nina bruhns - romance writers of australia

Hearts TalkEdition 240 May 2013

The official journal of Romance Writers of Australia

Continued on page 4

Michelle Diener interviews

Nina Bruhns

Nina you are in the unusual position of being a writer and an editor Has knowing how things feel on both sides of the table helped you in both careers Any draw-backs at all

Well Irsquom not sure about helping or hurting but being on the other side of the desk has certainly opened my eyes to a whole different aspect of the publishing process To be honest I think being a writer may be a little bit of a drawback because I tend to see the underlying craft more than a normal reader might I think this happens to most writers as they learn more and more about writingit gets harder to immerse yourself in the simple pleasure of a story without seeing the mistakes and misses that happen in the plot But I guess thatrsquos probably a good thing for an editorial director

You stepped onto the path of independently published author before it was the phenomenon it is today Has that experience helped you as an editor at Entangled

LOL Loaded question Truthfully at first my knowledge of indie pubbing was a real thorn in my pro-print publisherrsquos side I honestly feel that indie authors are on the cutting edge of all things marketing and in my opinion some of the Entangled strategies were out of step with the challenges of the

current publishing world However one of the great things about Entangled is that we are eager to learn and adjust and I think wersquove done a terrific job of making changes to meet the formidable challenge of being a break-out publisher in this digital age

As a romantic suspense author you are known for your edge-of-the-seat stories What do you think is

key to keeping tension high on the page

Two things 1) always keep your characters moving Never let them remain static 2) always ask yourself in every scene on every page what is the worst that can happen Then do it The other thing to pay attention to is when you the writer get bored in a scene If yoursquore bored your readers will definitely be bored

What is the best thing you have done for your writing

Irsquove never stopped learning I still go to workshops and still read books about writing Until you are regularly winning Pulitzers or gotten the Nobel Prize I think therersquos always more you can learn about your craft I pick one subject every year to deepen my knowledge about and then I really concentrate on that whatever it may be as I read and write Itrsquos amazing how many more layers your writing takes on over time if you do that

Nina Bruhns is an award winning bestselling author She is published in romantic suspense and paranormal romance with Harlequin and Berkley Sensation and erotica as Nikita Black Nina is also an Editorial Director with Entangled Publishing

An Egyptologist by profession with a Hungarian gypsy for a grandfather shersquos dabbled in real estate sales and student counselling and has lived all over the United States and in Europe though she now calls South Carolina home Nina is coming to Australia for the RWA conference

Hearts Talk ~ May 2013 2 wwwromanceaustraliacom

Romance Writers of Australia Inc

Romance Writers of Australia IncPO Box 1236 Neutral Bay NSW 2089

phone 0429 233 764wwwromanceaustraliacom

Romance Writers of Australia Inc ABN 30 075 409 728 is registered in NSW as an Incorporated Association the liability of whose members is limited

RWA COMMITTEEPRESIDENTNikki Logan presidentromanceaustraliacom

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTClaire Baxter viceprezromanceaustraliacom

VICE PRESIDENTAnita Joy

MEMBER SECRETARYDiane Curran membersecretaryromanceaustraliacom

TREASURERBronwyn Turner treasromanceaustraliacom

SECRETARYAlison Leake secretaryromanceaustraliacom

COMMITTEE MEMBERSKerrie Ptolemy Helene Young Jennifer St George Imelda Evans and Alli Sinclair

OTHER CONTACTS

PUBLISHED AUTHOR LIAISONRobyn Grady PALromanceaustraliacom

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WEBSITE PASSWORDS To gain access to our members only section email passwordsromanceaustraliacom

CONTESTS COORDINATORLis Hoorweg contestsromanceaustraliacomAll deadlines entry forms and sample scoresheets are at wwwromanceaustraliacom in the members only section (you will need a password) or in the Files section of the RWA Contest Alert group

For contest entry forms via mail send request with a stamped self-addressed envelope to RWA Contests 20 Waller Crescent Campbell ACT 2612

To join Contest Alert RWArsquos email alert for contest entrants go to augroupsyahoocomgroupRWAContestAlert click on the ldquojoin this grouprdquo in the right hand corner and follow the instructions

JUDGE COORDINATORMargaret Midwood judge-coordinatorromanceaustraliacom

ROMAUS e-List ModeratorImelda Evans elistmodromanceaustraliacomTo join ROMAUS our online email group go to httpaugroupsyahoocomgroupromanceaustralia click on the ldquojoin this grouprdquo button and follow the instructions

FACE-TO-FACE GROUPS exist throughout Australia and for queries on how to join an existing group or start one yourself groupliaisongmailcom

CRITIQUE PARTNER SCHEME Bec Sampson applycritpartnersromanceaustraliacom

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BLOG httpromanceaustraliawordpresscom

TWITTER wwwtwittercomRWAus

FACEBOOK wwwfacebookcomgroupphpgid=53338877477

MY SPACE wwwmyspacecomrwaustralia

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Please note that RWA is run by volunteers Currently the best way to make an enquiry is via email but if you call the phone number please leave a message and someone will contact you as soon as possible

HEARTS TALK TEAM

EDITORCatherine Evans hteditorromanceaustraliacom

MEMBER NEWS amp RELEASESHelen Katsinis htgoodnewsromanceaustraliacom

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWEREDJoan Kilby yourquestionromanceaustraliacom

TEAM MEMBERS

Hearts Talk Cover Photo Rachel Bailey found a cherry heart in this seasonrsquos produce

HEARTS TALK RIGHTS INFORMATIONHearts Talk is the official publication of RWA Inc and no part may be reproduced or used without prior written permission from the Editor

Reproduction rights may be arranged between agreed parties only on the condition that appropriate credit is given to RWA Hearts Talk and the author of the article

All material appearing in Hearts Talk may be reproduced by RWA in any form for any purpose Copyright remains with the author

The views expressed in Hearts Talk do not necessarily reflect the official policy of RWA All care is taken to verify details included in these pages but no responsibility is taken for any inaccuracies or actions arising from the information If notified of errors a correction will be published in a subsequent issue

copy Copyright 2013 Romance Writers of Australia Inc

Rachel BaileyRhyll BiestRachael BlairSuzanne BrandynFrances BurkeRhian CahillCarol ChallisPam CollingsBeverley EikliCatherine EvansPhillipa FiorettiAnne Gracie

Sara HantzLis HoorwegVonnie HughesBronwyn JamesonClare KaracsonyiHelen KatsinisJoan KilbySami LeeMarion LennoxSarah MayberryJodie MorphettAinslie Paton

Nicole PfeifferChristina PhillipsIngrid RickerseyBec SampsonBronwyn StuartSerena TattiMel TeshcoJanette WhiteheadKate WigsellerMichelle WoodMalvina Yock

wwwromanceaustraliacom 3 Hearts Talk ~ May 2013

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTHCongratulations Aprilrsquos winner is Hearts Talk team member

Mel Teshcowho has won a Mills amp Boon Motherrsquos Day Gift selection which includes

Castellanorsquos Mistress Of Revenge by Melanie Milburne The Andreou Marriage Arrangement by Helen Bianchin Marrying The Lone Star Marvericks by Sara

Orwig Seducing The Enemyrsquos Daughter by Jules Bennett and Chosen For The Marriage Bed by Anne OrsquoBrien

Our RWA

Presidentrsquos ReportmdashMay

Editor Interview cont __________________ 4RWA Notices _________________________ 5Special Feature Article _________________ 6How Do I __________________________ 8Conference Information ______________10Events (in person) ____________________13A Writerrsquos Life ________________________14

Your Questions Answered _____________15The Writing Journey with _____________16Contests ____________________________17Market Watch _______________________18Member News ______________________19Events (online) _______________________19New Releases _______________________20

In this issue

Life-member Alison Brideson let us know that the evolution of the RWA logo from last monthrsquos Hearts Talk wasnrsquot quite correct Alison confirms RWA has only had the two logos in the pastmdashthe current one and the mansunset prior to that The other two logos shown were alternates under consideration when the present logo was selected That was my mistake in adding the evolution graphics at the last minute to give the article context Apologies (and thanks Alison)

Alison also queried the difference in process to ten years ago notably the absence of a member vote on the logo which she worried has deprived the membership of the opportunity for ownership over the new logo The current RWA committee did consider a finalist-based member-vote scenario amongst other options for proceeding the changeover but in the end we felt that instead of giving members ownership of the resulting logo it might well diminish attachment or investment amongst those who voted for the unsuccessful options Itrsquos a rough old start for a brand new logo when (potentially) 65 of the membership might have voted for one of the other options

Portfolio of the Monthmdash

Member Secretary

RWArsquos Member Secretary fulfils the administrative needs of all 900 RWA members in terms of renewals first joining enquiries forgotten passwords online access requests name changes email changes membership number enquiries et cetera et cetera

The Member Secretary also has the RWA phone (because 90 of calls to it are membership enquiries) and has the job of highlighting benefits and services to anyone who calls seeking to be a RWA member When you get a formal RWA email about an event or a note advising you that your membership is coming due thatrsquos probably come via the Member Secretary This position also stays abreast of and reports on trends in membership and areas of growth or concern

A big job very ably managed for the past few years by Dianne Curran

See you next month

Nikki


Editor Interview continued from page 1

Is there such a thing as a typical day in the office for you

Nope Thatrsquos one reason I love what I do

It says in your biography that you especially love foreign set stories What are the most popular foreign settings for you personally and for US readers in general

For me the more exotic the better But I love any setting that is well done with great descriptions capturing the essence of the place regardless of where it is I prefer real countries around the world as settings not made-up ones I think the writer is being a little lazy inventing a fake one when there are hundreds of perfectly good countries to choose from Unless therersquos a genuine reason for doing so of course

But I realise Irsquom not the mainstream American reader I think for the most part England Scotland

and maybe Italy are the most popular foreign setting for US readers Australia is quickly gaining p o p u l a r i t y though Which is great I love A u s s i e - s e t books

