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STAR’s Upcoming Events 2024-2025
Here’s what’s coming in the next few months
October 15th 6:30 PM Story Bibles for Novelists presented by Joan Koster, open to the public, Barnes & Noble, Vestal, NY
November 23rd 12 to 3 PM Seasons of Love book signing and reading event, Barnes & Noble, Vestal, NY
December TBA Holiday get-together, members and their guests only
January TBA Annual Board Meeting and luncheon
February 8th 11 to 3 PM STAR Authors book signing, Barnes & Noble, Vestal, NY
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2024 Meeting Schedule
Southern Tier Authors of Romance meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, except when a special event is scheduled and during the months of July and August. In person meetings are held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the music section of B&N. These are public. Member-only meetings are held on ZOOM.
January 10th: Our first meeting of 2024. We will discuss plans for the rest of the year and create a Vision Board for our 2024 writing goals. Please bring any supplies you may want. Suggestions are: old magazines, scissors, markers, glue sticks, images printed from the internet.
Saturday, February 10th: Romance Book Signing at B&N, noon-2:00 p.m. (Tentative) To be guaranteed a spot in this event, you need to be a paid member of RWA and STAR. Other spots might come available and will be filled in conjunction with the store.
Wednesday, March 13th, 6:30 p.m: Zoom, Guest Speaker TBA
Wednesday, April 10th, 6:30 p.m: B&N, Writing Federal Agent Characters with retired FBI Special Agent, John Bokal
Wednesday, May 8th, 6:30 p.m: B&N TBA
Wednesday, June 12th, 6:30 p: Zoom Guest Presentation
Saturday, September 14th: Fall Retreat Location: TBA
Wednesday, October 9th, 6:30 p.m: B&N
Wednesday, November 13th, 6:30 p.m: Zoom TBA
December Holiday and Award Luncheon Time and place TBA
Check back often for updates!
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2019 Fall Schedule Update
September 21 STAR Meeting Barnes & Noble Vestal
Meeting 10 AM Presentation 10:30-11:30 Fast Drafting Tricks by Zara West
October 5th Writing Retreat 8:30 to 4 Members Only
Location & directions posted in our Groups.io Listserve
October 18-19 New Jersey Put You Heart in a Book Writers Conference STAR delegation.
We will be bringing a raffle basket. Theme is chocolate – feel free to donate books or chocolate
November 16 STAR Meeting Barnes & Noble Vestal 10 AM
Meeting 10 AM Presentation 10:30 to 11:30 Voting on 2020 officers
December 7 Award Luncheon
Location & directions posted in our Groups.io Listserve
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2019 STAR Meeting & Event Schedule
STAR Meetings and workshops occur on the third Saturday of the month every month, except as noted.
All workshops and events open to the public
February 16th
Writing & Romance Trivia
- Location – B&N Vestal, NY
- Time – 10:30 to 11:30
- *STAR meeting 10-10:30
March 23rd
The First Page
Rhonda Penders, editor of Wild Rose Press, explains what editors are looking for and take pitches for all genres
- Time – 10:30 to 11:30
- Location: Meeting Room, Core Life Eatery, Vestal Parkway Pay-your-own luncheon to follow
- *STAR meeting 10-10:30
April 7th
Members-Only Spring Retreat
- Location Itaska Valley Farm
- Time – 8:30 to 4
May 18th
Tarot for Writers
Romance author, Paula Scardamalia will present on how to use tarot cards to deepen characters and plots. .After, she will give Tarot readings for those interested
- Location Meeting Room Core Life Eatery, Vestal Parkway Pay-your-own luncheon to follow
- Time 10:30 to 11:30
- *Star meeting 10-10:30
June 15th
Protect & Serve for Writers
Members of law enforcement will share their experiences
- Location – B&N Pay-your-own luncheon to follow
- Time – 10:30 to 11:30
- *Star meeting 10-10:30
September 21
Members-Only Fall Retreat
- Location TBA
- Time – 8:30 to 4
October 12th *date changed due to NJ conference
Literary Agent or Writing Roundup
- Location – B&N Pay-your-own luncheon to follow
- Time 10:30 to 11:30
- *Star meeting 10-10:30
October 18-19th
New Jersey Writers Conference
November 16th
Literary Agent or Writing Roundup
- Location – B&N Pay-your-own luncheon to follow
- Time 10:30 to 11:30
- *Star meeting 10-10:30
December 8th
Members-Only Awards luncheon
- Location – TBA
- Time – Noon
*Regular STAR meetings will precede public events to allow time for chapter business and member sharing of good news.
