Body language is an important aspect of fiction writing. Our characters have to do more to communicate mood than smile, nod, and shrug. The savvy author will expand the repertoire to include other signals, both the conscious and sub-conscious. How? Through the study of body language, of course!

Head to toe, our bodies are mirrors of every mood and emotion we experience. Our eyes can show fear, love, sexual attraction, anger, and a host of other signals. Smiles can range from tight-lipped (hiding something) to jaw dropped (fake). How we stand, sit, shake hands, and maintain eye contact all contribute to what we project to others.

Nervous before a public appearance? Lift your head and stick your chin out. The change to your posture will make you feel more secure and confident.

Want to know more? Join us on Wednesday, July 7th at 6:30 pm at the Patchogue-Medford Library for a fascinating discussion (and demonstration) of the science of body language.

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But the staff of the library quickly regrouped to set us up in the auditorium. Good thing, too. The auditorium was packed with people–all ages, both genders, all experience levels; all with one thing in common. They wanted insight into the writing process; how to start, how to keep going, how to finish, and how to achieve their own dreams.

In Session I, we began with the ideas of Goal, Motivation, and Conflict, segued into Characterization, Dialogue & Narrative, and ended with Plotting. We even came up with a new name for Debora Dennis‘s unique plotting materials: The White Board of Destiny. (Thanks, Trisha!) The enthusiasm in the room was contagious. Questions popped up from every corner. And our ladies provided informed answers that left the crowd intrigued, amused, and delighted.

At the end of the day’s lecture, we were bombarded by attendees who wanted additional information or wanted to tell us how much they enjoyed the talk and their plans to return for all three remaining sessions. (One lady from Washington, D.C. who’d attended on a lark with her friend told Candace Gold she intends to make a return trip just to attend the second session on February 27th!)

Even if you missed the first session, feel free to contact the Huntington Library to register for Session II, which will cover The Sagging Middle, Pacing, Finding a Critique Partner or Group, and other helpful necessities of writing. The event will take place on Saturday, February 27 from 10 am-12 pm. 

Join us! We’d love to see you there. (And if my gentleman of Irish descent is coming back, the coffee’s on me this time! You’re a regular, right?)

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The one memory from those years I count as my favorite occurred when my father lost his job right before Christmas. I think I was about thirteen or so.  With even less money than usual for gifts, my mother and I spent our time in the basement: sewing pajamas, aprons, and other garments. My younger siblings drew pictures and made potholders out of rag strips. My older siblings gave up their Christmas gifts so the children could still believe in Santa. Even so, our stockings were filled with nuts and fruit. There were no toys under the tree that year. In fact, our Christmas tree was what came to be known as “the poor tree,” a twenty-year-old pink and silver artificial shrub my parents had had stuffed in the attic since the early days of their marriage. Charlie Brown’s little tree could put it to shame.

Why am I reminiscing about a Christmas that occurred more than thirty years ago when the current calendar is about to flip to February? Because that year I learned a lesson that has stayed with me ever since–a lesson I’ve passed on to my own children. Two nights before that Christmas, friends and neighbors presented my family with a tremendous basket filled with fruit, candy, small toys, and food for our holiday dinner. I’m not sure how all those people knew of our circumstances–my parents were extremely proud and not prone to discuss such trials with outsiders.  But the bounty of that gift, the warmth of generosity that enfolded us, made an extremely difficult time one of joy for my parents, my siblings, and me.

That was when I truly learned the value of giving.

My children know the feeling well: I remember my then ten-year-old daughter selling handmade items to raise money for the victims of 9/11; my now twelve-year-old son recently turned over three weeks’ worth of his allowance to buy care packages for American soldiers fighting overseas. Now both have decided to pool resources to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Neither my daughter nor my son ever told me of their intentions before donating their hard-earned money. They do so because they truly know how blessed they are with their lives, their homes, and their family. And because there is no greater feeling in the world than the warmth that overflows your heart when you know you’ve given someone less fortunate a chance to smile–even for a day.

