Success stories: Writers and readers welcomed at Liberty States Fiction conference

• This is the 8th annual conference sponsored by Liberty States Fiction Writers
• The event includes lectures, games, workshops on writing and publishing, and other activities for authors and for readers
• Liberty States Fiction Writers, based in Edison, has a membership of up to 100 published and aspiring authors in a variety of genres, including romance, horror, paranormal activity, fantasy, and science fiction

Kathy Fawcett believes in magic.

The Whitehouse Station resident had long pursued a dream of writing paranormal and science-fiction romances. To that end, she joined a group for authors, the Liberty States Fiction (LSF) Writers, based in Edison.

In 2010, Fawcett attended a conference hosted by the organization. There she had a face-to-face meeting with an agent, Michelle Grajkowski.

“I pitched an idea for a book to Michelle,” Fawcett said. “She liked it so much that she became my agent.”

The result “Captives,” a science-fiction romance published in 2013 by Forever Yours, an imprint of Grand Central Book Group.

The author, who uses the name “K. M. Fawcett,” penned a sequel, “Fearless,” that was published in 2014. She is currently working on a third book in the series.

That type of success story is a key reason why LSF Writers have been conducting its conference annual since 2010, according to Rayna Vause of Haddonfield.

“This is a chance for authors of all different levels of their careers to get together and share their expertise,” said Vause, who co-founded LSF Writers and serves as chair of the conference.

This year’s event, with the theme “Create Something Magical,” will be conducted March 18 and 19 at the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel in Iselin.

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The conference will feature a variety of workshops and lectures, as well as opportunities for authors to meet with editors and agents.

“A lot of conferences are geared to established, published authors,” Vause said. “Our conference is for everyone.”

Expanding subjects

Liberty States Fiction Writers originally started as a group for authors of romance fiction. About nine years ago, it expanded to include a range of genres, including horror, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction.

“We realized that a lot of our writers were trying different genres,” said Edison resident Caridad Scordato, current president of LSF Writers.

The group now consists of between 80 and 100 members, Scordato said. The conference regularly attracts more than 100 attendees.

“It’s large enough that you can meet a lot of people, but small enough to be manageable,” Scordato said.

Many of the attendees cross over into more than one genre. For example, Vause said that her own work mixes romances with paranormal events. She has also been expanding to romances featuring same-sex couples.

“At the core of almost everything I write is a love story,” she said.

“We learned that writers can always learn something from everybody. It doesn’t matter what they write,” Vause said. “Everybody has something to bring to the table.”

The organizers also offer a “readers track” for attendees who might want to meet favorite authors, play games, or explore new writers in favorite genres.

“It’s fun for readers to have the opportunity to meet the people who create the worlds they immerse themselves in,” Vause said. “This conference lets them see a little bit about what goes into the (writing) process.”

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Fawcett, who has worked as a volunteer at the conference, said that she enjoys interacting with readers. “It’s a lot of fun to see them come into the fold,” she said.

For authors, the chance to meet fellow writers is both educational and inspiring. “The energy at the conferences is amazing,” Fawcett said. “Writers understand other writers. You can talk with them about what you’re doing, and they get it.”

That sense of camaraderie was echoed by Bridgewater resident and author Irene Peterson, who has been a member of LSF Writers for years.

“At the conference, nobody snubs you for being a new writer,” said Peterson, an author of women’s fiction that includes elements of science fiction and fantasy. “If you don’t know anything about writing but you want to learn, you can find help.”

Publication, writing advice

Peterson said she also appreciates the presence of editors and agents at the conference. The 2017 line-up will include representatives from such publishers as Macmillan, Sourcebooks, HarperCollins, and Harlequin.

“If you have a manuscript you can present it to an editor or an agent face-to-face,” Peterson said. “Nine times out of 10, they will ask you for at least a chapter, so it’s a chance for you to sell yourself.”

The conference offers tips on the craft of writing with workshops with such titles as “Diversify Your Characters and Strengthen Your Story” and “Page Turning Conflict.”

Scordato noted that there are also workshops on the business end of writing, including advice on independent publishers and self-publishing.

“It’s a great time for authors, but it’s also more of a challenge,” Scordato said. “You can be a blogger. You can do short fiction.

“You have opportunities with print and digital that didn’t exist even five or six years ago,” Scordato said. “The question that we try to answer is: How do you position yourself to take advantage of those opportunities?”

Events such as the LSF Writers conference provides valuable support, according to Jennifer Armentrout, author of the novel “Obsidian” and other romance books for adults and the young-adult market.

Armentrout will be one of the two keynote speakers at “Create Something Magical.” The other speaker will be Virginia Kantra, author of “Sea Witch.”

“Ours is a fickle industry,” Armentrout said. "It’s important for authors to have an idea of what’s being done and what they can be doing.

“Conferences have amazing value,” she added. “They are motivational and inspirational  Writing can be a solitary activity. You benefit from being able to meet with other authors.”

Armentrout said she also sees the value of being able to meet with readers at these events. “A reader is able to put a face behind the books,” she said. “And for the young-adult audience, it’s especially powerful to meet a writer.”

The continued popularity of these and similar conferences are proof to Armentrout that reading is as vital as ever.

“There will always be a need for books, and there will always be a need for stories,” she said.

“The format may change, and I do see more people listening to audiobooks,” Armentrout added.  “But I think there’ll always be an audience for people who want to read with a book in their hands.”

Rayna Vause said she thinks LSF Writers conference is an ideal place to encourage both the creators and the audiences.

“One of the cool things I’ve seen is to have people come to us as readers, and then a couple of years later come back and register as authors,” Vause said. “That’s why I hope people will check us out. It can be magical and special.”

To go to the "Create Something Magical" writers conference

WHAT: The 8th annual conference sponsored by Edison-based Liberty States Fiction Writers for readers and authors of a range of genres, including romance, horror, action, mystery, SF, and fantasy, as well as various subgenres. Activities include workshops, speeches, games, and scheduled meetings with editors and agents,

WHEN: 9 a.m., Saturday, March 18, through 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 19.

WHERE: Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, 515 U. S. Highway 1 South, Iselin section of Woodbridge

REGISTRATION: Authors: $200 (two-day pass for nonmembers).  Readers: $95 (two-day pass), $65 (Saturday only), $35 (Sunday only).

INFORMATION:www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com