May Meeting

OCFW will not host a regular meeting this month. Instead, we'll have a special firearms clinic for members only. We look forward to sharing some of the highlights of our experience here on the blog in a few weeks.

Be sure to check back in June for the details on our next monthly meeting.

Honors and Awards for our Members!

In the past two days, we've had the delight of celebrating successes with our members!

Author Lacy Williams' book The Homesteader's Sweetheart is a finalist in the Desert Rose RWA's Golden Quill contest. Congrats to Lacy!







   

 Author Vickie McDonough's book End of the Trail (from the Texas Trails series) won the Best Book of Fiction Award from the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. Well deserved, Vickie!

Great news for Susan Crawford--Her manuscript is a semi-finalist in the romance category of the 2013 Genesis Awards. We're rooting for you, Susan!

Erin Taylor Young's article "Three World-Changer Things You Can Do Before Breakfast" published in Today's Christian Woman won a 2013 Higher Goals Award for humor from the Evangelical Press Association. Yay!

Online Research Class Begins May 6th

OCFW invites you to join our online class: Fearless Research.


Presented by: Darlene Franklin
Dates: May 6 – 17, 2013
Registration Deadline: May 5, 2013
Fee: OCFW Member $20
Fee: Non-Member/all others $25 

Course Description:
Learn how to take the fear out of research and discover the fun. The class will focus on “how-to's” such as: 

• research to solidify your proposal.
• research to add authenticity.
• research to add detail and create setting.
• research to write about the unknown.
• research of language usage. 

Darlene Franklin

Instructor Bio:
Darlene Franklin is the author of twenty-five books, including her two latest releases, A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas, and Merry Christmas, With Love in Postmark: Christmas. She has also written two books in the Texas Trails series with RiverNorth Fiction, Lone Star Trail and A Ranger’s Trail. She’s a member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers and American Christian Fiction Writers. 




Our online workshops are open to everyone. Once you have registered and paid for the class, you will be invited to join the private course email loop (usually a few days before the class starts). 

Click here to register.

Member Spotlight: Sharon Srock

Sharon Srock

Today, we're beginning a new feature called Member Spotlight. OCFW is packed with extraordinary members, and we'd love for you to get to know each of them. We're excited to shine our first spotlight on OCFW's treasurer, Sharon Srock.

Sharon lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon’s debut novel The Women of Valley View: Callie released in October 2012. The second in the series The Women of Valley View: Terri is available now.

--- An Interview with Sharon ---

What do you write and why?

I write inspirational women’s fiction. It has to be a God thing. I wake up with these stories in my head, things I would never see or think of on my own. He gets all the credit.

When did you start writing?

I’ve been writing for fun for 20+ years. I first started writing in response to the Star Trek books I was reading. SO many of them sounded as if the author had never seen an episode of the show in their lives. I just knew I could do better. I had a bit of amateur success with poetry and short stories in Fanzines. I gave up all writing for a number of years. God called me back to it five years ago.

How long have you been a member of OCFW?

I joined OCFW in the fall of 2010. They have been my inspiration and my encouragement. They took a rookie wannabe and patiently molded a writer.

What are you currently working on?

I’m about half way through the 4^th book in The Women of Valley View series. I hope to have Samantha's story to my publisher by Christmas 2013.

What's you're favorite part of the writing process?

Writing THE END.

Your least favorite?

The third or fourth edit. By that point I’ve lost all objectivity. My readers and critique partners are in the same boat. It’s about that time I go hunting for new eyes to inflict my writing on.

Do you eat 42 pounds of chocolate to get through the first draft?

I do love my chocolate, but surprisingly, I eat less of everything when I’m writing. My scales don’t show it because my fannie spends so much time in a chair. I’m trying to do better with that this time. Not only will it help me physically, but I don’t care how the story is flowing, it does better if I take 2-3 10 minute exercise breaks a day.

How much of yourself do you write into your characters?
I don’t intentionally write any of me into my characters. That doesn’t mean you won’t find a little piece of me in all of the women. Callie teaches Sunday school and loves her guacamole, Terri is looking for God’s will in her life and arguing the whole way, Pam is learning lessons in forgiveness. Yep, there I am.

