SisterDivas Magazine's Winter 2008 Issue is LIVE!

SisterDivas Magazine - Where REAL Women Congregate
NEW WEB ADDRESS: http://www.sisterdivasmagazine.net


QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
WINTER 2008 (January - April)

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TO SUBSCRIBE TO SD Quarterly Newsletter/Magazine and discussion,
send an e-mail to sisterdivas-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Copyright 1999 - 2008

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CONTENTS

***CLASS OFFERED: SCREENWRITING TECHNIQUES FOR NOVELISTS: HOW
THE SEVENTH ART CAN RAMP UP YOUR PROSE***

**SDgirl Interviews Frances O'Brien!**

1) MEDIA
2) TOTAL BODY
3) FEATURE
4) LIFE
5) BUZZWORTHY
6) CONTACT INFORMATION!


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***SCREENWRITING TECHNIQUES FOR NOVELISTS: HOW THE SEVENTH ART CAN
RAMP UP YOUR PROSE***

INSTRUCTOR: Deanna Carlyle
WHEN: Feb 4 to Feb 15, 2008 (6 lessons posted over 2 weeks)
WHERE: Online

WORKSHOP:

Do you want to write more visually? Want to make sure your novels
lend themselves to screenplay adaptation? Are you curious about
how cinematic techniques can improve your fiction's point of view
and pacing? Screenplay techniques are easy and fun to apply to
narrative prose, and the results will make your work more marketable.
Each lesson in the workshop includes a homework assignment, so you
can practice on your own story ideas.

COURSE SYLLABUS:

1. Story development. Learn how to pre-plot your story like a
screenwriting pro does with a development executive.

2. Teamwork. Even if you write alone, you can benefit from the way
screenwriting teams divide and conquer tasks.

3. The show-don't-tell rule writ large. Learn how screenwriters have
perfected the art of choosing the most "telling" image and story
situation.

4. Transitions. Learn practical tips on how to move smoothly from
scene to scene with techniques such as match cuts, aural transitions
and montage sequences.

5. Storyboarding and scene beats. Learn practical tips on how physical
and psychological distance can be manipulated to affect your readers.

6. Dialogue. Learn how and why dialogue and subtext often come last
in the screenwriting process.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Deanna Carlyle began her full-time writing career several years ago
and hasn't looked back since. She has a master's degree in applied
linguistics and certification in screenwriting from the year-long
program at Interspherial Drehbuchschule in Germany, where she also
writes for the comic TV series, "Abgedreht in Stuttgart"
(http://www.abgedrehtinstuttgart.de).

Deanna's young adult fantasy novel, The Last Virgin at St. Gilles
Charm School, recently garnered American agent representation and
an extra ten pounds on her hips. Her teaching experience includes
freshman English at San Jose State University and English as a
Second Language at Berlitz, but nowadays she prefers teaching online
from the comfort of her own pajamas.

Check out Deanna's website at http://www.deannacarlyle.com to find
out more about her writing!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

Cost for the workshop is $15 for NEORWA members, $20 for all others.
You do not have to be an RWA member to take our workshops!

Please email Rhonda Stapleton at giftedrhonda@yahoo.com or
rhonda.stapleton@sbcglobal.net with any questions. List the title
of the workshop in the subject line.

Visit http://www.neorwa.com/workshops.htm for more information.


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**SDgirl Interviews Frances O'Brien!**

YA author Frances O'Brien is doing something a bit unorthodox!
After her first book SHEER BLISS was published, she decided to
offer its sequel online! Learn why...and so much more...
over at SDgirl on MySpace @

http://www.myspace.com/sdgirl_club!


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1) MEDIA

::If you love movies, you'll definitely want to check out our
interview with Miss Movie Fan - she spills the beans on the movies
of 2008 that she's anxiously awaiting to see...and more!

::If you don't know Abiola Abrams, you should - this indie filmmaker,
actress, author, everywoman comes to SD to talk about her debut novel,
DARE and to share with us an excerpt!

::Self-described as "chaotic, messy, and late", the wonderful novelist
Kelly Braffet stops by SD to talk about her latest novel, LAST SEEN
LEAVING, writing, and other cool things!


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2) TOTAL BODY

::As good as it is for you to become physically fit, it is equally
important for you to know who your trainer is and see if he/she is
qualified to help you be the best you can be; how can you check up
on your trainer? First, check out Madison Chase's latest article,
"Who Trains Your Personal Trainer?"

