Category Archives: Meetings

September 17, 2023 Meeting – How to Make Sure Your Book Has Butter and Doesn’t Suck with Theodora Taylor

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Our September 17, 2023 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop on outlining titled “How to Make Sure Your Book Has Butter and Doesn’t Suck” presented by best-selling author Theodora Taylor, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Theodora Taylor headshotWorkshop Description: Best-selling author Theodora Taylor will be providing a friendly introduction to Universal Fantasy™ Storytelling Butter and how to “proof” for it with your blurb.
Bio: Theodora Taylor is the bestselling author of the 50 Loving States Series. Despite writing within a niche genre (interracial romance), she has earned six KDP All-Star bonuses and grown a fanbase of rabid readers through the power of Universal Fantasy™. Her book, 7 FIGURE FICTION: How to Use Universal Fantasy™ to SELL Your Books to ANYONE was an instant #1 non-fiction bestseller in the Writing Category on Amazon and has since been certified as Great by the world’s largest online bookseller. She adores discussing Universal Fantasy™ and can’t wait to talk with you about it.

June 25, 2023 Meeting – Romance Tropes and the Shifting Sands of Time with Kathryn Le Veque

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Our March 19, 2023 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop on outlining titled “Romance Tropes and the Shifting Sands of Time” presented by USA Today best-selling, award-winning author and publisher Kathryn Le Veque, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of author Kathryn Le VequeWorkshop Description: USA Today best-selling, award-winning author Kathryn Le Veque will be discussing the different tropes of romance novels – past and present. What may have worked even twenty years ago has evolved as readers’ tastes change. We’ll talk about what works today, what doesn’t, what can be tweaked and twisted, and what can’t be. We’ll talk about what’s popular by genre (Historical Romance in this case, but this can be expanded into Contemporary and beyond) but also what tends to be universally popular. We’re going to talk about the fun part of tropes – making them our own, as an author, and how the reader looks for the author’s unique touch on a common trope. We’ll talk about how tropes work for ALL romance – because love is love. We’ll also talk about No-No tropes and how to avoid them. Trope’s the word!
Bio: Kathryn Le Veque is a critically acclaimed, USA Today Bestselling author (having hit the list 30 times), an Indie Reader bestseller, a charter Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance with over 140 published novels. Kathryn is also the CEO of Dragonblade Publishing, Amazon’s #1 small press for Historical Romance ebooks.

May 21, 2023 Meeting – WRITE WAY BETTER SCENES with Anne Hawley and Rachelle Ramirez

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Our May 21 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a with a workshop presented by Anne Hawley and Rachelle Ramirez from Pages & Platforms. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Workshop Description:
Good Scenes are the Building Blocks of Great Books! Too often, writers settle for subjective opinions about what makes a scene “work.” They don’t know that there are actually objective criteria you can apply to a scene to ensure it’s riveting and know how to fix it when it’s not.
In this one-hour workshop, developmental editors Anne Hawley and Rachelle Ramirez will lead you through the practical steps it takes to write amazing scenes that will have readers hungry to turn the page.
Participants will gain indispensable new clarity into the basic building block of a story, the scene. They will come away understanding exactly how to assess their own scenes, fix the ones that aren’t working, and improve them all, for a better, more compelling story.
Bio:
Anne Hawley – When she’s not editing stories, Anne is writing them, reading them, researching them, or analyzing them. She specializes in helping writers discover the heart of the story they’re trying to tell so that they can tell it more beautifully. She can often be seen riding her Dutch bike Eleanor around Portland. She’s the author of Restraint, a love story set in 19th Century London. Learn more about her editing services and her writing at https://www.annehawley.net
Rachelle Ramirez – Rachelle helps writers develop their stories and believes stories are our most important catalyst for change. She has an MA in psychology from Goddard College and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Masters in Creative Writing Program on a merit scholarship. Before becoming a developmental editor, she served as a mental health counselor and as the executive director of a national writing community. You can learn more about Rachelle and her editing services at https://www.rachelleramirez.com

