June 2026 Meeting Information

 

Join us Saturday, June 20, 2026, 11am

La Hacienda Ranch Restaurant in Colleyville for

for LeAnn Robinson presenting

Visualizing Your World

What can you do to make your work more vivid and detailed?

We all want to create vivid descriptions in our writing. We want our readers to "see" the scene we're laying out. But how well are we succeeding? More importantly, how can we get better? New studies have revealed a surprising secret about why it's so hard. We will discuss ways to overcome our blocks so we can create settings, characters, and worlds that pop off the page.

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About LeAnn

LeAnn's writing career began in the fourth grade, when she sold her first book, a hand-drawn, hand-lettered edition, on folded 8 1/2 by 5 1/2" paper for ten cents. Then there was a large lull while she worked a day job and studied the writing craft. Her introduction to romance was an old Georgette Heyer book, but now she enjoys books that are a little steamier!

2026 CRCA Winners

 

Congratulations to all the Winners

of the 2026

Carolyn Readers Choice Award Contest

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CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: LOW HEAT

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CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: MID/HIGH HEAT

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HISTORICAL ROMANCE

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INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE

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ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

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SPECIALIZED ROMANCE

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WOMEN'S FICTION

 

May 2026 Meeting Information

 

Join us Saturday, May 16, 2026, 11am

via ZOOM for

Marcus Barton presenting

a combo presentation

From Manuscript to Audiobook

and

The Human Touch:
Why Voice Actors Outshine AI in Audiobooks

Marcus's presentation serves as a dual-purpose guide for authors, detailing both the practical steps to producing an audiobook and the artistic argument for using human narrators. He'll outline the process of bringing a book to market, starting with finalizing the manuscript and preparing a narration-friendly script.

He'll speak to choosing between self-narration and hiring professionals through platforms like ACX or Findaway Voices. He'll compare distribution strategies—exclusive deals with Audible for higher royalties versus wide distribution for broader reach—and offer marketing tips such as leveraging promo codes and partnering with influencers.

And Marcus will also argue strongly for the "human touch" over AI in audiobook narration. While acknowledging that AI offers speed and cost efficiency, Marcus emphasizes that human actors provide superior emotional depth, character differentiation, and storytelling artistry that AI currently lacks.

Human narrators can adapt intuitively to context and direction, whereas AI often struggles with pronunciation, nuance, and delivering a "soulful" performance, offering a more immersive experience for listeners.

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Marcus Barton is a Texas-based voice actor and audiobook narrator known for his deep, resonant, and authoritative voice. A retired combat veteran originally from Missouri, Marcus has established himself in the voice-over industry while also maintaining a career as a high school teacher.

 

2026 Carolyn Contest Finalists

 

Congrats to the 2026 CRCA Finalists!
Best of Luck in the Final Round

 

 

North Texas Two Step Conference 2026

 

For all the details click here.

Join us Saturday, April 11, 2026,

for an all-day conference featuring

AMANDA ARISTA

 

Amanda will be presenting three workshops, two short and one long:

The WRITE Stuff: Tools for prewriting through editing to the right words (@ 4 hours)

Most writers have had that moment when they realize they made a left in their manuscript ages ago and might have to chunk thousands of words and precious hours. But what if there was a way to help your brain build a train-track before the story really got chugging.

Amanda will teach you focusing tools from pre-writing all the way to editing to make sure that your words are all chugging in the same direction. Using brain patterns and tested methods, she will help you get the right words on the page and them polish them up.

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Why These Monkeys: Strengthening Heroines and Villains in Women’s Fiction (1-2 hours)

Readers want real, bruised women who shake it off and get back up. They want situations that are tough but relatable. Readers want stumbling, but the grace to keep on walking. It is a balancing act between traumatized and unscathed, between faking it and making it.

During this workshop, Amanda will walk you through her tried and true tips to help amp up the heroine’s character arc, create a logical character wound, and help define the meatier areas to explore in woman’s fiction heroines. To oppose that, she will take you through the strengths your antagonist will need to have and how to create sympathy in both.

and

Down and Dirty Character Development (@ 1 hour)

Why spend months developing a character only to find that it's the wrong character for the story you want to tell? Using this boiled-down amalgamation of three top screenwriting teachers, Amanda will show you how to create a character that will leap off the page with their own backstory, voice, and deep connection to the story you want to tell.

 

March 2025 Meeting Information

 

Join us Saturday, March 21, 2026, 11am

La Hacienda Ranch Restaurant in Colleyville for

Dawn Alexander presenting

Beyond the Bedroom:

Using Physical and Emotional Intimacy

to Create Authentic Character Relationships

Creating authentic character relationships is essential in every genre—whether you're crafting a swoon-worthy romance, developing a fierce rivalry, or building a deep friendship. In this workshop, we'll explore how to layer both physical and emotional intimacy from first glance to Happily Ever After. You'll leave with a clear guide for developing believable relationships that resonate with readers and intensify the emotional engagement of your story.

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Dawn Alexander is a developmental editor and story coach who collaborates with both emerging writers and accomplished authors to strengthen their stories and refine their voices. Her clients have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, as well as the Amazon Top 100.

Leveraging her two decades of experience in education, she designs and teaches writing courses that offer comprehensive insights and practical strategies that can be applied across genres to create compelling plots and authentic characters.

She's been a featured speaker at Inkers Con, Pike’s Peak Writers Conference, and local writing chapters, in addition to providing one-on-one coaching to numerous successful authors.

When she's not analyzing plot structures or crafting characters, you can find her spending time with her two college-age kids or off-roading in her Jeep Wrangler with her husband and their dog, Teddy.

 

 

Carolyn Contest Now Closed

And we are no longer accepting judge applications.