ChickLitGurrl Interviews Love Inspired Author Lisa Mondello

ChickLitGurrl Interviews Love Inspired Author Lisa Mondello


Starting today, ChickLitGurrl will begin her interviews that will feature authors from specific publishing houses. TODAY, her stop is at Love Inspired, an inspirational imprint of Harlequin.

First author up? Lisa Mondello, whose ninth published novel, an Inspiration Suspense called Her Only Protector, will be published August 2008 by Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense.

Check out an EXCERPT:

CLG: How difficult is it for you to integrate the suspense genre into your inspirational stories?
LM: Suspense comes naturally for me. My first manuscript, written 17 years ago, was supposed to be a Harlequin Romance type book. Dead bodies ended up in it and the heroine was running for her life. I love suspense so it's not difficult for me to put it in my stories.

CLG: Now that your novel is set for release, promotion arises. What have you done and what do you plan to do - as author - to help promote HER ONLY PROTECTOR?
LM: I plan on doing some booksignings and continuing with my blog with other Love Inspired Suspense authors at www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers so I always like to get emails and mail and I love writing back. I've developed a few friendships with some readers who contacted me at Cradle of Secrets was published.

CLG: What are three adjectives that best describe HER ONLY PROTECTOR?
LM: Edgy, fast, and romantic.

Want to check out the rest of the interview and leave comments! Want to learn about advertising opportunities and how your book can make it onto the new BOOK BYTES?

Head over to CHICKLITGURRL: high on LATTES & WRITING (LINK) NOW!

Have You Found YOUR Writing Voice?

Have You Found YOUR Writing Voice?

Today over @ Blogging in Black, the original chicklitgurrl™ - MOI - discusses why it's important for writers to find their voices; I also talk about how aspiring writers can begin to find their voices.

Definitely come back and check out my commentary, and PLEASE take the time to leave a comment - let me know you stopped by!

Here's the (LINK)!!See you there!

Why Should You Subscribe to ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING?

Initially, author-editor-educator-everywoman Shon Bacon created the blog ChickLitGurrl as a way to express her angst as she tried to break BACK into the publishing industry as a solo author, but she quickly realized that she cared more about words and writing and talking about writing with other writers than she did waxing pathetically about her rejection woes. Thus, ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING was born.

Since 2005, Shon Bacon has interviewed several women writers to include Marissa Monteilh, Wendy Nelson Tokunaga, Abiola Abrams, Patricia Sargeant, M.J. Rose, Angela Henry, P.C. Cast, Brenda Janowitz, Electa Rome Parks, Libby Street, Bettye Griffin, Donna Hill, Kayla Perrin, Mary Castillo, Deanna Carlyle, Karen Siplin, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Melissa Senate, Reon Laudat, Alesia Holliday, Jennifer O'Connell, Bernice McFadden, Gena Showalter, and Carly Phillips.


Starting at the end of this month, CLG will be interviewing authors from various publishing houses: the first three houses/imprints will be Harlequin/Steeple Hill (Love Inspired/Love Inspired Suspense), Kensington/Urban Christian, and Simon & Schuster/Strebor Books...


In the future, CLG will also interview those people who help authors SHINE - publicists, editors, agents, etc.

To SUBSCRIBE to the CHICKLITGURRL group and be kept abreast on new interviews and CLG-related information, click HERE to apply for group membership!

The Importance of the WORD: Death & Language

"We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives" - Toni Morrison


I'm blessed for the WORD, whether it be the word of God or it be the words that I come in contact with as a writer.

One of the first classes I took while in pursuit of my MFA degree back in 2001 was Form and Theory of Poetry I. Even fiction writers had to take it, and I can see why. In this class, I learned to appreciate the word: the look of a word, the sound of a word, the way a word felt in my mouth when spoken, the relationship of a word to other words. I learned, truly learned, how to make meaning in a way that not only told a good story or revealed some great "truth", but also revealed remnants of myself.

Toni's right; we do die.

We live to die. That's the big thesis to which the essay on the meaning of life is constructed; it's the thesis we don't want to talk about...no matter how inevitable it is.

Toni's also right when she says we do language, too.

