Janice Thompson & Kathleen Y'Barbo

DFW Ready Writers’ Red Hot Summer Special
Saturday, August 14th DFW Ready Writers will present a
Double-Hitter – Two Phenomenal Speakers for the Price of One!

Janice Thompson & Kathleen Y’Barbo

What a Deal! 2 Speakers, 2-Hour Workshop for only $15.00 per person.

While you’re sitting in your bathrobe or warm-ups, drinking the now-cold cup of coffee or tea, writing that next New York Times best seller, wouldn’t you like to earn cash on the side to keep you writing habit afloat? Or maybe, just maybe you’d love to add to your little bag of writing accomplishments … well then … you won’t want to miss hearing Janice Thompson.
Janice Thompson, multi-published author, speaker, mentor, and all around woman of many talents with a great sense of humor (If you don’t believe me just read her books), will be giving a one-hour presentation on "Supplementing Your Fiction Habit." This is a fast-paced course that will give fiction writers eight different ways to earn money with their writing (outside of fiction novels). Ms. Thompson will discuss goal setting, write-for-hire work, magazine article writing, public speaking, non-fiction books, and much, much more.

Then after hearing Janice Thompson and before you cozy up to your next villain or contemplate your romantic love scene, wouldn’t you want to know just how edgy that next scene should be? Will you cross that proverbial writer’s line of no return? Wouldn’t it be nice to know how edgy is too edgy? … well then … you must hear what Kathleen Y’Barbo has to say about “Over the Edge: Edgy Fiction in the CBA Marketplace.

Kathleen Y’Barbo, bestselling author of more than 35 award-winning novels and novellas with over 950,000 books in print, a tenth generation Texan, graduate of Texas A&M University and a member of the Texas Bar Association Paralegal Division, will give us all some idea of pitfalls of writing Edgy for CBA. Edgy fiction has become a much-used term to describe the latest trend in the Christian market, but what does it really mean to write "on the edge"? And how does an author know when he or she has stepped over the edge of realism into the realm of shock value? This workshop will visit the topic of edgy fiction and offer writers much to think about on topics that were once considered off limits in Inspirational novels.
Plan now to attend this workshop and meet two incredibly talented authors that will hold your attention with two chucked-full hours of inspired insight into the CBA writing world.

Both of these authors are multi-published in a number of different venues, and they're experts in their fields.


Come join us for lunch and a special time of learning. A book signing at Mardel in Hurst will follow the meeting.

Brag Lines, July 2010

Jane Thornton has a new article online, “I Think I Can’t”. Her pieces are always practical, uplifting, and hard-down honest. The address: http://www.thechristianpulse.com/2010/07/15/i-think-i-cant/

Anne Greene is on a roll. White Rose Publishing contracted for her book, Masquerade Marriage. This Scottish historical proves that she isn’t locked into a time, a country, or a genre. Got any great marketing ideas? She’s listening.

Tyndale House is using seven of Lisa Buffaloe’s devotions for their book, tentatively titled The One Year Book of Laughter and Joy. Publication is August, 2011. Her inspiring story is on http://www.lisabuffaloe.com/

Lisa posted a true story about a young man who is an evangelist overseas. Lisa writes, “His story blows my socks off! I need these wonderful reminders that God is an amazing God.” http://www.lisabuffaloe.blogspot.com/ . Read and be blessed. I did and I was.

And Marilyn Eudaly’s submission, "Serpent in the Basement", will be in the same book!

Ronie Kendig will be signing NIGHTSHADE and doing a small talk on PTSD at Legacy Books in Plano on August 17th at 7pm. This is a very nice independent bookstore, the same one that hosted Sarah Palin when she came. She urgently requests that we show up to support her. It matters.

Beth Shriver is going to Florida to do a book tour and be on two television shows to talk about her book, Peace for Parents of Teens.

Lena Nelson Dooley had a live podcast with Christian Work at Home Mom on July 15th.

Becky Yauger posted a blurb on the August meeting, a two-hour, two-speaker mini-conference, with the online Dallas Morning News. Read it at http://listings.guidelive.com/coppell-tx/events/show/128670445-dfw-ready-writers-meeting .Thanks for the publicity, Becky.

