FFP Blog Posted

The Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Chapter of RWA just posted a blog article from me that's an introduction to the workshop I'll be teaching there starting January 4, 2010. Would love to have your comments!

Carolina Writers Conference

I will be presenting "A Writer's Guide to Harry Potter" as a two-hour workshop at the Carolina Writers Conference on April 17, 2007. Hope to see any of you near North Carolina there!

Presenting a Writer's Guide to Harry Potter

I will be presenting what used to be called Writing with Magic (for Muggles) online in January for the RWA Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter. The name change was necessary because people usually assumed I just covered fantasy/magical aspects, and really the workshop is appropriate for writers of most types of commercial fiction.

New YA Fantasy Complete!

Haven't been available to update the site lately because I've been happily writing. It's a first draft and still rough, but THE END has arrived! This is a young adult contemporary fantasy adventure with mystery undertones--and the best thing I've every written. :-)

Woods Charter Foundation Benefit Workshop

On Saturday, January 31, 2009, I will be presenting an all-day workshop to benefit The Woods Charter Foundation, Inc. The two workshops presented will be A Beginners Guide to Writing Commercial Fiction and Writing with Magic (for Muggles). Please see the Woods website for more information and registration.

Upcoming Workshop

I will be presenting Writing with Magic (for Muggles) in May 2009 as an online course for Lowcountry RWA. When more details and registration are available, I'll post them here.

Chasing Kat Wins!

Chasing Kat has won first place in the Spicy Category of the Summer Sizzle Contest sponsored by Ohio Valley RWA. The final judge was editor Kathryn Lye of Harlequin Blaze.

Double Finalist!

The Artemis Key and Chasing Kat have both finaled in the PASIC (Published Authors' Special Interest Chapter) Book of Your Heart contest. The Artemis Key now goes for final placement to Becky Vinter of NAL, and Chasing Kat goes to Leis Pederson at Berkley.

TARA Contest Finalist

Foreign Wives Club has finaled in the 2008 Tampa Area Romance Authors Contest, and will now be judged by Lindsay Louis at NAL!

Large Print Edition Available

On Grandma's Porch is now available in a large print edition in hardback. More Sweet Tea will be available in early August as well.

Star Sipal

Thanks to the Spacecoast Authors of Romance Writers Launching a Star Contest, and their coordinator Lee Duncan, there is now a star in the sky named Sipal! They were going to name it Susan Sipal, but my kids were so thrilled with the idea of a star bearing our name, that I asked them to just make it Sipal. Look hard one clear night in the Big Bear constellation, and you just might see our star twinkling at you. :-)

Contest Win

Great News!! Southern Fried Wiccan not only won the young adult category of the Launching a Star contest sponsored by Spacecoast Authors of Romance, but was judged the Overall Contest Winner!
Yes, I'm psyched!

Editorials Published

My 3-part editorial, Egyptian Myths in Harry Potter, has been
published on Mugglenet.com. Check out each of the three parts:
Harry of the Two Ways
The Contendings of Harry and Voldemort
Harry's Sacred Egyptian Triangle

London Presentation During Harry Potter Release!

I will be presenting Writing With Magic (for Muggles) and
Seeking Egyptian Myths in Harry Potter at
Sectus, an Unofficial Harry Potter Conference, July 19-22 in London, England.

B&N Book Club Presenter

Along with several other authors from
The Plot Thickens...Harry Potter Investigated by Fans for Fans
I will answer questions for the month of June and July at
Barnes and Noble's Waiting For Harry Book Club Boards.