Our time here on Earth is not in vain. Through the LIVING Word, through OUR words, we can leave traces of our journey, of our time, of our culture, of our beliefs, of our loves, of our losses, of our joys, of our heartaches -- of our TRUTHS.

And though we die, those who live, those who shall be born will be able to link themselves to our traces and build upon what we left behind.

Why Hire CLG for Editorial/Writing Services?

http://chicklitgurrl.wordpress.com/kudos2clg/






the link above will tell you.

New Editorial Services...and Fees

To anyone who is interested in editorial services or know someone who is, I just wanted to let you know that my fees have changed effective June 1, 2008.

I currently edit short stories, novellas, novels, synopses, query letters, essays and articles, and screenplays.

With novels and screenplays, in addition to editing, I do a manuscript evaluation of the project.

For those who have ideas for stories but have NO IDEA how to get the story OUT, I offer my WRITERS BOOT CAMP, a four week, one-on-one program that will have you ready to jump into the story by week five!

To learn more about my editing, you can go to my page at Wordpress and click on the NEED EDITING? tab.

If you'd like to learn about fees and turnaround times, you can e-mail me at sdb6812@hotmail.com!

The Nubian Chronicles Mag Seeks Stories, Essays, Book Excerpts, Etc.!

**PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CIRCULATE THIS TO ANY GROUPS YOU MAY BELONG TO**



The Nubian Chronicles Magazine (http://www.tnc-magazine.net) is currently seeking submissions for its SUMMER 2008 issue, slated to be released on Monday, July 21, 2008. The deadline for submissions is Monday, July 7, 2008.


DO YOU HAVE gripping stories, thought-provoking essays, engaging articles and commentaries you want the public to read? If so, then you definitely want to consider submitting to TNC's column: NUBIAN belles-lettres.

N b-l is our column dedicated to short fiction, essays, articles, and commentaries written by African American writers.

ALSO - if you have a book that's due out and you'd like to get a little promo for it, you may submit excerpts to your book along with other information for TNC to publish!


If you are submitting short fiction, essays, articles, and/or commentaries, please submit the following:
1) work to be published, no longer than 2,500 words (within the e-mail)
2) contact information (e-mail, website, myspace)
3) picture of you (if you would like)
4) short bio
5) one- to two-sentence teaser of your work

If you are submitting an excerpt of a published work, please submit the following:
1) excerpt of your work, no longer than 2,500 words (within e-mail or as a WORD attachment)
2) contact information (e-mail, website, myspace)
3) picture of you (if you would like)
4) short bio
5) book cover image (in .jpg or .gif file)
6) purchase link


@ TNC, we know that writers have their own individual literary flows, and for that reason, we do not limit writers as to types of work they can submit to us; however, we do not do PORN- or HATE-related material. If you wish to submit erotica, that is fine.



=====
Again, the deadline for TNC's SUMMER 2008 issue is Monday, July 7, 2008.



E-mail ALL WORK to either submit@tnc-magazine.net or sdb6812@hotmail.com.



THANKS!


Da Management
http://www.tnc-magazine.net

Check Me Out @ Author Terra Little's Blog!

Today, CHICKLITGURRL stops by author Terra Little's blog to talk about HOW TO MAKE YOUR EDITOR HAPPY.

In the article, I talk about little things that writers can do to their manuscript to "help" alleviate stress on the editor when it's his or her time to make the manuscript SHINE!

Do you have problems with punctuation, tag lines, points of view, capitalization, showing vs. telling, camping vs. marching, active vs. passive voice, and pitching your story? If so, come read what I have to say and add YOUR two cents!

Here's the link: (LINK)

See you there!

ChickLitGurrl...aka...SHON

My Mother's Day Tribute on APOOO

As part of APOOO'S month-long Mother's Day tribute, I pay honor to my grandmother, Audrey Marilyn Bacon, in a story-commentary titled AND I RISE.

Please take the time to read it, to comment on it, and to share YOUR stories about the wonderful mother figures in YOUR LIFE. We shouldn't celebrate Mother's Day on just ONE DAY, and with APOOO -- now we don't have to!

Here's the link to my tribute: (LINK)

My Next Column on Blogging in Black - LIVE!

