jewel Box: Using Figurative Language to Make Your Writing Voice Sparkle - Catherine Kean
In the competitive journey to publication, it’s not enough to excel in the craft of writing. A distinct writing voice is key to getting a contract. Award-winning historical romance author Catherine Kean will identify that nebulous quality called “voice” and show how strong figurative language adds “sparkle” to an author’s prose. Through a short written exercise, she’ll help authors refine their own unique writing voices.
Catherine Kean's debut medieval historical romance, Dance of Desire was the launch title of Medallion Press's Sapphire Jewel Imprint. Dance of Desire won two Reviewer’s Choice Awards as well as Best Medieval in industry review magazine Affaire de Coeur’s 2006 Reader-Writers’ Poll. This book also finaled in four contests for published romance novelists, including the Debut Novel Category of Reviewers’ International Organization’s 2005 RIO Awards of Excellence and Georgia Romance Writers’ 2006 Maggie Awards. Her second book, A Knight's Vengeance, was a finalist in the 2007 Maggie Awards and won 3rd place in the Historical category of Volusia Romance Writers' 2007 Laurel Wreath Contest. Her third novel, My Lady's Treasure, won a Reviewer's Choice Award from The Road to Romance. A Knight’s Reward, book two in her Knight’s Series, will be released in April 2008, followed by A Knight’s Temptation in 2009.
Cold Reads with Published Authors - Tracy Montoya, Sandra Madden, and Marianne LaCroix
Sandra is a published poet and a chapbook entitled Women in Love was published by American Studies Press. To date, she is the author of thirteen romance novels published by Kensington and Dorchester. Her historical and contemporary books have been published in several languages including French, Italian, German and Dutch. Men of Annapolis her last historical series for Kensington includes, THE ADMIRAL’S DAUGHTER, THE LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN and KISS ME AT CHRISTMAS. Sandra’s new January 2008 release is a memoir entitled Reuben On Wry which she wrote in collaboration with her husband, comedian and actor, Dave Madden.
Ms. Madden belongs to Romance Writers of America, the Orange County Chapter of RWA, the Southeastern Writers Association, Ancient City Romance Writers2/1/20082/1/2008 and is the 2008 co-president of First Coast Romance Writers. She is the mother of two and has four beautiful granddaughters!
Mari has a BA in English Literature and a liscensed practical nurse, though she is not currently practicing beyond her twins' screams for band aids. When not tapping away at her keyboard on her latest book, Mari enjoys reading, surfing the web, hanging out with friends, and game time on her Playstation Portable. She currently lives in southwest Georgia with her husband of fourteen years.
By day, Harlequin Intrigue author Tracy Montoya telecommutes from Florida as Editor for a crunchy nonprofit in Washington, DC. A member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists, Tracy's articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Hope, Martha Stewart’s Body + Soul, Utne Reader, Audubon, and the National Green Pages. Prior to launching her journalism career, she taught in an underresourced school in Louisiana through the Teach for America program.
Tracy holds a Master’s degree in English literature from Boston College and a B.A. in the same from St. Mary’s University. When she’s not writing, she likes to scuba dive, forget to go to kickboxing class, wallow in bed with a good book, or get out her guitar with a group of friends and pretend she’s Suzanne Vega.
He Said/She Said: An Armchair Linguist Examines How Men and Women Talk - Tracy Montoya
Do your heroes sound a little ... metrosexual and not sexy when they talk? Have your critique partners ever told you your heroine's speech is too rough around the edges and might turn readers off? With a graduate degree in English literature and a long-held interest in linguistics, Tracy Montoya has studied the true linguistic differences between how men and women speak. Learn what an inconclusive intensifier is, and why manly men never use them. Discover the true reason that some young women insist on inserting "like" between every couple of words when they speak to you. Find out just how much of a research geek Tracy really is. This workshop is for anyone who's ever wanted to improve their dialogue and bring sexy back into the way their characters speak.
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Track 2 - Career Get The Inside Scoop from a NYT Best Seller, Q&A with Suzanne Brockmann
Suzanne has won numerous awards, including the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, seven Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Awards, sixteen WISH Awards, and two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America. She lives outside Boston with her husband and two children.
Publicity and Promotion Q&A with Terri Ridgell, Catherine Kean, and Ed Gaffney
She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Florida Writers Association, Maryland Writers Association, Romance Writer’s of America, RWA Mystery and Suspense Kiss of Death, Washington Romance Writers, and First Coast Romance Writers in Jacksonville, Florida. Her novel, OPERATION: STILETTO, won RTR’s 2005 Reviewers Choice Award. FRACTURED SOULS is a Fallen Angels Review's Recommended Read.