What do you love about writing conferences

I really enjoy meeting new people and seeing old friends Thatrsquos the best thing I have writer friends all over the world many of whom I only see at conferences

Also therersquos a kind of high energy at a conference that is great everyone is there to learn and network with people whose eyes donrsquot glaze over at the mention of the latest crazy thing your character did to you And that energy carries over after you get home and makes you want to jump back into your current project with renewed enthusiasm

Now as an editor I also really love taking pitches Who knew it would be so fun Discovering a great

new writer or acquiring a seasoned one is just terrific I just wish the folks pitching werenrsquot often so nervous Therersquos nothing to be nervous about Honest I try to make people feel comfortable and ease their fears try to make the experience positive Because it should be Believe me therersquos nothing I want more than for your book to be exactly what Irsquom looking for

Can you tell us about some upcoming books on your list that you are especially excited about

Oh gosh We have so many fabulous books coming up itrsquos hard to pick just a couple But actually Irsquoll tell you something even better

We recently decided to expand our suspense offerings at Entangled We have folded our category-length Dead Sexy imprint into a larger more all-encompassing imprint called Entangled Suspense Now we will accept single title romantic suspense romantic thrillers and romantic mystery submissions along with the shorter length RS Our guidelines have also softened considerably and we no longer have any restrictions on the ratio of suspense to romance nor on the amount of page-time the hero and heroine are together nor on retaining a category sensibility We just want a darn good story regardless of the particulars The only restrictions are that there must be both a strong romance and a strong suspensemysterythriller element in the plot and there must be a committed happily ever after between the hero and heroine at the end

We are really excited about this expansion of our word count and our guidelines and would love to get some longer andor less traditional submissions from our friends in Australia

What do you like to read in your down time

Down time Whatrsquos that

Just kidding Not

My reading is usually in the form of audio books I listen every day while walking the dogs I like a spicy romance best especially suspense

and historicals Most of the books I read are written by women as I try to support my fellow female writers whenever possible

But these days my very favourite reading time is with the slush pile There have been some amazing manuscripts in our Entangled Suspense submissions folder Itrsquos such an honor to be able to read the bestsellers of the future and have a small part in bringing them into the world My favourite part of the editorial director job for sure

Finally we are so delighted yoursquore visiting us in Western Australia Is there anything in particular yoursquore looking forward to seeing or doing

Oh my gosh you have no idea how excited I am about coming My kids and I visited Australia a few years ago and it was a great disappointment not to have time to get to the west We had a fabulous time on the east coast and I am looking forward to having just as amazing a trip out westmdashif not better

I havenrsquot started my real research yet but from what Irsquove read and heard aside from exploring Perth (which is a given and a must) and the Pinnacles Irsquod love to see Ningaloo Rottnest Monkey Mia Fremantle and of course a trip to Margaret River for some wine tasting If at all possible Irsquod love to rattle around Karijini and the Kimberley too I grew up in western US so I love the stark beautiful landscapes Irsquove seen in photos of WA I know Irsquoll feel right at home But I realise thatrsquos a lot of territory to cover

I am hoping to stop for a month or so in WA Irsquod like to rent a house or apartment somewhere with an amazing view and really immerse myself in the country One of the joys of being a writer and editor is that I can work from anywhere with an internet connection I canrsquot imagine travelling so far and not settling in for a good long visit now that I have the luxury of time

So anyone have a Jeep I can borrow Travelling companions anyone Is it August yet


RWA Notices

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS ndash LYNNE WILDING SERVICE AWARD

What is the Lynne Wilding Meritorious Service award

For our newer members Lynne Wilding was RWArsquos inaugural (and longest serving) president two decades ago and we remember and honour her by awarding a meritorious service prize in her memory

RWA wakes and sleeps on the efforts of its volunteers some have carried out their role for years some have just taken on a role for the first time and are working like Trojans others swap roles regularly to get a strong understanding of how RWA runs and some give as much time to the running of RWA as they do to their own writing and families

An award for volunteers in an organisation that could not run without them must surely be our most important Yet every year the contributions of some fantastic individuals go unnoticed perhaps because everyone thinks that someone else will nominate them

LWA is a member-nominated award

Lynne Wilding Meritorious Service Award is a member-nominated award If no-one tells us how great they are they may never be nominated So if there is someone that you know who is a brilliant ambassador for romance and for RWA and who gives much of their time to the organisation we all love please take a moment to sing their praises to the official nominations committee this month Nominations are confidential so you donrsquot need to worry about whether theyrsquoll growl at you for singling them out for attention They absolutely deserve their moment in the spotlight

I know someone who gives generously of their time How do I nominate them for a LWA

1 By 1 June 2013

2 In a letter or email write your

nomineersquos full name and why you believe they should be considered for this very special award Also include your own name and address details (you must be a current financial member to make a nomination) Feel free to wax lyrical to communicate exactly what it is that makes their contribution so special

3 Post your nomination to Lynne Wilding Service Award PO Box 1236 Neutral Bay NSW 2089 Australia

or Email secretaryromanceaustraliacom

Itrsquos that easyNOMINATE SOMEONE NOW

Group GrantsResults of Round One 2013

Congratulations to the following recipients

The Melbourne Romance Writersrsquo Guild who will receive a grant for an afternoon workshop with Toni Jordan

The Hearts of Gold who will receive a grant for a one day workshop with Denise Rossetti

Round Two for 2013The Group Grants Scheme was set up to support the wonderful work done by RWA groups whether online or face-to-face Possible uses for a grant include visiting speakerauthor fees for group members to attend conferencesonline classes texts for a group library or anything else that supports group members in their writing

To be eligible for a grant your group needs to be an Affiliated or Associated RWA Group which is registered with RWA Group

Liaison and has supplied a Group Statement To check whether your group is registered email groupliaisongmailcom

Applications open 14 June 2013 and close 12 July 2013 The total amount the panel has to allocate across all applications is $1500

You can find more information and download the application form in the Members Section of the RWA website Or contact Janette Whitehead at groupgrantsromanceaustraliacom

Are you a new RWA member

Please email our New Member Liaison Coordinator Mervet McClintock mcclictpgcomau and one of our volunteer liaisons will help you make the most of whatrsquos available RWA is your organisation so get involved

Are you newly published

If yoursquove sold a manuscript 40000 words or over in print or digital format and would like to join Romance Writers of Australiarsquos Published Authors Network please contact our Published Authors Liaison Robyn Grady by email at

PALromanceaustraliacom

Group Vacancies Brisbane

We are a friendly supportive group looking to add two new members We meet at Toowong on the second Thursday of the month 1045 am - 1 pm (coffee before and lunch after is optional) for face-face critiquing and discussion Our members write in a variety of genres and range through self published almost published and still working on it

If this sounds like a group for you please contact the RWA Group Liaison groupliaisongmailcom with your name suburb email address genre and experience


Special Feature Article

Plagiarism is the cruciatus curse of writing Itrsquos perceived to be an unforgivable moral ethical and personal failing on the part of the perpetrator And just like the curse imagineered by JK Rowling accusing someone of committing it is extremely serious and its consequences far-reachingIt is important that members of Romance Writers of Australia feel protected against instances of plagiarism but also accusations With this in mind RWA has formalised its constitutional responsibility regarding grievances and specifically developed a standard operating procedure to help us formally manage claims by one member against another in a way that fulfils our obligations to both members

Copyright vs PlagiarismCopyright is the title given to a raft of legal protections afforded to creators and relates to the mechanical construction or expression of their work (ie paragraphs phrases specific concepts but not ideas) A breach of copyright is mechanical theft [httpwwwcopyrightorgaufind-an-answerbrowse-by-a-z]Plagiarism is not a legal construct it is a moralethical one Plagiarism refers to the practice of one creator trying to pass off the work of another as their own (concept plot characters world-building sentences paragraphs scenes) Plagiarism is theft of creative endeavourPerhaps thanks to our penal-based justice system many writers (and publishers and readers) might be prepared to forgive someone who breaches copyright if the person accepts their punishment learns from their mistakes and moves on to a more law-abiding professional career Wersquove seen this with writers who have either been charged with or confessed to copyright theft being published by mainstream publishers after a period of banishmentBut the tag lsquoplagiaristrsquo never goes away It hurts you it hurts your career and it hurts anyone connected with you or your book And generally speaking this damage is unconcerned with intent or even guilt A plagiarism accusation and investigation is a lose-

lose thing It is upsetting and stressful for the accuser who knows they might be ending someonersquos career (or in a recent high profile case with an unpublished author against a major publisher quite possibly their own) for the accused who suddenly has to deal with the reality and ramifications of what they may (or may not) have done and in the case of RWA for the investigating team who are tasked with making a decision that protects all parties to whom we have an equal obligation

In the past few years Romance Writers of Australia has been required to respond and act (confidentially) on several cases of alleged plagiarism within our membership A mountain of volunteer time goes into a thorough respectful and careful investigation of plagiarism claims and then the necessary due process that follows To be one hundred per cent clearPlagiarism by any RWA member breaches our rules and also risks bringing RWA into disrepute We will investigate claims of plagiarism confidentially and according to our procedures to determine whether there is a case to answer and then act according to the severity of the claims Our mandate is only as it relates to the protection of our members and our reputation Our obligation for confidentiality means we cannot (and should not) act outside of our own organisation or take the claims further than the constitution requiresTo help our members identify plagiarism when they see it or if they find themselves on the threshold of doing it we have prepared a little lsquoPlagiarism 101rsquo to look at some of the common myths relating to the practice