Every once in a while, as columnist on BiB, I will be doing a series titled THE ANATOMY OF AN AUTHOR. These interviews are different than others I've done in the past. These attempt to look beyond the latest publication to learn about what attracted an author to writing, how many books an author actually wrote before getting one published, the search for agents and editors, the publication of a work, and the promotion of a work, among other things.

My FIRST interview for THE ANATOMY OF AN AUTHOR is Terra Little, whose novel RUNNING FROM MERCY was released this year from Q Boro Books!

Please take the time to head over to BiB (WEBSITE) to check out the interview and to LEAVE COMMENTS.

Much appreciated ~~ Shon

From Here to ETERNITY PHILOPS: an interview

Over @ ChickLitGurrl: high on LATTES & WRITING (website), I interview Eternity Philops whose wonderful collection of poems and prose - VISIONS OF A CRYPTIC MYSTERY illustrate love, loss, and life.





Here's a TASTE of the interview:


CLG: When did you know that writing was something you truly wanted to do?
EP: Hmm…wanted to do as in professionally? Honestly, I’m not seeking to be the next big writer or anything like that. I do it because I enjoy it, because I have a talent for it, and I wish for others to enjoy it. But I figured that part out gradually as I grew up. I’d read books and think to myself, “I can write like this”. After I thought that over and over, I guess it finally hit me that if I thought I could write, then maybe I should.


CLG: What's your favorite thing about VISIONS OF A CRYPTIC MYSTERY?
EP: Truthfully, my favorite thing about it is that I DID IT! I wrote and published my own book, my first book. Everything about VISIONS, its cover, the editing, everything, I was able to do. It’s really something to hold something in your hands that you created. It is an accomplished goal, and that alone is something I take much pride in, despite whether or not anyone else enjoys it.




CLG: Do you have a standard process to your writing? Are you an outliner or a jump-right-in writer?
EP: For stories I develop the basics in my head first. I know how I’ll start it, and I know how it will end because there’s normally a message or tone I want to convey. Getting from beginning to finish is usually planned out, but not written in stone. As I write an idea may come to me, so I might have to back track and change a few things. But normally, with a story, I don’t sit down and write it physically until I’ve written it mentally. For example, with “Other Side of the Moon”, I was able to pump out the story itself within two hours, with very little editing done to it since I originally finished it.Poetry, on the other hand, is a labor of love. Sometimes all I have is a title, which I jot down, and then it may sit for months until the rest of it flows out of me. Or I’ll begin with one thing in mind, but by the time I’m finished I’ve written something completely different. The poem “Historian” was like that; I began it as a lover’s loss poem, and it ended being a Black perspective piece. Poetry is much more complicated, because if it doesn’t flow right, it’s no good.



To read the rest of the interview, head over to CHICKLITGURRL (website) now; leave comments!

SisterDivas Magazine - Spring 2008 Issue - is LIVE!

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


QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2008 (April - July)
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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

**Check out the new SD BOUTIQUE!**
1) MEDIA
2) TOTAL BODY
3) FEATURE
4) LIFE
5) RELATIONSHIPS
6) BUZZWORTHY
7) CONTACT INFORMATION!


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**Check out the new SD BOUTIQUE!**

SD now has a spot on the net where we are showcasing products
that you, the ultimate SISTERDIVA, might be interested in! Check
out our SD Boutique today!

SD Boutique @ http://astore.amazon.com/sistemagaz-20 !


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1) MEDIA

::This issue, SD talks with author JENNY GARDINER, whose debut
novel, SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER has received RAVE
REVIEWS -- one from Meg Cabot reads: A fun, sassy read! A cross
between Erma Bombeck and Candace Bushnell, reading Jenny Gardiner
is like sinking your teeth into a big frosted chocolate cupcake...you
just want more.

::Sensual, real, jazzy, neo soul, eclectic music your thing? According
to SD founder Tonya yt Howard, it should be, and this issue, she
introduces us to the wonderful artist, SHARON MUSGRAVE!

::Being HOT and BOTHERED takes on a whole new meaning when
SisterDivas talks with poet (and SD deems "life commentator")
PHYLLIS JOHNSON, who talks candidly about that time in women's
live when temperatures rise...and not in the "good" way!

