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Meeting Schedule
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January | February
| March | April |
May | June
| July | August |
September | October
| November | December
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Meetings are held the 2nd Saturday of every month. You might
want to check your time zone on the links above to make sure you're in
sync with Indianapolis time.

11:45 - 12:45 pm
Welcome and Business Meeting.
Members only at
business meeting-- visitors welcome for program.
Bring a sack lunch or stop for a fast food sandwich on your way.
12:45 - 1:15 pm
Social Time
1:15 - 1:45 pm
Breakout Sessions
Various activities will take place during this session. Some months
we will meet in our PRO and PAN groups. Or all members will discuss a
specific writing topic--such as how to find an agent, critiquing
etiquette, the romance market, etc.
1:45-2:00 pm
Break
2:00 pm
Program:
We have a presentation by one of our members
or an invited guest speaker. Recent presentations have included
Self-editing, Publicity - Getting Your Name Out, First Sale/First Contract
- Two Recent New Authors Tell All, Making Mysteries, Confessions of a
Contest Queen, and our annual workshop for contest judging.
Critique groups--
Members only.
Contact Tonya VanDeventer for guidelines and sign-up information.
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January
12, 2008
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Jim Huang-owner of The Mystery
Company Book Store and publisher of The Crum Creek Press.
The Bookseller's Inside Information:
How bookselling and publishing are changing, and some of the steps that
booksellers and publishers go through leading up to the moment that a
reader buys a book.
Jim Huang has sold mystery books for 20 years, including stints in
Boston, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and now Carmel, Indiana, where he and
his wife own The Mystery Company, a bookstore devoted to the genre.
He served as director of the Independent Mystery Booksellers
Association for four years (1996-2000). For over 20 years
(1982-2005), Huang edited and published The Drood Review, a mystery
book review newsletter. He has edited reference books for mystery
lovers, including 100 FAVORITE MYSTERIES OF THE CENTURY (winner of
the Anthony and Agatha Awards for best nonfiction of 2000), THEY DIED
IN VAIN: OVERLOOKED, UNDERAPPRECIATED AND FORGOTTEN MYSTERY NOVELS
(winner of the Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Awards for best
nonfiction of 2002) and MYSTERY MUSES: 100 CLASSICS THAT INSPIRE
TODAY'S MYSTERY WRITERS (winner of the Anthony and Macavity Awards
best nonfiction of 2006), the latter co-edited with Austin Lugar. He
is currently the mystery expert for WHAT DO I READ NEXT?, a semi-
annual reference book and online database published by Gale/Cengage.
Since 2000, he has volunteered as the Program Director for Magna Cum
Murder, a festival for mystery lovers that takes place each October
in Muncie, Indiana. He is the co-chair of the 2009 Bouchercon, the
World Mystery Convention scheduled for Indianapolis in October 2009.
In 2006, Huang was elected to the board of Sisters in Crime, an
international organization devoted to combating discrimination
against women in the mystery genre; he is the first "brother" to
serve on the board in this organization's 20 year history. Huang
lives with his wife, Jennie Jacobson, and their two daughters in
Carmel, where he recently completed a term as president of the
Friends of the Library board. Jim's website is located at
http://www.statelyhuangmanor.com/
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February 10,
2008
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Kit Erhman – mystery writer and
author of Triple Cross, winner of best Indiana book.

After discovering the
works of Dick Francis, Kit Ehrman quit her government job and went to
work in the horse industry. Twenty-five years later, Ehrman combined her
love of horses and mysteries by penning the award-winning,
equine-oriented mystery series featuring barn manager and amateur sleuth
Steve Cline. Published by Poisoned Pen Press, the series has received
outstanding reviews in The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Library
Journal, Booklist, Kirkus, The Denver Post, and the Chicago Tribune
among others. Visit her website at:
www.kitehrman.com
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March 8, 2008
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Sandy James- Psychology for
characters.

