Taking Risks, Reaping Rewards—RPLA Showcase: Tricia Pimental

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Writing is a risky venture. We expose part of ourselves with each story and must swallow our fear when sending our work out into the world. But with great risk can come great reward. Tricia Pimental has taken many risks with her writing: sharing personal information, tackling tricky subject matter, and submitting her work to contests. One of those contests she entered has paid off for her again. Tricia took home her fifth Royal Palm Literary Award, this one for … Read More »

The Union of Writing and Psychology—RPLA Showcase: Loren Leith

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What is leveling behavior? A Bachelors in English and a Masters in Psychology have given Loren Leith the background to create stories featuring specific behaviors written in crisp prose. Her piece Basement Level includes not only the basement as a metaphor, but also a depiction of “leveling behavior” that traps her characters. It won First Place for Unpublished Short Creative Nonfiction in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Loren talks about the effects of behavior, writing routines, and the importance … Read More »

“Freedom in Pushing a Character Deeper” RPLA Showcase: Joan North

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Creating deep characterization in a novella length is no common skill. Joan North first dove deep when she penned her memoir and explored the layers of her own character. She combines the skill of crafting complex characters with her ability to write a tight story to create masterful novellas. Her most recent one, Under the Surface, won First Place for Unpublished Novella in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Joan talks character, the mind, and digging deep on this week’s … Read More »

“Overnight Fiction Success…in 30 Years” RPLA Showcase: Sharon Buchbinder

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Mixing the elements of a romance and a thriller is no easy task, but Sharon Buchbinder demonstrates how to craft a page-turning romantic suspense. She would know after having penned eight of them. One of those books, the second in her Hotel LaBelle series, Legacy of Evil, is a prime example of intrigue, passion, and spot-on pacing. It won First Place for Published Romance in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Sharon discusses working toward success and making a good … Read More »

“Flash Fiction Calls to Me” RPLA Showcase: Joan J. Harris

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It takes true skill to immerse a reader fully into a piece while using few words. Flash fiction requires a combination of tight prose and deliberate word choice to make less than 1,000 words pack a punch. Joan J. Harris is one of those masterful wordsmiths who can turn a short piece of work into something truly wonderful. Her piece, Scheduled Delivery, is evidence of her skill. It won First Place Unpublished Flash Fiction in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary … Read More »

“Southerners Are Born Storytellers” RPLA Showcase: Bette Lee Crosby

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Career writer Bette Lee Crosby knows a thing or two about telling stories in the South. After all, three of her eighteen novels have hit the USA Today bestseller list. Telling great stories while serving great food is a Southern tradition. Bette taps into her regional roots to enthrall readers with her characters. And one very special canine character took the stage in The Summer of New Beginnings, the First Place winner for Women’s Fiction in the 2018 Royal Palm … Read More »

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