MYTH All stories have already been told A trope is not a story A hook is not a story Character archetypes are not a story Using any (or all) of these is not plagiarism (or copyright breach for that matter) Yet lsquoall stories have already been toldrsquo or lsquothere are only seven storiesrsquo is not a green-light to plagiarise and nor should it be a defence for doing itIf you canrsquot tell an lsquooldrsquo story in a new fresh and unique way then you shouldnrsquot be in the writing business If you canrsquot sit under a tree close your eyes and begin to build a storyworldcharacter unique to you then hang up your laptop Donrsquot use someone elsersquos characters or plot or world-building or unique concepts or

Sticks and stones is bollocks The P word can definitely hurt you

by Nikki Logan

RWA defines plagiarism as

the substantive use without

permission of someone

elsersquos language and ideas

regardless of whether the work

is published digital or printed

or under copyright

ldquoplagiarism by any member breaches

our rules and also risks bringing RWA

into disreputerdquo


Special Feature Article continued

sentences paragraphs or scenes to make up for your own lack of vision If you do it as an exercise to train yourself as a writer then donrsquot submit it into contests donrsquot submit it to editors donrsquot pay others to work on it for you and donrsquot publish itmdashall of these are attempts to pass it off publicly as your own creative endeavour

MYTH I must have done it subconsciouslyBenefit of doubt only takes you so far People may accept that a particular fictional image or phrase or theme struck you so strongly (as a reader) that it burbles back up in your own work without you realising or remembering As writers we all live in fear of doing exactly that but as writers I think we all would understand it happening once Possibly even twiceBut when a single work comprises multiple regular examples of lsquoborrowedrsquo word-images dialogue setting or character arc (lifted directly from the source or reworded and reordered in an attempt to disguise them) or when it includes content from multiple sources all mixed up itrsquos plagiaristic behaviour You would have to be seriously lacking in imagination and bereft of your own ideas for your subconscious to throw up multiple scenes from someone elsersquos work And for you not to notice similarities to a work yoursquove read I donrsquot think sohellip

MYTH There are only so many ways of portraying a sexfirst kissfirst meeting sceneThis excuse relies upon the people comparing the works being blind to the subtleties of writing and expression Again a good writer FINDS new ways and works hard to ensure that their expression is their own

MYTH But itrsquos publishedonlinein the public domainThat doesnrsquot make piracy okay and it doesnrsquot make plagiarism okay Itrsquos just as bad to steal a published work as it is an unpublished work Being in the lsquopublic domainrsquo means something is free to use for a purpose but passing the photomusicwriting off as your own is not one of those purposeslsquoOnlinersquo is just a twenty-first century medium it does not make it a free-for-all

MYTH Its copyright has expiredExpired copyright only protects you (potentially) from claims of breach of copyright It doesnrsquot protect you against claims of plagiarism If you take Oliver Twist and re-vision it set in space in a way that is referential of Dickens and his themes and arcs but which brings new meaning to the piece then yoursquore probably on the safe side of plagiarism because what you are doing is transparent and obvious The current popularity of mash-ups of out-of-copyright works is evidence enough of this But if you lsquowritersquo a story about a boy who is sent to an orphanage after his mother dies and who takes up with a street gang run by a crotchety but loveable ruffian then runs afoul of a brutal man whose kindly girlfriend

is the first real compassion the boy has knownhellipand then the boy is taken in by a rich old man who turns out to be his grandfather desperate to make up for the loss of his only daughterhellipand then the brutal man forces you to steal from your grandfatherhellipAnd if you try and pass that entire concept off as your own simply because Dickensrsquo copyright has expiredhellip No-one is going to fall for that

MYTH You only need to change character names and settings to protect yourself from plagiarism (aka You only need to change 10)This one is clearly straight from the lsquohow to get away with plagiarismrsquo handbook Resetting The Lake House in Bendigo and changing the cast to Barry and Cheryl is not going to fool anyone Itrsquos still theft Equally a find amp replace of names and changing from third-person to first-person does not effectively disguise plagiarism any more than it excuses itI can only think the 10 thing comes from a confused mix of the copyright rules relating to fair use (which allows you to excerpt something for instructional commentary media or research purposes) and the rule relating to photocopying in schoolsuniversities (which is set at 10) This has nothing to do with a writer believing they have some kind of green-light to steal a prescribed amount of someone elsersquos material idea or endeavour

MYTH It is an lsquohomagersquo to a loved work (aka lsquoimitation is the sincerest form of flatteryrsquo)Unless yoursquore writing non-commercial fan-fiction then lsquoimitationrsquo is not a tribute Itrsquos theftIf you love the works of a particular author so much you want to replicate the feel and impact of their books then busy yourself studying their techniques and talents not ripping off their concepts characters world-building and presenting them as your own creative endeavour

MYTH Commonly used phrases are plagiarismIt is unlikely that anyone will point fingers about plagiarism for phrases that have become writing clicheacutes Variations abound of lsquoshe made an lsquoorsquo with her mouthrsquo to show a characterrsquos surprise or lsquothe ancient tattoo of her heartrsquo as a way of showing-and-not-telling a heroinersquos excitement or lsquoa tightening in his belly followed by parts of him further southrsquo to avoid using the other P-wordClicheacute isnrsquot plagiarism and a panel of reasonable people wouldnrsquot deem it so Unless of course the clicheacute was part of six straight paragraphs where only a few key words were exchanged to make it lsquofreshrsquo

ldquoIf plagiarists werenrsquot so lazy and

uninspired theyrsquod be writersrdquo

Continued on page 12


How Do I

Facts Fiction and Fudgingby Isolde Martin

Whether you are writing a serious historical a romance set against historical events or a screenplay depicting famous people who are still alive fictionalising the gaps between the known facts can be challenging

Letrsquos take recent history first With a mini-series (eg Underbelly Paper Giants) there may be real people you can interview to find out what their goals and motives were and the how and why they made their choices However if it is lsquoNo commentrsquo then there are other sources available visual recordings that reveal a personrsquos speech mannerisms style of dress whether they were confident or hedging and the opinionsbeliefs they held As well there might be eyewitness accounts news reels and CCTV footage of events Then therersquos the drier stuff court reports state papers parliamentary commissions all the nitty-gritty that future historians must delve through

And where you need to fictionalise Well hopefully if yoursquove done your research yoursquoll end up creating plausible scenes as close as possible to the facts and to what those people might have said Which is exactly what historical novelists try to do as well Except it is so much harder especially if you are writing about an era centuries ago It means you have even more gaps to fill in

Credibility is the golden rule and itrsquos up to you to decide what sounds feasible Would the King of Englandrsquos sister sacrifice her maidenhead to a mere courtier on her way to marry the King of France As if Shersquod be on the next ship back after the wedding sheets had been inspected Her royal bridegroom however doddery would want no doubts cast on the paternity of his son and heir And would a Princess of Wales be left all alone by her ladies in some crofterrsquos hut on the Scots border to enjoy adulterous sex with William WallaceMel Gibson in Braveheart Implausible

To compensate there are sufficient surprises in history if you look hard enough Young Jeanne drsquoArc leading the army of France Anne Boleyn holding out for marriage and a crown for all those years a widow with two children winning the heart of a nineteen year old king and marrying him in secret

Some knowledgeable reader will always point out your error So be warned when using historical people as main or minor characters in a work of fiction it is advisable to get the simple facts right Which Boleyn girl was the older sister If one of your characters was a prisoner in the Tower of London at the time yoursquove set your story donrsquot have him cavorting freely somewhere else to suit your plot And no they didnrsquot drink tea in medieval times

If you are using a historical person as a major character work out the chronology of their life and especially try finding out all you can about their childhood What events or mentors might have moulded their personality Yoursquoll be pleased by the insights this will give you

What are your aims with this particular book If you create a fictional character to tell the story when your real interest is a famous historical person be careful with the construction Robert Harris in

his novel Imperium successfully uses Tiro confidential secretary to Cicero the brilliant Roman orator as his storyteller but itrsquos not an easy technique for

the inexperienced Some aspiring writers can end up with their fictional person with no adventures of their own and as flat as a run-over frog

Weaving your main characters into real events is a good way of upping the ante on them and tossing rocks onto their emotional story track If the love story has to plateau for a while try bringing the historical backdrop to the fore and maybe events can provide some drama to keep the pace nicely rolling The decisions

your hero and heroine make when the real world throws up challenges will add depth to their characters as well as the plot With historic people see if you can detect how the extra pressure affected them Is that why they made a vital decision And remember events arenrsquot always big A small thing like a molehill could kill a king

One solution in filling the gaps is to find a precedent that can lend your scene veracity In Mistress to the Crown I wanted to have my real historic heroine take part in a masque at the court of King Edward IV It would have been historically inaccurate to have a woman acting so I made her a dancer The tale of Helen of Troy suited the theme of the novel but was the legend known back then No records revealed that The Siege of Troy was ever enacted before King Edward but the chronicler Froissart gives a vivid account of a wheeled castle representing Troy at the French court in Paris 1439 Bingo

Another way of fictionally illuminating the shadows is to borrow an occurrence from the era you are writing in and transpose this into your plot Herersquos another example from Mistress to the Crownhellip

In 1476 my historic heroine Elizabeth Shore brought a case against her husband William for


How Do I continued

impotence and frigidity There were no details in the archives except the names of the judges and the verdict However Henrieitta Leyserrsquos book Medieval Women (Weidenfeld amp Nicholson 1995) mentions several cases where a husbandrsquos virility was tested ldquoIn 1292hellip twelve womenhelliprsquoof good reputationrsquo testified that lsquothe virile memberrsquo of one William de Fonte was lsquouselessrsquordquo Leyser also cites a case in York in 1433 where a man accused of impotency was tested by a female witness who ldquoexposed her naked breastsrdquo and attempted to stir him ldquoto show his virility and potencyrdquo to no avail There was a strong likelihood that the Church court hearing Mistress Shorersquos case would have required Master Shore to suffer the same testing so I suggested that in the novel

