Our meetings are held the third Saturday of each month, with the exception of our December Christmas party. Locations are at various metro libraries and are announced a month or so ahead of the meeting date.

 

2025 Programs…

 

Feb 15 Jon Minton - Cybercrime in Fiction - Meeting Room A at Belle Isle Library

 

"Cybercrime in Fiction" will go over the rise in cybercrime and how technology is as integral to criminal activities as any business. The program will cover some attention-grabbing headlines that should showcase exciting opportunities to weave cybercrime and technology into all genres and explain why it's necessary in any contemporary piece. Most importantly it'll try to alleviate some fears around technology and show that much of cybercrime doesn't revolve around "hacking" tools but old-school social engineering and manipulation.

 

Jon Minton is a speculative fiction writer who’s been published in CommuterLit and contributed to several of the Friday the 13th anthologies. He has over twenty years of software development experience and his non-fiction work has been published in Transitions Research. He's maintained commercial websites that secure personal accounts, financial information, and HIPAA compliant data. He actively worked with CISA, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, to run hacking exercises to test for vulnerabilities on the websites he’s created.

 

March 15 - PAFO (Promote Around and Find Out) Meeting Room D Edmond Library

 

We’ll have an interactive, hands-on marketing/promo session where we can share tips and actually set up a promo schedule/plan, update or set up social media accounts and our Amazon author pages, find ways to gain exposure and followers, etc. Bring your laptops!

 

April 19 - Rene Gutteridge (Tentatively at Southern Oaks Library) Story Logic - Learning it and Applying it.

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Great stories don’t just happen—they make sense. Whether you’re writing a novel, a screenplay, or a short story, story logic is what keeps your audience immersed. In this workshop, we’ll break down the core elements of story logic—cause and effect, character motivation, internal consistency, and world rules—explaining how they shape a compelling narrative. You’ll learn how to spot (and fix) plot holes, strengthen cause-and-effect chains, and ensure every moment in your story feels natural, inevitable, and deeply satisfying. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned writer, this workshop will help you tighten your storytelling and keep readers hooked from start to finish!

 

Rene Gutteridge has been writing professionally for over twenty years, with diversified expertise in fiction, non-fiction, comedy sketches, novelizations and screenwriting. She is the multi-genre author of 24 novels plus several non-fiction titles. Her indie film SKID won deadCenter’s Best Oklahoma Feature in 2015, and in 2016 her novel My Life as a Doormat was adapted into the Hallmark movie Love’s Complicated. She is co-writer on the feature film Family Camp, a Movieguide award winner and a Dove Award nominee for 2023. She is also a Screencraft finalist in true-crime. Rene is co-director of WriterCon in Oklahoma City, senior contributor at Writing Momentum and is the head writer at Skit Guys Studios. Find out more at ReneGutteridge.com.

 

May 17 - Plottr Software for Writing with Cameron Sutter (Tentatively at Edmond Library)

 

Sutter is a YA sci-fi/fantasy author, and software developer. In this interactive session Sutter will demonstrate how seeing a story visually changes the process for writing a book. He will provide examples of how Plottr’s templates can unlock an easier mode for writing.

 

June 21 - Promoting Your Books on Podcasts with Jay Hall (Southern Oaks Library Tentatively)

 

Most authors didn't sign up to be marketing experts, but that's what we've had to become in the current publishing landscape. In this interactive session, you'll learn about using podcast appearances to promote your book to listeners all over the world. We'll walk through pitching to podcasters and everything you need to know about appearing on podcasts to give you a new set of tools for your marketing toolkit.

 

J Hall is an author, educator, and podcaster. Since 2021, J has hosted and produced the Okie Bookcast, a podcast dedicated to connecting curious readers with their next great read through interviewing authors and storytellers connected to Oklahoma. J is also a regular podcast guest, talking about everything from books to pop culture to fatherhood and more. In 2023, J released his first book - God Help Me! I’m a Young Dad: 10 Essentials for Becoming the Dad Your Kids Need - which highlights ten important characteristics every dad needs and provides practical tips for developing these both in their lives and the lives of their children. In March, J released his second book - College Unpacked: A Practical Guide to Choosing, Preparing For, and Excelling in College - which walks students and their families through every step along the college journey.

 

July 19 - Expanding the Modern Female Archetype with Kit McKenna and Brooke Taylor (Edmond or Downtown Library)

 

Flipping feminine roles & turning typical tropes for women on their heads for a fresh narrative and unique perspective. In this workshop, we’re going to focus on how to make your female characters stronger and more integral to the plot. Hint- it isn’t how you might think. Tired of the typical female tropes like the damsel in distress, the innocent ingenue, and even the feisty firecracker? We’re going to turn these tropes on their head. Think the only option for your female main character is to be pure of heart, mind, and body? Think again. Having trouble making strong female characters likeable and/or realistic? We’ll show you how to give sharp characters soft edges.

