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Virginia Smith – Treat Your Writing Like a Business

Join the Derby Rotten Scoundrels on May 9 for a fabulous presentation: Treat Your Writing Like a Business.

In today’s competitive publishing landscape, creative talent is only half the equation; the most successful writers are those who approach their craft with the precision of an entrepreneur. In this session, bestselling author Virginia Smith will provide tips to help boost your writing productivity and gain an understanding of transitioning your writing from hobby to a business framework that can sustain a long-term career.

Virginia Smith is the USA Today bestselling author of 50+ books with more than 1.5 million copies sold worldwide. A multi-award winner with two Holt Medallion Awards of Merit and a Library Journal top pick, Ginny was delighted (and surprised!) when her novel made the leap to the silver screen (catch The Lies We Bury on Amazon Prime and other streaming channels). Central Kentucky is home, where she lives with her husband, a lively flock of chickens, and one very vocal Maltese named Max. Get to know her better at  virginiasmith.org

Business meeting starts at 11:30am

Guest speaker begins at Noon.

This meeting will be zoom only. Please use the following link to register. 

Zoom Registration Link

 

 

Member News – May 2026

Lynn Slaughter

Lynn will be signing her new middle grade novel, The Big Switch: Varney and Cedric, an identity-swapping tale.
When:  May 16
Time:  2-4 PM
Where:  Paddock Shops’ Barnes and Noble, 4330 Summit Plaza Drive
The Big Switch was named a starred “notable book” by Blue Ink Review who described the story as “bursting with charm and wit” and called it “a delight-fully entertaining novel—one that grasps the importance of feeling accepted and underscores the possibility of positive change.”

Lynn just learned that one of her all-time favorite novels, Leisha’s Song, was named a Maxi Awards finalist in the middle grade/young adult category.

Lynn says “Feeling very grateful!”

https://www.maxyawards.com/2026

 

On April 9th, Lynn participated in a Local Authors panel sponsored by the Highlands-Shelby Park Public Library.

Jenise Hale

Jenise represented the Derby Rotten Scoundrels at the Imagined Stanzas & Local Lit Book Fest. The event was held at the Bluegrass Vineyard in Smiths Grove, KY on April 18.

Our chapter anthology, Mystery with a Splash of Bourbon, was a big hit and sold out quickly.

Jenise’s book, Gossamer Key, also sold well.

It was a great opportunity to meet other local authors and visit a destination winery.

Frances Gossen

Frannie’s poem, Sestina, will be published in The Rush Magazine under the title New England’s Wrong Seasons.

The poem will be available on their website — https://www.therushmagazine.com/ — May 20th.

“Yay!”
–  Frannie

Eileen Trauth

Two of Eileen Trauth’s poems,

Passe Blanc

and

April 1968

appear in the April 2026 issue of  Verse-Virtual at:

Verse Virtual

 

 

Send your news items to the following address: news@derbyrottenscoundrels.com

We will post on our Facebook page weekly and do a monthly round-up of news on the website.

 

Congratulations!

Member News – March 2026

Jeanette Pope

Jeanette participated in an International Women’s Day event on Envision Radio to spotlight the women and girls in her new novel, Throwaway Kids.

 

 

 

 

 

Lynn Slaughter

Lynne is thrilled to share that her first middle grade novel, The Big Switch: Varney and Cedric, an identity-swapping tale, was released on March 26 from Nightingale Books.

 

 

 

 

 

Bev Myers

Beverle Graves Myers has a fiery little revenge story in Lowell & Benson’s latest anthology, The Dichotomy of Love.

 

See instagram.com/readbeverlemyers or readbeverlemyers.com for more info.

 

 

 

 

Romance Books, Hooks & Crooks

Screenshot

Derby Rotten Scoundrels Jenise Hale, Lorena Peter, Elaine Munsch, Jeanette Pope, and Lynn Slaughter joined the Kentuckiana Romance Writers at the Romance Books, Hooks & Crooks annual author book sale and signing event yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time hanging out with local authors and meeting our devoted readers.

Open House Chapter Meeting

For our March chapter meeting, we experimented with an open house, boxed lunch get together to focus on getting to know each other, sharing what we are working on, and enjoying our community of fellow writers. 

Pam Hirschler facilitated the conversation, and the event was hosted by Susan and her humble servants, Henry the Dog and Boomer the Cat.

We appreciated all of you who could attend!

 

Send your news items to the following address: news@derbyrottenscoundrels.com

We will post on our Facebook page weekly and do a monthly round-up of news on the website.

 

Congratulations!

A Conversation With Clay Stafford

Don’t miss the Derby Rotten Scoundrels gathering on April 11 with Clay Stafford.

We’re excited about the discussion and Q&A on his creative journey, productivity, and getting the most out of Killer Nashville, the premier forum for all genres incorporating mystery, thriller, suspense, action, or romance elements.

Clay Stafford has had an eclectic career as an author, filmmaker, story and creative consultant, actor, composer, educator, public speaker, and business leader. He has sold nearly four million copies of his works in over sixteen languages. He is founder and CEO of the annual Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference and a contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine with his monthly online column, “Killer Writer”. In addition, Clay is the founder of Killer Nashville University, a creative learning platform for writers.

For more information, visit ClayStafford.com.

This meeting will be zoom only. Please use the following link to register. 

Zoom Registration Link

 

A Conversation With Clay Stafford

Don’t miss the Derby Rotten Scoundrels gathering on April 11 with Clay Stafford.

We’re excited about the discussion and Q&A on his creative journey, productivity, and getting the most out of Killer Nashville, the premier forum for all genres incorporating mystery, thriller, suspense, action, or romance elements.

Clay Stafford has had an eclectic career as an author, filmmaker, story and creative consultant, actor, composer, educator, public speaker, and business leader. He has sold nearly four million copies of his works in over sixteen languages. He is founder and CEO of the annual Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference and a contributor to Writer’s Digest magazine with his monthly online column, “Killer Writer”. In addition, Clay is the founder of Killer Nashville University, a creative learning platform for writers. For more information, visit ClayStafford.com.

 

Meeting Details

Date:  April 11, 2026

Time:  12:00 PM (eastern standard time)

This meeting will be zoom only. Please use the following link to register. 

Zoom Registration Link

 

 NOTE TO DRS CHAPTER MEMBERS:  We will have a chapter meeting the same day as Clay’s presentation, between 11am and 11:50am. This will be on Zoom, but using a different zoom link than the Clay Stafford meeting. That zoom link will go out under a different announcement. This is to avoid confusion for the non-members attending Clay’s Zoom talk.