Until today, I’ve never shared this particular memory with my fellow chaptermates of Dunes & Dreams. I do so now for a very good reason. Recently, I began the planning for this year’s Multi-Author Booksigning to benefit Literacy Suffolk. According to their website, one in seven adults in Suffolk County are functionally illiterate, 75% of unemployed adults do not read, and nearly 45% of those below the poverty level don’t possess the reading and writing skills necessary to improve their lives or the lives of their families.

These are hard times for everyone. Unemployment is up, the housing market is dying, and we’re all tying our belts a little tighter.  The authors who’ve volunteered to participate in this event do not do so for accolades, publicity, or for undying gratitude from the masses. We do so because it’s a chance to give back to the communities that have been so good to us. It’s a chance to revitalize our floundering neighborhoods. It’s a chance to provide readers and writers for the future generations.

If you’re an author, consider joining us behind the tables. If you’re a reader, perhaps you’ll consider buying a book or two at the event. A few dollars, a few signatures, and a few hours could benefit us all in the long run.

This year’s event will take place at Pindar Vineyards in Peconic on Saturday, May 8 from 12-3 pm. Join us. A simple gesture could have long-reaching results.

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Debora Dennis is an outstanding chaptermate, a good friend, and a super-talented writer. She’s quick with a smile and always up for any challenge tossed her way.

She’s one of the best assets of Dunes & Dreams RWA and today, she celebrates her birthday. I wish you joy, dear friend. I wish you laughter because you always bring me so much of it. I wish you love. And I wish you a well-deserved multi-book contract in the coming year.

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Hard to believe we’re just a few weeks away from year end. And after the holiday celebrations comes that figure scarier than the Grim Reaper, the devil, and the boogeyman combined: the taxman. To help alleviate your fears and help you plan ahead for your future writing career, Dunes & Dreams RWA is proud to present this month’s meeting: Taxes for the Writer, hosted by Patrick McDonald of TaxHampton, Inc. Learn what you can write off, what you can’t; when the IRS considers your writing a career vs. a hobby, and how to look ahead to that mega bestseller or movie deal!

I hope you’ll join us for this helpful workshop. Guests are welcome for the presentation at 2:30 pm at the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Library. Our Members Only business portion will begin promptly at 1:00 pm. For additional info, please see the Dunes & Dreams website.

Exciting news for the Dunes & Dreams community: Please welcome our newest member, Laura Hitchens! Laura’s working on her first romance novel and hopes to benefit from all our chapter has to offer.

glitter-graphics.com

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At yesterday’s meeting, we welcomed two new members: Maggie Van Well and Jean Marie Pierson. We indulged our love of all things chocolate. We laughed, ate, laughed some more, ate some more. We didn’t need sunshine or a picnic table or the outdoors to enjoy the day. We had each other’s company (and lots of desserts)! Who could ask for anything more?

Next month we’ll be touring the Antique Costume & Prop Rental in Port Jefferson. Owner Nan Guzzetta has a marvelous array of gowns, uniforms, and attire from medieval days all the way to the mid-twentieth century. Nan’s costumes have been seen in magazines, plays, and unique photos. She’s the go-to gal in the area for themed weddings and parties. Take a look at this actual photo from her site:

Be sure to view her entire gallery online for tons of photos, complete with props and details.

If you’d like to see these gorgeous replicas in person or want to consider seeing what we’re all about, visit the Dunes & Dreams website for information on all our upcoming meetings.

Join us for camaraderie, laughter, and support. Maybe we’ll even have chocolate.

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I admit to some sense of awe when I consider how far we’ve come and in how little time. Six months ago, we were simply three writers, sitting in a seafood restaurant, tossing around our opinions about what constituted the perfect RWA chapter.  

Somewhere between the salad course and the Tartuffo desserts, the opinions picked up momentum. By the time we’d drained the second pot of coffee, we were determined to turn those opinions into ideas; ideas geared to creating our own version of the perfect RWA chapter.