April 23, 2023 Meeting – Story Structure with Barbara Wallace

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Our April 23, 2023 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop titled “Story Structure” presented by author Barbara Wallace, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of author Barabara Wallace wearing a red sweater and a navy-and-white scarf around her neckWorkshop Description: Plot is the action in your story. Structure is the framework for organizing that action. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a pantser or a plotter, follow the Hero’s Journey or Save the Cat, all stories contain the same three major parts: A beginning, a middle, and an end. The most common – and easiest – way to understand story structure is by understanding Three-Act Structure. Barb will break down the various transition and turning points you need for your story to flow from Act 1 (the beginning) through to Act 3 (The end). She’ll also talk about how the three-act structure relates to theme and character arcs.
Bio: Since her debut with Harlequin in 2009, bestselling author Barbara Wallace has sold over 1 million books worldwide. In 2017, she added mystery writing to her resume with the Sadie McIntyre mysteries, which she publishes under her own imprint. Barbara is a lover of coffee, a mother of cats (and a son, but the cats prefer to be listed first), a terrible crocheter, and a voracious reader. She is currently working on her first historical fiction, a story based in 1964 Greenwich Village.

March 19, 2023 Meeting – It’s the Little Things – Creating a Big Story from Small Moments with Tracy Brogan

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Our March 19, 2023 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop on outlining titled “It’s the Little Things – Creating a Big Story from Small Moments” presented by USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestselling, multiple award-winning author Tracy Brogan, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of author Tracy BroganWorkshop Description: It’s easy* to captivate an audience with dramatic plot-twists, alien abductions, ticking time bombs, and shape-shifting animals who turn into ridiculously hot men without pants, but what about stories with relatable, recognizable characters whose lives mimic our own human hum-drummery? Stories about ordinary people living ordinary lives and yet somehow their experiences, taken as a whole, add up to something quite EXTRAordinary. High-concept, high-octane stories are exciting, but I’ll share the secrets of how to make your seemingly quieter stories just as exciting, just as riveting, and just as memorable. I’ll also share why weaving small moments into ANY story will make it better. *Easy is relative.
Bio: Tracy Brogan is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Publishing bestselling author who writes fun, funny stories about ordinary people finding extraordinary love, as well as lush historical romance full of men in kilts and damsels causing distress. She’s a three-time recipient of the Amazon Publishing Diamond award for sales exceeding one-million copies, a three-time finalist of the RWA® RITA award, and a three-time winner of the Booksellers Best award. Her bestselling Bell Harbor and Trillium Bay series feature re-imagined versions of her favorite Michigan locations – including famed Mackinac Island – and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. She is currently at work on several projects including a gilded age series, the long-awaited sequel to Highland Surrender, and a dual-timeline rom-com that just *may* include ghosts. (Hint: It does. It totally has ghosts.) Brogan loves hearing from readers so please contact her at [email protected], or visit her at tracybrogan.com, on Facebook at AuthorTracyBrogan or Instagram @tracybroganbooks.

February 26, 2023 Meeting – Book Done 101 with Patti Larsen

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Our February 26, 2023 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop on outlining titled “Book Done 101” presented by USA Today bestselling, international multiple-award-winning author Patti Larsen, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of author Patti LarsenWorkshop Description: As writers, we leap into new ideas with passion and commitment. But there are times when, despite our best efforts, we begin with the best intentions only to find ourselves lost and frustrated, not knowing where to take our brilliant idea, finally forced to abandon it for the next wonderful story that lures us onward. Sound familiar? Patti Larsen’s outlining program has evolved from decades of diverse writing education and experience, including journalism, screenwriting and traditional prose. She’s combined all of those processes into a step-by-step, easy to adapt and understand program that will help you evolve your idea from the core construct to the finished product. No more aimless wandering, no more worry you’ve missed something important that will leave you cornered and not sure where to turn. Tune in to learn how she has used this process to write and publish over 185 projects in thirteen years while making her living as a full-time author.
Bio: Patti Larsen is an award-winning middle grade and young adult author with a passion for the paranormal. But that sounds so freaking formal, doesn’t it? I’m a storyteller who hears teenager’s voices so loud I have to write them down. I love roller derby even though it doesn’t love me. I’ve dabbled in everything from improv theater to film making and writing TV shows, singing in an all-girl band to running my own hair salon. But always, always, writing books calls me home. I’ve had my sights set on world literary domination for a while now. Which means getting my books out there. It’s the coolest thing, this job of mine, being able to tell stories I love, only to see them all shiny and happy in readers’ hands… I have the best job ever. As for the rest of it, I’m short (permanent), slightly round (changeable), and blonde (for ever and ever). I love to talk one on one about the deepest topics and can’t seem to stop seeing the big picture. I happily live on Prince Edward Island, Canada, home to Anne of Green Gables and the most beautiful red beaches in the world, with my very patient husband and five massive cats.

