Connections and WFWA Rising Star and Star Awards

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Connections with other writers is key to the wellbeing of the day-to-day writer. Sure, it can be a lonely business, but it doesn't need to be. Find your tribe, your buddies, your fellow genre writers. Next, figure out where you can hang out face-to-face. I promise you won't be disappointed. You'll return to your daily writing rejuvenated and energized.

Romance writers have the RWA conferences. Christian writers have the AFCW Conference. You name the genre and I predict there is a connection point for you.

If you write Women's Fiction like I do, it's the Women's Fiction Writers Association yearly retreat. We met last week in Albuquerque. I promise I'm raring to go back into my work now.

Add the announcement of the finalists of the 2016 Rising Star and the first ever STAR award to the excitement. I'm honored to be able to share these winners with you.

Albuquerque, New Mexico – September 23, 2016 – The Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) announced the winners of the Star Award given to authors of published women’s fiction. This is the first year Star Awards have been bestowed, and are the start of an annual tradition.

The Star Award General winner is Scott Wilbanks for The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster. Wilbanks is an American living in Auckland, New Zealand.  His book was published in August 2015.

The Star Award Outstanding Debut winner is Kelli Estes for The Girl Who Wrote in Silk. Estes lives near Seattle, Washington, and her book was published in July 2015.

Albuquerque, New Mexico – September 24, 2016 – The Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA) today announced the winners of the third annual Rising Star award given to authors of unpublished women’s fiction.  This is an annual award, and agents active in acquiring women’s fiction chose the winners.

       The First Place Rising Star winner is “The Substitute Princess” by Kathleen M. Basi.  Basi lives in Columbia, Missouri.  Her book is about a woman who takes on an actress gig as the substitute princess for the Prince of Monaco’s fiancée to save her family’s deeply in debt Christmas tree farm, and learns that fairy tale love can’t replace love with family connections.

The second place Rising Star winner is “By Accident” by Laura Levin, who lives in Nyack, New Jersey.  This book reveals life’s choices that are made by a family regarding love, marriage, unintended pregnancies, guilt behind a friend’s death and the secrets that are kept as a marriage and lives are tested by a stranger’s phone call.

The third place Rising Star winner is “Shelter Me” by Gabrielle Luthy.  She lives in St. Kilda, Australia.  The character in Luthy’s book is an in-debt surrogate mother who returns to the father of her child for financial help, but entry into the financial world of investors leads to an accusation of embezzlement which forces her to make decisions regarding family, love and honor.

Here's a few pictures to give you a flavor of the conference and the connection I shared, the beauty of Albuquerque and the lovely sky of the area. Enjoy!

Next Week: the IWSG October post!

The Creed all Writers Need

Here it is--the Creed we all need to take into if we're serious about our writing.



Writer's Rebel Creed

Thanks to S A Larson, we have not excuse this year. None. Join the crowd, the determined, the writers who will succeed. And check out SA's to-dos to be a Writer Rebel in 2014.

I would be honored for you to join me in committing to this CREED. All you have to do is add your name to the linky list below. There are two optional commitments you can also make:

1. Copy the CREED Badge and paste it on your site, encouraging others to join us.
2. Write one post a month somehow related to your journey in following the CREED. Choose a day and time to your liking. Just include the badge in your post, linking back to this post so others can join in. Share your post via Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr or however!

Remember - neither of those are required, only suggested. Best of luck with the CREED and keep in touch! Last year we had 99 writers commit. Let's see if we can double that or even more, this year! 

Now how easy is this! Just join us.

For my sharing I'd like to tell you the two steps I'm taking to up my game, to prove I'm serious about my writing.

• Starting March 2 I'll be taking a Don Maass Workshop sponsored by the WFWA focused on Inner vs Outer – Writing with Emotional Power
• May 1 is the start of the first WFWA contest--The Rising Star Contest for those who haven't previously published a WF novel. I'm working on polishing up my first 35 pages and preparing a 2-3 page synopsis. Wish me luck!

What about you? What are you doing to prove you're serious about your writing this year?

FRIENDLY FIRE Update: I finished editing Part 1 on Saturday. The first thirty-five pages are out with some beta readers and getting good reviews from those who have reported back already. Thea, my big sister, my reader-in-reserve, really liked it and wants to read more. What can I say? I'm excited and gratified. On I go. Next stop, part 2 edited and filled in. ;-)