Constructing lively dialogue and believable POVs in historical novels requires plenty of creativity and a lot of research Immersing yourself in the chronicles correspondence and literature of the time you are writing about will help give you some answers Male characters tend to use jargon so what is your male characterrsquos profession and what are his interests If hersquos a soldier does he think in military terms and use them in conversation And what are his values If hersquos taken a solemn oath will he keep to it While you are sleuthing note down any imagery andor timeless phrases that might be useful But when you write the dialogue sidestep the pitfalls beware terms like lsquorsquotisrsquo and lsquoforsoothrsquo Checking out words in the full Oxford English Dictionary will help you avoid anachronisms

With women characters because they are not mentioned being in the Great Hall does not mean they were not theremdashno fudging involved It is important to give your heroine aspirations that modern readers can relate to but remember the social restrictions of her era Until about 1870 the lives of women were directed by the male who had charge of them

within the law father or guardian husband eldest brother son To be ostracised by your family was a frightening matter because the chances of lawful employment for a woman were small Abuse was common For a servant to fall pregnant usually meant dismissal Therersquos a lot of sadness in the past but creating stories of women who outwit the restrictions of their times in a believable way and find love is the essence of most historical romances A believable way A teasing and wonderful challenge to any writerrsquos creativity

Fictionalising events and encounters means putting the emotion back into history How much time do your characters have to do what they want You could weave some of their frustrations into your story How are they affected by their rank in the social hierarchy Are the places they live in well lit smoky chilly Does this affect their moods Are their clothes comfortable or restricting These factors can make your characters irate or at ease gracious or terse

There are useful sources like wills that will give you details of clothes and furnishings and of course studying contemporary paintings and illustrations can help fill the gaps with the colours and texture of everyday life

Fudging Yes do it if need be but for the right reasons I spent too long trying to find a poison that could have slowly exterminated a medieval bishop and then I realised my heroine didnrsquot know what the poison was so I didnrsquot need to know either What my main characters needed to do was help the bishop recover End of problem Fudgy logic

Inventing younger brothers for real life lords or imagining a love story between two real people Yes guilty Playing down the superstition religion and bedbugs Guilty Using banter Guilty People do make jokes even in the past (Think of the POV of Falco a Roman private eye in Lindsey Davisrsquo novels) And sex Serious historicals donrsquot need to slam the door in the readerrsquos face If you can maintain a sense of veracity therersquos no end to pushing

the envelope

But finally I must concede that for some writers historical accuracy is not important The post-modern view was brought home to me when a fellow panellist on a history panel took a post-modernist stance She declared that recreating the past as accurately as possible was irrelevant It was the quality of her writing and what she wanted to convey to the reader that was the important aspect

Creative writing guru Robert McKee in his manual Story says lsquohistorical drama polishes the past into a mirror of the presentrsquo Are todayrsquos audiences so self-centred that they can only accept material that resonates to something in their own experience To be fair I guess McKee is asking what message does the screenplay tell us about ourselves Well providing that aim is clear to the audience itrsquos a valid viewpoint but so often it is easy to accept a historical drama as truth

So how far do you allow fiction to supersede the facts In the TV series of Ken Follettrsquos The Pillars of the Earth the Empress Matildarsquos son Prince Henry slays King Stephenrsquos son Visual fiction It added nothing to the plot

The bottom line with any novel is will this sell Does it contain elements that readers want Itrsquos necessary to have a balance between a very saleable product and your integrity as a writer For those of us novelists who value history the past is a foreign and exotic world in which we invite our readers to travel The research can be fun inspiring and enlightening and our aim is to give our readers an exciting and believable adventure in the past

Isolde Martyn has published five books and many short stories Her latest release Mistress to the Crown is available now


Conference Information with Leah Ashton

Registration for Riding the Waves is still open For everything about our conference registration prices and easy online registration visit romanceaustraliacomfreo

Introducing our Editors amp Agents

The Riding the Waves team is very excited to announce our list of agents and editors who will be taking pitches at the conference Remember both RWA members and non-members can pitch but you must be registered for the core (Saturday and Sunday) conference Pitch registration will open on 1 June but in the meantime start polishing your pitch

hearts Simon amp Schuster USA Abby Zidle (Pocket Gallery Pocket Star)

hearts Bradford Literary Agency LLC Laura Bradford

hearts Entangled Publishing Nina Bruhns (Editorial Director Entangled Suspense)

hearts Harlequin Single Title (MIRA HQN Luna) Margaret Marbury

hearts Harlequin Mills amp Boon (London) Sheila Hodgson

hearts Harlequin Australia confirmed editor TBA

hearts Harlequin Escape Kate Cuthbert

hearts Penguin Australia Belinda Byrne

hearts Destiny Australia Sarah Fairhall

hearts Hachette Publishing Bernadette Foley

hearts Random House Beverley Cousins

hearts Momentum (Pan Macmillan Australia) Joel Naoum

hearts Literary Agent Alex Adsett

hearts Twelfth Planet Press Alisa Krasnostein

Meet our editors and agentsmdash Part One

Abby ZidlemdashSimon amp Schuster USA

Abby Zidle is a senior editor at Gallery and Pocket Books acquiring commercial fiction and nonfiction including romance suspense womenrsquos fiction memoir and popular culture titles Her authors at Pocket include everything from New York Times bestsellers to debut novelistsmdashsome recent

titles include international bestseller The Sweetness of Forgetting and the NYT bestselling memoir Becoming Sister Wives Prior to working at Pocket she was an editor for Harlequinrsquos HQN line She began her career in publishing at Bantam Dell after abandoning the glamorous life of a PhD student (the only job that pays worse than editorial assistant)

Laura BradfordmdashAgent

Laura Bradford established the Bradford Literary Agency in 2001 She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets During her own misadventures as a writer Laura came to understand the importance of having a friendly but critical eye on your side a career strategist in your corner and a guide who can lead you through the travails of publication

Her recent sales include books placed with Berkley Grand Central Harlequin Kensington Simon and Schuster HarperCollins Sourcebooks Hyperion Flux Macmillan Adams Media Egmont USA John Wiley and Sons and Mira Books She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres Romance (historical romantic suspense paranormal category contemporary erotic) urban fantasy womenrsquos fiction mystery thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction

Riding The WavesWriting romance in tempestuous times

16-18 August 2013 Fremantle WA

wwwromanceaustraliacomfreo


She is a member of the Association of Authorsrsquo Representatives (AAR) and Romance Writers of America the Society of Childrenrsquos Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and she is an RWA-recognized agent

Sarah FairhallmdashDestiny

Sarah Fairhall is a long time romance reader who joined Penguin in 2007 Following roles in business development then in contracts she was spirited into the Penguin Development Program working across different divisions including sales marketing and finally publishing Sarah is now a Commissioning Editor in the adult publishing division She and colleague Carol George are

the team behind Destiny Romance Penguinrsquos digital first romance imprint

Destiny are looking for great romances ranging in length from novellas to full-length stories They want to see compelling plots vivid settings and characters readers come to care deeply about The focus must be on the development of the romantic relationship and the story must provide an emotionally satisfying ending Theyrsquore interested in all kinds of romantic fiction from sweet and tender through to saucy and sensual Theyrsquore looking for all subgenres including but not limited to contemporary historical suspense paranormal and erotica If yoursquove come up with a new style of romance then wersquore interested in that too At this stage they are not looking for YA

Beverley CousinsmdashRandom House

Before moving to Australia with her family in 2007 Beverley Cousins (Fiction Publisher Random House Australia) had twenty yearsrsquo experience of London publishing (first for Pan Macmillan and then Penguin Books UK) Following a yearrsquos secondment with Penguin Australia she moved to Random House Australia as Fiction Publisher

During her career she has published a number of brand-name authors including Minette Walters Colin Dexter and Janet Evanovich and currently looks after bestselling authors Judy Nunn Susan Duncan Caroline Overington Deborah Rodriguez Nicole Alexander and M L Stedman among others

Joel NaoummdashMomentum (Pan Macmillan Australia)

Joel is a Sydney-based book publisher editor blogger and writer He is running Pan Macmillanrsquos new digital-only imprint Momentum and recently completed a three-month stint in London for the Unwin Fellowship researching digital publishing experimentation He is passionate about the

possibilities that social media and digital publishing opens up for authors publishers booksellers and the whole book industry

Kate CuthbertmdashEscape Publishing

Before joining Harlequin Australia as Managing Editor of their digital-first imprint Escape Publishing Kate Cuthbert was well known in the industry for her nationally and internationally published book reviews and romance-focused features and op-ed pieces She is currently looking for emotional andor erotic LGBT romance Australian-set historicals (convicts-optional) romantic suspense (especially for crimes other than murder) and risk-taking authentic New Adult

Alex AdsettmdashAgent

Alex Adsett (Agent Alex Adsett Publishing Services) has fifteen years experience working in the publishing and bookselling industry She has managed Alex Adsett Publishing Services since 2008 offering business contract and negotiating advice to authors publishers and booksellers She has recently made the move to traditional agenting and

has started accepting manuscript submissions from emerging authors who are seeking their first commercial publishing deal She is looking for science fiction fantasy paranormal and crime including young adult and adult full length works

Next monthmdashMeet the rest of our editors In the meantime do your own online research see if any of these editors and agents look like the right fit for your work and start planning your pitch for

Riding the Waves

Conference Information continued with Leah Ashton

For all the Riding the Waves detailsmdashand to registermdashvisit

romanceaustraliacomfreo


Special Feature Article continued from page 7

Five warning signs you might be a plagiarist5 You read the unpublished manuscript of another

RWA member and reproduce parts of it (or its key concepts) in your own manuscript Itrsquos not plagiarism if itrsquos not commercially available right Wrong itrsquos still idea theft and it is still the fastest way to lose the respect friendship and trust of the people you write with

4 You sit at your computer with someone elsersquos book open at a page transposing what you read changing the tenses names and moving the order of action around a bit so itrsquos lsquojust different enoughrsquo Itrsquos just one scene and I changed quite a bit so itrsquos okay right It might be one scene or five itrsquos still plagiarism And yoursquore still doing it knowingly

