What we’re about
We're a support network for Houston independent authors to socialize and gain insights into the business and marketing aspects of indie publishing. We're not focused on any one genre or way to write, and we welcome indie, trad, and hybrid authors at any stage of their career.
Though our focus is primarily social, our monthly meetup will include an education portion with professional speakers (marketers, editors, book designers, other authors with strategy insights, etc.).
Upcoming events (3)
See all- Writers Lunch: The Arcane--Tech and Magic (Part II of III)Link visible for attendees
Creativity knows no bounds when it comes to science and magic in fiction. Science fiction and fantasy authors use magic and technology to build unbelievable worlds and superhuman characters, or even to make a point about society or human nature. Whether used as a set dressing or plot device, “hard” or soft”, the empirical and the arcane are generally considered to be separate and distinct. Science is not magic, and vice versa. But the growing sci-fantasy genre wields an amalgam of science and magic to great effect, its authors stretching their creativity further than ever before. After all, according to Arthur C. Clarke’s third law: “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Join science fiction and fantasy author A.P. Hawkins for the second in a three-part Writers Lunch series dedicated to celebrating the magic and technology of science fiction and fantasy. This month, we're focusing on The Arcane - magic and the various ways you can use it to serve your story.
About Our Host
Anna (she/her) is our world-building goddess. Her degrees in both biology and marine biology have given her an extensive understanding of niches, habitats, and circles of life. Her background in biology has given her unparalleled skill at helping writers get the details of their complex, immersive alien worlds onto the page, without excessive info dumping. Check out her blog post on “incluing” for some tips and tricks!
Anna has nearly a decade of editing experience transforming complex information into concise and engaging text for writers in multiple fields. This has allowed her to hone her line-editing skills for many types of readers. She has a keen eye for details in story elements like character arcs and pacing as well as on the line level for grammatical and spelling errors.
When she’s not editing, Anna writes stories that deal with disillusionment with institutions and characters who sometimes become the same kind of monster they rebelled against. You can find her work in Analog Science Fiction and Fact and several small press anthologies.
If your setting is just as integral to the story as your characters, Anna is uniquely qualified to assist you. - Ask the Editor Hour with Tomeworks: Writing Holiday FictionLink visible for attendees
Arnold Zwicky coined the term zombie rules to describe grammatical directives that aren't actually rules but still sneak into people's understanding of the English language. Don't end a sentence with a preposition. "They" cannot be singular. You cannot split an infinitive. All bunkum.
This month, we'll discuss some of the common and not-so-common untrue "rules" we've come across in our years as copyeditors. We'll also talk about a few obscure rules that are real but people don't often know.
Come across a rule that sounds daffy and want to ask the experts about it? Join our Discord Server here: https://discord.gg/kTJqhFe776. Questions asked in our Discord or by our Patreon members are given priority.
- Writers Lunch: Writing Bad PoetryLink visible for attendees
Have you ever wanted to write poetry but have absolutely no idea where to start? We get it; words are hard, but poetry is a fun and rewarding practice that can pay dividends in your prose as well. Join Tomeworks editor Daphne Strasert for a fun workshop that will get you on the right track to crafting your own poetry. Don’t worry about if it’s any good, we’re all going to make bad poetry together!
About Our Host
Daphne (she/her) is an intuitive editor who has her finger on the pulse of what gets a reader’s heart pumping. A lover of both horror and romance, Daphne has a unique command of how to pull a reader in close and play on their emotions. Her degree in psychology and years of working as a slush reader for Horror Addicts have given her an exceptional foundation on developing the human elements of storytelling and craft in her editing. She excels at molding dramatic scenes to the perfect level of spice, detail, and emotional vulnerability for your ideal reader.
In her spare time, Daphne writes horror with a focus on the lived experiences of women and scifi/romance with themes of toppling the patriarchy. You can find her work at On the Premises and in anthologies such as Bigfoot Country and Dark Divinations.
If you want to make your reader shiver with anticipation in your Erotica, Romance, Horror, Paranormal Mystery, or other visceral genres, Daphne is the editor for you.
