Home Again = Another Giveaway!

Now that my travels are  at an end for the time being,

here is the Giveaway I promised all my readers...

This assortment of goodies from the 2017 Romance Writers of America annual conference includes the following, all in a tote bag from author Viv Lorret:

*Family Tree by Susan Wiggs & Luggage Tag

*Hate to Want You autographed by Alisha Rai

*Angel Unleashed by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

*Sample Books & Pen from Caitlyn Willows

*Plaid Notebook from Janice Maynard

*Notes, Tea, Lip Balm, Candy & Pen from Viv Lorret

*Butterscotch candies

*Shimmer: The Beginning autographed by ME and my latest release, With Every Heartbeat, also autographed

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You may enter using one or all of these methods (You NEVER have to do them all!)

Terms & Conditions

No purchase necessary.  Due to shipping costs, International winners will receive an ebook from Nancy's backlist. All entrants agree to me adding their names & emails to my Newsletter list, and will be eligible for future GIVEAWAYS. Info will NOT be shared.

Happy New Year

Many tell me they are happy 2016 has passed and are looking forward to a better 2017. I have decided to do the best I can to make my year better, and three simple words shall lead me down this path...

It kind of reminds me of Yoda. Anyway, I will soon release SMOLDER, Book #3 in my Clan of Dragons series. I am working on a prequel to the series, a novella that will add a bit of magic. 

As the newly elected president of my local RWA chapter, I have embarked on a higher path to help lead others toward their goal to succeed as writers. Wish me luck!

Nancy Lee

RWA Conference 2013 in Atlanta was a BLAST!

Marriot Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia

I have been so wrapped up in my volunteer work (as blog co-chair for the Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers), interviewing authors for my own blog, and promoting my latest release My Reluctant Highlander, I nearly forgot to share some photos from this year's Romance Writers of America annual conference.



Me and author Donna Steele

Nora Roberts signing books

The conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia this year which was fairly close to home (6+ hour drive). Next year it will be held in San Antonio, Texas. Anyway, the hotel was magnificent. The Marriot Marquis was huge but cozy in places, such as the restaurants, the coffee shop, and the meeting rooms. The guest rooms were functional, and my roommate, author Donna Steele, fit all our stuff and clothes.


Margaret Mallory sat across from me!

Meetings in the bar area were fun, and the food was fabulous. The workshops--too many to choose from!--kept us busy. Book signings held by various publishers, and notables such as Nora Roberts, were well attended and the Indie publishing signing was an eye opener. Someday, I will join them (now that I have figured out the mystique surrounding making covers to upload to Createspace)



Author Elena Dillon & me

Lunch and awards ceremonies were fun, especially when you sat down at tables for twelve. Meeting new people, networking, swapping business cards, and asking others "What do you write?" were worth the trip.  The workshops spanned every topic imaginable and I heard the majority of the workshop presenters were excited and happy to share their brilliant ideas.

Saturday night Golden Heart and RITA Awards was awesome! We clapped for our friends even when they did not win, and we took photos to share with you and others My aunt is thrilled one of her favorite authors, Laura Griffin, won a RITA award.

This chance to meet up with friends, fellow authors, faceless-until-now online chaptermates is life-altering for people like us. Writers tend to spend too many lonely hours in front of their computer, writing about life instead of living.

The RWA Conference got me out of the house (and gave my hubby a little time alone) and made me realize there is more in my future than the 10 books I have published to date. Making friends and networking with others can only help when I release my next book.

The bar was wonderful and a great place to meet up after a brutal day of workshops. Plus, my hands were awfully pained from carrying totes full of free books back to my room! I will be giving away dozens of autographed books over the course of the next few months, so make sure you sign up (*see below)

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Interview with author Cynthia Woolf

              

Today I’m interviewing Cynthia Woolf.  Her book, Centauri Midnight is a sci-fi romance and was released on January 9, 2012

Please tell my readers a little bit about your book.  

Centauri Midnight takes place on the planet Gregara.  My heroine and hero have tracked a murderer to the planet and are determined to take him back to Centauri for trial.

Nice! I like suspense, far away planets, and romance! Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in?  
This is a sci-fi romance or space opera.  I also write western romances set in 1880’s Colorado.

Sci-fi AND westerns? You must have quite the imagination, which a great writer needs IMHO. When did you start writing toward publication?  
I’ve been writing for years.  I started my western, Tame A Wild Heart, in 1990.  After several rejections from publishers over the years, I decided to publish it on my own.  It has become my best seller.  I guess the big publishers in New York don’t know everything, huh?

I can attest to that. My own jump into self-publishing has given my readers Dragon In The Mist and Southern Fried Dragon. Why have you become a published author?   
I became a published author because I love to write.  Now I hate to edit, but the initial writing stage, “the puking phase” where you just write and get it all out, is the part that I love.  I know sounds disgusting but I believe that Nora Roberts was the first one I heard use that phrase and it is so descriptive of what actually happens when you write the first draft.