3 You watch a movie or TV show and transcribe that onto the page changing the character names personalising the dialogue to be relevant to your characters leaving some bits out but sticking with the strongest imagery and settings Itrsquos not plagiarism if itrsquos not a book right Wrong

2 You have document comparison software on your computer so that you can change your MS until the text recognition tools return a rating below 20 Itrsquos just software right Yes software specifically designed to detect plagiarism not be an accomplice to it An honest writer would not need this tool

1 Complete strangers can instantly see what yoursquove done If plagiarists werenrsquot so lazy and uninspired theyrsquod be writers On the whole plagiarists canrsquot even be bothered doing a good job of stealing from someone else and so this means that their plagiarism is eventually (and even immediately) noticed by readers reviewers competition judges and (potentially) commented on publicly or progressed into legal action Career over

So there you go Plagiarism in a nutshell Of course itrsquos never ever that simple but I hope that this article will help educate members who really donrsquot know how to define or identify plagiarism And I hope it will reassure those who are worried about plagiarism within RWA (or accused of it) that we have a fair confidential and formal process for managing claims

Nikki Logan is the author of sixteen novels (Harlequin Entangled) is

President of the Romance Writers of Australia (Inc) and has been an assignee for the investigation and proceeding of plagiarism claims for RWA

If yoursquore getting cold feet about the conference donrsquot worry

The June issue of Hearts Talk will include

hearts all your Claytonrsquos information for the conference you have when you canrsquot get to WA

The July issue of Hearts Talk will include

hearts tips and hints for successful pitching from RWA members who have pitched and sold their story to an editor

and once yoursquove successfully pitched

hearts Kate Belle reviewer and author shares how to deal with good and bad reviews

The August issue of Hearts Talk will include

hearts tips and hints for surviving conferenceSleep

lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots


IN PERSON EVENTS(Costings Code M=Member MC=Member Concession MP= Member of Partner Organisation NM=Non-members C=Concession) FMI=for more information To send an Event hteventsromanceaustraliacom

Events with Kate Wigseller

Wednesday 1 MaySocial Media for Writers (seminar) ~ Zena ShapterWhen 630pm ndash 930pmWhere NSW Writers CentreCost M $35 NM $50FMI + bookings httpwwwnswwcorgauproducts-pageprofessional-developmentseminar-social-media-for-writers

Saturday 4 MaySelf Publishing in the 21st Century ~ Editor Jennifer MosherWhen 900am ndash 430pmWhere Mt Heritage Hotel and Spa Katoomba NSWCost $198FMI + bookings httpwwwjennifermoshereditorcom201304sel f-publ i sh ing- in-21st-centur y-workshophtml

Friday 10 MayIn Conversation with Krissy Kneen Erotic WriterWhen 530pm ndash 630pmWhere Northern Rivers Writers Centre NSWCost FREEFMI + bookings Ph 02 6685 5115

Saturday 11 MayDigital Makeover for Writers ~ Euan MitchellWhen 1000am ndash 400pmWhere Writers VictoriaCost M $130 NM $180FMI + bookings httpwritersvictoriaorgauwhat-s-oneventdigital-makeover-for-writers1

Saturday 11 MayHow to Build Suspense in your Creative Writing ~ Helen ChildWhen 1000 am ndash 1200 noonWhere Edith Cowan House Building 20 ECU Joondalup Campus JoondalupCost M $20 NM $25FMI + bookings Phone 08 9301 2282 or e-mail cowan05bigpondcom w wwwpcwcorgau

Saturday 18 May and Sunday 19 MayRomance Writing Bootcamp ~ Lucy ClarkWhen 1000am ndash 400pmWhere South Australian Writers CentreCost M $180 NM $300FMI + bookings httpwwwsawcorgauwhats-onworkshops-and-seminarstask=view_eventampevent_id=114

Monday 20 May to Sunday 26 MaySydney Writersrsquo FestivalFor the whole program and booking please see the website wwwswforgau

Thursday 23 MaySWF The Spirit of Romance ~ Panel with Kate Forsyth Rachael Treasure Suzy Duffy and Amanda HootenWhen 1130am ndash 1230pmWhere Pier 23 The Loft Pier 23 Hickson Road Walsh BayCost Free no bookingsFMI wwwswforgau

Thursday 23 MayForest for the Trees Writers and Publishing in 2013When 1000am ndash 430pmWhere State Library of NSW Metcalfe Auditorium Macquarie Street Wing Macquarie Street SydneyCost $45 full price $35 concessionFMI + Booking wwwswforgau

Thursday 23 MaySWF An Evening with Rachael TreasureWhen 700pm ndash 800pmWhere Pioneer Room Castle Hill Library and Community Centre Level 1 Corner Castle Street and Pennant Street Castle HillCost $10FMI + Booking wwwswforgau

Saturday 25 MaySWF Rachael Treasure and Rural Romance ~ Rachael Treasure amp Caroline BaumWhen 100pm ndash 200pmWhere Pier 23 The Loft Pier 23 Hickson Road Walsh BayCost Free no bookingFMI + Booking wwwswforgau

Saturday 8 JuneThe Internet Not So Scary ~ Cassandra DeanWhen 1000am ndash 400pmWhere SA Writers CentreCost M $90 NM $150FMI + Booking httpsawritersorgauwhats-onworkshops-and-seminarstask=view_eventampevent_id=116

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 JuneThe Business of Being a Writer ~ Judith Ridge and guestsWhen 1000am ndash 400pmWhere NSW Writers CentreCost M $225 NM $320FMI + bookings httpwwwnswwcorgauproducts-pageprofessional-developmentthe-business-of-being-a-writer


A Writerrsquos Life with Anne Gracie

The Chocolate Ball and Chain

ldquoI canrsquot meet you for coffee I have a deadlinerdquo

ldquoYoursquoll have to go on that picnic without me I have to writerdquo

ldquoI havenrsquot got time to see that film I need to finish this chapterrdquo

Does this sound like you

And what does this have to do with a chocolate ball and chain

What is a chocolate ball and chain anyway

Itrsquos a quote from Elizabeth Gill ldquoAs writers we are always on duty I feel as though I have to be a writer every minute of every day itrsquos like a chocolate ball and chain itrsquos always there and no matter how much you eat the bloody thingrsquos still there rdquo (httpelizabethgillblogspotcom )

I thought this was a perfect analogy for the way many of us approach our writingmdashthe more serious we get about it the more we put other aspects of our lives on hold everything we do is to serve the writing

Several times now Irsquove seen a newly contracted writer talking on a loop all excited and vowing to cut back on other aspects of her life so that she can writemdashso shersquos cutting back her work hours giving up several of her hobbies or sporting activities resigning from a club dropping out of a group all so she can concentrate on her writing

Itrsquos so tempting to just shove the world aside retreat into your writerrsquos cave and write And write And write And editors will encourage you in this because publishing is a hungry beast and will take as much as you can produce And it will work for a whilemdashyoursquoll be so prolific and your writing will flow and stories will pour from your fingertips Itrsquos magic

But after a while yoursquoll start to lose your zest for writing the flow will falter and procrastination will start to creep in And you think I have to do this I have a deadline and you cut yourself off from more social engagements because you have to write

Think about what yoursquove done You used to dance with your muse in the moonlight barefoot in the grass in joy and delight to tunes only you and she could hear A whole variety of tunes

Now yoursquove harnessed her to a treadmill and are flogging her to keep producing stories like a Victorian-era cab-driver flogging his worn-out starving horse And always going the same route over and over

Multi-published author Barbara Bretton said this

What I finally discovered was the fact that writing canrsquot be everything for me By identifying myself solely as a writer I had effectively cut myself off from new experiences and old pleasures and as a result the creative well had run dry For years I had done nothing but write talk about writing think about writing Irsquod mastered the art of saying no to invitations from friends and after a while those invitations stopped comingand I never even noticed

In the name of professional responsibility Irsquod narrowed my world down to the point where there was nothing but me and my computer and a never-ending banner of deadlines waving in the breeze (I might add that I do have a husband but he was going for his Masterrsquos degree at the time which allowed me ample opportunity to bury myself even deeper in my work)

Is it any wonder I finally crashed and burned

Creativity is a capricious gift and I had done everything possible to force it into predictablemdashand boringmdashpatterns (httpwwwbarbarabrettoncomburnoutshtml)

So you need to feed your muse refill your well and get back your old delight in writing Writing goddess Barbara Samuel keeps a sign on her computer to remind herself ITrsquoS A JOY NOT A JOB

So get back out and interact with the

world accept those invitations meet that friend for coffee experience new things do different things stretch yourself and write not just for publication but for fun Give yourself and your muse regular artist dates (httppaperartstudiotripodcomartistswayid4html )

The secret to long-term success as a writer is in finding your own personal balance To start with keep records for a week or two of how effectively you spend your writing time How much of it is really spent in not-writing mdash surfing the web research promo blogging thinking about writing preparing to write et cetera

Try limiting the hours you spend writingmdashyes thatrsquos correctmdashlimiting your writing time Use a timer to get you startedmdash15 or 20 minutes and go Approach it the way you used to do writing exercises or exams in schoolmdashhead down and write By writing in concentrated bursts you can achieve remarkable results and still have time to go out to play

This is from the fifteen minute writer blog ldquoIf I decide to sit down and set a timer and write for just 15 minutes and vow not to check email for that period of time act on a random thought that occurs during that time (such is the power of the web) and focus on just getting something down I often find myself resetting that timer for another 15 minutes and then another and soon enough the dreaded project is done and I FEEL GREAT Even if I only do 15-minutes my brain lets me relax because it has checked writing off of todayrsquos must-do list