January 22, 2023 Meeting – Facebook Ads with Malorie Cooper

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Our January 22, 2023 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop on Facebook ads presented by Malorie Cooper, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of author Malorie CooperWorkshop Description: Malorie Cooper, along with Jill Cooper, is a co-author of the popular book, Help! My Facebook Ads Suck. Using the basic principles in the book they teach monthly classes, do 1-on-1 consults, and run marketing mentorships.
Bio: Mal Cooper has been a full-time author since 2018. When she is not writing, she spends her time traveling the globe to teach authors how to: • Launch their career • Launch their books From professional book soundscores, card games, audiobooks, and an upcoming RPG Tabletop game—Mal is teaching authors how to sell more books and earn more money.

November 20, 2022 Meeting – Writing a Breakout Book with Alana Quintana Albertson

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Our November 20, 2022 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop presented by best-selling author Alana Quintana Albertson on Writing a Breakout Book, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of Alana Quintana AlbertsonWorkshop Description: A breakout book is the perfect combination of high concept, good timing, excellent marketing, and a dash of luck. A breakout book can result in a huge six figure traditional deal or can also hit to the top of the charts indie. Join author Alana Quintana Albertson who has written several breakout books and discover the strategy for cultivating your own breakout bestseller.
Bio: Alana Quintana Albertson is a Latina bestselling romance and mystery author (#3 in entire Amazon store) with over one million views on her Se7en Deadly SEALs romantic mystery serial on Radish. Her own voices, Latine Rom Com series, Love and Tacos, has been optioned for television. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. She’s the former President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, and Chick Lit chapters. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, she lives in Poway, California, with her husband, two young sons, and six rescue dogs. When she’s not spending her time saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses™, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes of Cobra Kai, Vida, YOU, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

October 16, 2022 Meeting – Finding Success with Standalones with Kiersten Modglin

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Our October 16, 2022 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop presented by best-selling author Kiersten Modglin on Finding Success with Standalones, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Kiersten Modglin headshotWorkshop Description: Kiersten has been killing it with her suspense standalones and will share some of her tips & tricks on how to make your standalone a huge success.
Bio: Kiersten Modglin is an Amazon Top 10 bestselling author of psychological thrillers and a member of International Thriller Writers, Novelists, Inc., and the Alliance of Independent Authors. Kiersten is a KDP Select All-Star and a recipient of ThrillerFix’s Best Psychological Thriller Award and Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award. She grew up in rural western Kentucky and later relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and their two Boston terriers: Cedric and Georgie..

September 18, 2022 Meeting – Tips and Strategies to Sell Your Books: Amazon Ads with Deb Zeb

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Our September 18, 2022 monthly meeting will start at 1:00 P.M. with a workshop presented by best-selling author Deb Zeb on Tips and Strategies to Sell Your Books: Amazon Ads, which will be followed by our monthly business and social meeting. Not a NERW member but want to attend the workshop? Join NERW now and receive access to our monthly workshops, private email forum, and Facebook group!
Headshot of author Deb ZebWorkshop Description: Learn to monitor, analyze, and optimize your Amazon ad campaigns. This workshop is packed with tips and strategies to improve the quality of your advertising in the US and word-wide. Deb Zeb is brilliant, has written a great book on ad campaigns, and we’re so excited to have her join us this month.
Bio: Deb Zeb lives in New Zealand, which is just above Antarctica, but isn’t quite as cold!! She writes and publishes You Say Which Way interactive fiction as well as plays, non-fiction and short stories. Deb has a certificate in Children’s Literature and a Masters in Creative Writing from Victoria University’s IMML. She regularly gives workshops to writing groups and conferences, and one-on-one assistance to authors.