We hope everyone has been having a fun and productive summer! We reconvene this Saturday, August 11 for our monthly meeting. Our very own Autumn Jones Lake will be presenting a workshop on managing a great Facebook reader group.

Friendly reminder: Be sure to sign up for our September program ASAP! Much sought-after speaker Gwen Hayes will be conducting an all-day workshop based on her brilliant book, Romancing The Beat. Registration is open now through September 2, and registration is required to participate in this event.

Date: Saturday, September 8, 2018
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Venue: Albany Ramada, 3 Watervliet Extension, Albany, NY 12206
Cost: $45 for members, $75 for non-members
Coffee, tea and lunch will be included.

Don’t miss out!

Our next meeting will be held this Saturday, June 9, 2018, at the East Greenbush Library. The business meeting will begin at 1pm, to be followed by a special workshop from visiting speaker Judith Utz. We hope to see you there!

June 9, 2018 – Judith Utz, Marketing Professional
Blogging is a mainstay in books and whether you want to get noticed by a huge name in review blogging or hook up with a site owner who has the same taste in Romance, knowing how to talk to, and meet, bloggers is important, especially in light of an upcoming release. This workshop will cover crafting a new release strategy then drilling down and understanding how blogging and bloggers fit into current literary marketing and release efforts with an aim at understanding the whys of blogging; finding sites and bloggers who fit your brand; making those critical blogger relationships; crafting pitches; and getting your book noticed.

Join us this Saturday, May 12, 2018 at the East Greenbush Public Library! Our business meeting will begin an 1pm, followed at 2pm by a special program by visiting guest speaker and double RITA finalist Alexis Daria. We hope to see you there!

May 12, 2018 – Alexis Daria – Building a Strong Platform Before (Or After) You Publish
As authors, a lot of things are outside our control. We can’t control sales or reviews, but we can control how we position ourselves before we go to market. Whether your goal is traditional or indie publishing, there are things you can do to build your platform for a strong start, strengthen it before your next release, or make the shift to a different publishing model. This workshop will cover: using social media to expand your network and engagement, creating an effective web presence, casting a wide (but targeted) net to boost your publishing odds, buiding your skills, and focusing on the promotional elements that are fun for you.

Please join us this Saturday, April 14, 2018 at the Bethlehem Public Library (please note the location change!) for our monthly meeting.

Our business meeting will be held at 1pm, to be followed by a special presentation by visiting author Kate McMurray at 2pm.

April 14, 2018  at the Bethlehem Library – Kate McMurray – Revision
You’ve finished the first draft of your novel. What next? Many writers find the revision process daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. In this workshop, we’ll discuss practical ways to approach revision. I’ll focus on the big picture, rather than the little details, to make sure you’ve got a great story. This includes what questions to ask yourself as you go back over your manuscript to make sure your book has a great hook, tight pacing, and compelling characters. I’m bringing my editorial experience to the table, too, to discuss common pitfalls authors fall into and how to avoid them to make your book the best it can be.

• Note: Due to meeting space availability, our April meeting will be held at the Bethlehem Public Library, located at 451 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY, 12054