Los Angeles Romance Authors

Promoting Excellence in Romantic Fiction

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Meetings

Events

Welcome Romance Writers!

 

We look forward to meeting you!

LARA RWA meetings are held via Zoom until we are cleared by the State of California for group gatherings. All info here.

Visitors and Guests: your first meeting is free!

LARA Mission Statement


The purpose of LARA is to promote excellence in romantic fiction, to help our writers enhance their knowledge and establish career goals, and to provide continuing support and encouragement for our members through all levels of their careers.

Upcoming Meetings

October 19, 2025

Pre-Meeting: PAC Meet Up

Speaker: Miranda Darrow

Topic: Sasquatch, Nessie, and Moth Man, Oh My! Writing about Cryptids

What story couldn't benefit from a Sasquatch sighting? We'll talk about what cryptids are, what they're not, and how fiction authors can use these local legends in their stories. Miranda Darrow will talk about some recent creature feature titles, with writing tips, common themes and tropes, for writing about Sasquatch, Nessie, and other creatures of local lore. This isn’t high fantasy creatures, but instead those alleged to walk among us on earth. We talk about setting, themes, tropes, and writing tips for writing stories with these fun features, with a special focus on romances with cryptid characters or subplots.

 Learn more about Miranda here: https://www.mirandadarrow.com/

 

 

November 16, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Quick Win Workshop

Speaker: Anne Rachelle

Topic: Bootstrapping a Book Tour

Workshop Description TBD

December 15, 2025

Debut Author Panel & End of Year Party

RSVP goes LIVE November 1, 2025!

 

 

January 19, 2025

LARA Member Check-In

February 16, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Meet & Greet, Board Meeting

Speaker: Sheila Redling and Tobi Doyle

Topic: Corralling your Characters

Are your side characters running amok? Have they taken over the storyline like a bunch of sugared-up second graders? Is your main character frozen in place, refusing to do your bidding? Or worse, have they become boring? Sheila and Tobi will help you regain control of your narrative and get your characters back into place by figuring out roles, motivations, and goals. Mary Sues must die!

Find out more about IGW here: StoryMagicCards.com and AskIGW.com

March 16, 2025

Pre-Meeting: LARA Board Meeting

Speaker: Dr. Christina E. Stephens

Topic: Empowering Authors Today

Unlock success through words and creativity in a competitive marketplace.

Biography:

Dr. Christina E. Stephens has been a leader in the strategic growth of companies for over 20 years. Her experience working for international organizations such as Darden Restaurants, Walt Disney World Resort, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and Marriott International laid the foundations of a skillset which has equipped her to help businesses of all sizes and from all industries around the world. Dr. Stephens has earned her dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Management of Information Systems and Business Management with a specialty in Hospitality. She also has a Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication and recently completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Digital and Strategic Communication with a focus on Organizational Communication. Christina is also a published author of a children’s book titled “Up the Forest Stream – Achievement-Based Conversations.” Her key industry skills are Team and Talent Development, Leadership, Finance and Budgeting, International Hospitality Operations, and Brand Strategy.

Find out more about Dr. Stephens:

 

April 20, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Quick Win Workshop

Speaker: Gail Chianese

Topic: Selling Direct

Workshop Description TBD

 

May 18, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Quick Win Workshop

Speaker: TBD

Topic: TBD

Workshop Description TBD

 

June 8, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Quick Win Workshop

Speaker: Judi Fennell

Topic: Look Who’s Talking

Characterization and Point of View go together like peanut butter and chocolate—bet you thought I was going to say peanut butter and jelly, but chocolate is better than jelly any day. It’s sharing those little details about your characters that bring them to life for your readers, as is the way they think and speak and act.

In this workshop, we’ll explore how well you know your characters and how much you should share with your readers, as well as how you share it. We’ll talk about point of view and deep point of view. We’ll talk about what they should and shouldn’t narrate—and how they should and shouldn’t narrate it. We’ll talk about what they can and can’t know. We’ll talk about how to build conflict from personality types and we’ll talk about when to info-dump and when not to.

Basically, we’ll talk. Just like your characters will then be able to, to each other and to your readers.

 

July 20, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Writing Sprints

Speaker: Kate Hall

Topic: Unfuck Your TikTok Strategy


I will help you improve your TikTok strategy and give you a greater understanding of short-form video as a whole.

 

August 17, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Quick Win Workshop

Speaker: Beth Atwater

Topic: Romance in Libraries. What now?

Wondering how to get your book into library patrons’ hands? This workshop will review the road from publisher to libraries for both print and digital materials. There will also be a FAQ handout and ample time to ask how libraries make decisions about which books to purchase. 

Beth Atwater is a lifelong romance reader and an award-winning librarian who specializes in Collection Development (or buying books). When she's not spending tax money on library books, she can be found teaching continuing education classes, reading, or binge-watching just about any series with a central romance.

September 21, 2025

Pre-Meeting: Virtual Check-In

Speaker: LARA Board

Topic: Updates & Election; Open Forum

 

 

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