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DATE & TIME   |   February 18th, 2023 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes.
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Columbus Public Library South High Street Branch, 3540 S. High Street, Columbus, OH 43207. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Donna MacMeans: How to Write a Sizzling Hot Sex Scene

How to Write a Sizzling Hot Sex Scene

Learn How to Make Your Sex Scene Blaze with the Intensity You Want

SEX.  We all know what it is and what goes where in the performance of it.  Afterall, we’re all adults, right?  Books across the centuries have included sex, or, at least alluded to it, in mysteries, mythical epics, and wartime journals.  Much has been made of the skills of prostitutes to courtesans, yet all stories employ the same basic principle of insert A into slot B.  So how is it that some writers, in describing this fundamental act, are known as authors of hot, steamy, sexy love scenes – while others are simply… adequate?  Why do some stories receive scorcher ratings of four and five hot tamales, or flames,  or whatever the current rating romance system is, to describe the “steam” factor of a book? Afterall, isn’t sex just sex?

Donna MacMeans, an author who has received some recognition for writing “hot” historical romance, read a number of romances recommended as having sizzling sex scenes to answer those very questions.  She compared the books to see what they had in common, and how the authors utilized some basic writerly practices to create that much anticipated consummation scene and satisfy the reader’s thirst for a transforming love experience.  We’ll explore sex from the standpoint of science, and from that of literary artistry; from blazing hot romances with the bedroom door shut, to those with the bedroom door flung wide, wide open.  Please note: audience participation is actively encouraged, and mature language is likely to be used.  This workshop is one you won’t want to miss.

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

This program is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com. Please note, the link spans from the moment we open the room to the social half hour through the business meeting and this program.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

 

About Our Speaker

Donna MacMeans is an award winning, Amazon best-selling romance author, with many foreign additions including a book turned into a Japanese graphic novel. Her first historical romance manuscript went up for auction among three NY publishers launching her into a career of writing sensuous and witty Victorian historical romance and just-plain-fun paranormal romance. Until she retired to pursue the craft of writing, she was a CPA with a small tax practice. (Let’s face it, writing romance is much more interesting than signing a tax return.) She is a frequent workshop presenter and is both traditionally and independently published. Her short stories and novellas have appeared in five anthologies.

Learn more about Donna at her website.

DATE & TIME   |   January 14th, 2023 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Community Room East at the Woodbourne Library, 6060 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville, Ohio 45459. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Michelle McCraw Orloff: Manage your Writing Like a Boss

Manage your Writing Like a Boss

Use Project Management Skills to Get the Most out of your Writing Time

Join Michelle McCraw Orloff as she teaches us what it takes to manage your writing like a boss.

Do you struggle with finding time and focus to do your writing? Do you have a writing project that’s languishing from neglect, but you just can’t muster the energy to pick it back up? Does your writing feel like an endless slog? Ever wish you could find more discipline for your writing?

Course topics include

  • Adopting a project management mindset
  • Incorporating project phases and milestones into your writing work
  • Developing a project plan
  • Developing a book plan/outline
  • Expanding project management principles to a series and/or your writing life overall

At the end of the course, participants will have a plan to follow for their next writing project. Michelle will share tools and templates she uses to manage her own writing projects.

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Write-in is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com. Please note, the link spans from the moment we open the room to the social half hour through the business meeting and this write-in.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

 

About Our Speaker

Michelle McCraw Orloff is a certified project manager (PMP) with a master’s in business administration (MBA). While working full time as an information technology program manager, she has published five books in her Synergy contemporary workplace rom-com series since 2021.-+

Leveraging more than 20 years of project management experience, Michelle will teach writers how to apply project management principles to their writing to gain more focus, organization, and discipline.

Learn more about Michelle at her website.

DATE & TIME   |   November 19th, 2022 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Community Room at the Woodbourne Library, 6060 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville, Ohio 45459. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Rochelle Bradley: NaNoWriMo Write-In

NaNoWriMo Write-In

Time to Write!

Join Rochelle Bradley as she gets us going for this write-in.

Bring a desire, an idea, an outline, a nearly completed work or just your laptop and/or a pencil and paper.  Rochelle will provide energizing activities for your mid-month spurt of inspiration to get you through the month.

Never heard of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) where you pledge to write 50,000 words in 30 days? You know of NaNoWriMo but you’re not going to participate in it this year? No problem. Come for the fun of being with writers.

In 2015, COFW member Rochelle became a Municipal Liaison Dayton Region for the National Novel Writing Month organization.