That is the part that I always forget about The guilt-free anxious feeling erased from the rest of my day which allows me to enjoy watching some Walking Dead stupid videos on YouTube or reading for pleasure without that timer that seems to always be ticking in my headrdquo

(http15minutewriterblogspotcomau201111one-thing-you-must-know-about-writinghtml )

Your muse is a delicate and precious creature Nurture her nurture yourself and remember to play and dance barefoot in the moonlight Itrsquos a joy not a job


Your Questions Answered with Joan Kilby

All questions are answered anonymously Joan can give you a fun name if you need one

Dear Joan Irsquove finished polished and perfected my manuscript and feel ready to launch it into the world However the publishing world seems to be changing and merging each minute

Whatrsquos your current opinion on self-publishing versus pitching to one of the major publishersSigned Hope from Hopetoun

Dear Hope from HopetounSelf-publishing (also known as indie publishing) versus traditional publishing is a hot topic among authors these days In recent years therersquos been an explosion in digital books with a consequent increase in authors publishing their own work At the same time print runs and advances at many traditional houses have declined How does a new writermdashor an established one for that mattermdashchoose which way to go Which option will give you the biggest audience possible as well as earning you a reasonable income Irsquoll go over the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing and you can decide for yourself Pros of Traditional Publishing

hearts Your book will be in print in a bookstore You can hold it in your hands

hearts Editing cover art distribution and marketing are all handled by the publisher

hearts Some review sites and readers will take your book more seriously

hearts You are paid an advance Cons of Traditional Publishing

hearts You have little control over cover or pricing hearts Agentrsquos fees come out of your cut of the royalties hearts It can take years from the time your manuscript is

accepted to when itrsquos released And up to another six months before you see any earnings

hearts Your percentage of profit from the book is relatively small typically 6-8 for paperback and 10 for a hardcover And down to 1-2 for foreign editions

hearts Agents and editors are tough gatekeepers and rejection is common Getting published typically takes many years

Pros of Self-publishing

hearts Full control of your manuscript at all stages You can publish a book rejected by traditional publishers because the market for that type of book is thought to be too small (Sometimes theyrsquore right )

hearts You set your own pricing control and can take advantage of free days to boost sales

hearts You have creative control over your cover design and back cover blurb

hearts You get the largest percentage of royalties ranging from about 35 up to 70 of cover price at Amazon

hearts You determine when the book is published The time frame from completion to on-sale date is much faster than traditional

hearts You can publish as many books as you want when you want If yoursquore a prolific author often a traditional publishing house doesnrsquot have enough slots to keep you happy

hearts You keep all your rights including World rights audio book rights film rights et cetera

Cons of Self-publishing

hearts Yoursquore responsible for editing formatting cover design uploading your book marketing et cetera Some of this you can do yourself Some you have to hire experts to do All this takes time away from writing the next book

hearts It costs up to thousands of dollars for editing services then you have to shell out hundreds for cover art ISBN numbers advertising et ceteramdashwith no advance and no guarantee of a return on your investment

hearts You are responsible for distribution of your novel online through digital editions andor print on demand editions

hearts With so many self-published books out there itrsquos hard to compete For every indie author who sells millions of copies there are thousands who sell fewer than a hundred copies

hearts Many indie authors donrsquot get their books properly edited and the quality is poor giving self-published books a bad name This is why many review sites wonrsquot review self-published books

hearts You donrsquot have the marketing reach of a traditional publisher with connections throughout the industry There are no displays in bookstores launch parties book tours or advertising campaigns

Whether you choose indie or traditional publishing depends on your personality skills set and how much time yoursquore willing to devote to the business end of producing a novel If all you want to do is write and if the thought of the business aspects give you the hives then I recommend going the traditional route If you like to be in control if yoursquore willing to put in the effort to learn the business and are willing to take a risk that you wonrsquot earn very much then self-publishing might be the way forward for youTherersquos a third optionmdashwhatrsquos known as the hybrid author who engages in both traditional and self-publishing This might be because they write too fast for their print publisher to keep up or they have a book thatrsquos out of the box or in a different subgenre Or maybe they simply want to test the waters of self-publishing while hanging onto the security of traditional publishing Juggling both traditional and indie publishing has itrsquos own challenges but is a good compromise for authors who like both the security of traditional publishing and the freedom of self-publishingWhichever route you choose best of luck to you

Good luck and Happy writing

Joan xx

yourquestionromanceaustraliacom


The Writing Journey with

When did you join RWAChristmas Day 2012 My membership was the present I asked my husband to fork out for so that I could make 2013 my year of writing dangerouslyhellipHow did you hear about RWABack in September 2012 I was reading a newsletter from the NSW Writers Centre and I came across an interview with Valerie Parv and some info about a workshop called Turning up the Heat Writing Sizzling Sex ScenesThe course appealed to me on a deeper level than one would expect I did a writing workshop years ago when I was nervous kid full of angst and ambition and intimidated by all of the literary wankers in the room but I took away one piece of golden advice from that day and it is now indelibly inked on the walls of my brain write dangerously Sex is not something that girls are encouraged to talk about let alone write about so it occurred to me on that day back in September 2012 that this was an opportunity to write dangerouslyI followed the paper trail or the web link trail and I found RWA and knew that I had to join I didnrsquot end up doing the course but it set the wheels in motion for me nonetheless like an out of control freight trainWhat do you writeTraditionally I write crap that confuses people Irsquove been writing general fiction since high school the major themes being dysfunction quirk and beauty within ordinariness I grew up and grew fat on a solid diet of the heavies Tolstoy Hemingway you name it but also the rogues Jack Kerouac and Hunter S Thompson My roots are firmly in that soil But where are the women writers you may demand I think I have always identified with male writers because I feel as powerful and as entitled as they were I feel as though I am experiencing the world with as much authority and agency as they did in their day Thanks to centuries of struggle and sacrifice by generations of women

before me I am able to write freely in a way that would have been an outrage merely thirty or forty years agoLately I am focused on romance writing Harlequin Mills and Boon style Wow did that come out of left field Yes there you have it I love to labour over some intense stuff but I like my romance snappy and to the pointWhat prompted you to start writingIn general what first prompted me to write was learning how to read learning how to writemdashthink Kindergarten Simple as that I was hooked I love words I love language What sparked romance writing for me though was one hazy afternoon of breastfeeding baby number three when I decided to watch The Notebook for the first time (I always fed in front of the TV to let the noise and flashing colours keep me awake) I thought ldquohmm this isnrsquot craprdquo and then I got hold of the book I very quickly got rid of that book because it annoyed me so much but I couldnrsquot let go of a niggling thought that there was something for me to learn from it I couldnrsquot let it go so I researched Nicholas Sparks realised that he sleeps on a bed of money and then I put it all together my quirky general fiction probably wonrsquot ever see the light of day (ie get published) but perhaps if I take the love stories from them focus only on the romance I might be on to something Now do you see why I love HMampB Theyrsquore like snap shots from a bigger pictureWhat keeps you writingThe knowledge gained from years of experience that this ambition does not die No matter how I stifle it like trying to build a career in accounting (oh god that was a mistake) it doesnrsquot go away It is the only thing that is truly mine and mine alone (in a house with a messy husband and 3 busy munchkins) and it gives me satisfaction like nothing else can I have to write If I donrsquot write I will dry up and fall off my perch because thatrsquos what happens when you ignore your

passionDo you have a favourite piece of w r i t i n g adviceOh yes Yes I do Everything from the little book c a l l e d Yoursquore a Genius all the Time which is a collection of all the haphazard instructions Jack Kerouac gave on how to write using his method My favourite piece of advice from this manic little brown book is to have ldquono fear or shame in the dignity of your experience language and knowledgerdquo So write honestly and write fearlesslyTell us a bit about what yoursquore working on nowIrsquove got 3 stories on the boil right now I always multi-task I canrsquot have just one thing going at a time I constantly need to shake it up Irsquom writing an HMampB Sexy style story about a couple who meet on a plane another similar style story with an athlete heroine who likes to kick butt (Irsquoll leave you guessing as to what that means) and Irsquom also in the drawn out planning stages of something that isnrsquot romance but something along the lines of my signature quirk and dysfunction So I have a little from column A and a little from column B just the way I like itDo you have any writing goals for the next year 5 years 10 yearsTo get published And to keep learning and growing as a writermdasha life long journey if ever there was oneYoursquore a mum of 3 girls under 5 years old How do you fit writing into that hectic lifeItrsquos easy I dream up my characters when I wash the dishes and when Irsquom chopping vegies I do all my planning and plotting during nap time I write when my kids and my husband are asleep Simple

Kate Wigseller


Little Gems ReportThe Little Gems Sapphire contest attracted 69 entries this year As usual contemporary was the most popular genre with historical and the paranormal fantasy genres almost equal with eight and seven entries respectively Interestingly three of each from these smaller groups gained places in the anthology giving us a good mix in the final cut

Many entrants mentioned this was the first contest theyrsquod entered so congratulations to every one of you for taking that big step The judges commented on the generally high standard of the entries this year although some entries fell down on punctuation Those five marks are easily scored If you had problems there take a course or study a book on the subject Donrsquot allow such a basic and easily fixed issue to spoil your work

Other general comments from judges included

ldquoSome great stories thererdquo

ldquoSome writers tried to put too much action into the short story Therersquos no room in 3000 words for too many story threadsrdquo

ldquoIrsquom always impressed by the standard of writing in RWA competitionsrdquo

ldquoA good proof read was neededrdquo

ldquoVery enjoyablerdquo

The Sapphire Anthology is now in production mode with Joan Gilham hard at work on the editing Joanne Irvine is taking care of orders Order forms are on the website on the Little Gems page The Anthology will be launched at our Fremantle conference in August Copies are not available until then but we appreciate pre-orders to help ascertain the required print run

In an exciting development for RWA and Little Gems a public launch will be held in September at the Brisbane Writers Festival

