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Year Going Fast

November 6, 2015 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as Linda O. Johnston, Superstition Mystery

by Linda O. Johnston

As I indicated in last month’s blog, I wasn’t able to attend the OCC Birthday Bash. Sounds as if it was lots of fun even without me–as I anticipated.

The family-related stuff I mentioned then as the reason I had to miss the party was enjoyable. It involved a short trip in which I got to visit six brick-and-mortar bookstores during a month that I had a new Superstition Mystery released–KNOCK ON WOOD. It was enjoyable stopping in and seeing which stores carried copies that I could sign, and leaving bookmarks at them all.

Now, it’s November, and the year is quickly drawing to an end. I’m happy to say I’m planning on attending this month’s OCC meeting. I’d love to hear both speakers and attend PAW in the morning, too. Guess I’ll have to make a choice for the morning, but I really love how the OCC meetings are so versatile and have something for everyone.

So, hope to see you there this month. Thanks, OCC!

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Happy Birthday, OCC!

October 6, 2015 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston, Writing Conferences tagged as Birthday Bash 2015, Linda O. Johnston

I’m very sorry to say that I won’t be able to attend the OCC Birthday Bash next weekend. Some family-related stuff has come up, so I’ve had to cancel my reservation.

But that doesn’t mean I’ll fail to wish OCC a Happy Birthday. In fact, consider this blog my birthday wish!

I gather, from the OCC website, that this will be the chapter’s 34th birthday. That’s really exciting, especially considering that it has been, and remains, an especially dynamic chapter. We’ve got lots of published authors as well as many romance writers who are heading that direction. The chapter, and its members, have helped every one of us at whatever writing level we are. We’ve all watched and participated in how much the industry has changed over time. It’s wonderful!

I’ve been a member for over twenty years and have always loved it. I intend to remain a member for years to come, and to continue to attend as many meetings as possible. Unfortunately, it won’t include this one.

So, again, Happy Birthday, OCC. Have a wonderful celebration… without me.

Linda
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Linda O! Johnston
www.LindaOJohnston.com
BITE THE BISCUIT, A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery
KNOCK ON WOOD, a Superstition Mystery, October 2015
CANADIAN WOLF, an Alpha Force Harlequin Nocturne

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My New and Hopefully Lucky Romance Release

September 6, 2015 by Linda O. Johnston in category Events, Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as A Superstition Mystery, Harlequin Nocturne, Linda O. Johnston

by Linda O. Johnston

I’m full of it. Romance, I mean. This month marks the release of CANADIAN WOLF, the seventh book in my Alpha Force miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne, a paranormal romance about a covert military unit of shapeshifters.

That should be lucky. Why? The number 7 is considered to be lucky, and I also write the Superstition Mysteries. Number two in that series, KNOCK ON WOOD, will be published next month, and I’m knocking on wood that readers enjoy them both.

Will that consist of the same readers? Not necessarily. I realize that, and of course I’ve blogged here before at A Slice of Orange about writing in multiple genres, and all the different kinds of conferences I consequently wind up attending.

This month, I’m looking forward to attending the OCC meeting, and next month I’m looking forward to attending the OCC Birthday Bash. In between, I’ve got events and meetings both of Los Angeles Romance Authors and the mystery organizations I belong to.

It’s all fun. But I’ve been a member of OCC for a long time now and consider it very good luck that I joined all those years ago!

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RWA National Retrospective

August 6, 2015 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston, Writing Conferences tagged as 2015 RWA National Conference, A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery, A Superstition Mystery, An Alpha Force Harlequin Nocturne, Harlequin, Linda O. Johnston

I seem to blog here a lot about conferences I have attended this year, and now I’m doing it again. I went to the RWA National Conference in New York City toward the end of July and had a great time!

I’ve been going to the RWA National Conferences frequently for quite a few years now. They always seem fun and informative. These days, there is so much to learn about changes in how to publish as well as the entire publishing industry. The largest traditional publishers keep merging. Smaller publishers appear frequently and some are quite successful.

Then there’s the whole nearly-new world of successful self-publishing. Plus, the term “hybrid” was used a lot at the conference, meaning it’s good and potentially helpful for an ongoing career for a writer to both traditionally publish and self publish.

So, I attended workshops and panels, including my own panel with other mystery authors who also write romance, about how our careers pre-writing helped us with our writing as well. I saw my agent and my Harlequin editor. I went to the Meet-and-Greets for the two Harlequin series I write for and learned about what was going on. And I of course attended the always delightful Harlequin party.

I wound up staying in an overflow hotel rather than the main conference hotel, and the one I was in was horrible, unfortunately. It was being remodeled. My room was dark at night with inadequate lights. Cleaning was iffy. But at least it was near the conference hotel.

Next year RWA National will be in our backyard: San Diego. Will I attend?

Sure!

Linda O! Johnston
www.LindaOJohnston.com BITE THE BISCUIT, A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery

LOST UNDER A LADDER, a Superstition Mystery

LOYAL WOLF, an Alpha Force Harlequin Nocturne

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More About Multiple Genres

June 6, 2015 by Linda O. Johnston in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as cozy mysteries, Kill Me, Kiss Me, Linda O. Johnston, Online Classes, romantic suspense

My regular blog here at A Slice of Orange on the 6th of last month was about loving multiple genres. I’m going to focus on that once again now.

Why? Well, when you read this, I will most likely be at the California Crime Writers Conference in the Culver City area of L.A. Unsurprisingly, it’s primarily for people who write mysteries, suspense novels, and related subject.

The following weekend will be all about romance writing for me, since I’ll be attending the OCC meeting on Saturday, and the Los Angeles Romance Writers will meet on that Sunday since the following one, its regularly scheduled third Sunday of the month, will be Fathers Day.

So is it any surprise to you that the subject of my upcoming online class hosted by OCC will be… yes, about writing in both of those genres? In fact, I had a special blog posted about it on Tuesday, May 26, here at A Slice of Orange.

The class is called Kiss Me or Kill Me: Writing Cozy Mysteries 101 for Romance Writers. Those who are interested in adding suspense or mystery to their romances without necessarily changing genres should find it interesting, too, as should mystery or suspense writers who’d like to add some romance to their work.

And me? I’ve said for a while that all romances I write contain some element of mystery or suspense, and all mysteries I write generally contain a romantic interest. Aren’t both some of the most fun aspects of life–or at least reading?