Sandy James ~ Freud Knows
Romance: Using Psychology to Empower Characters
We have all read books in which the
hero or heroine did something so totally out of character we wanted to
hurl the book across the room in frustration. Often, the author’s
problem was not perceiving the true motivation of her character because
she was lacking a basic understanding of human psychology.
Psychology
is the study of behavior to help predict, explain and understand that
behavior. What skills could be more valuable to a writer than being
able to anticipate what a character will do in any situation, to give
cause to that behavior, and to know why the hero did what he did? This
knowledge would definitely bring added depth to characters and stories.
Authors are budding
psychologists, oftentimes without realizing it. We people watch,
gleaning bits and pieces of information to store for future work. We
create characters who act and react in a universe of our design, and we
try to engender them with real feelings. But without an understanding
of the basic psychology of human motivation and emotion, sometimes our
characters lack depth or proceed in ways that are improbable and
unrealistic.
Speaker Biography
Sandy James is a graduate of Indiana
State University (B.A. Criminology/Sociology) and Indiana
University-Purdue University (Teaching Certificate – Social Studies
Education, M.S. English Education.) Currently teaching at Greenwood High
School, she has been employed as a social studies instructor for
thirteen years. She is an adjunct professor of psychology to Indiana
University and has also served in the same capacity for Ivy Tech State
College. Her current teaching schedule includes Advanced
Placement/Advance College Project Psychology, General Psychology, and
United States History. She is a multiple year nominee to “Who’s Who
Among American Teachers?” and has been named on the “National Honor Roll
of Outstanding American Teachers.” She belongs to the American
Psychological Association, Association of Psychological Science, and
Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools.
As a romance author, James is a PRO
member of Romance Writers of America, Indiana Romance Writers of
America, FF&P, and Elements of RWA.
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April 12, 2008
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Tara Taylor Quinn- multi published
author who recently signed a six-book deal.
Suspense and Story
You have your mystery, your
plot, your romance, your unanswered questions. How do you write a story
that is three dimensional, with characters that are believable, and
still keep the pages hot with suspense? Bestselling suspense authors
tell you how they write stories that keep readers up at night.

The author of over 45 original
novels, published in more than twenty languages, Tara Taylor Quinn is a
USA Today bestselling author with over six million copies sold. She is
a three time finalist for the RWA RITA award, a multiple finalist for
the National Reader’s Choice Award, the Reviewers Choice Award, the
Bookseller’s Best Award, the Holt Medallion and appears on the
Waldenbooks bestsellers list.
Tara's 2008 releases include: The
Valentine Gift, Harlequin Superromance Everlasting, Ryan’s Story,
Harlequin Superromance, At Close Range, MIRA books, and an untitled
Christmas Superromance.
Tara, Past President of RWA, served
for eight years on the Board of Directors. When she’s not writing or
fulfilling speaking engagements, Ms. Quinn enjoys traveling and spending
time with her husband, who is her real life happily ever after.
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May 10, 2008
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Susan Crandall—RITA award-winning
author of women's fiction, discussing women's fiction as a genre.

