My First Impressions of LARA
(Los Angeles Romance Writers of America)
I have a confession to make. My head was too big for my fedora. I was a genre snob. I needed to come clean so I could start fresh and take advantage of a wonderful organization. I have been converted from mystery to romance.
As a former literary snob I had delusions that if I were writing in the Mystery genre I was a superior human being. I have been humbled with the knowledge that a good story is a good story. It doesn't matter what genre you write, inspiration, urban fantasy, erotica, mystery, suspense or science fiction; it has to have a good story. Fundamentals apply to all genres.
I came to my first LARA meeting in a trench coat and fedora, and hoped that no one would notice me. I sat in the last row. I thought, what if my friends found out? I would be the laughing stock of my mystery loving community. It didn't work.
A woman with a big smile on her face introduced herself and said. “I haven't seen you here before, are you new."
I quietly mumbled, "Yes, this is my first meeting here."
She said "You will love it. What are you writing?"
“A mystery about murder, mayhem, sex and violence in the Hollywood, 1925."
Oh, would you like to meet with us after the meeting, we have a critique group.”
“Um oh yes. I would.”
I have been a member of Sisters in Crime, for over 12 years, and I must admit that I love Sisters in Crime, it is a wonderful nurturing well run machine. But there was something different going on at LARA. I couldn't put my finger on it. It was a good feeling, comfortable, and I had to get to the bottom of it. I scanned the group for the entire meeting. It was casual, friendly, and warm. I’ve never experienced this before. Born and raised a New Yorker, I’m used to standoffishness. It’s natural for me. I’ve never experienced a stranger coming up to me and saying, “Lets critique together.” Could it be that the mystery genre is a little cautious by nature? Could it be that when you are writing and reading about serial killers, sociopaths, and forensics it isn’t as easy to embrace a new member with such a big welcome? I think it might be so.
I looked around. There were no other trench coats or fedoras. The officers spoke briefly and then other members spoke about different events of LARA. There was a woman with a shopping bag with long stem roses, and little gift boxes and she announced each and every member’s milestone. And they got gifts. Whether it was for an acceptance, rejection, submission, or query letter, each step toward writing and publication got kudos. Each and every member was encouraged to get over the fear factor and put her work out there. It is a long haul to publication, and it takes a village to get there. Lara is the perfect village.
After the meeting I found something even more disconcerting than the friendliness of LARA members, it was the generosity of other chapters. The give and take, share and share alike, of chapter meetings of OCRWA and EVA, on line chapters. Members belong to each and every chapter they can get their hands on. Why? Thirst for knowledge, and thirst of craft, thirst for helping each other out.
I am hooked. I will never give up my membership to Sisters in Crime. As Sara Paretsky said, we need go support women writers in a field dominated by men. But I am seeing a new goal. Carol Hughes our LARA chapter president said. “We need to let the literary community respect romance writers because a good story is a good story, regardless of genre. No more genre discrimination.
