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Linda Barrett

Linda Barrett

Linda Barrett

Starting Over ~ Friends and Writers Celebrate!

“That’s what friends are for…”   Celebrate copy

Can you hear Dionne Warwick’s voice in your head?  In good times, in bad times…at all times, and at all ages and stages of life, I find myself making new friends while maintaining the old. New folks enter into our lives at work or in our neighborhood, in a classroom or when pursuing a common dream. In my case, in pursuit of the writing dream.

I received “the call” in May 2000. A phone call from an editor with an offer to buy my manuscript, Love, Money and Amanda Shaw, which turned out to be my very first published work.  After talking to me about the manuscript, my new editor’s next big question was, “Are you attending Romance Writers of America’s conference in Washington D.C. this summer?”  This particular conference is the big kahuna of conferences for those of us pursuing a professional career in the romance genre.

“I hadn’t planned on it,” I replied, “but I will now!”  When I hung up the phone, I bought a ticket–in fact, two tickets–to D.C. Mike wanted to go, and my son drove down from NY to meet us at the hotel. A great idea. He kept my dh busy the entire time I was busy.

One year earlier, author Debra Salonen received the call from the same

Deb Salonen Yoga, anyone?

Deb Salonen
Yoga, anyone?

publisher, in fact, from the same editor who’d made an offer to buy her manuscript. Debra accepted, and this conference was Deb’s first one, too. We both wrote for the Harlequin Superromance line and met each other in person through our mutual editor. I have a picture of us together that summer under which I wrote: Debra Salonen, a new friend who also writes for Superromance. She’s 2 books ahead of me! 

BLMPhotoLinda

Barbara McMahon

From that conference and others, I met Barbara McMahon, Karen Sandler and Rogenna Brewer – all creating stories not only for the Superromance line, but for other Harlequin imprints as well. We reconnected regularly at other RWA events. Some of us also joined Novelists, Inc. and attended their conferences, too. We talked business and had a lot of fun while doing it. And then came the Internet. Whee! Nothing can separate us now.

Karen Sandler

Karen Sandler

Rogenna Brewer

Rogenna Brewer

 

 

 

 

After more than ten years of friendship, it seemed natural for us to dive into some projects together when we decided to Indie authors. Now we write and publish books on our own. And thus, the Celebrate! anthology was born. I knew it would be a pleasure to work with these gals. And it was. Here’s what you need to know about this anthology:

TODAY is the release day!

Celebrate! Five heartwarming stories celebrating the sweet gift of romance on Mother’s Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas with five of your favorite authors: Linda Barrett, Rogenna Brewer, Barbara McMahon, Karen Sandler and Debra Salonen.

Celebrate! is available for $2.99 at all venues where electronic books are sold: Amazon, BN, Kobo, Smashwords.

These women have become more than simply writing friends. They have become friends of the heart. And I think that’s the secret for staving off loneliness throughout life. If your heart is open, new friends are invited in.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by. I hope to see you at the next edition of Starting Over.

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OCTOBER CONTEST:  Two winners in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Post a comment and your name will be entered into a drawing for two of the books shown below and a $25 gift certificate to either Amazon or BN.  Your choice!

[Authors Jean Brashear, Dee Davis and Day Leclaire are other friends I’ve made through the years. We’re all part of On Fire Fiction, a group of award winning authors who’ve come together to support each other–the way friends do! I’m happy to offer their books as prizes here.]

Texas Danger, Brashear

 

 

 

 

 

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ARe DEBRA SALONEN 7-1

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate copy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 thoughts on “Starting Over ~ Friends and Writers Celebrate!

  1. I have to tell you this week has been a crazy one.
    My son who graduated from college who couldn’t find a job is working 2 part time jobs and cut his hand this week working in the deli at our local grocery store. I have a friend who I’ve know since I was 5 my very first BFF now I’m 48 and we still keep in touch. My longest closest friend we meet in high school homeroom and her and I are aunts to each others childrens. She is honest with me and I know she has my back.
    I don’t want to think what my life would be like without my friends.

    • So sorry about your son. I hope his hand heals quickly and he can return to work. Yay for you and your friend and for a life filled with girlfriends. Have a “saner” week this one coming up.

      Linda

  2. Congratulations to you all! EVERYONE has lots to celebrate! I like that. Too many people find the glass half empty.
    I try to find things on a daily basis to “celebrate” or at least be grateful for. Today I had lunch with my 76-year-old girlfriend. She thanked me for sharing my time with “an old woman”, as she claims not many 54-year-olds would hang out with people around their parents’ ages. Truth be told, my parents would have been 94 and 96, but I understood what she was getting at. (Oops. I am ending WAY too many sentences with prepositions. Sorry about that!) My thought is that we are lucky to find friends in life to share things with (here I go again with the prepositions, jeepers), no matter what their ages, and what a blessing that we had this time together!
    Anyway, I hope you have lots of friends to help celebrate your many blessings in life. Please count me in that group.

    • I do count you in. Friends happen at all ages and stages. So glad you enjoyed that luncheon. More glad that your friend did, too. You made her happy. And don’t worry about the prepositions. Look how I started the last sentence with And. That was also a no-no. If grammar prohibits friendly communication, then it’s not worth worrying about. For official speeches and such, then worry. But not here 🙂

      Linda

  3. I will never forget that first luncheon with our editor and the senior editor of the line. (Although I can’t remember what I ate.) Can you say nervous?! But you and I immediately seemed like old friends reunited through chance.

    And, you’re right. This book was fun. Probably because Barbara did all the heavy lifting. LOL. Thank you, Ms. McMahon.

    Deb

  4. This is a most delightful post filled with treasures. Stories and authors whose books are to be cherished as is their friendship.

    • Hi Suzy – thanks for stopping by and congrats on the four years! Counting, counting…I guess we all keep track very closely. Wishing you a long lifespan and a full, happy life.

      Linda

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