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OCRW Birthday Celebration

October 12, 2025 by in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as , ,

Many of us on this blog originated from OCRW, which once was called OCC. Today was the annual OCRW birthday celebration and it was fun to gather and celebrate the BBB winners, the BIAY celebrants, and those that earned roses.

There were baskets for raffle, a book cover contest, a speaker, potluck, and lots of catching up and fellowship.

I’ve been a member for over twelve years and I remember this meeting be a highlight every year. I don’t think this year was any less. Much kudos goes to our board and all the hard work behind the scenes to pull this off.

I thought I would share pictures I took. I wish I could’ve gotten a big group photo since there were many there you would all recognize (and some on zoom). It was nice to see familiar faces. The meeting was jam-packed full of lots of great things.

The Birthday Bash Itself

Here we are listening to our speaker of the day, the baskets for the raffle, and the food table.

Book Cover Contest

This year instead of large printed covers, it was all online. With a monitor to showcase them during the meeting. There were a large selection of covers to choose from with 5 different categories.

MOST ROMANTIC: Worth the Risk by Liz Durano

BUY IT NOW (Best Cover): What Happens At the Beach by Skye McDonald

SEXIEST COVER: Blue-Eyed Jacks by Calia Wilde

BEST TITLE AWARD: Where She Belongs by Liz Durano

BEST IN GENRE: A Slight Change of Plans by Denise M. Colby

Other OCRW Activities and Announcements

We have an active online book club that meets monthly for different topics. We also have Book in a year to encourage writers to finish their book. If you are interested in learning more about the Orange County Romance Writers group check out our website. (which we will be updating soon).

Book Buyers Best Contest Winners

Winners were announced during the meeting. My debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, placed in 3rd place in the Historical Romance category. Congratulations to all the winners.

It was a lovely day. I’ve been so blessed to be a part of this organization for so long and make lifelong writing friends here.

If you notice the vase of roses, it has been tradition as long as I’ve been here to receive a rose for published work. I remember sitting in my chair dreaming of the day I would receive a red rose (for traditionally published).

I’ve written about it in this blog post about my debut novel and all the firsts that came with it.

Now I have my first novella publishing in November and I’ll be receiving a white rose. I’m a little excited about that too. And now I realize I haven’t written about this book at all here on this blog.

My next published book releasing November 4, 2025

My novella No Plan At All releases November 4, 2025

Sometimes the best life is the one we never planned.

Sarah Anne Baker never wanted to be anyone’s burden. But hours after losing the Godmother who raised her, she faces an impossible choice: marry her late fiancé’s brother—or flee into the unknown. With fear as her only companion, she places her trust in the one man leaving town that night—the enigmatic traveling peddler known only as Mr. Smith.

Alexander Sinclair walked away from his noble title in Scotland to live a quiet, hidden life. Peddling wares from town to town has given him peace, free from the weight of expectation. Until a desperate young woman crosses his path. He can’t turn her away… no matter the cost.

Together, Sarah and Alex set out on a journey through loss, healing, and a bond neither expected to find. But as secrets surface and choices demand to be made, both must decide: cling to the lives they planned—or risk everything to embrace the future God has written for them.

A tender tale of courage, redemption, and love strong enough to change the course of two hearts forever.

You can preorder the e-book here on Amazon for $3.99

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When the world was black and white but the circus was a colorful place by Jina Bacarr

October 11, 2025 by in category circus, Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as , , , , ,

Hitler loved the circus.

According to classified reports uncovered after the war, the Fuehrer would sit in the front row of the circus and cheer on the performers he perceived to be ‘working class folks’ putting their lives on the line.

He loved the ‘woman in danger’ element in the acts, as my heroine Lia di Montieri discovers when she appears in a circus in Germany in the 1930s. I shan’t spoil the surprise, but we follow Lia’s career, her heartbreak over losing her baby, and how she makes a daring leap to join the Resistance to save Jewish children.

I’ve always been fascinated by circuses since I was a little girl. Especially the trapeze. We had a swing set in the backyard when I was growing up and I’d try every crazy trick I could think of, pretending I was flying under the big top, that I was ‘an angel without wings’ until one day the swing broke. Then we moved. As we did a lot in those days.

And so ended my circus dreams.

Finally, I can fly again! In my Boldwood Books upcoming WW2 novel about Occupied Paris and the circus.

‘The Stolen Children of War’ is…

The heartbreaking story of Lia di Montieri, Queen of the Flying Trapeze, who loses her own baby and risks her life to save innocent children from the Gestapo.

An adorable baby elephant named Bebe.

And lurking in the background is a serial killer preying on circus queens who threatens to destory what Lia holds most dear.

I wanted to write a story about circuses with a twist — there’s danger under the big top at every performance… lions, tigers… knife throwers… high wire walkers, trapeze artistes flying 100 mph from the flybar to the catcher, but what if there was also a killer watching their every move, ready to strike?

You’ll find all that and more at Le Cirque Casini!

It’s a psycological thriller with a mad doctor serial killer, beautiful circus queens in danger, heroes willing to die to protect them, baby animal ‘cuteness’, and ‘stolen children’ who will steal your heart.

Step right up, ladies and gents, and let’s go to the circus!

Now on NetGalley for all you book bloggers and reviewers.

