Victors, Villains & Vixens: @OCCRWA Birthday Bash

2017 Bithday-Bash

The Orange County, California, chapter of Romance Writers of America (OCCRWA) is having its annual Birthday Bash on October 21. Keynote speaker is author Damon Suede who will speak on the topic of Reader’s Block.

Damon’s talk focuses on the modern romance industry, the radical shifts in readership and fandom and how they’re altering what success looks like for professional authors. Genre fictioneers often grouse about writer’s block but more and more what we encounter is something more akin to reader’s block: an unwillingness to step beyond our ruts or move past the shadow of our steeples.

Romance is the literature of hope, simultaneously the most traditional and most provocative of genres. Our industry is evolving, but not necessarily in the obvious ways. Tribalism and division cost us market share and media access. In a world expanding and connecting at an exponential rate, where do books land? Who are the readers of tomorrow? What is the future of love stories and genre fiction careers? Join us for a free-range discussion of the art of heart and the business of happy endings.

In the morning, four published authors (Debra Holland, Brenna Aubrey, Maggie Marr, Damon Suede) speak on a panel about What Made the Difference in their writing careers.

Important Details:

Date: Saturday, October 21, 2017, starting at 9AM

LM at Harry Potter WorldParticipants are encouraged to come in costume and enter the costume contest! Dress as your favorite victor, villain or vixen. I’ll be wearing my Ravenclaw robe along with a witch hat and carrying my wand of wisdom.

Location:

Embassy Suites – Brea
900 East Birch Street
Brea, California, 92821

Cost:

OCC Member- $50
Non-OCC Member-$60
OCC Past President- $30

Pay online by October 18th to reserve your spot and choose you lunch entree at http://occrwa.org/chapter-meetings/birthday-bash/

Price includes a sit-down lunch with a choice of menu.

Chicken Mediterranean Lunch
Vegetarian Lunch
Gluten-free Lunch

Additional activities include a Friday night write-in, cover contest, costume contest, a chance to win prizes in our big annual raffle including an Amazon Kindle and a free one-night stay at the Embassy Suites, and Saturday night pajama parties.

OCC will also be announcing the winners of their Orange Rose and Bookbuyer’s Best contests. And there will be birthday cake!

For more information including a detailed schedule or to reserve a space, go to http://occrwa.org/chapter-meetings/birthday-bash/.

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If Tomorrow Never Comes: Ghost #Bookhugs w/ Lisa Chalmers @lisaink

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Please welcome author Lisa Chalmers with her Ghost #Bookhugs inspiration and a peek at If Tomorrow Never Comes.

If Tomorrow Never Comes cover

Blurb:

How hard would you fight for the one you love?

Josh Collins has the perfect life—a beautiful girlfriend and a baby on the way, until an accident takes his life.

Avery Rhodes’ world imploded the moment she lost Josh. Her life and future unravelled in an instant. Alone and pregnant, she finds herself facing an unimaginable, turbulent and painful new reality.

With his newfound guide Gabriel, Josh is witness to the unintended consequences of his death, until he can’t take it anymore. He has to fight for everything and everyone he loves.

Together, Josh and Avery are forced to learn what happens IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES.

Excerpt:

Josh had the sketchbook Gabriel had given him propped on his legs as he sketched absently as he sat on the beach, the sun rising behind him, not concentrating on what he was doing, the pencil moving quickly across the paper. His thoughts were where they always tended to drift to lately, Avery and the baby. He’d been afraid to sneak down and see her since the day he’d actually held her. It tore him up inside to be away from her for so long, but he didn’t understand what that meant, that he could suddenly touch her and she’d feel it. He didn’t want to scare her somehow. He smudged one of the lines he’d drawn and studied his work. Her face stared back at him. He darkened a few lines before he set the book beside him on the warm sand and closed his eyes, thinking back.

He’d decided to go with her to that very first doctor’s appointment, the one to confirm whether or not her suspicions were correct. It was uncomfortable being the only male in the doctor’s waiting room, being smiled at by every woman who walked in. He could still see the surprise on the nurse’s face when she walked out and found him there by himself for the first time. He’d tried to keep from squirming around anxiously in the chair every time he heard a door open and close in the distance. He wondered just how long it took to come back with test results anyway. They’d called and said they were in, so it didn’t take all that long to tell her yes or no, did it? He kept stretching his legs out ahead of him then bringing them back, not wanting to trip anyone as they were called for their appointment. He’d been there at least an hour waiting, jumping at every noise. He’d been sure the nurse was about to give him something for his nerves when he felt someone nudge his foot. He scooted his feet back, letting whoever it was pass by on their way to their appointment.

“Good quiz in Cosmo?” Avery’s voice came from behind the glossy pages.

He lifted his gaze in record time. “Who cares?” He tossed the magazine on the empty chair beside him.

She read the cover. “Rating your lover in twelve easy questions.”

“Avery?”

“What?” She’d been reaching for the magazine.

“I want to know.”

“I haven’t taken the quiz yet.” She giggled as he batted her hand away. “You’re absolutely crazy.”

He glanced around the almost deserted waiting room before he pulled her down to sit on his lap. “I want to know if we’re going to have a baby.” His arm wrapped around her waist, his fingers sliding beneath the back of her shirt, rubbing the soft skin at the small of her back. “I need to know.”

“You need to know, huh?”

His eyes locked on hers. “Come on, Aves. Am I going to be a daddy?”

She took one of his hands and moved it around, resting it on her abdomen. She bit her lip for a moment before breaking out into the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. “I think Daddy’s crazy, don’t you, baby?”

Josh’s jaw dropped, his mind going absolutely blank as he tried to comprehend her words. She was kidding, she wasn’t kidding. She didn’t look like she was kidding. That smile on her face, the way her eyes were shining as she waited for his reaction. “Oh my…oh my God…”

“So I guess I was right.”

“Let’s take you home,” he said suddenly, his hand tightening over hers.

“Why?”

He leaned in close to her. “Because I want to talk to the baby and then I want to make love to his beautiful mommy.” He stared into her eyes. “All right with you?”

She blushed as she slid off his lap. “More than all right with me.”

Purchase Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Tomorrow-Never-Comes-Lisa-Chalmers-ebook/dp/B00BHOCMMC

Lisa Chalmers friends quote

Author Bio:

Lisa Chalmers writes wherever her muse takes her – which is usually somewhere warmer – Florida, Los Angeles or Las Vegas. She has a deep love for the paranormal. IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES is her first release.

Author links:

http://www.lisa-chalmers.com
http://www.twitter.com/lisaink
https://www.facebook.com/LisaChalmersInk/
http://www.bookbub.com/authors/lisa-chalmers
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