Submission Savvy - Raelene Gorlinsky
Ms. Gorlinsky spent twenty-five years in the computer information communication profession, as technical writer, editor and manager. She started editing part time for Ellora’s Cave because it was an interesting variation from her day job in a computer department. In January 2004 she moved to Ohio to take on the job of Managing Editor at Ellora’s Cave, allowing her to use her organizational, managerial, and editorial skills on a wide variety of projects. Her position is now Publisher, and she supervises nineteen editors, deals with over 350 authors, manages digital releases and still edits several authors of her own.
E-publishing: Stepping Stone, Stumbling Block, or a Viable Alternative? - Dara Edmondson & Terry Odell
Published authors Terry Odell and Dara Edmondson will discuss the rise of e-publishing in the industry, and give participants information they can use to decide if e-publishing is a route they want to follow. Learn about all the resources available to find links to publishers, professional organizations as well as sites that feature warnings about disreputable publishers. Compare the differences between e-publishing and traditional publishing from royalty structure to submission differences to marketing your e-book.
Originally from New York City, she grew tired of the harsh winters of the northeast and opted to attend college in Florida. After receiving her degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida, she moved to Orlando. Her first book, The Kitten Club was released in 2007 from The Wild Rose Press. Compromising Positions followed in January and Falling Star will be out later this year. She also has several short stories published online in genres from sweet romance to erotic romance to young adult.
The Call Q&A – Gail Ranstrom, Catherine Kean, and Caridad Ferrer
Three published authors share their stories on how they got the call then answer your questions on what to do to prepare for or deal with the aftermath of the call.
Catherine Kean has always loved tales of heroic knights and stubborn damsels. She penned her first novella at age twelve and first full-length manuscript at sixteen. After completing a B.A., Double Major (First Class), in English and History from the University of Victoria, B.C., Canada, she was accepted into the post-graduate Works of Art Course run by Sotheby's auctioneers in London, England, where she studied centuries of history, antiques and fine art. She worked in Canada for several years as an antique and fine art appraiser. Busy writing her next novel, Catherine lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, and two spoiled cats.
Transitioning To Writing For Young Adults - Simone Elkeles & Shannon Greenland
This workshop takes a close look at the struggles in switching to the young adult (YA) market and how to combat them. Learn about about writing for both markets, why a writer should or should not switch to young adult, and why YA is right for some and not others.
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Friday Early Bird Workshop Networking Workshop - Get Ready to Work the Conference! - Maria Connor You're here! You mailed in your registration, reserved a room and practiced your pitch. You're ready to meet editors, agents and peers with a warm smile and firm handshake...or are you? Get Ready to Work the Conference is an interactive workshop designed to offer practical, usable, clever tips and tools on networking. This collection of strategies, techniques and exercises, gathered from professional speakers, life coaches, communication experts and even an improv actor will enable even the shyest person to strike up a conversation with ease and confidence.
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Questions?
Contact the Conference Chair...Charlie
Contact the Registration Coordinator...Michelle
Online Registration | Mail-In Registration | Schedule of Events | Conference Home
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Alyssa
Day is the pen name (and dark and tortured alter ego) of RITA
award-winning author Alesia Holliday. As Alyssa, she writes the USA
Today best-selling Warriors of Poseidon series. She graduated
summa cum laude from Capital University Law School and practiced
as a trial lawyer in multi-million dollar litigation for several
years before coming to her senses and letting the voices in her head
loose on paper. She credits the best editor, agent, and friends in
the universe and the most patient family EVER for her success.
Deidre
Knight began her writing career at age nine, when her award-winning essay
on Barbie was published in her hometown newspaper, The Atlanta
Journal and Constitution. She has been writing in one form or
another ever since. After nearly a decade of working with Knight
Agency clients, helping them discover their creative potential,
Deidre’s dream of writing romance came true in the form of her
MIDNIGHT WARRIOR series.
Michelle
Monkou published her first book in 2002 with BET Books. She helped
launched Harlequin's Kimani Romance with her Masterson family series
in September 2006. Her latest release is STRAIGHT TO THE
HEART published in September 2007. Michelle continues to write
stories filled with complex, memorable characters. She resides in
Maryland with her family and cat.
Tracy
Montoy
Sandra
Madden is a graduate of the University of Miami and a former
writer/producer/host for a Miami PBS television station where she
wrote and produced documentaries, public affairs programs and
how‑to‑series for seventeen years. Previously, she enjoyed a
fifteen year career in commercial broadcasting in both Miami and Los
Angeles. Sandra worked as a copy and promotion director at several
radio stations as well as with an advertising agency in L.A. Between
broadcast positions, she served as Creative Director for a Los
Angeles production company which, at the time, produced the childrens’ program “The New Zoo Review” and the Golden Globe
Awards. She also recorded voice-over commercials. 
