Update: Professional photographer at the conference

The latest news coming over the transom is that we are going to have a professional photographer at the Desert Dreams Conference, taking author portraits for websites, book jackets, and other promotional material. She will sell 3 images for $20 and give all the rights to the author.

Her business is Diane Graham photography. She is from Tucson. Here is her website link:

http://www.dianegrahamphoto.com/

What an opportunity to get photographed in professional attire, with your make up on and all decked out. The price is unbeatable, and the advantages of updating your professional face, priceless.

If you like, she will also take buddy pictures of you and your friends during the conference.

She will have a professional set up on the premises, and you'll be able to sign up in the registration lobby anytime during the conference for your personal photo shoot. She will take pictures Friday afternoon and Saturday all day.

I know I need new portraits. I definitely plan to take advantage of this opportunity.
This conference is getting more and more exciting.

Hope to see many of you there.

Vijaya Schartz, Desert Dreams Conference Blog
http://desertdreamswritersconference.blogspot.com/
Blasters, Guns, Swords, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Answers to often asked questions about the Desert Dreams Conference

Do you need to register for each workshop upon arrival?

No. The main events take place in a very large room where everyone will fit. As for the many other workshops, you can pick and choose as you go. Some will be better attended than others according to topic and speaker, but you do not need to make a decision in advance.

The program you receive will have a brief description of each workshop to give you a chance to help plot out your weekend. However, you might get into a workshop and decide it's not what you had in mind or it covers material that doesn't quite fit your needs, so you are free to get up and move to a different workshop. We just ask that everyone be courteous as you move between rooms.

Do we get handouts?

When you get your goody-stuffed bag at registration, you will also have a CD that includes all of the handouts that everyone receives when they attend each workshop. That way, even if you don't go to a workshop, you'll still have the handouts to take home with you.

CDs? How about recordings?

We will be selling CDs of all the workshops. We have a wonderful company, VW Tapes, that records sessions for us. The quality of these recordings is fabulous, by the way. They really do have great information on them and the company offers a discount if you should decide to buy the entire conference recording set.


Here's a link to the past 3 conferences and the sessions from those (all of which are still available as either CDs or downloadable MP3s):
http://www.vwtapes.com/desertdreamsromancewriters.aspx

Please note that NOT every session is recorded. Some speakers prefer not to record their sessions. Those will be CLEARLY listed in the program, so that you can make your decisions based on that information.

Hope to see you there.

Vijaya schartz
Blasters, Guns, Swords, Cats, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Only a few days left to enter the REALIZING THE DREAM contest

I wanted to remind all of you who already registered that you still have a few more days to get in your entry for the Realizing the Dream contest. This contest is ONLY open to registered conference attendees. You are guaranteed to get your entry before one of the editors/agents at the conference. They are the only judges, so they read every entry. It's a great opportunity that you won't find anywhere else. We still have slots open (we take up to 50 entries), so register now if you haven't, and get your entry in now.

The Realizing the Dream contest requires a 10-page submission, plus a 3-page synopsis and is open to both published and unpublished authors, as long as they are registered for the Desert Dreams Conference.

For all of the details, check out the website:
http://desertroserwa.org/contests/Phoenix-Romance-Writers-Realizing-The-Dream.php

If you have any questions, contact Linda Style, our contest coordinator, at lindastyle@cox.net

Good luck!

Susan Lanier
2012 Desert Dreams Conference Coordinator

Our blog has been nominated for a SWEET BLOG AWARD!

Author Vijaya Schartz, one of our speakers again this year, nominated our blog for this Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award. Thank you, Vijaya. She writes Blasters, Guns, Swords, and Romance with a Kick. Visit her website at:  http://www.vijayaschartz.com/, and her blog, where she nominated us, at: http://romancingscifi.blogspot.com/

As part of this nomination process, we have to nominate in turn ten worthy blogs, and tell our readers seven things they might not know about us.

Here are the nominated blogs:

Martha Alderson "The Plot Whisperer" http://plotwhisperer.blogspot.com/
Bob Mayer's blog: http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/
Erin Quinn "Quinn's Essentials" http://quinnessentials.blogspot.com/
Tawny Weber's Sassy Romance: http://www.tawnyweber.com/blog/
Erin Kellison's blog: http://erinkellison.tumblr.com/
Maggie Shayne's blog: http://www.shaynesshenanigans.com/
Marin Thomas: http://www.marinthomas.blogspot.com/
Writers in the Storm: http://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/
Denise Domning's blog : http://www.denisedomning.com/
Donna Hatch's blog: http://donnahatch.blogspot.com/

And here are the seven things you should know about us:

1 - The early bird deadline to register is over, but the price of this conference is still very competitive, and you would be well advised to register ASAP to make sure you don't miss this incredibly affordable and very worthy conference. http://www.desertroserwa.org/conferences/Phoenix-Romance-Writers-Conferences.php

2 - The organizers of this conference are right now looking for promo items from authors for the raffle and the goodie bags. Even if you are not attending, if you have trinquets related to your spring releases, promotional pens, emery boards, refrigerator magnets, or any other gizmo your are burning to distribute, send them right away to:
Desert Dreams Conference
36148 W. Vera Cruz Dr.
Maricopa, AZ 85138

3 - The schedule of events is now posted  HERE Check it out.

4 - You only have a few days to enter the contest reserved to attendees. These ten pages will be read and judged by an agent or editor in your genre, so don't miss this opportunity to get your work in front of the professionals. Must be registered to enter.

5 - The list of agents and editors is changing slightly. More opportunities for you. Check it out HERE

6 - The weather is wonderful in April in Scottsdale. Bring your bathing suits. The pools are divine.

