Rachelle Chase
Author/Podcaster
Workshops: 1. Writing Hot: It’s Not About Sex, It’s About Sensuality 2. Write the Book You’ve Dreamed of Writing—Even If You Don’t Know What It Is.
Rachelle Chase, author of “Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa” and “Lost Buxton” has given more than 130 presentations about the amazing town of Buxton and has appeared more than 70 times in news publications and on radio, podcasts, and TV, both locally and nationally. She has also appeared in five documentaries on Buxton, one of which was nominated for an Emmy. Additionally, her new historical fiction book for middle grade students, “The Time I Was Susan Clark,” is under consideration by major publishers and a chapter on Buxton attorney and activist George Woodson is scheduled for inclusion in an upcoming book on African Americans in the Midwest.
As a published author of seven romance novels and novellas, she created and co-hosted an online writing contest for aspiring romance writers (which resulted in numerous writers landing agents and book deals) and hosted two popular podcasts featuring bestselling authors that amassed more than 19,000 profile views and 40,000 listens.
Rachelle is also a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, USA TODAY, Iowa History Journal, and in the Des Moines Register and Iowa Starting Line, where she was a columnist/reporter.
In 2020, Rachelle launched a nonprofit, Uniting Through History, and invites all to join their online monthly History Book Club for adults.
In 2024, she launched Reading with Rachelle, a podcast which focuses on Black history books and interviews with their authors.
Learn more about Rachelle: RachelleChaseWrites.com
Rachelle is a member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Subscribe to her Substack column here: rachellechase.substack.com.
Workshops
“Writing Hot: It’s Not About Sex, It’s About Sensuality.” As a writer, how do you make a scene hot—or rather, a sexy read? A sexy read does not mean lots of sex. A scene or book can be overflowing with sex and be disappointingly un-sexy. Or it can have little or no sex and be overwhelmingly sexy. So how can you make an every-day, mundane, nonsexual situation sexy? And, when it’s time for that sex scene, how can you make it satisfying for the reader? Whether you need to add a hint of sexiness or sizzling heat, the answer to both is sensuality. In this workshop, you’ll learn the #1 misconception about sensuality, the 3 factors that heighten sensuality, how to use “Sensual Layering” to make the mundane sexy, and the 10 ingredients necessary for a sensual and satisfying sex scene. You can also use this technique to add sensuality to activities that aren’t sexual. Come and try your hand at writing hot (or warm)!
“Write the Book You’ve Dreamed of Writing—Even If You Don’t Know What It Is.” Always wanted to write a book, but don’t know how to get started? Have a lot of ideas, but not sure what to put down on paper? Or perhaps you’ve started writing and have a series of scenes, but are unsure what to do or what to write next. Besides being well-written, a book that keeps readers turning the pages tells a story. In this workshop, you’ll find (or refine) your story by learning how to identify what it is, how to narrow–or expand–the focus, the best place to start your story, and tips on how to keep your reader interested. Come prepared to write!