If you could invite a fictional character to dinner who would it be and why?
Oh, can I pick two? Merlin and Spock. Merlin because I’m captivated by the whole knights in armor, Arthur, slaying the dragon thing. Spock because…well…the idea of extraterrestrial life interests me. If we ever find life out there, I’d hope they would be a wise and beneficial sort like Vulcans. Not the “I’ve come to destroy your world” type we see portrayed 99% of the time.

What three things about you would surprise readers?

My favorite pet of all time was an iguana.

I hate reality TV.

I love to mow the grass.

-------------------------------

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Sharon. You can connect with her on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. And don't miss her current release The Women of Valley View: Terri. Click here to purchase.

Despite a bustling day care center and a new foster child, Terri Hayes hungers for a family of her own. Then a plumbing mishap leaves her homeless and questioning God’s plan. Steve Evans’s gracious offer of his basement apartment as a temporary solution is an answered prayer.

Steve is a successful writer and a good father, but Terri is horrified when Steve’s book research leads him to a harsh confrontation with the parents of her foster child.  She needs to distance herself from Steve, but her efforts fall short as his two scheming daughters plot to make Terri their new stepmother.

Will harsh words and sneaky plans drive Kelsey’s family further apart and put a wedge between Terri and Steve? Or does God have another plan in store?

April Meeting

Susan Downs

OKC Christian Fiction Writers will host Susan Downs, senior fiction editor for Guidepost Publications and former editor of Summerside Press, on Saturday, April 20, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. 

Ms. Downs will be conducting a Q&A on all things publishing.

Susan Downs serves as a senior fiction editor for Guideposts Publications. Included in her responsibilities is the oversight of a direct-to-consumer mystery series, which releases a book every four weeks. Until recently, she supervised a retail fiction line under Guideposts’ Summerside Press imprint.

Susan’s editorial career began at age 10 in Yukon, Oklahoma, when her newspaper-publisher father paid her a nickel for every error she could find while proofreading copy. As a multi-published author with experience as an acquisitions editor for another CBA publisher, she brings a well-rounded perspective to her editorial assignments. 

OCFW meets the third Saturday of the month at Mardel Christian Store, 3300 South Boulevard in Edmond. 

New Online Classes Offered

OCFW is excited to announce our online classes for 2013. If you're a writer looking to hone your craft, this is an excellent opportunity to learn from experienced professionals.

Our first class will be "Fearless Research" taught by Darlene Franklin. Darlene will show how to take the fear out of research and discover the fun. The class will focus on “how-tos” such as research to solidify your proposal; research to add authenticity; research to add detail and create setting; research to write about the unknown; research of language usage. This class will involve homework and will run May 6th - May 17th.

Our second class offering will be "Writing the Synposis" with instructor Camy Tang. The exercises in this class will ensure that your story structure has all the vital elements, including character external goal, internal/spiritual arc, obstacles/conflict, climax, and resolution. This class will run August 5th - August 16th.

Our classes are conducted through email using Yahoo's group services. All correspondence is done via email, including lessons, homework and Q&A. The cost of each class is $25.00 for non-OCFW members and $20 for members. A great price for such valuable information and interaction with these knowledgeable instructors.

Click here for more information and to register.

March Meeting

Julie Jarnagin

OKC Christian Fiction Writers will host author Julie Jarnagin on Saturday, March 16, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Julie's topic will be "Simplifying the Synopsis."

Writing a synopsis can be an intimidating process. This workshop will demystify the task by teaching participants to recognize the necessary ingredients in a successful synopsis. Julie will share tips and techniques to inspire writers to embrace the steps of developing an effective story summary and help them produce a synopsis that captures the interest of agents and editors.

Julie Jarnagin grew up in a rural community where her family farmed and raised cattle, inspiring her to set much of her fiction in small towns. She earned a B.A. in Journalism/Professional Writing from the University of Oklahoma, and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Julie's articles have appeared in local and national publications. Through her writing, she hopes to share stories that inspire readers through reflecting God’s love. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, Kevin, and their energetic young son. Her books Canyon Walls and Canyon Crossing are available through Barbour Publishing.

To learn more about Julie, visit her website at www.juliejarnagin.com.

OCFW meets the third Saturday of the month at 1:00pm at Mardel Christian Store, 3300 South Boulevard in Edmond.