From such humble beginnings, Dunes & Dreams was born.

Over the last few months, we’ve faced a few challenges. And I’m sure we’ll face more in the future. But we’re no longer three writers sitting in a booth with shrimp entrees (the very booth seen in the photo above, as a matter of fact). Our membership has grown and continues to do so. The excitement we sparked at that first get-together seems to be contagious. Many of our members are raising their hands to volunteer for positions within the organization, tossing out their own ideas, and bringing an electricity to our group that keeps us moving forward. 

As we continue to grow, we’ll always stay true to those ideals that started us on this journey on that cold December afternoon: a chapter where romance reigns supreme; where honesty, integrity, and camaraderie are always evident; and where any romance writer, no matter where (s)he is in the journey, can find the support, knowledge, and enthusiasm to reach the next goal.

Welcome to Dunes & Dreams, Chapter #215 of the RWA, Where Romance is a Shore Thing! 

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As I was perusing the dairy aisle for ingredients for my raspberry truffle pie (Hey! When I make a fuss, I do it right!) a store employee walked past me and pointed at my shirt. “I have to get a shirt like that for my wife,” he said.

“Oh?” I asked. “Is she a writer?”

“No, she’s a reader. I swear I never see her without a book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.”

My mind starts scrambling. “Really? What types of books does she read?”

“Oh, all kinds,” my victim…er, new friend…replied. “But especially romances.”

“That’s great,” I told him. “You know, I’m a romance writer. I happen to have a few copies of my books in my car. Would you like to buy one for her for Mothers’ Day and I’ll autograph it for you?”

You’d think I just offered him a winning lottery ticket.

Ka-ching! That fast, I made a sale and (I hope!) a new fan.

The thing about promoting is: you must always be ready. Opportunity knocks at strange times. Keep business cards, promo items, and books as close at hand as possible. You never know when you’ll be able to gain an advantage.

For more promotion ideas, be sure to join Dunes & Dreams RWA at their next meeting on Saturday, May 30th at the Mastics/Moriches/Shirley Library from 11 am to 1 pm when we’ll be joined by our guest speaker, Patti Ann Bengen, who’ll be sharing her pearls of wisdom on the topic!

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Have we got the program for you!

On April 25th The Dunes and Dreams Romance Writers are hosting a special presentation on Jane Austen by Barbara Hellering.

From clothing to traditions to the influence of the modern romance novel – Barbara covers it all!

And the best part? What better way to “test-drive” our romance writing group? Guests are welcomed to visit two programs before joining the group.  Doors open to guests at 11:00am.

This month we’re meeting at the Shirely/Mastic/Moriches Library. General member business meeting begins at 10am. Presentation begins at 11:15, followed by a Q&A session with our Jane Austen expert! Of course, all the details are available at our website http://www.dunesanddreams.org.

Need more information? Drop us a line at dunesanddreams@gmail.com

Hope to see YOU there!

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I feel like I’ve done this before. Probably because I have.  Be that as it may, welcome to the blog for Dunes & Dreams!

For those who are not familiar with our little group, let me introduce you around. Dunes & Dreams is a provisional chapter of Romance Writers of America, currently awaiting our incorporation and final steps toward affiliation.  Although we’re based in Eastern Long Island, we have members as far south as Florida. For us, geography isn’t the main theme. Nor is any particular sub-genre.

So…what do we look for in a prospective member? An honest passion for the romance genre, a drive to succeed, a willingness to share with others, and a desire to make your publishing dreams come true. Sound good to you?

Then check us out, either through our posts here or at our website. We offer workshops, booksignings, critiques, online meetings, and a host of other educational and promotional opportunities geared for romance writers looking to take themselves to the stars and beyond.

Guests are welcome to attend two programs before joining us. I hope I’ll get the opportunity to meet you soon. Don’t be shy. Step right up and say hello, whether it’s at a meeting, a booksigning, a library talk or other venue. We’d love to be a part of your writing journey and help you achieve your own Happily Ever After!  

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