 

Kit McKenna writes romance with a slice of danger blended with strong, seasoned women and steamed to perfection set against the backdrop of Oklahoma. Kit is a born and raised Oklahoma gal who has lived here her whole life except for a brief detour to look at the mountains for a while. She is an artist and free spirit who loves roaming around in the woods and finds great joy in the unusually and sometimes darkly beautiful. Kit has worn a lot of hats in her life, a server, a factory worker, nightclub manager, office administrator, state drone, and business owner. A bit of a dichotomy, she loves all things positivity and light but still loves to play in the dark. Her favorite book offerings range from authors like Eckhart Tolle to Stephen King. Her favorite movies are horror and holiday is Samhain (Halloween) but she still loves a good romance. She’s a huge sucker for a story where the underdog comes out on top. If the bar doesn’t have a good cider, she’ll opt for a fine whisky. She comes to writing later in life after tiring of reading books that seem to only focus on perfect, perky, barely legal heroines. Her stories are about real people who have their own demons, drama, and challenges to overcome.

 

Brooke Taylor is an award-winning author of daring Romantic Suspense novels filled with sizzling chemistry and adventurous locales. Audiences will be on the edge of their seats as they fall hard for her beautifully flawed heroes and heroines. Brooke’s stories inspire her readers to live life to the fullest and to love without limits. Brooke has worked extensively in the travel industry, from dude ranches to ski resorts to cruise lines. Her many overseas adventures include skydiving in New Zealand, scuba diving with sharks, sailing through hurricanes, and having her tent attacked by wild animals in the Mara game reserve in Kenya. These days Brooke lets her characters do most of the risk-taking. Brooke has been previously published in Young Adult. Her novel UNDONE (Bloomsbury) made the ALA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, was nominated for ALA’s Best Books, and was a finalist for the National Reader’s Choice Award.

 

August 16 - OKCPD Homicide Investigator Sherrica Buckingham (Downtown Library Tentatively)

 

September 19-21- retreat - For non-members, the fee to attend the retreat is $75.00, which includes your food. For members the retreat is free unless you spend the night. Members and non-members, the fee for overnight stay is $50 per night. Pay your deposit of $50 to reserve a room for overnight accommodations – More details to come

 

AirBnB in OKC

 

October 18 - Monster Contest (Only Members May Enter) - We will announce and read aloud the winners of the contest. Potentially there will also be a program. TBD.

 

Romancing the Monster contest!

 

As part of our October meeting, members are invited to enter our Romancing the Monster contest.

 

Write a 500 to 1,000 word romance story with a movie or literary monster, villain, creature or famous murderer as the hero or heroine. (the 'monster' must be a love interest)

 

Submit to me at Alicia@AliciaDean.com by September 27, 2025. Send as an email attachment with your name and the title of the story in the body of the email. NO NAMES ON THE DOCUMENT PLEASE, only titles. The subject of the email needs to be: Romancing the Monster Entry.

 

These do not need to be an entire story, just a scene, as if it were plucked out of a story. Or it can be a complete mini story. They do not need to be love scenes, they can just be a 'connection' scene, as long as there is a romance/attraction.

 

****!!!! The monster MUST be either the hero or heroine of the story AND the scene MUST be romantic in nature

 

You do not have to be at the meeting to win/place, but by entering, you are giving permission to have your story possibly read aloud at the meeting and shared with the group.

 

Rather than general creatures like vampire, shifter, ghost, etc, we want scenes with specific monsters/creatures.

• Deadline: September 27, 2025

• Email an attached Word Doc to me at Alicia@AliciaDean.com

• Subject of Email: Romancing the Monster Entry• 500 to 1,000 words

• Prizes: This FABULOUS Trophy for each place AND: 1st Place: $20 Amazon Gift Card, 2nd Place: $15 Amazon Gift Card, 3rd Place: $10 Amazon Gift card

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November 15 - Lou Berney Writing crime fiction — character woven through character.

 

Lou Berney is the USA Today best-selling author of seven novels, including, most recently, Double Barrel Bluff, Dark Ride, and November Road. He has been awarded the Edgar, Hammett, Barry, and Anthony awards, and is a three-time finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize. He teaches at Oklahoma City University.

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December 13 - Christmas party (Members Only) (Location TBD)