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Monthly Chapter Meetings

The Dallas Area Romance Authors meets on the fourth Saturday of each month, January to October. An annual holiday celebration is held the first Saturday of December. (No meeting in November due to Thanksgiving.)

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DARA meets on Zoom, and during the quarter months (March, June, September, & December), we meet in-person. In-Person meetings are also broadcasted on Zoom. 

 

Agenda:

  • 9:00am CST: Members log in with a half-hour social time.

  • 9:30am CST: Business meeting begins, followed by a Rose Presentation for our authors who have published that month, and member announcements.

  • 10am CST: The speaker/workshop begins. Our speakers present a variety of workshops from craft, marketing, audiobooks, publishing (indie & traditional), to the life of a writer.

  • 11am CST: The meeting adjourns.​

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Meeting Policy

DARA's policy for guests has changed. Non-members are invited to attend our meetings for a $5.00 attendance fee. The fee includes the speaker recording. You are required to register for the meeting. Click the button to register, pay the fee, and receive the Zoom link in your email.

 

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January 24, 2026

Find Success With Indie Publishing

Mark Leslie Lefebvre from Draft2Digital offers his career experience as a publishing industry insider to share some best practices for authors looking to find success through indie publishing.

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Learn more about Draft2Digital at https://draft2digital.com/

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February 28, 2026

Copyright in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Dr. C. Daniel Miller explores the intersection of AI and intellectual property through real-world case studies.

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​Learn more about Dr. Miller at https://thecopyrightdetective.com/

March 28, 2026

Using Character Themed Words to Power Up Your Manuscript

Elizabeth Essex will explain different ways to bring character out of the author's head and vividly to life on the page.

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Learn more about Elizabeth Essex at https://www.elizabethessex.com/

April 25, 2026

Fast Starts - How To Hook Your Reader

​Kris Bock will help you understand the promises your first chapter makes, so you promise what you deliver and deliver what you promise.

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Learn more about Kris Bock at https://chrisebock.com and https://www.krisbock.com​

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May 23, 2026

TBD

​TBA

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June 27, 2026

Guide to Being a Professional Writer & Nerd

Author, Psychologist, and lifelong nerd Alex Langley presents a guide to writing gooder, making sentences purty, and staying, like, you know, focused and determined or whatever.

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July 25, 2026

Telling Your Story: Introduction to Websites, Newsletters, & Blogs

​Lisa Rabey will introduce you to the world of websites, newsletters, and blogs in easy-to-understand terms and relatable examples.

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Learn more about Lisa Rabey at https://nerdgirl.net and https://lisarabey.com

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August 22, 2026

Properly Writing and Structuring Your Novel

Bestselling and award winning author, Aaron Ryan, will explain how to write a book well and prepare for publishing.​

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Learn more about Aaron Ryan at https://authoraaronryan.com/

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September 26, 2026

TBD

​TBA

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October 24, 2026

The "W" Plot...or The Other White Meat for Plotters

Join bestselling contemporary and romantic suspense author Karen Docter as she shares the “W” plotting technique she's taught to hundreds of authors for more than 25 years.​

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Learn more about Karen Docter at ​https://www.karendocter.com

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December XX, 2026

DARA's Annual Holiday Party

DARA does not meet in November. The annual Holiday Party will be scheduled the first or second Saturday in December. When we have a speaker and location booked, the information will be posted here. â€‹

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