Next year our gem is Moonstone

Why Enter CompetitionsI remember back to the time when I was a newly fledged RWA member and the thought of entering competitions was a daunting one Having someone I didnrsquot know criticise the manuscript I had been sweating blood over seemed as inviting as having someone shove a hot poker in my eye But one of the benefits of being an RWA member is the competitions

Our judges are published authors and your fellow writers who are willing to share some of what theyrsquove learned on their journey with you or they are the people who will one day buy and read your books (how wonderful to get their feedback early) They will give you their opinionmdashand remember it is ONLY their OPINION Sure sometimes what they say may seem a bit harsh (after all your mum grandma and best friend all loved your heroine and her interesting trait of sneezing every time the hero comes around) but their opinion is impartial and given with the best of intentions to try to make your novel stand out in an increasingly competitive market Not to mention that we source our final judge editors and agents from some of the main agencies and publishing houses from Australia the UK and US

Each of our competitions has a particular focus to help improve different aspects of your WIP

hearts The Selling Synopsis helps you to break your novel down into its salient plot and character points expressing goals motivations and conflicts that will help see your novel through pacing issues and saggy middles

hearts The STALI and Harlequin High Five concentrate on the opening scenes of your novel and the strengths that must be there to grab an editoragent and ultimately the reader

hearts The Emerald mimics the submission process of sending a partial and then a full manuscript and gives you a readerrsquos only impression of how your novel stands up against what they choose to buy and read

hearts The First Kiss makes you concentrate on your premise and the heated lead-up to the first kiss ensuring that you are building an attraction that will continue to grow with your characters through their journey

hearts The Valerie Parv Award gives you a chance to show the overall idea of your novel through synopsis and that the first 10000 words of your novel lives up to the promise of this (or if your synopsis expresses the strengths of your novel) plus it gives you the chance to have your work read by Valerie Parv and ultimately the chance to work with her for a year if your entry is the winner

hearts The Little Gems allows you to work on those slice of life moments to help you build on writing stronger tighter emotional scenes that pack a punch with every word

So there are seven amazing competitions for non-published authors to enter each with its own purpose to help you build on your strengths and improve your weaknesses so that you will be one step closer to that amazing lsquocallrsquo The competitions have helped me on my goal to being published and if you enter them with an open mind and a willingness to let go of some of your preconceived ideas about your work they just might help you too

Check out the dates of our competitions and make entering at least one your next writing goal

Contests with Leisl Leighton


Sources Cyndi Myers Market News Publishers Lunch Dear Author publishersrsquo websites Publishers Weekly

SUBMISSIONSSteam eReads is looking for romantic fiction for its Short n Spicy line and full-length fiction in Futuristic Paranormal and MMFF wwwsteamereadscomau

In addition to our Short n Spicy novellas (15000 to 20000 words) Steam eReads have added Short n Sweet to the series and are now looking for some great submissions This is all about the sexual tension and the thrill of the chase Steaminess can range from no visual love scenes through to steamy kisses and implied consummation behind closed doors

The Mornington Peninsula FAW Short Story Competition is open for stories up to 3000 words Open theme and genre Entry fee $10 First prize $500 second $200 third $100 Open to residents of Australia Closes 29 July 2013 For an entry form or results sheet please send a SSAE to The Competition Co-ordinator PO Box 574 MORNINGTON VIC 3931 or email peninsulafawmailcom

All money orders and cheques are to be made payable to FAW Peninsula Branch

Steam eReads is calling for entries to the 2013 ldquoSome Like it Hotrdquo Romantic Fiction Competition They are looking for original previously unpublished works of 50000+ words Entry is free and open to Australian and international writers aged 18 and over

Prizes include three cash prizes and a publishing contract with Steam eReads First prize $1500 AUD Second prize $1000 AUD Third prize $500 AUD

Closing Date 31 May 2013 at 500pm (ACST) Entries by email only to competitionsteamereadscomau Please see Submission Guidelines for categories general information and manuscript guidelines

Please make sure your covering email contains Your real name

(and pen name if applicable) a contact telephone number your email address the title of your work and approximate word count

Multiple entries are permittedSteam eReads may accept other entries suitable to our catalogue for publication under our normal terms ($100AUD signing fee plus royalties) Our full Terms and Conditions can be found on steamereadscomau

Got an idea for a short and sexy road-trip romance Entangled Publishing is looking for stories for a One Night Inhellip series for both Flirts and Ever Afters Stories should be contemporary romances with a moderate to high heat level 10k-40k words focused on a one night stand or fling with a ticking clock (eg a non-refundable plane ticket home) and complicated by a fun light-hearted romance trope (eg fake marriage enemies to lovers boardroom romance) that pulls the characters into bed even as it threatens to tear them apart Stories should end positively with at least the promise of a HFN or a HEA obvious on the distant horizon For more information httpwwwentangledinromancec o m 2 0 1 3 0 4 0 6 c a l l - f o r -submissions-one-night-in

Harper Impulse a new imprint of digital-first novels novellas and short stories for young adult readers is up and running and the editors are actively seeking all kinds of adult and new adult romantic fiction for digital publication but particularly contemporary historical new adult and erotic fiction as well as short form content Submit your completed manuscript covering letter and brief synopsis to romanceharpercollinscouk For more information see httpwwwfacebookcomnotesharperimpulsehow-to-submit-a-manuscript518241241547417

Carina Press is seeking New Adult stories They are looking for submissions with a strong story and fully developed very definable protagonists 18 and above (or at an age eligible to enter college in their early to mid-20s) While at least one protagonist should fall in this age range it is possible the other protagonist may fall in their

upper 20s Story elements should be targeted to an adult not teen audience and should contain adult contemporary themes frank modern language high relationship drama and intense conflict Stories should be romances with a happily-ever-after or happy-for-now ending and be 50000 words and up The editors are particularly interested in contemporary romance but will also consider paranormal and dystopian stories Find all the submission guidelines httpcarinapresscomblogsubmission-guidelines

Harlequin Blaze is sponsoring a contest for those who want to write for the line Submit your first chapter and a brief synopsis (no more than 10 pages) to the contest by 1 June The contest is free to enter and you could win a Harlequin editor for a month to mentor you or a one-time consultation with an editor One entry per person Find all the details httpcommunityharlequincomfaqphpfaq=community_guidelinesfaq_4

Grand Central Publishing has plans to expand its Forever romance imprint from 64 titles last year to 120 titles this year and 190 titles in 2014 Theyrsquoll also be releasing more titles in their ebook only imprint Forever Yours While Grand Central normally takes only agented submissions the editors are open to unagented submissions for Forever Yours Theyrsquore looking for manuscripts between 8000 and 100000 words in all romance sub-genres including contemporary historical paranormal romantic comedy time travel romantic suspense westerns urban fantasy futuristic romance fantasy romance inspirational and erotica Your submission package should contain a query letter a 3-5 page synopsis and your complete manuscript Find all the details httpwwwforever-romancecomabout-forever-yours

A survey has shown that for the first time multi-function tablets have surpassed dedicated e-readers as the device of choice among consumers who read e-books

Market Watch


Member News with Helen Katsinis


3 June to 14 June 2013

Self-Publishing Made Easy ~ Cathleen Ross

Cost $20 Black Diamond RWA members (RWAmerica chapter) $25 non membersFMI + Booking httpwwwbdrwacomblack_diamonds_chapter_ofonline-classes-1htmlCourse Blurb Subjects to be covered Information on selling platforms available (Smashwords Amazon iTunes et cetera) Steps involved in uploading a story Editing Covers Formatting Blurbsmdashwhat makes a good blurb what to put in what to leave out et cetera MarketingAdvertising Business Practices (setting up bank accounts issues with US payments) ITIN numbers Accounting Issues either as individuals setting up as a group publisher Linksinfo on where to find following servicesmdashcovers editing et cetera

If yoursquore looking for online courses you can also try

wwwwritersonlineclassescom

wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom

THE SALESLeisl Leighton has contracted her debut novel Killing Me Softly to Destiny RomanceCatherine Evans (writing as Cate Ellink) has contracted her debut novel The Virginity Mission to Escape PublishingAnnie Seaton has contracted two books Italian Affair (Entangled Publishing out in June) and Deadly Affair (Entangled Publishing out in September)Cassandra Deanrsquos latest release Silk amp Scandal is launching a new imprint at Decadent Publishing called Decadent Tease Release is 8 May Darry Fraser has contracted her romantic suspense Money For Blood to Steam eReads released in MaySasha Cottman has contracted her debut novel Letter from a Rake to Destiny Romance out in JulyImogene Nix has contracted 3 books Hesperiarsquos Tears (Total E-bound August) Loving Memories (Steam eReads June) and A Soldier My Soldier (Evernight August)Khloe Wren has a contract for her vampire romance novel Sapphire Angel with Rogue Phoenix Press And she has a story and did the cover art for Edible Delights Volume 1 Margaret Holmes (writing as Priscilla Brown) has contracted a contemporary romance Finding Billie to Steam eReads for May releaseKendall Talbot has contracted her book Lost in Kakadu to Escape Publishing out in AugustGeorgiana Louis has sold an historical romance Elliersquos Gentleman to Steam eReads lsquoShort n Sweetrsquo line out in May

THE WINSChris Taylor has received an Honourable Mention in the West Houston Emily Award in February

Chris Taylor is also a Golden Heart finalist 2013

THE FINALSCongratulations to our RITA FinalistsContemporary Single Title Romance FinalistZoersquos Muster by Barbara HannayPenguin Group Australia Michael Joseph BooksBelinda Byrne editor

Historical Romance FinalistBride by Mistake by Anne GraciePenguin Group USA Berkley SensationWendy McCurdy editor

Romantic Suspense FinalistDead Heat by Bronwyn ParryHachette AustraliaBernadette Foley editor

Short Contemporary Series Romance FinalistA Marriage Worth Fighting For by Lilian DarcyHarlequin Special EditionBryony Green editor