Miriam van Veen is better known as erotic romance author,
Marianne LaCroix, or "Mari" to friends. Since her first sale in 2003, Mari
has had 6 novels and 18 novellas and short stories published. She
writes for Ellora's Cave, Cerridwen Press, New Concepts Publishing,
loveyoudivine and Red Rose Publishing. She makes her NY debut in May
2008 with the release of ROYAL
BONDAGE from Pocket
Books. 
Leaving
behind her position as a vice president, Terri Ridgell’s adventure
into the world of writing has allowed her to meet and become friends
with incredible people from all walks of life. In the past five
years, she has received an education rivaling her bachelor's degree
in science and her environmental biology masters. She knows only too
well that any goal worth achieving requires one to grow and change.
Being an author has been no exception providing an experience of
continual challenge and enjoyment. 
Award
winning author Catherine Kean has earned a reputation for being
promotion savvy but it is her warm, generous spirit that wins over
fans, booksellers, and fellow authors. Catherine has organized
countless author events and is the energetic force behind the
Romancing the Holidays Multi-Author Book Signing that draws
crowds each year in Orlando. 
Ed
Gaffney took ten years of work as a criminal lawyer, added an
overactive imagination, and came up with a new career as a novelist.
His fourth book, Enemy Combatant, is a February 2008 release and he is already at work on his fifth book, tentatively
titled Habeas Corpus. Ed learned the ins and outs of book promotion
and book tours working side by side with his wife, New York Times
bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann. 
Learn
the keys to successful manuscript submission from publisher Raelene
Gorlinsky. 
Terry
Odell began writing when she ran out of space for her needlepoint
and needed another creative outlet. Her first novel, FINDING SARAH,
a romantic suspense, was published by Cerridwen Press in February of
2007, followed rapidly by WHAT’S IN A NAME? in April and STARTING
OVER in August. A sequel to FINDING SARAH is under contract. Look
for her newest mystery adventure, WHEN DANGER CALLS, from Five Star
Publishing in December, 2008. Terry was born in Los Angeles but has
lived in Florida since 1987.
Dara
Edmondson began making up stories as soon as she learned to speak.
After careers in the salon industry and the Real Estate field, she's
realized a lifelong dream of becoming a writer of fiction. She lives
in Orlando, Florida with her very supportive husband, son and
daughter and two very spoiled cats. 
Barbara
Caridad Ferrer is a first generation, bilingual Cuban-American, born
in Manhattan and raised in Miami, which means she speaks Spanish at
least well enough to regularly employ the colorful expressions. Her
young adult debut, Adiós to My Old Life (MTV Books/2006), won
the Romance Writers of America's 2007 RITA® for Best Contemporary
Single Title Romance; her second MTV Books novel, It's Not About
the Accent was released in August 2007 and is already
garnering praise such as, "Reminiscent of Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez’s
The Dirty Girls’ Social Club, this feisty and fun novel is proof
that Caridad Ferrer is a rising star in the rapidly growing teen
fiction genre."
Gail
Ranstrom writes historical fiction for Harlequin. A short
conversation with Gail will convince readers that she should have
written a book titled "Jobs I Have Had." Before taking up the pen,
her work experience ran the gamut from a seamstress making waitress
uniforms for a German beer garden, to inventory clerk at the
University of Montana where she was attacked by a chimpanzee,
stepped on dead lab rats in dark basements and located missing
satellite spy cameras in — oh, wait, that's classified — to
advertising coordinator and PR writer.
Most recently Gail was a commercial property manager in the Los
Angeles area, troubleshooting incidents as wide ranging as having a
SWAT team surrounding one of her buildings, a naked men in the
ladies' restroom and rattlesnakes coiled in front of tenants' doors.
Gail writes historical
romance fiction because she loses herself in the past more
completely than she can in the present or future. Combine that with
her lifelong love of words and reading, the desire to entertain and
the fact that she's too shy to do stand-up comedy, and what was
left? 
Simone
Elkeles was a teen in the 80’s and still overuses words like grody
and totally, but resists the urge to wear blue eye shadow or say
“Gag me with a spoon”. When Simone’s not writing, she’s speaking
to high school English classes or teaching writing to aspiring
authors. Simone started writing adult historical romances, but found
her home writing teen romances because she swears she has writers
ADD, and research gives her hives. In her spare time, she Tivo’s
reality television and watches teen movies. She lives near Chicago
with her family and two crazy dogs.
You
name it. Shannon Greenland’s done it. Hiking, rafting, swimming,
snorkeling, sailing, surfing, mountain biking, spelunking, canoeing,
power lifting, running, camping, para sailing . . . well, you get
the drift. She’s traveled the world extensively and is thrilled to
be living in Florida looking for her latest adventure. Believe it or
not, Shannon dreaded reading and writing when she was a kid. How
ironic that she’s now an award winning author. 