Deborah Rather aka Arlene James has finished the fourth book in the Chatam House series from Love Inspired (Steeple Hill Books). She’s now working on the 2nd book in a new continuity series set in Colorado. You can find her at:
http://www.arlenejames.com/http://www.chatamhouseseries.com/

Dr. Richard Mabry’s second novel of medical suspense, MEDICAL ERROR, was to be released Sept 1, six months after the release of CODE BLUE. However, it's already available on Amazon, Cokesbury, and a few other sites. The publicity for it won't really get underway until Sept 1, but if you encounter anyone who just can't wait to read it, please pass on the information that it's available. To investigate his “Medical Suspense With Heart,” go to http://rmabry.com/ and http://rmabry.blogspot.com/ .

DFW Ready Writers is a moving and shaking group. Sometimes we get published, and sometimes we don’t, but we’re always out there writing and and learning.

July 10, 2010 Meeting

The words pour from your mind into your fingers as they fly across the keyboard. Your masterpiece, your baby’s coming alive. Then your critique group takes a look at your manuscript and tears your work of art to shreds. And those red marks on every page.... (Oooh! Shivers down the spine.) It’s downright humiliating. Why?

You’ve used weasel words, too many "wases ," "its," "has beens," "beginning to," on and on with words that say zilch and do nothing for your manuscript or your readers. Would you like to improve your writing? Would you like to know how to tighten your work and make it zing—grab your readers’ attention?


DFW Ready Writers presents “Getting the Words Right,” a one-hour guide to self-editing. Lena Nelson Dooley, multi-published author, mentor, critique guru, and wordsmith, will show you how to look at your work and make it shine so that it will grab the attention of that editor and agent.


And as a bonus, attendees will receive several handouts with handy tips, critique savvy, and what to watch for when reading your work or other writers’ manuscripts. Make plans now to attend Saturday, July 10, 2010, 11:00 a.m. at our usual place: La Hacienda Ranch Restaurant, 5250 Highway 121, Colleyville, Texas.

June 12, 2010 Meeting

What's Your Pitch?
Using analogy to baseball pitches, learn how to condense our stories into 25 words or less then expand to a blurb then back cover copy. Slow pitch, fast ball, curve, split finger, or slider, which is yours? You want your pitch to glide right over home plate for the perfect strike. You want a pitch that will catch the editor’s eye. Bring a short synopsis and brief description of your book.

Although Martha’s primary writing experience is in non-fiction, she has been writing fiction for a number of years. Her novel, Not on the Menu (May 2007), is a part of Sugar and Grits, a novella collection with DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, and Kathleen Y’Barbo.

Martha’s background includes a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Education, twenty-eight years as a secondary teacher, four years as supervisory teacher for student teachers at University of Houston Clear Lake and eight years as an instructor of English Composition for freshmen at Houston Community College.

Martha served as editor of an eight page monthly newsletter for the writer’s organization, Inspirational Writers Alive! for six years and is the state President. She is also the director for the annual Texas Christian Writer’s Conference and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers for whom she writes a weekly devotional. Recently, Martha revised seven Bible studies for First Place Health Program, published by Gospel Light, and wrote one original, Begin Again. She also had several articles appear in Christian magazines.

Brag Lines, April 2010

We are thrilled to announce three finalists in the ACFW Genesis contest: Mindy Obenhaus in the Romantic Suspense category, Anne Greene (of our South Korea division) in Historical Romance, and longtime member Lisa Buffaloe, who recently moved to Idaho, in Women’s Fiction. The Genesis contest is only open to unpublished writers. Great start, ladies!

Jane Thornton has had an article published monthly in http://www.thechristianpulse.com/. She writes with wisdom and humor, as you can see by these samples: “Goodbye Bunny Sweater” published 5/24 http://www.thechristianpulse.com/2010/05/24/goodbye-bunny-sweater/
and also “A Little Cheese with that Whine” was published on 4/26 : http://www.thechristianpulse.com/2010/04/26/a-little-cheese-with-that-whine/#more-5113

Dr. Richard Mabry has a book signing for his tremendously successful first book, Code Blue, on Saturday, June 12th, at the Cokesbury Store in Dallas from 11 to 1, with four other authors. Then he packs up and goes to the Barnes & Noble in Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, where he and Ronie Kendig will be signing from 2 to 4. We look forward his second release, Medical Error, in September, 2010.

