Accepting a Romantic Challenge

by Paula Gail Benson

Maybe you’ve been hearing a lot of controversy about the Romance Writers of America lately. At this writing, the national organization has many issues to address; however, good things are happening with the local chapters. The opportunity I had to write “Wisest, Swiftest, Kindest” is one of them.

I’m not a reader of romance and I never planned on being a writer of romance, but I joined the Lowcountry Chapter of the Romance Writers of America (LRWA), based in Charleston, S.C., because of its craft programs and writing retreats. I very much appreciated all the good writing and marketing information I received at the meetings and through the online classes. Following a trip to Charleston, I always rode back to Columbia energized and ready to work even more diligently telling my stories.

This past year, I almost let my membership lapse. South Carolina now has many more groups that provide writing programs, ones taking place where I live rather than requiring travel.

But, I decided to re-up one more time and I’m truly glad I did.

The officers and members of LRWA decided to put together an anthology. Everyone in the chapter was encouraged to contribute. The organizers set up a rigorous process, including two beta readings and detailed submission of “collateral material” (read that as marketing tools including author bio and publication list, character bios, character photos available from royalty free sites or purchased for use, story excerpts, and tweets).

Here were the story requirements: they had to occur in Charleston, S.C., during any time-period, but set during the winter holidays (from Thanksgiving to New Year’s) and they had to be 7,500 words or less. Later, the 7,500-word-limit was extended to 10,000.

Okay, I tell myself. I can write short stories. Mostly I write mysteries in the 3,500 word range, but 7,500 is just two of my stories put together. And, I know the basics of a romance: attraction, conflict, HEA or HFN (“happily ever after” or “happy for now” for those uninitiated). How difficult could it be?

What’s the answer whenever that question is asked? Much more than expected. In my case, it was an eye-opening experience. My respect for romance writers, their craft, and their marketing skills has grown. I’ve learned so much that I can apply to any type or length of writing. I’m so incredibly glad I took on this challenge and had this group of dedicated women to walk me through the process, which included independent publication, another area about which I now have better knowledge.

Here’s some information about our anthology, Love in the Lowcountry (available on Amazon), the stories you’ll find there, and the authors who wrote them. Where available, please check out the links to the author websites.

Romance is heating up the winter holidays…

From paranormal to contemporary, from sweet to sultry, from first time love to love revived, discover both dark and deLIGHTful tales of romance amidst the intriguing backdrop of Charleston, South Carolina.

Best-selling authors join exciting new debuts in fourteen original stories of Love in the Lowcountry…

The Stories

Amy Quinton… – Hoodwinked for the Holidays – Wanted: Ghost with good reviews for special holiday tour. Team Player a must. Matchmaking skills NOT required.

Angela Mizell – Mistletoe and Mayhem – In the Unholy City, everyone has a secret.

Carla Susan Smith… – The Snow Leopard – What could be worse than being born into a family of shifters? Not being one.

Casey Porter… – The Illusion of Control– Having it together often means you don’t.

Elaine Reed… – Champagne Supernova– With everything going wrong, can she make New Year’s Eve go right?

Gracey Evans… – A Secret on Gillon – Bax’s fiery will and Raziel’s divine license to sin ignite trouble before fate steps in.

Jen Davis… – Hitman’s Holiday – His job is to kill her. But how can he take her life when she’s stolen his heart?

Jessie Vaughn – Kisses on King Street – It’s never too late to reclaim a lost love. Can rekindling a past romance yield later life love?

Michele Sims… – Poinsettias for Carly – A past unresolved is never the past.

Paula Gail Benson… – Wisest, Swiftest, Kindest – Two grad students connect though time travel to Charleston’s literary past. Is love enough to bring them home for Thanksgiving?

Rebecca A. Owens – A Charleston Christmas—Love Finds a Way – Is Chance and Wynona’s love strong enough to overcome a devastating loss and a deep secret?

Robin Hillyer-Miles – West End Club – Membership in West End Club is pure Charleston tradition. And marriage is the only way out of the December gathering.

Savannah J. Frierson… – A Silver Holiday – There’s better, there’s worse, then there’s spending the holidays with in-laws you can’t stand.

Zuzana Juhasova – Ghosted Home to You – She doesn’t need dating apps to get ghosted.

Wouldn’t you like to take a virtual vacation to Charleston, S.C.?

A Community of Authors

The Lowcountry Romance Writers (LRWA) is a chapter of the Romance Writers of America based in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s one of the first writing groups I joined to learn more about craft and connect with other writers.

Throughout the year, it offers monthly meetings with speakers and a number of online classes. In the summer, it sponsors a beach retreat that provides a fabulous location for exciting programs, engaging fellowship, and enjoying the sand and surf.

Because I live two hours away, I don’t always make the meetings, but I do try to be there in March, when certificates are handed out to celebrate members’ accomplishments. It’s always a great party.

This year, we had a truly decadent chocolate cheesecake topped with raspberries, raspberry syrup, and fluffy whipped cream. Even though the dessert was quite a lure, the focus remained on encouraging each other and cheering each person’s new achievements.

We were lucky to have the perfect speaker in Dorothy McFalls. The mystery community knows her as Dorothy St. James, author of the White House gardener series with plucky protagonist Casey Calhoun. On Amazon, Dorothy McFalls is a top rated Regency romance writer.

Dorothy spoke about her own passion for writing and how it was influenced by the members of LRWA. She remembered one of our founding members, Carolyn Davidson, telling her, “If you want to be a writer, you have to write.” Dorothy took that advice seriously, quitting her job to write fulltime. She found that exploring pieces of yourself on paper can make you very vulnerable. At one point in her process, she wondered, “Why was I born with the desire to write and absolutely no skill?” But, she discovered she had an advantage. As she expressed it, “Luckily, I write well when angry.”

Gradually, she moved beyond the “loser writer” status to be captivated by her characters. She explored publication options, identified the publisher she wanted for her work, and read all the books the publisher released. Eventually, she found an editor who believed in her and became her champion.

After the release of her first novel, she worked on another, but didn’t have it completed when the editor asked for it, so another author got the opportunity. Then, the publisher went out of business.

Dorothy told us, “Stumbling may be the best thing.” If her book had been ready, it might have advanced her career, but she was pregnant at the time, and when she sat typing, her baby’s heart would stop. (I’m very happy to report that Dorothy, her husband, and beautiful daughter Avery are headed for Disney World!) When her book was finished, she found another publisher. In her words, “It’s amazing how each book builds upon the others and that never goes away.

As Dorothy pointed out to us, the definition of passion encompasses love, hate, and suffering. Writers usually experience all of those emotions in pursuing their work.

Dorothy suggested the following five ideas to keep writers focused on their tasks: (1) each person is uniquely qualified to tell a story; (2) craft can be learned and mastered; (3) anything you write can be revised; (4) allow yourself to make mistakes; and (5) always believe in your dreams.

Finally, Dorothy left us with these recommendations for making a writing career. Write every day, if only one page. Search your mind and decide on the novel you need to write. Hope you can always embrace writing as a new author, excited about the adventure.

Part of the great gift of belonging to a writing community is being among people who have been where you are or have gone where you want to go. It’s inspiring to hear how they combatted the lows and achieved the highs. And, it’s a wonderful assurance of your own accomplishments to be able to offer encouragement to others just beginning their journeys.

I’m grateful to be a member of LRWA and appreciate the friendships and support from its members. Congratulations to everyone, for all your accomplishments (from beginning the submission process to lifetime achievement) and best wishes for the future.

What organizations help sustain you in your writing?