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Schedule of Programs 2025

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January 18th

Melinda Curtis
Is Expanding Revenue Streams for You?


Via Zoom


Talk

Authors don’t just have to write books anymore. The author business can be a multi-pronged revenue generator. But how—and when—should you expand your business? Join Melinda Curtis for a frank discussion of various revenue streams available to authors, including her successes and failures.


Bio

Prior to writing romance, award-winning USA Today bestseller Melinda Curtis was a junior manager for a Fortune 500 company, which meant when she flew on the private jet she was relegated to the jump seat—otherwise known as the potty. After grabbing her pen (and a parachute) she made the jump to full-time writer. Between writing sweet romance for Harlequin and indie-pubbed sweet romantic comedy, Melinda finds time to bond with her husband over home remodeling projects. She recently came to grips with the fact that she’s an empty nester and a grandma, concepts easier to grasp than jet-setting on a potty.

February 15th

Terri Brisbin

Hooks and How to Use Them – A Pantser’s View on Plotting!

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Via Zoom

 

 

Talk

A writer must grab the reader's attention and keep it moving from the first sentence to the last one, through paragraphs, pages and chapters. If that reader is an editor, hooking them from beginning to end is critical. Terri will review various hooks and plot points and methods of plotting, their importance and how to use them to strengthen the pacing and structure throughout your book to the last word. (For
beginning and experienced writers)


Bio

In her previous lives, USA TODAY bestselling author Terri Brisbin may have lived in ancient Egypt and medieval Scotland, but in the here-and-now she’s stuck in the wilds of southern New Jersey with one hubby, three sons (and three daughters-in-law), and FOUR grandbabies! When not living the life of a glamorous romance author or writing her way through deadline-binges-o-mania, she also continues in her part-time practice as a dental hygienist. Since 1998, Terri’s more than 50 historical and paranormal romance novels, novellas and short stories have been published by Berkley, Harlequin, Kensington, NAL, SMP Swerve, Dragonblade and Olive Heber Books and many have been released in 20 languages in 25 countries! While also self-publishing a few works, Terri is working on more stories that will be released through 2025 with Harlequin and Oliver Heber Books.


You can connect with Terri on her website (terribrisbin.com)!

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March 15th

Sally Kilpatrick

Wrestling with Revisions

 

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Gin Ellis Workshop

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In Person

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Talk

How much revision is enough? How much is too much? And where should a writer even start? In this workshop, we'll talk about the difference between proofreading, revision, and redrafting. I'll also add the strategies I've learned over the years for receiving and incorporating feedback, when to revise and when to stand your ground, and general tips and tricks for each stage of the polishing process.

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Bio

Sally Kilpatrick is the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of seven novels and counting. She has won multiple awards, including the 2018 and 2019 Georgia Author of the Year, the Maggie Award for Excellence, the Booksellers’ Best, and the 2016 Nancy Knight Mentorship Award. She lives in Marietta, GA with her dashing husband and two persnickety cats. You can find her at www.sallykilpatrick.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueSky as @Superwritermom.

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April 12th- All Day Workshop

Ines Johnson

A Day with Ines Johnson

 

In Person

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Talk

Join Ines Johnson as she presents four workshops, combining her experience as a screenwriter and as the author of more than 100 novels to lead us through the day. 

 

Stealing Secrets from Screenwriting: How to Make Your Book Bingeworthy

In television, every scene matters and if you don’t hook the viewer and keep them engaged, you’ll lose them to another channel. The secret to success is in the writing—and an ex-screenwriter-turned-bestselling author is sharing all of her secrets of screenwriting in this class. Learn how to weave in multiple storylines, use leads, sequels, and buttons, and the best character archetypes like the red shirt to answer story questions and open closed doors for the sequel.

 

Writing to Market in Romance
We’ve all heard the term Write to Market. But it doesn’t mean you can’t write the book of your heart. With a few tweaks that book could appeal to a hungry market. Learn to do the research and plotting necessary to hit reader expectations, nail the tropes, and march to the right beats in the romance genre!

 

Page Turner Pacing (formerly known as Using Episodic TV Structure to Craft Your Novel)
Traditional episodic television writers are skilled in keeping viewers in their seats during commercial breaks. They’re also adept at keeping viewers talking and guessing in the seven days between each episode. Learn the tips and tricks show runners use to hold tension and attention so that you can keep readers in their seats as you serialize your prose! Let veteran television writer, Ines Johnson teach you
her twelve-point method to structure each episode of your serial, as well as techniques to tease, lead, and hook readers from episode to episode.

 

Sagging Middles
Don’t we all dread them? Ines will present a brand-new workshop suggesting techniques to keep your readers engaged In the story.

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Bio

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books! Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations. Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

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More details soon.

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May 17th

Lauren Connolly

A Hybrid Life: Self-Publishing While Working

with Small Presses and Large Publishers

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In Person

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Talk

Join award-winning author Lauren Connolly as she discusses life as a hybrid author. She will detail her experiences releasing books with large and small publishing houses while also self-publishing. Learn the strategies she uses to maintain a busy writing schedule, as well as the pros and cons of each method of publication.

 

Bio

Lauren Connolly is an award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance stories. She’s lived among mountains, next to lakes, and in imaginary worlds. Lauren can never seem to stay in one place for too long, but trust that wherever she’s residing there is a dog who thinks he’s a troll, twin cats hiding in the couch, and bookshelves bursting with stories written by the authors she loves.

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June 21st

TBD

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Via Zoom

July 21st

TBD

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Via Zoom

August 16th

TBD

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In Person

September

No Meeting

Annual Moonlight &Magnolias Conference

October 18th

TBD

Via Zoom

November 15th

TBD

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Via Zoom

December 13th

TBD

GRW Holiday Party​​

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In Person​

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