Beth Shriver also will be signing Peace for Parents of Teens on June 12th, 2-4, at The Shops at Highland Village, Texas, on June 12th 2-4. See an excerpt on Hartline Literary Agency’s blog now: http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/ .

Our publisher rejections prove that we’re a hard-working group, striving for publication and supporting each other through the process.

Lynne Gentry’s Ghost Heart went to committee for the second time at Cook, but was declined.
Sheaf House turned down Jane Thornton’s Encouraging Kelsey, a book of ideas for encouraging people who are struggling with illness and depression.

Lee Carver’s proposal of Blessed Insurance was rejected by Steeple Hill. Romance on a Distant River, formerly known as Jungle Nurse, is still floating around out there in Publisher Land.

DFW Ready Writers voted last week to issue certificates for rejections as encouragement to continue honing our craft and sending out well-critiqued manuscripts. Sales of books will be acknowledged in a manner currently being decided.

The Personal Mission of Curt Iles:
To walk closely with Jesus, be a man God can use, and be respected by my wife and family.

On Saturday, May 8, 2010, DFW Ready Writers is happy to present speaker and author Curt Iles. He will speak on "Making Opportunities Happen: Developing Your Speaker’s Platform".

Curt Iles is self-published. Yet being self-published hasn’t stopped him from making over 20,000 sales with his fiction books.

How does he do it? Curt will explain how he developed his speaker’s platform and at the same time created opportunities to sell his novels.

In these economic times, writers are discovering it harder and harder to find publishers that will accept and publish their books. And some of the first questions asked by publishers are, “What do you bring to the table? Do you have a platform?”

Do you even know what a platform is? Do you have one? A publisher may be interested in your book for publication, but they will want to know—What do you have to bring to the table? Can you show them numbers? Strong numbers? Would you like to know how to make your platform even stronger with more opportunities to present your work?

Yearly, Curt speaks at over 100 events. This has allowed him to make many new friends, spread the word about his books, and the result? Over 20,000 books sold by word of mouth. On May 8th, Curt will show you how to spread your writing influence by speaking opportunities. He’ll explain how to go about booking engagements to various groups.

Whether you are a multi-published, conventional author, a self-pubbed author, or even an unpubbed author, every writer needs to know how to build the best platform possible. Curt is the man with the experience and know-how and the numbers to back his claim. Learn how you too can build your platform and get your numbers up so the publishers will take notice.

Curt Iles is a full time author/speaker writing from his hometown of Dry Creek, Louisiana. As a popular speaker, Curt enjoys traveling, telling stories, and making new friends. He and his wife DeDe travel extensively on mission trips to Africa, Asia, and Central America.
He recently released his seventh independent book, A Good Place. His previous six books have sold a cumulative 20,000 copies. curtiles@aol.com http://www.creekbank.net/

Brag Lines for April/May 2010

Mindy Obenhaus took third place in NTRWA's Great Expectations Contest.
Mindy and Lisa Buffaloe finaled in The Great Expectations Contest. http://www.ntrwa.org/contest/contest.aspx .

Lisa was interviewed by Julie Gorman of His Love Extended Ministries on her BlogTalk Radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cwa-radio/2010/03/31/his-love-extended .

Lisa had a speaking engagement with the IdaHope writers group on 04/22/10.

Deborah Rather (aka Arlene James) just landed a 3-book contract with a continuity series to come, making that 4 books sold in one week to Steeple Hill. Color her tickled. See more at http://www.arlenejames.com and http://www.chatamhouseseries.com .

Lena Nelson Dooley had a successful book signing party last week for Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico. You will be able to buy a pre-release copy at the meeting Saturday. Lena was at the North Texas Book Festival, Denton, Texas, Saturday, April 17, as an exhibitor and panelist.

Lynne Gentry published another short story with Simon & Schuster in God Encounters with James Stuart Bell.