::SD editor Shon Bacon knows a thing or two about being a
renaissance woman, and in this issue of SD, she meets her match
with poet, radio host, editor, and (more) NICOLE STEVENSON,
a woman with her hands in everything!


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2) TOTAL BODY

::In Letters to My Sisters, Dr. Ngozi Osuagwu, through thirty intensely
personalized letters to her patients, addresses various questions that
focus on women’s medical issues. These include routine and complex
questions that every patient would want to ask and expect their doctor
to answer. Read Sharon Haynes' review on this insightful book!

::Everyday, people suffer with failure - of relationships, of jobs, of
finances...the list goes on ad nauseam. Many times, these same people
can't see the nugget of truth that hides within the failure, the truth
that can enable them to grow and prosper in the future. In her latest
commentary, There is No Failure, Only Feedback, Dr. Cherry examines
how we can find the purpose behind failure in order to move from the
failure in a positive way.

::Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting, by Terrie Williams,
identifies emotional pain—which uniquely and profoundly affects the
Black experience—as the root of lashing out through desperate acts of
crime, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, eating and shopping, gambling,
and sex. Few realize these destructive acts are symptoms of our inner
sorrow. Reviewer Sharon Haynes shares her thoughts on this provocative
book, a book desperately needed in the African American community.


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3) FEATURE

In EPISODE Three of LOVE BYTES, SD's new online serial, Destiny
couldn't get Devon's sexy dance out of her head, and she couldn't
get him out of her home as he paid her a surprise visit full of food,
talk, and kisses!


NOW, in EPISODE FOUR, Destiny's cyberfriend suggests she finally
accept a date with Devon. She takes his advice, and although she's
beyond giddy to spend time with him, she can't help but to let her
past creep into her mind, dampening her excitement...


::Excerpt::

Destiny nodded her head, remembering the question and sighed.
"He does have a point."

"Who does?"

Destiny swiveled in her chair, her eyes falling upon Devon , looking
just as good as he had yesterday, except for today he was stylishly
dressed in a black suit, crisp white shirt, and black and gold designer
tie.

Damn, Destiny thought, he would have to look all fine and
everything today.

She cleared her throat and responded, "No one. Was just talking
out loud, thinking. So, what's up?"

Devon smiled his big, bright, come hither smile and sauntered
across Destiny's office, sitting down in the stiff back, burgundy
leather chair in front of Destiny's desk.

"I wanted to say hi," he said, placing his large hands upon her
desk. "Wanted to see how things were with you."

Destiny laughed. "Didn't you see me yesterday?"

"Yeah, but we were interrupted..." Devon 's eyes linked with
Destiny's and for a brief moment, she felt as if she would
spontaneously combust. The heat that shot from Devon 's eyes
was lethal. "I was wondering if we could pick up where we left
off." Devon reached out and touched Destiny's hands. She jumped
from her chair.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
4) LIFE

::No one wants to say the "R" word these days: RECESSION, but
let's face it, money is TIGHT for EVERYBODY! And those women
who want to be fabulous are finding it devastatingly hard to budget
fabulousness into their spending habits. All That Glitters columnist
Melodye Shore feels women's plights, and in her article, OF
LIPSTICK AND OTHER LOW-COST LUXURIES, she reveals how
women can still pamper themselves and be glam...and not go broke
doing it!

::L. Denise Jackson, better known as The Sipping Sommelier here
@ SisterDivas, is beyond giddy this issue! During one of her
"Sipping Saturdays", she tasted several wines that are PERFECT
for Spring, and in this issue, she dishes on all of them while taking
you on a journey to Chile, Oregon, Australia, Spain, and Italy!

::Microsoft or Apple? iPod or Zune? Which side of the fence do
you dwell? SD founder Tonya Howard jumps in and shares her
thoughts on the battle of the MP3s and wants to know YOUR
THOUGHTS, too!

::This issue of SisterDivas, we talk with author Keshia Dawn about
her novel BY THE GRACE OF GOD and one of the most important
facets of life: FAITH.


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5) RELATIONSHIPS

::Do you want grace and miracles in your life? If so, then you
definitely want to read Alicia M. H. Latimer's review for Everyday
Grace, Everyday Miracle, by Lorna Owens!

::Author Kwyatt Storhm comes to SD to talk to us about relationships
and her novel, BITTERLY!