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2018 STAR Chapter Awards
~ STAR Awards ~
Presented at the STAR Annual Holiday Awards Luncheon
Membership Awards
20 years
Carol Henry, Karen Hendershott, Thea McGinnis
Yearly Write Awards
STAR Shine award – Most contribution to STAR in a year
2018 – Jen Bokal
STAR Attendance Award – Attended the most meetings in a year
2018 Rasha Selim
STAR Writing award – Most writing accomplishments in a year
2018 Sara Benedict, Michaele Stoughton
STAR Publication award – Publishing a novella/novel(s) in the year.
2018 – Jen Bokal, Sara Benedict, Zara West, Carol Henry, Rasha Selim, Selena Lindalh
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Report on the New Jersey Romance Writers Conference
~ Put Your Heart in A Book ~
The annual New Jersey Romance Writers Conference took place on October 19 and 20. Three members of STAR drove down to the conference: Jen Bokal, Joan Koster, and Rasha Selim. As always there were wonderful speakers and great workshops. The opportunity to pitch your books to editors and agents is always a great feature of the conference.
Hearing successful romance writers is one of the highlights of the conference. To start off, Melinda Leigh gave an overview workshop on writing romantic suspense, but which really covered writing any romance. On Saturday, Virginia Kantra gave the breakfast keynote and Jane Porter spoke at the luncheon. Rebecca Zanetti and Hope Ramsey also gave marvelous workshops.
Although, the meals have always been delicious, the food this year was served buffet style so attendees could enjoy a choice of offerings and not be held up by slow service. There was more than enough to eat and plenty of dancing and fun at the Roaring 20s party on Friday night.
Here we are with Rhonda Penders, editor of Wild Rose Press
2018 New Jersey Romance Writers Conference If you missed the conference this year, consider going down with a group of us next year.
submitted by Joan Koster
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From the Desk of the President: 2018 Schedule
~ What’s Happening in 2018 ~
Hello and welcome to the new year for the Southern Tier Authors of Romance! I’m Jennifer D. Bokal, new president for STAR. For 2018 we are trying something new. Several of our meetings will be open to the public and have a fabulous speaker to help writers at all phases of their career. There’s still plenty of activities for members only, so check that out, too.
3/17 8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Retreat
Location: Pumpelly House, Owego, NY ***Members only***
4/21 10:30 a.m. “Literary Devices” Joan Koster, PhD.
Location: Barnes and Noble, Vestal, NY
5/19 10:30 a.m. “Law Enforcement in Writing” Special Agent, John Paul Bokal, Jr. FBI
Location: Barnes and Noble, Vestal, NY
6/16 10:30 a.m. “Current Trends and Marketing” Veronica Parks, Literary Agent, Corvisiero Agency
Location: Barnes and Noble, Vestal, NY
9/15 10:30 a.m. Enneagram Workshop
Location: To Be Announced
10/13 10:30 a.m. Rhonda Penders, Publisher The Wild Rose Press. Topic TBA
Location: Barnes and Noble
November Retreat. ***Members only***
Location: To Be Announced
December Holiday Dinner. ***Members only***
Location: To Be Announced
Happy Writing!