Click NaNoWriMo for all the info on this non-profit organization.

Gina Smith writes as Rochelle Bradley and coins her style as “romance with sass and shenanigans.” She’s won the Ellechor Publishing House contest and was a finalist in Chicago-North’s Fire & Ice contest.

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Write-in is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com. Please note, the link spans from the moment we open the room to the social half hour through the business meeting and this write-in.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

 

About Our Speaker

Introduced to National Novel Writing Month in 2008, Rochelle Bradley undertook the personal challenge of writing 50K words in thirty days. She has participated every November since. In 2015, she became a Municipal Liaison for the Dayton region, where continues to facilitate opportunities for area writers to come together and write.

Through NaNo she found community, learned of author events and craft classes, and found she had a penchant for HEAs.

Rochelle is a NaNoWriMo evangelist—she spreads the good news of NaNo and encourages others to join in the fun.

Learn more about her at her webpage.

DATE & TIME   |   October 15th, 2022 – Networking at 12:00 pm for those on ZOOM.  Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes.
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid:  Zoom and Hilliard Room of Hilliard Branch, Columbus Metropolitan Library, 4500 Hickory Chase Way, Hilliard, OH 43026. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Jillian David: FastDrafting 101

FastDrafting 101

Our Program

Join Jillian David as she presents a workshop on fast drafting.

What is fastdrafting?

Basically, it’s writing the first draft of the book without stopping (editing) and just getting the ideas and words down on paper. Some websites shoot for getting a book done in one, two, or four weeks with this method. I think it must also depend on the length of the book.

 

Who benefits from fastdrafting?

At the risk of being blunt, people who aren’t full-time writers will benefit. Maybe even some folks who are full-time writers. Fastdrafting is a great time-management tool when writing time is sparse/sacred. I understand that all the articles and advice say: “Make time to write every day.”

Well, okay. But when the day job can go 60-80 hours/week and the hours are unpredictable (I’m a family doc who admits patients to the hospital and delivers babies), then an hour/day of writing is frankly unrealistic.

Enter fastdrafting. I did a modified version of this in October 2015 when I wrote the first 50% of my novella over ten hours in an airport and finished the novella over the next two weekends. (35K words when all said and done final — not initial — draft) But it wasn’t a true fastdraft.

I wanted to try it on a regular book-length book. (Book-length for me is final product 50-70K. Again results may vary depending target lengths.)

 

 

Who also benefits from fastdrafting?

People who can produce an outline beforehand and make decisions to deviate on the fly from the outline while mid-manuscript.

Also, writers who are okay with an imperfect, incompletely researched first draft. For example, I’ve left out place names or even certain character names, rather than stop and look them up to find just the perfect name. It can be added later!

 

What are the rules?

As far as I can tell, there’s nothing set in stone, but here’s what I needed to pull this off:

  1. Fully fleshed out character interview (10 pages for each character done ahead of time) and a solid outline, preferably revised a few times before starting.
  2. A set amount of protected time. (For me – all day Friday, 7-12 on Saturday and late that night, pieces of Sunday and also late that night, and all day Monday.)
  3. Verbal commitment from hubby who understood that I needed those protected times and a promise from me to take him out for dinner for his birthday Saturday night.
  4. Permission to wear comfy clothes or whatever outfit was most conducive to writing lots.
  5. Permission to sit wherever I could write lots

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and all judges. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

 

About Our Speaker

Jillian David HeadshotAward-winning author Jillian David lives near the end of the Earth with her nut of a husband and her bossy cats. To escape the sometimes-stressful world of the rural physician, she edits while on call and writes books in her free time. She enjoys taking realistic settings and adding a twist of “what if.” Running or hiking on local trails often promotes plot development as well.

Her book credits include a paranormal romance series, Hell to Pay, which involves characters selling their souls to Satan and then having a devil of a steamy time getting out of the contracts. Her second series, Hell’s Valley, is a paranormal western. Basically it involves frigid Wyoming nights, a rising evil force in the valley, and hot psychic ranchers. She’s currently working on a romantic suspense series of virally enhanced super soldiers, a Chicago mafia suspense, and a little story with a working tagline of “The Zodiac Killer meets The Love Boat.”

Visit Jillian at her blog

DATE & TIME   |   September 17h, 2022 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Community Room at the Woodbourne Library, 6060 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville, Ohio 45459. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Emma Dhesi: How to Keep your Readers Reading

How to Keep your Readers Reading

Our Craft Program

Join Emma Dhesi as she walks us keeping your readers reading.

