So you want to be an author?
Each year the RSJ Book Lovers’ Conference, hosts an aspiring romance book author contest. The contest encourages writers to go after their dreams of being a published author. It also encourages diversity. Deanna McNeil, a once aspiring author, was the 1st place winner of RSJ Book Lovers’ Convention’s 2018 Leslie Esdaile Banks Aspiring Author Contest; Veronica Fields Johnson won 2019 and Jayna Briegh won 2020 and is currently in her mentorship with seasoned author Miriam Pace. Writing contestants do not have to attend the convention to win, but attending is often beneficial. As an attendee at the conference, Deanna also had the opportunity to pitch her story during the workshop festivities.
Deanna’s first place win earned her a mentorship with award-winning author Miriam Pace, who co-writes with Jacqueline Hamilton as J.M. Jeffries. Miriam is not just an author, she has also served as a creative writing junior college instructor in Southern California.
Aspiring authors should enter Romance Slam Jam’s writing contest!
The two worked for three months to hone Deanna’s story to completion. Miriam also recommended that she additionally participate at the Romance Writers of American convention (RWA). As a result of attending both the RSJ Book Lovers’ Conference and RWA, she decided to turn her book into a trilogy called The Moore Family Saga.
Congratulations, You’re a published author!
Deanna has since then written and published her first book, “Act I: Seed on Fire,” under the pen name Michele Sims. It is the first book in her 3 book Moore Family Saga Series and the prequel to the next book called Act II: Playing with Fire which was the story she submitted in the 2018 Aspiring Author Contest. Deanna, now better known as Michele Sims to her readers, has the entire series now available on Amazon.
Deanna had this to say about her experience as the winner of the Leslie Esdaile Banks Aspiring Author Contest at the RSJ Book Lovers’ Convention: “I highly recommend that any aspiring author enter the contest. They will find the process of working with a mentor rewarding. I extend my gratitude again to Romance Slam Jam for the opportunity to grow as a new author.”
Are you an aspiring romance book author wanting to be published?
Aspiring authors interested in submitting their story for a chance to win, can visit RSJ’s Aspiring Author Contest to enter annually.
