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Reading Resolutions

January 9, 2011 by in category Archives

I’m giving up on all those resolutions about losing a few pounds, keeping in touch with people better, tidying my office / bedroom / kitchen, and instead sticking with resolutions that I might actually be able to keep. The one think I can guarantee I’ll do this year is read books. Lots of them. So I’m resolving in 2011 to read some of those books and authors I’ve always meant to but never got around to, and to re-read some whose delights I’ve all but forgotten.

So, on the first-time read list for this year are Moby Dick (yes, I know I should have read it!), a couple of Herman Wouk titles, since I so loved The Winds of War in 2010, anything by Deanne Gist, some more Jennifer Weiner… The new Susan Elizabeth Phillips book. I’m halfway through Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen, so that’s solid progress on my resolution already. The Last Will of Moira Leahy, by Therese Walsh. At least one YA novel by Julie Kagawa. I like to buy authors’ debut novels, so in 2011, that’ll mean buying books by Michelle Diener, Soraya Lane and Kylie Griffin. Skinny Dip, by Carl Hiaasen, and maybe his new book, Star Island, as well.

On the re-read list are Jane Eyre, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility. Maybe War and Peace if I’m not overly daunted by the size of the thing.

Tell me what you’re planning to read this year – I’m always keen to hear your recommendations!

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But as I do every year, I’ve started 2011 optimistically. It’ll be a good one. Things won’t always go perfectly, but they’ll generally be fine.

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January 8th Meeting – Wendy Corsi Staub and HelenKay Dimon

January 4, 2011 by in category Archives
Get your writing year off to a great start with OCCRWA’s January meeting.

***SPECIAL NOTICE***
Starting in January 2011, OCC meetings will begin at 10:00 AM, rather than 10:30, and doors will open at 9:00.

The 2011 BBB (Book Buyer’s Best) Contest deadline is January 8th! Published authors, don’t miss this chance to get your books in front of a first-round panel of librarians, booksellers, and readers, and possibly final judge Sue Grimshaw of Borders Group, Inc.! General Information, Rules and Entry Form are available on the OCC website.

MONTHLY MEETING:

OCC’s next monthly meeting will be Saturday, January 8th, at the Brea Community Center, at 695 E. Madison Way, on the corner of Randolph Ave. and Madison Way.

In the morning, New York Times-bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub presents “Ask Me Anything!”


Wendy is the NYT-bestselling, RITA-award-winning author of over seventy published novels–but her professional experience touches every corner of the publishing map. She worked in two independent bookstores during college, then moved alone to New York City to work as a book editor for a Manhattan publishing house and an account coordinator for a major advertising agency, while launching her own writing career. She has published in various genres including suspense, horror, historical and contemporary romance, women’s fiction (as Wendy Markham), television and movie tie-in, and biography. Her latest book, SCARED TO DEATH (Avon Books, January 2011), is part of an all-new suspense trilogy.

In her interactive presentation, Wendy will discuss her wealth of varied experience in the publishing world and invite questions on everything from writing, to editing, to bookselling. She invites OCC members and guests to “Ask anything!”


In the afternoon, author HelenKay Dimon presents “How Not to Forrest Gump Your Way Through Your Writing Career.”

Bestselling and award-winning author HelenKay spent twelve years in the most unromantic career ever – divorce lawyer. After dedicating all that time and effort to helping people terminate relationships, she is thrilled to write romance novels full time. Her debut novella appeared in the April 2006 Brava anthology release, WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS with Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy. Since then she has sold more than twenty-five books to Kensington, Berkley, Harlequin and Samhain. Her books have been featured at E! Online and in the Chicago Tribune, and she has had two books featured as “Red-Hot Reads” in Cosmopolitan Magazine. When not writing, she teaches fiction and romance writing at MiraCosta College and UCSD and generally wastes a lot of time watching bad SyFy channel movies.

Doors open at 9:00 AM for Ask-an-Author with Susan Squires.

See you there!
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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

December 28, 2010 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,



It is that time of year again. Time to take stock of what happened in the previous year and set goals for the New Year.

Last year seemed to fly by and I didn’t get much done. My writing stalled for most of the year. The last part of the year I was busy helping to shut down the Sylvan Learning that I had worked for over the last 12 ½ years. We were trying to cause as little disruption to the students as possible. I didn’t really feel like writing during that time and pretty much didn’t.

Now the new year is about to start and it is time to go back to writing as well as looking for employment. I am going to write the three books I had planned to write this year. One is a new one in my mystery series. One is an alternate universe romance. The third is fantasy book that will have a monster bounty hunter and the guard of the first monster. This will not really be a romance.

Seeing as I have two online schools that I am teaching for starting in January, I should have plenty of time to write.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and I wish everyone a Happy New Year.

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“Going the Distance: Goal Setting and Time Management for the Writer” with Kitty Bucholtz

December 26, 2010 by in category Archives tagged as

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As you take a few moments to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future…
ARM YOURSELF WITH THE TOOLS TO MAKE YOUR 2011 WRITING GOALS REALLY HAPPEN.

Going the Distance: Goal Setting and Time Management for the Writer
with Kitty Bucholtz
January 10 to February 5, 2011

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassJan11.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
If you have specific questions, email occrwaonlineclass@yahoo.com

ABOUT THE CLASS:
Wherever you are in your career, time management is often one of the biggest challenges. Every New Year’s Eve, as the fireworks explode, we try to figure out how to make our goals into our reality. But what will work for you?

In this class, you will be presented with a variety of ways to look at goal setting and time management specifically designed for the writer. Whether you are a plotter or a pantster, this interactive course will help you design a game plan that will work for you.

You will be encouraged to share your personal time management frustrations as well as your tips and tricks for achieving your writing goals. Everyone will take away a printed personalized plan for the year, and you will know how and when to make adjustments. Though class interaction will be most helpful, this is a class that can be taken and saved for later as long as you take the time to download the many forms provided on the group website.

Start the New Year right! Forget the mistakes of the past and focus on what you can do to change your future!

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Kitty Bucholtz is a writer and speaker, and a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of Australia. She co-founded Routines for Writers (http://www.routinesforwriters.com\) a web site dedicated to helping writers write more. In 2011, Kitty will receive her Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from University of Technology, Sydney.

Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassJan11.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members

Coming in February 2011
“OMG I ♥ it: Writing the YA teens want to read”
with Suzanne Lazear
Find out what Teens expect out of a YA novel and how to write the YA story you want to tell in a way that appeals to today’s teens.

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

Want to be notified personally two weeks before each class? Be sureyou’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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