::What does eating an elephant and starting a difficult task have
to do with one another? Find out in Dr. Cherry's latest piece,
"How to Eat an Elephant"!


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3) FEATURE

Here @ SD Features, we are premiering a new online saga: LOVE
BYTES. For those of you who enjoyed THE MISADVENTURES OF A SBF,
we have all nine episodes online for your perusal @ SD Features.

NOW - What is Love Bytes, you ask. Here's the skinny: Meet
Destiny, a twenty something love columnist - who knows absolutely
nothing about love. Her last boyfriend, well he was actually
the fiancé, broke up with Destiny while in the middle of planning
their wedding, and since then, Destiny has been battling depression.
Meet Devon, the sports editor at the paper Destiny works at. He has
been hot on Destiny's trail since the first time they met, but she's
always rebuffed his advances. Mainly because she knows he's a playa
and likes "conquering women" as she hears around the water cooler.
Destiny's tough veneer melts when she meets a guy online who seems
to make her think - on all levels, including sexually. When Destiny
starts to also feel something for Devon, will she have to choose
between what's real and what's cyberreality?


In Episode One, we met Destiny and caught a glimpse into her life
as a love columnist, her want of a new love, and the issues that
keep her from getting that new love.

In Episode Two, Destiny and her cousin Sharay head out to a club to
see some strippers...and for Destiny to meet her cyber man, but what
she gets in return is beyond her imagination!


NOW, in EPISODE THREE, Destiny can't get Devon's sexy dance out of
her head, and now, she can't get him out of her home as he pays her
a surprise visit full of food, talk, and kisses!


::Excerpt::
Destiny smiled in her sleep. In her dream she was happy. Totally
happy. She didn't know what she would need to be that way, but she
defined HAPPINESS as freedom, lightness. In her dream, she was
working, doing what she loved -- the column, and she had a man, a
man who loved her and awakened things in her that she had thought
was lost. The ironic thing about it was that the man in her dream
was Devon. She didn't toss and turn over this; she actually smiled
more and whispered his name over and over.

She jolted when she heard a loud continuous knock at the front door.
Jumping out the bed, Destiny stumbled to the front door, wiping her
eyes and opening it with her free hand. "Ray, what the hell are you
doing..." Her voice caught in her throat. It wasn't Sharay unless
she was a tall, dark, handsome, sexy man, holding a white paper bag,
and a smile as wide as a canyon. His eyes appeared to careen over
every crevice of her body.

Destiny was so shocked to see him that she forgot that she was only
wearing a short tee and a pair of thongs. "Good morning," Devon
crooned, holding out the bag, his eyes still pierced against
Destiny's body. "I thought I would bring you some breakfast, maybe
we could talk."

"Uhhhh," Destiny stuttered, shaking her head, bringing her back to
the here and now, and how now her butt was hanging all out for Devon
to see. She stepped back, opening the door, and allowing Devon to
enter. She reached up and grabbed her trench coat from the hook on
the back of the door. Tossing it on, she continued to shake her
head, and moaned, "Be back."

Destiny ran into her bathroom, running the shower, and quickly
stripping and showering. "What is he doing here?" she cried out.
"And my butt all hanging out, and him drooling all over the place,
and..."


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4) LIFE

::Do you blog? If so, why? This issue, LIFE columnist Melodye
Shore talks with Sister Divas Susan and Tori Winning about
The Beauty of Blogging!

::At The Sipping Sommelier this issue, L. Denise Jackson gets
wintry, cozy, and romantic with us as she discusses wine fit for
the winter season...and the season of love, Valentine's day!


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5) BUZZWORTHY

Every issue of SD, we give you our BUZZWORTHY picks in books,
movies, TV, and music! Come see what WE think is HOT for Winter
2008!

Do you have a book, CD, TV show, DVD, anything media worthy that
you would like us to consider for BUZZWORTHINESS?

If so, e-mail us at sisterdivas@intothespotlight-inc.com and
tell us about your product!


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6) CONTACT INFORMATION

To contact SisterDivas regarding submissions or other inquiries,
please e-mail us at sisterdivas@intothespotlight-inc.com.

We work hard to answer ANY and ALL e-mails as quickly as possible.