The fear of not being good enough, or finding readers, is very real for many writers. The way to guarantee your story is good enough and that readers fall in love with your novel is to build a strong emotional connect between them and your character. That matters more than anything else.

Discover 3 ways to connect with your reader through your characters:

  • Do your character have a deep seated flaw?
  • What is the misbelief/wound that is keeping them back?
  • Are you putting it on the page?

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com. Please note, the link spans from the moment we open the room to the social half hour through the business meeting and program.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

 

About Our Speaker

Emma Dhesi is a book coach who specialises in helping beginner authors write their first novel.

Learn more about her at her webpage.

DATE & TIME   |   August 13th, 2022 – Networking at 12:00 pm for those on ZOOM–we don’t have the meeting room until 12:30. We will hope to slip in earlier if the previous meeting has ended.  Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes.
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid:  Zoom and Hilliard Room of Hilliard Branch, Columbus Metropolitan Library, 4500 Hickory Chase Way, Hilliard, OH 43026. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | J.E. Irvin: Ignite the Flame Contest Judging

Ignite the Flame Contest Judging

Our Program

Join Contest Chair J.E. Irvin as she presents a workshop on how to judge the Karen Harper Memorial Ignite the Flame Contest. As part of the session, we’ll practice judging, scoring, and providing feedback on a 10-page sample entry that she will provide.

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and all judges. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

This meeting will be recorded, and all judges are asked to watch it if they cannot attend the meeting.

 

About Our Speaker

J.E. (Janet) Irvin is a career educator and the award-winning author of five mystery/thrillers. She holds degrees in English, Teaching, and Spanish from Ohio University, the University of Dayton, and the University of Cincinnati. Her short stories, poems, and essays have appeared in a variety of print and online publications, including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Hawaii Pacific Review, creosote, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and FLIGHTS. An avid nature lover, canoeist, and hiker, Irvin, her husband, and their two crazy cats live in Springboro, Ohio, where she serves on the city Park Board.

Visit J.E. at www.janetirvin.com

DATE & TIME   |  July 16th 2022 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Southeast Branch Library, 21 Watervliet Avenue, Dayton, OH 45420 See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Michelle Grajkowski: Talking Agenting

Talking Agenting

Our Business Program

Join Agent Michelle Grajkowski of ThreeSeas Literary Agency as she talks agenting–she’ll decide whether she speaks on what’s hot in romance and takes questions, or just takes questions.

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

 

About Our Speaker

From the moment Michelle Grajkowski first opened the doors to the 3 Seas Literary Agency in August of 2000, she has been living her dream. (What could be better than surrounding yourself with amazing authors and their exciting and imaginative books?) Since then, her agency has sold more than 900 books to all the major publishing houses, and has grown from one agent to three!

Michelle’s client list includes New York Times Bestselling Authors Katie MacAlister, Cathy McDavid, Kerrelyn Sparks and C.L. Wilson. She primarily represents romance, women’s fiction, young adult and middle grade fiction along with select non-fiction projects with a terrific message. She is currently looking for fantastic writers with a voice of their own.

When not curled up with a great manuscript, Michelle loves to spend time with her husband, children and her crazy puppy who refuses to grow up.

Visit Michelle at https://www.threeseasagency.com/michelle-grajkowski, or see her Query Manager.

DATE & TIME   |   June 18th, 2022 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Meeting Room 2A of Hilliard Branch, Columbus Metropolitan Library, 4500 Hickory Chase Way, Hilliard, OH 43026. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Olivia Gaines: Writing Characters of Color

Writing Characters of Color

Our Craft Program

Join Olivia Gaines as she presents an hour-long workshop which teaches how to seamlessly integrate characters of social and diverse backgrounds into your story. Learn the best methods of describing skin tones, hair textures, and cultural dishes.

 

Participants will receive a link for a workbook a few days before the course. That link is not to be shared with anyone other than participants.

 

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

Our speaker has graciously allowed us to record her presentation. Only COFW members will have access to that recording, for roughly a year.

 

About Our Speaker

Olivia Gaines is a USA Today Best Selling, Emma Award, and multiple award-winning author who loves a good laugh coupled with some steam, mixed in with a man and woman finding their way past the words of “I love you.”