WOMEN’S FICTION – WILD STALLION,
OR DEAD HORSE?
In this ever-changing world of book
publishing, a writer has to keep abreast of more than just craft and
technique. Susan Crandall will present a workshop highlighting women’s
fiction. She’s put her head together with both writers and editors to
answer these questions: What is this ambiguous genre? What separates it
from contemporary romance? Is there any truth to the rumor that women’s
fiction is dead? What houses are publishing this genre? How do I make
my work stand out in a difficult market
Susan Crandall’s novels have
garnered numerous awards. She is a three time finalist and RITA winner
(BACK ROADS, Best First Book 2004). She has published six women’s
fiction novels with Warner Books (now Grand Central Publishing). PITCH
BLACK, her seventh novel, will be released in June ‘08.
Visit her on the Web:
www.susancrandall.net
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June 14, 2008
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Theresa Stevens – editor in chief
at Red Sage Publishing. Former chapter member.
After earning degrees in creative writing and law,
Theresa Stevens worked as a literary attorney agent
for a boutique firm based in Indianapolis where she
represented a range of fiction and nonfiction
authors.
The lure of the courtroom led to a
nine-year hiatus
from the publishing industry, but now Theresa is
back as Managing Editor for Red Sage Publishing, a highly
acclaimed small press.
Tips for Powerful Proposals: How
Narrative Structure
Gives Your Submission that Extra Edge
It seems obvious: word choice and
sentence structure
are powerful signals to an editor about a writer’s
skills. And yet, writers are often horrified to learn
how little of a submission an editor or an agent needs
to read before deciding to reject—or accept—a
manuscript. Ever wonder how they can do that? Learn to
see proposals the way an industry professional does,
and then learn how to leverage the secrets of
narrative structure to give your proposal more power.
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July 12, 2008
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Interactive Craft Workshop Day!
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August 9, 2008
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Melissa Lopez, speaking on making
use of websites for all authors.

A website can launch a thousand books.
There’s more to an effective website than great
looking graphics. In fact there are crucial elements every site needs to
maximize for profits.
To grow a larger readership base from your website
it’s important to get your website noticed. Understanding
what your visitors do on your site is crucial information,
Why is it important for an
internet marketer to know how spiders crawl your website? A website with
a professional look and feel is a must. Clear and consistent navigation
will keep readers coming back. Learn the basics of strategic planning
and website development…and so much more!
Melissa Lopez writes for herself. She creates her
worlds for her characters. She is an author of ancient fantasy,
contemporary, dark urban fantasy, futuristic, historical, paranormal,
suspense, and erotic romance.
Melissa Lopez
http://melissa-lopez.com/
JOURNEYS OF LOVE every woman needs
to take
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September 13, 2008
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Jade Lee/Kathy Grill, Character
Shortcuts

Character Shortcuts! Making creation of character quicker, faster, and more effective. How many character worksheets do you have? How many do
you fill out? And once they're done, how much of it do you remember
while writing? Join Jade Lee as she gives you some quick, easy steps to
deepening out your characters without overloading your brain. In the
end, your characters will have more life and the writing will go so much
easier!
Children of mixed races have their own set of rules. As the
daughter of a Shanghai native and a staunch Indiana Hoosier, Jade Lee
struggled to find her own identity somewhere between America and China.
Her search has taken her throughout Asian and the United States. In the
end, the answer was found not only at home, but in her own head. Her
imagination allows her to explore pre-Communist China in her Tigress
series, paranormal energy and werewolf fun in her Crimson City books,
and of course, the amazing power of love in all of them.
A USA Today bestseller, Jade "Lee has made her mark with
sizzling romances whose unique settings, intriguing backdrops and exotic
characters lure you into worlds where heaven is reached through the
highest meeting of mind and body. It's a world at once mysterious and
erotic, secret and mind-expanding." (Romantic Times BOOKreviews on
Cornered Tigress)
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October 11, 2008
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Les Edgerton, Hooking the Reader.
Nothing is more important than your opening scene. Here's how to lure
readers to Chapter 2.
Les Edgerton is the author of eight
books, including the story collection, Monday’s Meal and the writer’s
how-to, Finding Your Voice. Forthcoming in February is his latest
writer’s how-to, Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One
and Never Lets Them Go, from Writer’s Digest Books. His short story
Felon recently appeared in the inaugural issue of the national crime
magazine, Murdaland.

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November 7-9, 2008
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Bradford Woods
Retreat!
"Where Have All the Good Men Gone:
Crafting the Unforgettable Hero"
Guest Speakers
Elizabeth Sinclair and
Vicki Hinze
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December 2008
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Holiday
Party!!
Details
pending...
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Questions??? Please don't hesitate
to email us!
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