Romance in Seattle
Category
Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America is sponsoring the Passport to Romance Reader Appreciation Event on October 27, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Bellevue Westin Hotel.
If you’re a fan of romance novels, come out for this “booktail” party! It’s free and open to the public. More than 40 fabulous authors will be signing books. There will be cover models! Stop by and say hello to Wayne, Terrence and Shane!
Even if you cannot attend the Passport to Romance, you can still vote in the Passport to Romance Cover Contest. Voting is open through October 19. Click here to view the covers and vote for your two favorites.
I hope to see you in Bellevue. Here’s a list of other authors who will be participating.
Angie stood motionless in the shadow of a misshapen cypress tree. The setting summer sun of Seattle didn’t relieve the cold frisson of danger or the press of her revolver’s cold metal against her skin. Although it had been months since her last reconnaissance mission, her body recognized the drill and tightened into high alert.
Splatters of fading sunlight danced across the sagging house. Official yellow tape was wrapped around the turn of the century beauty like a Christmas bow on a crushed, forgotten present. A “condemned” sign was nailed to the warped door. The crumbling front steps looked like their weight bearing days were a distant memory.
Not sure how to proceed, she waited and watched the abandoned house in the residential Ravenna neighborhood until it got dark. Should she take the squatters unaware? Surprise Maddy before she could run?
She moved from her hiding place to investigate the back of the house. The yard was littered with broken glass, smashed Styrofoam carryout containers, and plastic bags mired in mud from the wet Northwest summer. She stepped over the yellow tape that was haphazardly hung around the back steps, turned the handle, and then pulled open the back door. It was unlocked. The rusting hinges screeched.
“Maddy, it’s Angie from your VA group.” She reverted to her forceful military command voice. “I’m coming in.”
When the door was thrown wide open, small dark bodies—rats—scurried away. Dread raced down her spine into the tips of her toes. God, she hated rats. This rat hole was worse than anything she had seen during her tours of duty in Afghanistan.
She stepped gingerly over the bags of garbage strewn on the uneven linoleum floor. The smell of the years of neglect and black mold hit her sensitive nose. She tried not to breathe. All of her senses heightened in the darkness, an internal radar honed from door-to-door urban combat. She took another two steps, listening for sounds other than the resident rodents.
“It’s Angie from your VA group.” She wasn’t too worried about handling a high Maddy, but handling her companions might get tricky. After eight years as a Marine, she was used to tricky. And after everything Maddy had gone through in Afghanistan, Angie wasn’t about to let her friend descend into another hell.
She reached in the pocket of her jeans for her tiny penlight as she walked into the dark dining room. The light of her flashlight reflected back at her from a cracked mirror hanging over the fireplace, then a sudden, shiny motion. Before she could react, a bright burst of pain exploded in her head. She fought against overpowering blackness.
Women Under Fire
I’m thrilled to be part of the boxed set ROMANCING THE HOLIDAYS, which features 12 holiday romance stories from New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors. Get a bonus Christmas recipe book, plus support cancer search. A portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of this book will benefit cancer research.
ROMANCING THE HOLIDAYS is now available for preorder and will release November 14th.
The season of Mistletoe and Christmas Cookies is almost upon us and we are proud to bring you 12 Holiday Romances! Snuggle up by the fire and enjoy this season like never before. From Sweet to Sizzling, From Maui to Washington DC, all our Romances have page turning love stories. CHRISTMAS RECIPE BOOK INCLUDE COOKIES. TURKEY, APPETIZERS, AND MORE!
Crista McHugh – Let Your Heart Be Light
Falling for her late husband’s boss will either lead to delight or heartache for Maureen Kelly.
Jami Davenport – Love At First Snow
Dr. Sarah Whitney opens her animal hospital to a needy kitten and a tough athlete with soft side.
Kathi Daley – The Cat of Christmas Past
Softening a heart and saving a group of tenants, leads to an unsolved mystery with the help of Ebenezer, the cat.
Misty Evans/Adrienne Giordano – Holiday Justice
Uncovering a theft ring of Christmas toys, Grey wants justice without ruining Christmas for Sydney’s women’s shelter.
Allie Boniface – Miracle of Love
A blizzard and dire circumstances throw friends Mick and Annie together to either fall in love or separate for good.
Rebecca J. Clark – Christmas in Stilettos
A marriage of convenience, a temporary situation. Christmas is a time for love. And miracles.
Kim Hornsby – Maui Kalikimaka
Lena needs a Christmas distraction and Kalani needs somewhere to sleep and when a mutual friend offers a beach house, they get what they need, and more.
Tess Thompson – The Santa Trial
Duty throws Rena into the jury box to judge the case of a Santa impersonator, and discover someone she never expected.
Savanna Grey – Picture Perfect Holiday
As an independent photographer, Lindsay doesn’t want commitment but sexy as sin, Luke Davis soon proves her wrong.
Lori Leger – Tinseled Up In Texas
Will Niki Reeves find enough Christmas spirit to grant Tex Broussard the gift of a second chance?
Jacki Delecki – A Marine’s Christmas Wedding
Mission over, two Marines who posed as a married couple can’t seem to shake the idea of love.
Carmine Anderson – One Step Over The Mistletoe Line
Claire needs secluded time to think over a marriage proposal when a handsome neighbor appears at her cabin door.
Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo
The annual Passport to Romance reader appreciation event hosted by the Greater Seattle RWA chapter will be October 14, 2017, from 6-8 p.m. at the Bellevue Westin.
This event is free and open to the public. Authors from all romance genres will be on hand to mix and mingle with readers and stuff their goodie bags with swag and giveaways. Readers can also meet some of the industries most popular — and hottest! — cover models!
Check this list of participating authors to see which of your favorites will be there.
Unfortunately, I won’t be attending this year, but I am a proud sponsor of Passport to Romance! I hope you’ll attend and post some pictures with your favorite Seattle romance authors!
This weekend I’ll be attending a Master Class presented by New York literary agent Donald Maass called “Swept Away: Writing Enthralling Fiction.” This event is part of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Summer Conference, being held July 20-23, 2017, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Seattle.
I have nine books books published and am working on my tenth. I’ve been to a lot of conferences and workshops. Some people might wonder why I keep enrolling in classes when I have the basics down.
That’s a good question and hopefully I can provide a good answer.
Writing, like many skills, isn’t something you perfect overnight or by your tenth book. There are nuances to the craft that reveal themselves as writers gain experiences, learn from mistakes, tackle new writing challenges and venture into new genres.
Think of a classically trained chef. His education begins with the basics. As he refines those skills, he learns new techniques and adds those to his repertoire. Over time, after cooking thousands of dishes (some of which were total flops), the chef might rise to the top of his field. But even once this achievement has been reached, the chef will continue to experiment and study and create new ways to prepare food.
That’s what conferences and workshops do for writers. Even the bestselling authors go through this process. They may not sign up for classes, but many work and collaborate with trusted author friends or maybe an editor to keep improving their craft.
I’m excited about the knowledge I’ll gain at this weekend’s master class. One day you’ll get to enjoy the benefits of my continuing education.
Does your career require continuing education? What kinds of lessons or workshops to you enjoy most?
