I blinked and two weeks have all ready passed. When you figure out where the time flies, please let me know because I need to go reclaim some. We've only a few more months until the Slam Jam. Don't let the time get away from you. If you have not made your hotel reservations, but intend on attending the RSJ Conference, please go ahead and reserve your room. Reserving the room does not cost anything and ensures you will have lodging.
The hotel has agreed to give us additional rooms, beyond those we have blocked for the conference, at the discounted price as long as they have availability.
For details on reserving your room, refer to the website.
It's time to send in your nominations for the 2007 Emma Awards! I hope you've kept your reading list current and took notes. Please review the process and download a nomination from on the Emma Awards page.
Don't forget our Debut authors. Here is a list of the ones I know of:
DELIVER ME, Farrah Rochon
WIND FOLLOWER, Carole McDonnell
What would our romance
novels be without our strong, Black heroes and heroines? Not romance
for sure. In just about every reading group I belong to, we can go
on for hours discussing our favorite heroes and heroines. But what
about real life Black heroes and heroines?
Registration is open, and at $225, the RSJ Registration fee is hundreds of dollars less expensive than comparable conferences. The reason we can keep cost lower is our sponsors.
You know the deal. Businesses are willing to take our hard earned dollars, but beyond that, forget it.
The RSJ sponsors are doing more than taking. They are giving back. Take a few minutes to view the sponsor page, and be sure to show our sponsors some love and purchase their products.
In a related item, remember that you can pay the registration fee in installments. Please refer to the website for registration details.
This year's contest is open to all aspiring authors of Black romance/women's fiction. You know you have been secretly writing a future Emma Award winner. Don't be scurrrrd. It's all in the family. Enter the contest. Genre: Black Romance/Women's Fiction Prizes: 1st Place: This winner’s manuscript will be reviewed by Editor Hilary Sares from Kensington Books for possible publication. 2nd Place: This winner’s manuscript will be reviewed by Agent Michelle Grajkowski from Three Seas Literary Agency for possible representation. 3rd Place: This winner will receive the Book Cents Critique Package, which includes a critique of a Query and Partial (the same story), notes and suggestions from Literary Agent Christine Witthohn and a 5-10 minute conversation with Christine about the 3rd place winner’s story. Full Details | ||||
I'm looking for articles to place in the
Romance Slam Jam Newsletter. This is our newsletter. For us by us. Send your articles,
events, interviews, memory book entries on!
deatri@romanceslamjam.org |
• Happy New Year • Emma Awards • Unsung Heroes • RSJ Sponsors • Aspiring Author Contest • RSJ Newsletter Articles • Michelle Monkou • Celeste O. Norfleet • Rochelle Alers • AlTonya Washington • Gwynne Forster • Last Words | |
Last year, I committed via email to attend the '08 Slam Jam. Now I've committed with my registration payment, putting my money where it counts, and will definitely be there. From personal experience, I  know and understand the massive amount of hours and sacrificing of
personal time to carry off such an event. I'm confident that the
results will be phenomenal. No other genre - mystery, science
fiction, thriller - sponsors such an event celebrating the romance
fiction with dignity and style, and through the unique perspective
of the African American experience. Thank you for the platform to
join authors with readers with industry professionals. This
community of spirit and celebration continues to uplift us and we
would do well to continue reaching out to our sister authors to join
us and embracing our readers to support us. See you all in Chicago. Michelle Monkou | |
I remember my first Romance Slam Jam like it was yesterday. I was so excited to attend. Michelle Monkou and I drove down together. We talked and laughed and joked all the way to North Carolina. It was 2002, the  year my first novel, Priceless Gift, was released. It was
an incredible feeling to walk around the lobby meeting and talking
with all the authors I’d read and admired for so long. I remember
everyone being so warm and friendly. We were like one huge
sisterhood. I made so many wonderful friendships that I cherish to
this day. One special friend was Bobbie Austin. She and I sat and
talked forever. Now either she calls me or I'll call her just to
check in and say hi. RSJ is a great place to meet life long friends.
Now, six years and 16 books later, I’m still excited to attend. Hope
to see you there.Celeste O. Norfleet http://www.celesteonorfleet.com | |
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Hello Everyone!!! I’m really looking forward to seeing you all at Romance Slam Jam Chicago!!! I’m so excited  about this trip. I’ve always wanted to
visit Chicago and to do it amidst scores of fantastic readers makes
it even more exciting for me. I’ve already got a special journal
picked out for you all to sign for me so that we won’t lose touch
after this wonderful event. I hope you’ll all take time to read my
latest title: “Pride and Consequences” and be sure to bring a copy
with you for me to personally autograph!Here’s To A Spectacular 2008! Love, AlTonya Washington | |
Greetings,  I attended the first Romance Slam Jam in Emma Rodgers’ bookstore in
the summer of 1995, a month before my first book, SEALED WITH A
KISS, was published. There were about ten authors, I passed out
fliers and book marks, but I didn’t yet have my book. Mrs. Rodgers
and her staff served us pizza and soft drinks. I confess that I was
overwhelmed with happiness at the start of my fiction writing
career. Continue Readinghttp://www.gwynneforster.com | |
I'm in the process of collecting head shot photos for the RSJ program cover. If you've registered and would like a chance to be on the cover, please email a picture to deatrikingbey@yahoo.com. If the photo has more than just you in it, please let me know which person is you. I'll crop out your beautiful face. A little birdie told me Affaire De Coeur is going to give the RSJ Newsletter readers a discount on their fantastic magazine. I'll send a blast out when it's available. Don't wait until the last minute. Register for the conference, reserve your hotel room and send in your Emma Award nominations form. One more thing. On the registration form the Emma Meal Filet and Shrimp, Filet is steak in this case, not fish. If you selected filet thinking it was fish, please feel free to email me with your new selection deatri@romanceslamjam.org. Spread the word about the conference and HAPPY NEW YEAR! See you at the Slam Jam! Deatri King-Bey http://www.romanceslamjamconference.com | |
 Affaire
de Coeur is the sponsor of the Romance Slam Jam Newsletter. You
know how we do, let's show
Affaire
de Coeur some love. Subscribe to the magazine, enjoy the
reviews, articles, interviews, short stories and spread the word. A
subscription would make a perfect gift for the
read-a-holic in you. |
since
I last attended a Romance Slam Jam. And, to say that I'm looking
forward to reuniting with readers and writers is an understatement.