by Barb DeLong
A Welcome from OCC/RWA!
A big hello to my fellow OC Writers. I’m new to OC Writers and when I went to my first Monday morning write-in/meeting at Patch Coffee in Lake Forest several months ago I knew I’d found another awesome writing home and community.
My first community of writers is the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America—affectionately and thankfully
Fae Rowen receives a rose at OCC for her first published novel, P.R.I.S.M.
known as OCC. I’ve been a member of this large group for over twenty years and I know some of you OC Writers are or were members as well (shout out to OC Writers founder Deanna Cameron). Everything I know about writing I learned through OCC’s excellent speakers, special workshops, on-line classes, author mentorship and more. The chapter offers two prestigious writing contests in its Book Buyers Best for published authors and The Orange Rose Contest for new and emerging authors.
I’d like to extend an invitation to everyone to pay OCC a visit and check out what this excellent group has to offer. You don’t have to be a romance writer. Most of our speakers and workshops are geared toward multiple genres. You will need to join RWA if you wish to be a member of OCC, but you can attend twice as a guest.
We invite you to join us for friendship, education and inspiration! OCC meets the second Saturday of every month at the CSU Fullerton campus.
Laura Drake, multi-published author, Rita winner speaks at OCC.
Each meeting is like a mini-conference:
- Ask an Author session where you can share your expertise or learn from those who have been there and done that
- Morning workshop focused on craft for emerging authors taught by our own published author members & guest authors
- Celebrate each other’s accomplishments with Book-in-a-Year, Write for the Money and roses for published works and new Pro members
- Afternoon workshop focused on marketing, publishing and other topics for our published members and to inspire our aspiring author members
- Special presentations and guests have included estate planning for authors, an Orange County Coroner & more
Join OCC for our Getaway Weekend Birthday Bash!
DO NOT MISS our October Birthday Bash on October 13th at the Brea Embassy Suites Hotel. We have activities planned from Friday night all the way through Saturday and into the evening.
We’ll spend a fun filled day with Sherry Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Sherlock mysteries and two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award. We’ll also announce winners of the Orange Rose Contest for Emerging Authors, Book Buyers Best Contest and Book in a Year. There will be write-ins, pajama parties, raffle prizes and lots of fun!
So, please accept this invitation to visit OCC. For more information on meetings and the upcoming schedule of speakers and on-line workshops, the Birthday Bash and April’s Cal Dreamin’ Conference (hey, I didn’t even mention this – subject for another blog I guess), check out the chapter website at occrwa.org or our Facebook page Occ Rwa. I hope to see you very soon!
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Barb DeLong loves all things romance, animals and light-hearted, so she combines the three in her contemporary and paranormal stories. She has published short stories in Romancing the Pages, Secrets of Moonlight Cove and Love for Christmas anthologies and is currently working on a couple of full-length witchy romances. Connect with her at barbara.delong37. She blogs at writingsomethingromantic.com.