Visit Olivia at https://www.ogaines.com/

DATE & TIME   |   May 14th, 2022 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Community Room at the Woodbourne Library, 6060 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville, Ohio 45459. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Peggy Jaeger: Writing the Second Acts Romance

Writing the Second Acts Romance

Our Craft Program

Join Peggy Jager as she walks us through romance with more seasoned characters.Animated Mockups

Using humor and life experiences, this workshop will discuss an untapped market in the romance industry: romantic stories with heroines and heroes over the age of 40 for romance readers in the same age group

 

We live in a society where life – and romance – doesn’t end at 35.  The death of a spouse, a divorce, choosing a career over marriage,  and dealing with grown children can all effect people in their late/middle years, typically 40-60. This workshop will explore several ways to deal with writing a romance story about this age group and for this age group market.

 

Things that will be explored will include, but not be limited to:

  1. Definition of late/middle age and the physical, psychological and emotional factors that effect this age group
  2. Starting over after divorce or death. The psychological and emotional issues that afflict the hero/heroine who have undergone either of these occurrences.
  3. Sex – the good, the bad, the funny! Body image issues, performance issues, sexual angst! All will be dealt with using humor, and current medical information in dealing with potential problems.
  4. Reclaiming individual sexuality when you have grown children and dealing with  the “eeew” factor from them.

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

About Our Speaker

Peggy Jaeger is a multi-published contemporary romance author and Registered Nurse who happens to be in the Second Act of her life, so that credo of walking the walk and talking the talk is one she knows intimately. Realizing there is a  market for romance readers and writers who are also in the second act of their lives prompted her to develop this workshop to instruct, educate, and entertain readers and writers of romance of a certain age.

She writes romance stories about strong women, the families who support them, and the men who can’t live without them. If she can make you cry on one page and bring you out of tears rolling with laughter the next, she’s done her job as a writer.

Family and food play huge roles in Peggy’s stories because she believes there is nothing that holds a family structure together like sharing a meal…or two…or ten. Dotted with humor and characters that are as real as they are loving, she brings all topics of daily life into her stories: life, death, sibling rivalry, illness and the desire for everyone to find their own happily ever after. Growing up the only child of divorced parents she longed for sisters, brothers and a family that vowed to stick together no matter what came their way. Through her books, she’s created the families she wanted as that lonely child.

When she’s not writing Peggy is usually painting, crafting, scrapbooking or decoupaging old steamer trunks she finds at rummage stores and garage sales.

As a lifelong diarist, she caught the blogging bug early on, and you can visit her at peggyjaeger.com where she blogs daily about life, writing, and stuff that makes her go “What??!” 

DATE & TIME   |   April 16th, 2022 – Social at 12:00 PM, Business meeting at 12:30 pm, Speaker at 1:30 pm or later–after the business meeting concludes
LOCATION   |   Meeting will be Hybrid via Zoom and Hilliard Room of Hilliard Branch, Columbus Metropolitan Library, 4500 Hickory Chase Way, Hilliard, OH 43026. See below for further instructions.
TOPIC   | Kathleen Sweeney & Book Brush, New Images Authors Need (Kindle Vella, A+ content, Animated email signatures & more)

Book Brush, New Images Authors Need (Kindle Vella, A+ content, Animated email signatures & more)

Our Book Brush Program

Join Kathleen Sweeney from Book Brush for a fun live walk-through of the Book Brush tools. We’ll focus on some of the newest features including

  • Animated Mockups
  • Amazon A+ Content
  • Animated Email Signatures
  • Quick Images for Book Promo.
  • How to easily create your own Book Trailer.

Kathleen will share handy tips & tricks along the way and have time for Q & A, too.

Book Brush is an amazing image-creation software platform built just for authors to help them easily create professional-looking ads and images for social media and so much more. Book Brush offers the tools every author needs in his or her marketing toolbox to make it easy to embrace the marketing side of writing.

Attending Our Hybrid Meeting

Presentation is free for members and prospective members who have not yet visited for two complimentary meetings. For those members who cannot join us in person, join us via Zoom. The password will be posted in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers Google Group, and on the members-only Central Ohio Fiction Writers Facebook page.

If you are not a COFW member and wish to attend this presentation via Zoom, email cofwpresident@gmail.com.

Per library policy, “Prepared food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in meeting rooms.”

About Our Speaker

Kathleen is the Manager of Marketing and Customer Service at Book Brush. She has over 19 years of marketing experience. She thoroughly enjoys working with authors and helping them create eye-catching images. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, three busy boys and two handsome cats. Her hobbies include eating tacos and turning socks right side out.

Learn more about Book Brush: www.BookBrush.com