Writing Romance in the New Orleans Region

Want to Join the June Team Writing Challenge?

solawriters — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:00:14 +0000

At the April meeting, we introduced the SOLA Team Writing Challenge, which is a four week long writing challenge beginning on June 4th and ending on June 30th. This is an activity where writers are assigned a team with points given per word written. At the end of the month, the team with the most points gets a prize, which we’ve not yet determined. However, in the end, everyone wins, because they have words on the page.

The official sign up is through Mail Chimp. Members who click on that link will be directed to an online form. It’s safe, and you won’t get any extra emails. One introductory email will come your way with the rules. A second will announce your team members. After that, emails will be sent at the end of the week for you to send in your word totals for that week.

Three rules:

You must be a member of SOLA.
You must give a valid email address.
You must provide the average number of words you write per day so that the organizer can make teams with equal abilities.

May Meeting Featuring Ernest Hill

solawriters — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:30:39 +0000

Mid-Monthly Meeting Reminder

solawriters — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:35:24 +0000

Our inaugural mid-monthly meeting will be held in the SOLAWriter chat room, Wednesday, May 9th, from 7:30-8:30pm. Click on the photo to go to the Yahoo! group.

May Mid-Monthly Meeting

solawriters — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:32:22 +0000

Ever need a boost in between meetings at the library? Here’s your time to share some ups and downs, writing dos and don’ts, or ask questions about your WIP to fellow writers.

Our mid-monthly meeting will be held in the SOLAWriter Yahoo group chat room on May 9th from 7:30pm until 8:30pm. It’s all online and done in real time. Go to the Yahoo Group, look on the left hand sidebar at the bottom. It says Chat (Beta). Click on that to go to the chat room. I’ll be there to get us started.

Send any questions to me.

Introducing May Speaker: Ernest Hill

mab35 — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:29:15 +0000

Ernest Hill is the critically acclaimed author of six novels. His award
winning debut novel, Satisfied With Nothin’, garnered comparison to
Richard Wright’s Native Son and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, made its way onto required-reading lists at universities from UCLA to
Syracuse, and was infused in curricula for secondary education institutions. Renowned sociologist, Dr. Walter Allen, declared it “one of the most accurate human portrayals of black men to be found in the literature.”

Hill’s rise—from a small town boy living in the lap of poverty, to an Ivy League educated college professor, from a stereotypical “jock”, to an acclaimed novelist who has become what Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Robert Olen Butler terms “one of our finest writers”—may help explain why New York Times bestselling author Zane says “I never miss reading a novel by Ernest Hill.”

SOLA’s Writers’ Retreat for 2012 at The Woodlands Plantation

solawriters — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:41:08 +0000

Friday, August 3 and Saturday, August 4, 2012

The romantic setting of Woodland Plantation and Spirits Hall, located at 21997 Highway 23, West Pointe a la Hache, LA will serve as the new location of SOLA’s 5th Annual Writers Retreat. You can look forward to an atmosphere conducive to writing romance, mystery, historical novels, and all other genres.

There will be a reception with a cash bar and free appetizers at 6pm on Friday, followed by dinner at 7pm. The cost of the meal is included in the retreat fee of $175. The owner of Woodland Plantation takes pride in his food service.

On Saturday, we will enjoy scheduled informal programs presented by SOLA members. Saturday breakfast, which is included in the retreat fee, will be served in the Spirits Hall on Saturday morning. Saturday lunch is buffet style and is included in the retreat fee of $175. All programs are optional and you are free to spend the time on the grounds writing, taking notes, relaxing and getting inspiration from the ambiance of the plantation’s intriguing surroundings.

Guest Rooms will be assigned on a first registered, first assigned basis. PLEASE NOTE: The lodging rooms are limited. Register early.

Use the form below to register and the PayPal links below to make payment, Or you can mail a check made payable to SOLA in the amount of $175 (see the lay a way plan below) and bring your check to a SOLA meeting or mail it to:

Nick Genovese
237 Pi Street
Belle Chasse, LA 70037

[contact-form]

Full Payment

SOLA’s 5th Annual Writers Retreat at Woodlands Plantation is also available on a lay-a-way plan. Pay only $43.75 at each of the April, May, June, and July meetings, or mail your monthly payments to Nick Genovese at the above address.

Installment Plan

For more information about the plantation and to see photos of the guest rooms, check Woodland’s website. You may also reserve the day before or the day after at the plantation by contacting the reservation desk at (504) 656-9990.

Woodland Plantation has graced the label of Southern Comfort since 1934.

April’s Speaker: Rexanne Becnel

solawriters — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:50:48 +0000

Rexanne Becnel wanted to be an architect, however college in the ’70′s diverted her to other fields. She came to writing by chance. But guided by her agent and the many good writing friends she’s made in SOLA, she discovered her true calling as a novelist. Over the past two decades twenty-three of her novels have been published. Her books have appeared on numerous best-seller lists, and have been translated into eight foreign languages.

While she began her career writing historical romance, her recent works are mainstream women’s fiction set in the contemporary South. Her latest novel, The Thief’s Only Child was released last fall.

SOLA presents acclaimed local author, Rexanne Becnel

solawriters — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:20:12 +0000

SOLA presents acclaimed local author, Rexanne Becnel, who will speak on Point of View: Understanding it; Using it, 4/21/12 at 10am, Eastbank Jeff Parish Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave, Metairie. More info @ http://www.solawriters.org.

Congratulations to SOLA Member Pamela Kopfler, Golden Heart Finalist

solawriters — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:16:34 +0000

The Romance Writers of America announced the finalists for the RITA and Golden Heart Awards today.

SOLA would like to congratulate SOLA Member Pamela Kopfler for being selected as a Golden Heart Finalist in Paranormal Romance for her manuscript Better Dead. Congratulations!

Congratulations to SOLA member Farrah Rochon, RITA Award Finalist

solawriters — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:40:30 +0000

The Romance Writers of America announced the finalists for the RITA and Golden Heart Awards.

SOLA would like to congratulate Farrah Rochon for being a RITA finalist in Contemporary Series Romance for her book I’ll Catch You.
Congratulations!