7 - The best part is to be able to meet agents and editors in a friendly atmosphere, at the bar, by the pool, at your table during meals... They are relaxed, happy to listen to your pitch, and you should really be there. Many an author has found an editor or an agent, and got published because of this conference.

Good luck.

Las chance to register at the Early bird price!

On December 31, the price goes up, so don't wait.


DESERT DREAMS WRITERS' CONFERENCE 2012
Believe in the Power of Your Dreams
April 27 - 29, 2012
Chaparral Suites Resort - Scottsdale Arizona

Keynote Speakers:
NY Times Best Selling Author Allison Brennan
Martha Alderson, AKA The Plot Whisperer
NY Times Best-selling Author Bob Mayer

Desert Dreams Writers’ Conference provides authors of all skill levels – from beginner to multi-published – with the tools necessary to take their writing to the next level. Sessions will include general writing, career development, genre-specific, agent/publisher spotlights, as well as an agent/editor panel. There will also be one-on-one appointments with editors or agents, a book signing, and keynote addresses.

Conference registration includes:

Workshops Friday afternoon and all day Saturday
Two-hour workshop Sunday morning
One-on-one appointment with editor/agent (based on time of registration and availability)
Friday evening mixer
Dinner and keynote address on Friday
Editor/Agent panel
Saturday luncheon
Participation in Saturday book signing
Saturday evening dinner and brainstorming session
RWA early registration (through December 31, 2011) is $215.
Non-RWA early registration (through December 31, 2011) is $235.

Prices increase $20 on January 1, 2012. Registration deadline is March 15, 2012.

For more information about workshops, speakers, agents, editors, registration, hotel reservation etc. visit:
http://www.desertroserwa.org/conferences/Phoenix-Romance-Writers-Conferences.php

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, for all the latest news and updates on Desert Dreams Writers’ Conference 2012.

Hope to see you all there.

Vijaya Schartz
Desert Dreams Conference 2012
Blogger - Committee - Speaker

Award-winning Science-Fiction, Romance with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

Speaker Tawny Weber - Courting the Muse...

Courting the Muse: Practical and Spiritual Tools for Writers

The art of recognizing, then making the most of your writing habits. In this workshop, we’ll discuss how to custom create your own writing habit. One that will not only help you as you pursue your writing goals, but pull you through the frustrations you might encounter along the way. We’ll discuss setting as it applies to your writing, description as it applies to your visualization of success and conflict as it applies to the setbacks in pursuit of publishing greatness. In addition, this workshop will show you ways to use tools like aromatherapy, Feng Shui and the tarot to empower your writing, and yourself on the road to success.

The Care and Nurturing of the Critique Partner Relationship

Join Harlequin Blaze author Tawny Weber and RITA winning SuperRomance author Beth Andrews as they show how to start, nurture and maintain a critique partnership on the way to publishing success. Critique Partner relationships -- Finding what works for you. Agreeing on the CP relationship -- A test period, how will you work together, what do you expect from the relationship. Growing and maintaining your CP relationship -- Are you in it for the long haul? Career pace and jealousy. Plotting/Brainstorming and setting goals with a CP -- Two heads are better than one, how do you plot/brainstorm with a partner? Do you want to? How to use the CP relationship to help you achieve your goals. Nitty Gritty of critiquing -- Meshing voices, giving and getting feedback. Voice and how nurture your CP's style. What kind of feedback is useful, what's not. Ways to word your suggestions so they don't come across as orders, learning to read between the lines in emails and critiques (and when not to).

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze since her first book hit the shelves in 2007. In December 2011, she launched her Undercover Ops series with SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE, followed by SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT in January and SEX, LIES AND VALENTINES in February. When not obsessing over deadlines, she’s shopping for cute shoes, homeschooling or hanging out on Facebook and Twitter chatting.

Come by and visit her on the web at http://www.tawnyweber.com/

Posted by Vijaya Schartz
Desert Dreams Blogger and speaker
Award-winning Romantic Science Fiction with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/
http://www.romancingscifi.blobspot.com/

Alexis Walker - Strategic Career Planning for Romance Writers

With more and more editors and agents wanting career plans, it is becoming very important for writers to know where they are headed. But in order to arrive at their destination, it is essential to develop a road map for getting there. While it’s easy to say “I want to be a New York Times Best Seller,” it is a little more realistic when there is a plan in place with short-term milestones and action steps delineated to accomplish such a prestigious status. This workshop is designed to help any level writer map out her own personal plan for success. Using the strategic planning tools employed by businesses and nonprofit organizations, each writer will develop an individual career plan she can start using immediately.

Alexis Walker is a faculty member of both Grand Canyon University and the University of the Virgin Islands. She spent 18 years directing nonprofits where strategic planning is essential to survival. In addition, she also taught at Arizona State University for their Nonprofit Management Bachelor Degree program where she taught future leaders the in’s and out’s of strategic planning. Alexis quit her nonprofit profession three years ago to pursue a career in writing romances. She has three completed manuscripts. She is a member of RWA’s PRO group as well as a member of three RWA chapters. Alexis has a Bachelors degree in English from St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, a Master's degree in American Literature from Iowa State University, and did doctoral work at the University of Notre Dame where she focused on 19th Century American Women's Literature. Alexis recently moved to St. Croix, one of the US Virgin Islands. She lives there with her better half, retired fire chief Bob and her 14 lb tuxedo cat "Gizmo." Alexis likes to live in different parts of the country, but always returns to the east coast to visit her family in Maryland, Delaware, and New York. A lover of change, she rarely stays in one place for more than six years, but always returns to visit Scotland, the place she calls her home away from home.

Visit Alexis online at http://www.alexiswalkerauthor.com/ 

Posted by Vijaya Schartz
Desert Dreams Blogger and speaker
Award-winning Romantic Science Fiction with a Kick
http://www.vijayaschartz.com/