Congratulations to our Golden Heart Fianlsists

Historical Romance FinalistThe Last Light of Dusk by Joanne Lockyer

Romantic Suspense FinalistThe Predator by Chris Taylor

ONLINE EVENTS

htgoodnewsromanceaustraliacom


NEW RELEASES MAY 2013 with Helen Katsinis

Romance Writers of Australia is proud to employ the Endeavour Foundation to produce Hearts Talk and many other official RWA publications

wwwendeavourcomau

Seerrsquos HopeMaree AndersonIndie Published

Seerrsquos PromiseMaree AndersonIndie Published

One Life Changing Moment

Lucy ClarkHMB Medical

Guarding the Spoils

Heather BoydIndie Published

EnamouredShannon Curtis

Escape Publishing

Silk and ScandalCassandra Dean

Decadent Publishing

First Comes BabyMichelle Douglas

HMB Sweet

Awakening the Warriors

SE GilchristEscape Publishing

Emilyrsquos CowboyDonna Gallagher

Total E-Bound

A Man For All Seasons

Jenny GilliganSteam eReads

Hunterrsquos HeartErica HayesStory Vault

Australian Outback Fantasies

Barbara Hannay in HMB Collection

HeartlandCathryn Hein

Penguin Australia

Rubyrsquos GhostShona Husk

Samhain Publishing

Lunar ExposureShona HuskEllorarsquos Cave

A Tempting Engagement amp Beyond Control

Bronwyn JamesonHMB Collection

Heart of IronBec McMasterSourcebooks

Real Men Donrsquot QuitColeen Kwan

Entangled Publishing

Tarnished KnightBec McMasterIndie Published

Wife In Name OnlyHayson Manning


Bedded For Pleasure amp Purchased for Pregnancy amp Innocent

SecretaryAccidentally Pregnant

Carol MarinelliHMB Collection

Her Deal With The Devil

Nicola MarshHMB Sexy Duo


Leah Martynin HMB Collection

Forced Wife Royal Love-ChildTrish Morey

in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

E

E E

E P P

Blame The WineImogene NixTotal E-Bound

The Ghostsrsquo ReleaseSimone Sinna

Siren Publishing

Promotional Tips amp Tricks in the Digital Landscape

Annie SeatonIndie Published

One Baby Step at a TimeMeredith WebberHMB Medical Duo

Dark Child Episode 4Adina WestMomentum

EEEE E

Spider Ladyrsquos LunchPeter McAraCustom Book

Publishing

P

The Protea BoysTeacutea Cooper

Breathless Press

EThe YearningKate Belle

Simon amp Schuster

Seerrsquos ChoiceMaree AndersonIndie Published

E P

Sealed With A Honeyed KissKhloe Wren

Secret Cravings

E

A Price Worth Paying

Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P


Romance Writers of Australia Inc

Romance Writers of Australia IncPO Box 1236 Neutral Bay NSW 2089

phone 0429 233 764wwwromanceaustraliacom

Romance Writers of Australia Inc ABN 30 075 409 728 is registered in NSW as an Incorporated Association the liability of whose members is limited

RWA COMMITTEEPRESIDENTNikki Logan presidentromanceaustraliacom

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTClaire Baxter viceprezromanceaustraliacom

VICE PRESIDENTAnita Joy

MEMBER SECRETARYDiane Curran membersecretaryromanceaustraliacom

TREASURERBronwyn Turner treasromanceaustraliacom

SECRETARYAlison Leake secretaryromanceaustraliacom

COMMITTEE MEMBERSKerrie Ptolemy Helene Young Jennifer St George Imelda Evans and Alli Sinclair

OTHER CONTACTS

PUBLISHED AUTHOR LIAISONRobyn Grady PALromanceaustraliacom

e-PUBLISHED AUTHOR LIAISONRhian Cahill e-PALromanceaustraliacom

VOLUNTEER COORDINATORRachel Bailey volunteersromanceaustraliacom

RheartsBY COORDINATORDorothy Fisher rbyromanceaustraliacom

2013 CONFERENCE COORDINATORLeah Ashton freo2013romanceaustraliacom

WEB MISTRESSKerrie Ptolemy webmistressromanceaustraliacom

WEBSITE PASSWORDS To gain access to our members only section email passwordsromanceaustraliacom

CONTESTS COORDINATORLis Hoorweg contestsromanceaustraliacomAll deadlines entry forms and sample scoresheets are at wwwromanceaustraliacom in the members only section (you will need a password) or in the Files section of the RWA Contest Alert group

For contest entry forms via mail send request with a stamped self-addressed envelope to RWA Contests 20 Waller Crescent Campbell ACT 2612

To join Contest Alert RWArsquos email alert for contest entrants go to augroupsyahoocomgroupRWAContestAlert click on the ldquojoin this grouprdquo in the right hand corner and follow the instructions

JUDGE COORDINATORMargaret Midwood judge-coordinatorromanceaustraliacom

ROMAUS e-List ModeratorImelda Evans elistmodromanceaustraliacomTo join ROMAUS our online email group go to httpaugroupsyahoocomgroupromanceaustralia click on the ldquojoin this grouprdquo button and follow the instructions

FACE-TO-FACE GROUPS exist throughout Australia and for queries on how to join an existing group or start one yourself groupliaisongmailcom

CRITIQUE PARTNER SCHEME Bec Sampson applycritpartnersromanceaustraliacom

INDIVIDUAL WRITERS SUPPORT SCHEMEShannon Curtis iwsromanceaustraliacomFor unpublished members Priority given to those challenged by distance or unable to access creative support by other means Register for a one-off critique of either 1 or 3 chapters by a published authoradvanced unpublished writer

RWA SOCIAL MEDIA

BLOG httpromanceaustraliawordpresscom

TWITTER wwwtwittercomRWAus

FACEBOOK wwwfacebookcomgroupphpgid=53338877477

MY SPACE wwwmyspacecomrwaustralia

FORUM httpwwwromanceaustraliaforumcom

Please note that RWA is run by volunteers Currently the best way to make an enquiry is via email but if you call the phone number please leave a message and someone will contact you as soon as possible

HEARTS TALK TEAM

EDITORCatherine Evans hteditorromanceaustraliacom

MEMBER NEWS amp RELEASESHelen Katsinis htgoodnewsromanceaustraliacom

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWEREDJoan Kilby yourquestionromanceaustraliacom

TEAM MEMBERS

Hearts Talk Cover Photo Rachel Bailey found a cherry heart in this seasonrsquos produce

HEARTS TALK RIGHTS INFORMATIONHearts Talk is the official publication of RWA Inc and no part may be reproduced or used without prior written permission from the Editor

Reproduction rights may be arranged between agreed parties only on the condition that appropriate credit is given to RWA Hearts Talk and the author of the article

All material appearing in Hearts Talk may be reproduced by RWA in any form for any purpose Copyright remains with the author

The views expressed in Hearts Talk do not necessarily reflect the official policy of RWA All care is taken to verify details included in these pages but no responsibility is taken for any inaccuracies or actions arising from the information If notified of errors a correction will be published in a subsequent issue

copy Copyright 2013 Romance Writers of Australia Inc

Rachel BaileyRhyll BiestRachael BlairSuzanne BrandynFrances BurkeRhian CahillCarol ChallisPam CollingsBeverley EikliCatherine EvansPhillipa FiorettiAnne Gracie

Sara HantzLis HoorwegVonnie HughesBronwyn JamesonClare KaracsonyiHelen KatsinisJoan KilbySami LeeMarion LennoxSarah MayberryJodie MorphettAinslie Paton

Nicole PfeifferChristina PhillipsIngrid RickerseyBec SampsonBronwyn StuartSerena TattiMel TeshcoJanette WhiteheadKate WigsellerMichelle WoodMalvina Yock






Our RWA




In this issue




Member Secretary




See you next month

Nikki




















Just kidding Not










RWA Notices









1 By 1 June 2013































by Nikki Logan







or under copyright



into disreputerdquo
















How Do I


















How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

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Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

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P

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Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

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Our RWA




In this issue




Member Secretary




See you next month

Nikki




















Just kidding Not










RWA Notices









1 By 1 June 2013































by Nikki Logan







or under copyright



into disreputerdquo
















How Do I


















How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

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E E

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P




















Just kidding Not










RWA Notices









1 By 1 June 2013































by Nikki Logan







or under copyright



into disreputerdquo
















How Do I


















How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

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E E

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P


RWA Notices









1 By 1 June 2013































by Nikki Logan







or under copyright



into disreputerdquo
















How Do I


















How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

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E E

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P









by Nikki Logan







or under copyright



into disreputerdquo
















How Do I


















How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

E

E E

E P P



Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


E P


Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P
















How Do I


















How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

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E E

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

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Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

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How Do I continued









the envelope





















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

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EE E P

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


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Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

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Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P
















































Riding the Waves
























lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

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E E

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


E P


Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P





















lots

before

hand

Be prepared to

talk lots eat lots

laugh lots














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


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Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P














































































Joan xx







Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

E

E E

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Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


E P


Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P






Kate Wigseller












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

E

E E

E P P



Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


E P


Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P












































Market Watch









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

E

E E

E P P



Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


E P


Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P









wwwsavvyauthorscom

wwwmargielawsoncom











ONLINE EVENTS





wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

E

P

P

PEE P

EP

EE E P

E

E E

E P P



Siren Publishing





EEEE E


Publishing

P


Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


E P


Secret Cravings

E


Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

P




wwwendeavourcomau





Guarding the Spoils



Escape Publishing


Decadent Publishing


HMB Sweet




Total E-Bound







Penguin Australia


Samhain Publishing


















in HMB Collection

EE E P

P

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EP

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Siren Publishing





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Breathless Press


Simon amp Schuster


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Secret Cravings

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Trish MoreyHMB Sexy

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nina bruhns - romance writers of australia

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