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6) 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 SPRING
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 info@sisterdivasmagazine.net and tell us about
your product!


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7) CONTACT INFORMATION

To contact SisterDivas regarding submissions or other inquiries,
please e-mail us at info@sisterdivasmagazine.net .

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




SisterDivas: Where ALL Women Congregate!
http://www.sisterdivasmagazine.net

Need YOUR Literary Baby Edited: Special Edition

First-time writers – and not-so-first-time writers – often have great ideas for stories and jump right into them, pouring out pages upon pages. Once they come to the end, they look at the screen or the page and say, "Now what?"

They know that they love words and that they love to tell stories, but the writers may not be able to analyze their work to check for:

o sentimental writing
o overwriting
o clichéd writing
o powerful, first chapter punch
o tightly woven story arc
o holes in storyline
o camping and marching in a story
o developed characters


I am now offering manuscript evaluation services to help in developing your story as A STORY, one that is strong from beginning to end.


A manuscript evaluation includes the following:

o an edit of your work (electronic or hard copy), looking at the above bulleted issues to analyze your submission as a literary work; if you submit electronically, I will use the TRACK CHANGES and COMMENTS features in Microsoft Word; if you submit a hard copy, I will mark the manuscript.

o assessing glaring grammatical, sentence-level, and story-level errors that hinder the work

o a written manuscript evaluation that summarizes and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the work


Types of Works Evaluated*
o Submission Package Evaluation – (one- to two-week turnaround, depending on size) – if you have the first three chapters of your book, a query letter, and a synopsis, and you believe you're ready to send it out to potential agents and editors, this evaluation will check for story structure and also offer copy editing and proofreading of material.

o Query Letter Evaluation – (three- to five-day turnaround) – there are key components needed in a query letter. The letter will be read for format, structure, "punch," and grammatical/mechanical issues.

o Synopsis Evaluation – (week turnaround) – the synopsis evaluation will analyze the synopsis' structure, development, and grammatical/mechanical issues.

o Completed Manuscripts up to 80k – (three- to five-week turnaround)

o Completed Manuscripts from 80k to 100k – (four- to six-week turnaround)


***SPECIAL ALERT****SPECIAL ALERT***
If you hire me to edit your completed manuscript (up to 100k) during the month of April, you will receive a 40% discount* for the project!
***SPECIAL ALERT****SPECIAL ALERT***



*If you wish to receive quotes for your project, please e-mail me, and in the e-mail, tell me a bit about your project.


Want to learn more about me? Check out my (VITA)!

Realize Your Literary Dreams TODAY!

Do you have an idea for a story? Have you been visualizing the story and can literally see and hear your characters? Are you unsure where to go now that you have this idea?

Many new writers often feel lost when they sit to begin writing a story. It seems like such a daunting task to look at a blank screen or an empty page and realize that you not only have to fill that screen/page, but you have to do it several hundred times.

Because of this seemingly Herculean tasks, would-be writers put their literary dreams on the backburner, promising to return to them once they have time.

Well, guess what? Things will always arise that will keep you from pursuing your dreams.

Because of this, the time is NOW, and the literary dream you hold onto can be envisioned within four weeks with WRITERS BOOT CAMP.



What IS Writers Boot Camp? Learn more (HERE) and get started on realizing your literary dreams!

ChickLitGurrl Interviews SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL Author, Marissa Monteilh

Come on over to ChickLitGurrl: High on LATTES & WRITING where my latest interview is with author Marissa Monteilh. Marissa comes with a spicy, adventurous tale with Something He Can Feel...a novel about the past, relationships, love, abuse, and so much more.


Here's an Interview Excerpt:

CLG: What was the initial spark that brought SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL into being?

MM: A couple of years ago I heard that Jason Kidd accused his wife of physical abuse, and within days, there was a news story here in Atlanta about another woman who was accused of the same thing. A friend of mine referred to that woman as a husband beater and that’s when the light bulb went off. From that moment on, I had to write about it. Actually, the original title was Husband Beater, but my agent talked me out of it – I’m so glad she did.


CLG: What three tracks would make it onto a soundtrack of your life, and why?