Jennifer D. Bokal
President STAR
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Enneagrams for Writers
Do you know what an Enneagram is and how it can help you write better heroes and heroines?
If not, come to our September 26 workshop.
Presenter: Linda Johansen
Time: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Place: Candor Masonic Lodge, Rt 96b Candor
Cost: Free for members/ $30 for non-members includes breakfast coffee and lunch
Deadline to register is September 15—there will be no registration at the door. Participants can register via PayPal, at STARPAY@gmail.com, or by sending a check to: STAR, c/o Carol Henry, 90 Dry Brook Road, Willseyville, NY, 13864. For more information about registering, contact Carol Henry, STAR Educational Program Coordinator at: carolhenry@frontiernet.net; (607)-659-7661.
Here are the details:
The Southern Tier Authors of Romance is hosting an Enneagram Workshop, Saturday, September 26, 2015. The workshop, given by Linda Johansen, will help writers develop their characters by understanding the nine basic types of human nature—or personality types, and ways of being in the world. The Workshop will be an introduction to the Nine Personality Types, including values, ideals, motivations, the highest manifestations of its nature, as well as the maladaptive expressions.
Johansen says that “each of the nine types has its own values and ideals that motivate and guide its choices. Some are attracted to goodness, others to love, still others to action, beauty, wisdom, loyalty, joy, strength, and peace.”
Discussion will also delve into each of the nine type’s own vulnerabilities arising from the disconnection to true nature. “We become very sensitive and protective when our values are discounted or threatened,” Johansen states. “Some are sensitive to criticism, others to rejection, still others to failure, abandonment, ridicule, betrayal, limitations, weakness, and conflict.”
Linda Johansen was a licensed social worker in Fargo, ND for 30 years before retiring in 2015. She studied the Enneagram with Don Riso and Russ Hudson at the Enneagram Institute in Stone Ridge, New York. She is a long-time traveler on the path to human development, having begun her own personal journey with a 12-step program in 1976. She has also participated in the Diamond Approach to spiritual development. It is her passion to create environments for people to come together and learn about the essential nature of life, including ourselves and other people. She believes this is the foundation for transforming our lives into the highest expression of what is possible.
The workshop will be held at the Candor Masonic Lodge, Rt. 96b, Candor, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Registration fee is $30.00, which includes morning coffee and a luncheon. Deadline to register is September 15—there will be no registration at the door. Participants can register via PayPal, at STARPAY@gmail.com, or by sending a check to: STAR, c/o Carol Henry, 90 Dry Brook Road, Willseyville, NY, 13864. For more information about registering, contact Carol Henry, STAR Educational Program Coordinator at: carolhenry@frontiernet.net; (607)-659-7661.
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Bitter Spirits Book Discussion
Upcoming June STAR Meeting
What makes an award-winning book?
June 22nd 6:30 PM Tioga County Office Building, Owego
Book discussion of t
he RITA finalist, paranormal romance Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett -
Getting Published
I wrote a book…now what?“I wrote a book. It sucked. I wrote nine more books. They sucked, too. Meanwhile, I read every single thing I could find on publishing and writing, went to conferences, joined professional organizations, hooked up with fellow writers in critique groups, and didn’t give up. Then I wrote one more book.” ― Beth Revis
“A person who publishes a book willfully appears before the populace with his pants down. If it is a good book nothing can hurt him. If it is a bad book nothing can help him.” ― Edna St. Vincent Millay
“I finished my first book seventy-six years ago. I offered it to every publisher on the English-speaking earth I had ever heard of. Their refusals were unanimous: and it did not get into print until, fifty years later; publishers would publish anything that had my name on it.”
― George Bernard ShawThere’s nothing more exciting and difficult then getting something you’re written published so it can be shared with your friends and the world. On March 16th Emma Barron will lead a discussion on ways to get published. We will be meeting at the Tioga County Office Building at 6:30 PM. See you there. Joan
“If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.”― Roopleen
