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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

Starting a new fantasy book always takes awhile with trying to set up the new universe. In my alternate universe story, there are several major issues to take care of such as what magical properties are in the new universe.

One of the problems I have had was trying to figure out what the evil wizard wanted. After multiple trips to plot group, lunch at an OCC meeting and discussing it with my critique partner, I still didn’t know what he wanted. I knew I wanted him to be killing people, but why? What was he getting out of it?

Then I got stuck with my son Rob in the drive-through at KFC, which is not an uncommon occurrence. He plays many different role-playing games and often has great ideas. We were discussing what the wizard wanted and I knew it had something to do with a crystal. Crystals are a good match to magic.

So the legend of the great crystal was born. A thousand years ago, there was a magic crystal that was so powerful, that someone found a way to crack it because the holder of the crystal held enormous magical power and could control everyone around him. The crystal has been hidden for years and most think it is but a legend. However, the wizard has found the crystal and now is trying to find a way to heal it. Certain energy, taken from living beings, can heal the crystal. Those energies are not found in the wizard’s world, the magical world. He has tried and the energy he has taken does nothing to the crystal.

Therefore he has to venture into another universe. There he finds people who have the correct energy. Taking the energy kills the person. He stores it in small crystals, then returns to his own universe where he uses the energy to heal the large crystal.

Pax, the hero, is chasing the wizard when the wizard returns to his own universe and pulls Pax with him and there starts the story.

On a person note, Rob is going to be a father in February.

“Understanding Men” with Dr. Debra Holland

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Hi everyone! Check out the exciting online classes offered by the
Orange County Chapter of RWA!

“Understanding Men”
with Dr Debra Holland
August 16 – September 18, 2010

Do you wish you had a better understanding of men? Now is your chance to improve your real-life relationships with men and enhance your male characters all through taking the same course.

Extended to include an extra week of information and lectures, during this five-week class you will learn how the male brain and hormones make a man think, feel, and behave, especially in relationships. New material will cover male sexuality and how that affects responses, attitudes, and behavior. We will also discuss how men are portrayed in romance novels versus how men are in real life.

About the Instructor:

Debra Holland, PhD is a popular psychotherapist, consultant, and speaker on the topics of communication skills, relationships, stress and trauma, and dealing with difficult people. In this class, Dr. Debra expands on the workshop she has given at the 2001 National RWA Conference and around the country at various RWA chapters and conferences. Just this year, she has added a new segment covering the anatomy and physiology of male sexuality, as well as male sexual responses, attitudes, and behavior.

Although geared to writers, non-writers will also find the class helpful in improving their relationships with men.

As a multi-faceted author, Debra’s first historical romance, Wild Montana Sky, won the 2001 Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award. Subsequent books in the series, Wild Montana Sky and Starry Montana Sky both earned finalist honors in the OCCRWA Orange Rose contest. Her fantasy romance, Withea’s Way (retitled Sower of Dreams) was a 2003 Golden Heart finalist. Her science fiction/fantasy novel, Lywin’s Quest, was a 2005 GH finalist.

In 2008, she sold a nonfiction book, Back On Track, to Transformations, and is currently finishing a book on boundary setting with difficult people. Her column, “Ask Dr. Debra” can be found on her website: www.drdebraholland.com

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassAug10.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members

Coming in September 2010–

“Creating that Fatal (or Not So Fatal) Flaw”
with Laurie Schnebly Campbell
September 6 – October 2, 2010

Giving likable, plausible characters a truly compelling conflict is easier with Enneagrams. Counselors and HR managers use this tool to identify the nine distinctive personality types. Each one has its own uniquely heroic and appealing traits, as well as a troublesome (if not fatal) flaw that will naturally bring them into conflict with other people…AND with themselves.

Laurie Schnebly Campbell draws on her background as a counseling therapist AND as a romance novelist who beat out Nora Roberts for Best Special Edition of the Year to help you find out which strengths and weaknesses will make your characters’ lives more rewarding as they reach their happily-ever-after, and more challenging along the way!

COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members

http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html . Check out our full list of workshops.

Want to be notified personally two weeks before each class? Be sure
you’re signed up for our Online Class Notices Yahoo Group! Sign up at
the bottom of http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html or send a blank
email to OCCRWAOnlineClassNotices-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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