I love Nora. At a conference I heard her say something like ‘Get your butt in the chair and write.’ Our local RWA chapter has ‘Book In a Week’ where participants throw garbage at the screen to rack up pages and worry about edits later. Very freeing. After your edits are complete and your book is out, what sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?

For promo, I tweet, facebook and blog.  I think that blogging is the biggest helper and provides the steadiest flow of sales.  I don’t have any help, I haven’t paid to go on a blog tour although I might do that in the future.  Setting up your own blog tour takes a lot of time and effort as you well know.

I hear you. Writing guest posts and interviews can take time, but blogging on other blogs really helps (which is why you are here, today!) I mentioned I am a member of Romance Writers of America. Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I am a member of RWA and Colorado Romance Writers.  CRW has been very helpful.  Their classes and mentoring attitude have taught me the process of writing and allowed my creative spirit to soar above all my expectations.  I don’t think I’d be published now if not for CRW.  I belong to RWA because I need to in order to belong to CRW.

Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract? 
Don’t wait for the public to come to you.  Publishers are becoming less and less likely to publish new authors because of the self publishing phenomenon.  Take advantage of this and publish yourself.  Make sure that you have a good product.  Get a professional cover, have your book edited and put the best product out there that you can and then promote, promote, promote.  Find your readers.

Cynthia Woolf, author

BOOK BLURB
Kitari ‘Kiti’ Dolana wants justice for her murdered brother. She’s trailed the man responsible to a distant planet where swords outmaneuver blasters.

Garrick Marcus, Spaceship Captain, is on a mission to hunt down a ruthless killer. The same man Kiti is after.

But Kiti and Garrick discover an explosive attraction that makes it hard to keep their minds on their goals.  As they try to bring down the killer, they find that love and vengeance are a volatile mix.

A little bit about the author

Cynthia Woolf was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden.  She spent her early years running wild around the mountainside with her friends.

Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend.  That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.

Cynthia was and is an avid reader.  Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week.  This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug.  She wrote her first story at the age of ten.  A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.

She worked her way through college and went to work full time straight after graduation and there was little time to write.  Then in 1990 she and two friends started a round robin writing a story about pirates.  She found that she missed the writing and kept on with other stories.  In 1992 she joined Colorado Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America.  Unfortunately, the loss of her job demanded the she not renew her memberships and her writing stagnated for many years.

In 2000, she saw an ad in the paper for a writers conference being put on by CRW and decided she'd attend.  One of her favorite authors, Catherine Coulter, was the keynote speaker.  Cynthia was lucky enough to have a seat at Ms. Coulter's table at the luncheon and after talking with her, decided she needed to get back to her writing.  She rejoined both CRW and RWA that day and hasn't looked back.

Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she's made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

Thanks for stopping by today. How can my readers buy your book?  
Readers can go to Amazon or go to Barnes &Noble

You can find more information about Cynthia Woolf and her book, Centauri Midnight by visiting her WEBSITE or her BLOG

Nancy Lee

Virginia Kantra-RWA RITA Winner!

Congratulations to a lovely, talented woman who is a long-time member of Romance Writers of America and the local chapter, Heart of Carolina Romance writers. I met her at my first meeting when I moved to the south from New Hampshire. The meeting was in December, so it was a party atmosphere held at the home of another member, NY Times Best Selling Author, Liz Carlyle. To say I had stars in my eyes is an understatement! I was a new, unpublished writer who knew NO ONE. Who sat down beside me on the over-sized ottoman? Virginia!

I listened as she gushed over her new Children of the Sea series. When I heard the books were set in Maine, I perked up. Been there!

Last Saturday, Virginia returned from NYC, and the annual RWA conference, with a new friend in tow...her RITA award! Virginia has been nominated a fantastic NINE times. We are so very proud of her for earning one of the highest awards given to a published member of Romance Writers of America. Congratulations!



If you would like to know more about Virginia and her books, here is her information taken (borrowed!) from her website:

USA Today bestselling author Virginia Kantra credits her love for strong heroes and courageous heroines to a childhood spent devouring fairy tales.

The author of more than twenty books, Virginia is an eight-time finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards and the winner of numerous industry honors, including two National Readers' Choice Awards. After writing her popular "MacNeill Brothers" and "Trouble in Eden" category series, Virginia turned her hand to single title romance. Her new series, Children of the Sea, continues with Immortal Sea in bookstores now!

Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three kids, Virginia is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.

Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations!

Again, congratulations to Virginia and to our other Golden Heart award nominees. Heart of Carolina Romance Writers is one talented pool of men and women who meet monthly in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Nancy