Michael La Ronn is the author of over 80 science fiction and fantasy novels and self-help books for writers. His books include The Good Necromancer series, The Last Dragon Lord series, and the Android X series, to name just a few. His writing is about heroes rising up against incredible odds to be the best possible versions of themselves.
Michael devoted himself to the writing life in 2012 after a near-death experience with a deadly illness. Realizing that life was too short to die without pursuing his passions, he dedicated himself to being an industry-savvy author, marketer, and entrepreneur.
When he’s not writing novels, Michael runs the popular YouTube channel, Author Level Up, where he publishes weekly advice videos for writers. Author Level Up has over 40,000 subscribers and nearly 2 million lifetime views.
To give back to the community that has given so much to him, Michael also serves on the staff of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) as their Outreach Manager. ALLi is a nonprofit for self-published writers whose mission is ethics and excellence in self-publishing. He co-hosts the AskALLi Member Q & A Podcase where he answers new writers’ most burning questions about self-publishing.
Michael is a dynamic public speaker and is an expert on productivity, writing business & craft. His main focus is writing the best books he can and helping other writers to do the same.
Michael was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and is a proud St. Louisan. He currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife and daughter.
You can find his fiction at https://www.michaellaronn.com and videos and books for writers at https://authorlevelup.com.
23
You’re invited to join the Dallas Area Romance Authors for our hybrid Holiday Breakfast & Passing of the Gavel. Our guest speaker is best-selling author Cassie McLaughlin, speaking about "We Duet Better Together: Successfully Coauthoring a Book."
We will gather in person on Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 9 am to noon. Our in-person meeting will be at the Dallas College Mountain View Campus, Building B, Room 149, 4849 W Illinois Ave, Dallas, Texas, 75211.
Check-in starts at 9 am, with a full breakfast at 9:30. This catered buffet includes chicken, waffles and other yummy goodies. We’ll have our annual turnover meeting at 10. If you'd prefer, you can join us in our regular Zoom room, starting at 10 am with the business meeting. Zoom details are below. Everyone is asked to RSVP via Evite at http://evite.me/BWdn1bWvx5.
Please RSVP so we can plan correctly for breakfast. Also RSVP if you're attending virtually. Just write a note that you're going to be virtual.
DARA members attend for free, and guests are $10.
The DARA tradition of a holiday raffle continues, with many great items being donated by our members. If you’d like to donate a basket or item to the raffle, please contact Janet at janetleighbooks@gmail.com. You can bring your item to the meeting.
Invite your friends! The More the Merrier!
About CaSandra McLaughlin A native of Marshall, Texas, Cassie is a national best-selling author and motivational speaker. She wrote, directed, and produced her first movie, Deacon Brown's Daughter, based on the book she co-authored with Michelle Stimpson. Cassie is also a songwriter, and her song “I’m Free” is featured in the movie. In 2019, Deacon Brown’s Daughters won Best Featured Fiilm at the Capital City Film Festival. CaSandra is also an advocate for domestic violence awareness. In 2016, she wrote and produced a play, Don't Love Me to Death, to take a stand against domestic violence, and she has also penned a book about her own domestic violence experience. Cassie is married to Richard, with a beautiful daughter Chloe, and an amazing granddaughter Nova.
Visit Cassie online at https://www.casandramclaughlin.com/.
If you’re writing fiction, chances are a legal thread runs through your story. On screen or on the page, legal issues are often central to plots and backstory.
In mysteries and thrillers, past crimes may surface with present ramifications. Law enforcement officers and P.I.s need to know what’s legal and what isn’t. Amateur sleuths—the chef, gardener, or librarian—may start digging because they fear police won’t investigate or will nab the wrong suspect.
The law figures in mainstream and literary novels, too. And legal plots don’t require a crime. With a good storyteller, civil law can be gripping. Think of the possibilities in adoption (Jacquelyn Mitchard’s A Theory of Relativity; Ann Patchett’s Run), inheritance (Dickens’ Bleak House), even insurance (Double Indemnity, Billy Wilder’s movie based on James M. Cain’s novella).
But the law can be confusing, too. It changes constantly, and varies from state to state. Information and misinformation abound. Plus most of us, thank goodness, live happy lives without facing serious legal trouble. What follows is one lawyer-novelist’s list of common mistakes—and tips on avoiding them.
Everyone is invited to join us on May 28 to hear Leslie Budewitz explain the mistakes authors make when writing about the law. Join us for a short social time at 9 am central time, followed by a brief business meeting at 9:30 am. Our speaker starts about 10 am.
DARA meetings are held the fourth Saturday of each month from January to October. We're currently meeting on Zoom -- to get an invite to the Zoom room, please contact our Membership Chair, Priya Ardis, at info@dallasarearomanceauthors.com.
About Leslie Budewitz
Leslie Budewitz blends her passion for food, great mysteries, and the Northwest in two cozy mystery series, the Spice Shop mysteries set in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village mysteries, set in NW Montana. She’ll make her suspense debut with BITTERROOT LAKE, written as Alicia Beckman, in April 2021. A three-time Agatha-Award winner (2011, Best Nonfiction; 2013, Best First Novel; 2018, Best Short Story), she is a past president of Sisters in Crime and a current board member of Mystery Writers of America. She lives and cooks in NW Montana.
Suspense Magazine calls her books “pure enjoyment.” Library Journal reviewer Lesa Holstine calls them “a treat for the senses.”
