2023 Upcoming Meetings & Events
May 20
Council Chambers
Writing a Series
Denise Grover-Swank is a NYT and USA Today Best Selling author. She writes romance, urban fantasy, mystery, paranormal and women’s fiction under various pen names.
Denise Grover-Swank
Author
June 24
Multi-Purpose Room
This video program will be presented by Carly Watters, a SVP and Senior Literary Agent at P.S. Literary and the sitting VP of PACLA, the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents.
Carly Watters
Literary Agent
July 22
Council Chambers
The presentation will include deciphering submission guidelines, how to keep track of query submissions, and what to include in queries. She will share examples of a query letter and two preferred styles of detailed synopsis. Please be sure to bring your questions and have your elevator pitch and author bio handy to follow along with as Morena shares how to create an awesome query.
Morena will be taking pitches (members only) after the meeting for those who register with Darlene Deluca in advance. See the loop emails for details or email Darlena at dmcdpv@yahoo.com.
Morena Stamm, Editor
The Wild Rose Press
August 26
Multi Purpose Room
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Personalized Tools for Your Writer’s Toolbox: Words to Watch and Beloved Materials Lists
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Amber A. Logan is a university professor, freelance editor, and author of speculative fiction living in Kansas with her husband and two children—Fox and Willow. In addition to her degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, and International Relations, Amber holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.
When she’s not writing, Amber enjoys trips to Japan, exploring unusual vegetarian foods, and reading Haruki Murakami.
Amber’s debut novel, THE SECRET GARDEN OF YANAGI INN, was published by CamCat Books in Nov. 2022.
September 23
Council Chambers
Burnout, Overwhelm, and Sustainability for Long Term Success
The gold rush is over. And that’s good news and bad news. Bad news because a lot of us are still operating in gold rush mentality. But good news because the industry is going to last for a long time, and it’s still open to new success. It’s just not open in the way it was. This workshop is designed to help you set yourself up for long-term career success.
Becca Syme
October 28
Multi Purpose Room
Writing Great Character Arcs
Being an editor and working at a network taught me how crucial character arcs are. I saw so many ideas die in pitch meetings because someone said, “I don’t understand his arc,” and when I reviewed submissions, this was often a deciding factor. I’ll talk about how to develop great character arcs and how to use them in your product description or your synopsis.
Bryn Donovan
November
No Monthly Meeting
December 9
Council Chambers
Members Only Holiday Party
Important Contest Dates
April 1
The Carla Contest 2023 Opens
The Carla Crown Jewel of Books Contest is for any traditionally or self-published author with an original copyright date of 2022
The Carla Contest
July 1
The Carla Crown Closes for Entries
Registration and contest fee must be submitted by 11:59pm CT
The Carla Contest
JULY 15
Books Due
3 copies of each entry must be mailed to Carla Bracale and received by July 15
The Carla Contest
October 31
Finalists Announced
Finalists will be notified by the last week of October and will be announced on the MARA Website and social media sites
The Carla Contest
November 15
Winner Announced
Winner of the Carla Contest will be announced on or about November 15
The Carla Contest
Learn More About MARA