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Tracy Reed: Our October Featured Author

October 1, 2025 by in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as , , , ,

A California native, novelist Tracy Reed pushes the boundaries of her Christian foundation with her sometimes racy and often fiery tales.

After years of living in the Big Apple, this self proclaimed New Yorker draws from the city’s imagination, intrigue, and inspiration to cultivate characters and plot lines who breathe life to the words on every page.

Tracy’s passion for beautiful fashion and beautiful men direct her vivid creative power towards not only novels, but short stories, poetry, and podcasts. With something for every attention span.

Tracy Reed’s ability to capture an audience is unmatched. Her body of work has been described as a host of stimulating adventures and invigorating expression.


Find Tracy on Social Media


Books by Tracy Reed

THE GOOD GIRL PART FOUR

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THE GOOD GIRL PART FOUR

THE GOOD GIRL PART FIVE

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THE GOOD GIRL PART FIVE

THE GOOD GIRL Part Trois

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THE GOOD GIRL Part Trois

THE FIX UP

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THE FIX UP

A SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN

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A SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN

MISS MATCH

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MISS MATCH

THE GOOD GIRL PART DEUX

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THE GOOD GIRL PART DEUX

WHAT MY FRIENDS NEED TO KNOW

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WHAT MY FRIENDS NEED TO KNOW

WHAT MY FRIENDS DON’T KNOW

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WHAT MY FRIENDS DON’T KNOW

GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

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GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

DESPERATE DESIRE

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DESPERATE DESIRE

INTENTIONAL CURSE

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INTENTIONAL CURSE

GENERATIONAL CURSE

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GENERATIONAL CURSE

UNEXPECTED LOVE

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UNEXPECTED LOVE
GOD’S BOMBSHELL: LIVING A BEAUTIFUL SINGLE LIFE

LOVE NOTES

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LOVE NOTES

FIRST ENCOUNTERS OF LOVE

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FIRST ENCOUNTERS OF LOVE

THE GOOD GIRL PART ONE

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THE GOOD GIRL PART ONE

THE NIGHT I FELL IN LOVE

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THE NIGHT I FELL IN LOVE

THE FLING

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THE FLING
TO L.A. WITH LOVE: A CHARITY ANTHOLOGY

To L. A. With Love Volume 3

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To L. A. With Love Volume 3

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Night Shift

September 30, 2025 by in category Quill and Moss by Dianna Sinovic, Writing tagged as , , ,

A crab shell on the riverbank marked the end of day. No crab inside, just the empty carapace and claws, bright objects against the darker sandy grit along the water. Jyr laid thin branches of hemlock around the shell, then watched the river current flickering where the setting sun touched the ripples.

Photo by Felipe Portella on Unsplash

She had gathered bare sticks and limbs to make a fire, but that was for after night dropped its curtain over the landscape. For now, she sat cross-legged on the bank, next to the shell, and waited.

Soon, the heron had told her. The change was approaching. Was she ready?

She’d asked, “Will I like it?” The heron had preened, offering nothing else.

With a weathered branch, Jyr drew shape after shape in the damp sand. Maybe the runic symbols Belna had taught her as a child would help hurry along whatever lay ahead. 

Six mallards swam past, their soft quacks of conversation weaving with the low rush of water over stones. A breeze from the northeast ruffled Jyr’s hair and brought the sharp scent of pine sap. Small rocks mixed with the finer sand pressed into Jyr’s bottom, forcing her to shift.

As the sun sank below the horizon, the river darkened. Instead of a fiery glint, the running water now reflected the spangle of stars emerging overhead.

And still Jyr waited, her stomach rumbling in a low growl. When?

As hard as she stared, nothing and no one appeared out of the night. Finally, a crab moved at the edge of the water, and with a quick stab she had it in her beak. Beak? Now standing, she lifted one leg and then the other, her knees bending backward, then she shook, feeling her feathers move and rearrange themselves. 

Another crab, another swallow. Jyr resumed her slow stalk along the bank, the memory of what she had been already fading, like the shapes and symbols drawn in the wet sand.

Read More of Dianna’s Stories

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Kitty Bucholtz, Featured Author

September 29, 2025 by in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as , , , ,

September featured author Kitty Bucholtz is a writer, podcaster, and a book coach. She has combined her undergraduate degree in business, her years of experience in accounting and finance, and her graduate degree in creative writing to become a writer-turned-independent-publisher turned coach.

She writes romantic comedy and superhero urban fantasy, often with an inspirational element woven in. She loves to teach and offer advice to writers through her WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast.

Kitty has also created the Finish Your Books Coaching Program. Find out more about either 1:1 Coaching or Group Coaching on Kitty’s website. http://kittybucholtz.com/

Besides Kitty’s Coaching Program and WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast, you will find her here at A Slice of Orange on the 9th of each month writing It’s Worth It.


Books by Kitty Bucholtz

ROMANCING THE PAGES

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ROMANCING THE PAGES
ADVENTURES OF LEWIS AND CLARK BOXED SET

WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

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WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

LOVE AT THE FLUFF AND FOLD

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LOVE AT THE FLUFF AND FOLD

LITTLE MISS LOVESICK

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LITTLE MISS LOVESICK

A VERY MERRY SUPERHERO WEDDING

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A VERY MERRY SUPERHERO WEDDING

UNEXPECTED SUPERHERO

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UNEXPECTED SUPERHERO
MY BULLHEADED SUPERHERO VALENTINE

SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

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SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

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