MORNING SESSION
“Blending Romance and Suspense: Putting Suspense Into Your Romance Novel and Romance Into Your Mystery”
with Linda O. Johnston
These days, anything goes! Novelists can mix the best parts of multiple genres--especially romance and suspense. Readers love the combination. Even so, they have expectations about how much of each they’ll find in a story, depending on the genre they’ve picked up to read.
Currently, Linda O. Johnston writes mysteries and paranormal romance. Her mysteries always have a romantic interest. Her romances always contain suspense. In this discussion, she will share her secrets with you, including the “rules” for the different genres, and how they can be sidestepped or broken.
Linda’s latest Kendra Ballantyne Pet-Sitter Mystery, Feline Fatale (Berkley) was released in July 2010. |
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AFTERNOON SESSION
“How to Stay Motivated When the Economy Stinks and the World of Publishing is Changing by the Hour – Or: Is It Worth It to Keep Doing This???”
with Jennie Nash
Jennie Nash is the author of the novels The Last Beach Bungalow and The Only True Genius in the Family, as well as three memoirs, including The Victoria's Secret Catalog Never Stops Coming and Other Lessons I Learned From Breast Cancer.
Jennie is an instructor at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two teenage girls. Jennie says: “I feel so very grateful to be a 10-year cancer survivor. These 10 years with my sweet husband and our amazing kids have been like a whole world. If you or someone you know has survived anything -- be it cancer, life with a kindergartner, or traffic on the 405 -- then cheers!”
The Threadbare Heart (Berkley) was released in May 2010.
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Ask An Author
Do you have a question that a published author can answer? Then plan to come to the meeting a little bit early. Each month one or two published authors host an informal round table discussion group. Ask An Author meets from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on the Plaza Side of the main meeting room.
Ask an Authors for September:
Karen Kay w/a Gen Bailey |
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Critique of the Month
Free for OCC Members Attending the Meeting--Monthly Critique Drawings!
Print out your FIRST chapter and bring it to the monthly meeting! Then add your name to the list of critique hopefuls, located at the membership table.
Author Critique for September:
Glynnis Campbell w/a Sarah McKerrigan
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