MM: I like it slow – let’s see:
1) Hey Mama by Kanye West (my son dedicated Hey Mama to me for my birthday – the lyrics do sound like the type of mother I was when raising my kids)
2) Home by Stephanie Mills (this song makes me cry every time – life is so short)
3) Greatest Love of All and One Moment in Time, both by Whitney (these represent my journey in life as far as being a strong, determined woman, and as far as my deep level of love of self)


CLG: What is one big thing you've learned about the industry since you became published?

MM: I’ve learned that as a writer, you have to love what you do to stay in the business, even if you don’t have a book deal. If you love it enough, you’ll self-publish and keep writing because it’s your passion. This is a business of numbers - units sold. Period. Talented or not, if your book is not selling, those offers could go away. You have to be creative, positive, resilient, and bitten!



Head over to ChickLitGurrl NOW (LINK) to read the rest of the interview -- LEAVE COMMENTS!

What's Shaking @ SisterDivas Magazine?

SisterDivas Magazine has a lot of great features for you in its WINTER 2008 issue!

Here are some of the highlights:






If you love movies, you'll definitely want to check out our interview with MissMovieFan - 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!






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!






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"!



Take time to check out SisterDivas (link) - and if you're interesting in submitting, check out the CONTACT US page on the magazine!

Lady Leo Publishing Seeks Submissions

Are We Looking For You?

Lady Leo Publishing is looking for your best stories. We are looking for authors who possess and have strong character development, an unique voice, and solid plots story ability. Is that you? If so we'd love to be your publishing house.


LLP is actively looking for stories to publish in Romance, Inspirational, Time Travel, Multi-Cultural, Horror, Erotic, and many other genres. Advances are offered.


For further information visit our submission guidelines. We hope to hear from you. So submit today!

Visit us at www.ladyleopublishing.org

CLASS OFFERED: SCEENWRITING TECHNIQUES FOR NOVELISTS

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.

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.

Ladies, What do YOU have to say about the RELATIONSHIPS in Your Life?

**PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CIRCULATE THIS TO ALL GROUPS YOU MAY BELONG TO**


How do you say I LOVE YOU to your mate? What is the best way to talk about sex with your teenagers? How do you and your sisterdivas get together to have a good time? What's the most tactful way of telling your mother-in-law that her advice is no longer needed? Why is it important to replenish and rejuvenate your relationship with yourself? How important is it to have strong networking relationships?

As you can probably tell, all of the above questions connect in one major way: they deal with RELATIONSHIPS.


SisterDivas Magazine (http://www.sisterdivasmagazine.net) is a quarterly multicultural women's magazine that is currently looking for submissions for its RELATIONSHIPS column to appear in SD's WINTER 2008 issue, slated to go LIVE on Monday, January 21, 2008.

DEADLINE for submissions is Monday, January 7, 2008.


We, as women, deal with many relationships. Relationship with self. With parents. With siblings. With mate. With children. With friends.

How do we manage it? Or do we? If you have articles or commentaries or short stories or poetry that tap into the world of women and relationships, we would love for you to submit to us.

Do you have a book or a product that deals specifically with women and relationships? Tell us about it.


If you are submitting short fiction, essays, articles, and/or commentaries, please submit the following (works should be no longer than 2500 words):
1) work to be published (within the e-mail)
2) a brief description of the work, making sure to illustrate how it ties to women and relationships
3) contact information (e-mail, website, myspace)
4) picture of you (if you would like)
5) bio of no more than 200 words

If you are submitting information regarding a product - cd, movie, book, etc. - that deals with women and relationships, please submit the following:
1) contact information (e-mail, website, myspace)
2) image of product
3) description of product, no more than 500 words, that discusses the product and ties to women and relationships
4) picture of you (if you would like)
5) bio of no more than 200 words
6) purchase link of product


Send all submissions to sisterdivas@intothespotlight-inc.com or sdb6812@hotmail.com with the subject line SD + RELATIONSHIPS!


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AGAIN, the WINTER 2008 issue of SisterDivas will go LIVE on Monday, January 21, 2008.


If you wish to submit to SisterDivas's WINTER 2008 issue, the deadline to do so is Monday, January 7, 2008.



Thanks!


Da SD Mgm't
http://www.sisterdivasmagazine.net