Open hearts — open mic

Tis the season when a strange cardiological phenomenon occurs—our hearts feel like they've expanded a size or two. Not everyone feels this way, of course, but many (even the most self absorbed writer) begins to think more about others than themselves. How else to explain giving to complete strangers who are ringing bells in front of Publix? Or, and this may be the most perplexing, some drivers even stop to allow another car to ease into the lane without honking their horn.

This is one of the mysteries of the season, and to celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to share
your good feelings with others—along with your first pages—at an open mic holiday party at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting this Saturday morning. That's right, because of the Christmas holidays, the PV Writers will meet Saturday, December 5, and not on the fourth Saturday of the month as usual. Read the schedule of area meetings to learn the details.

• Ponte Vedra Writers meet Saturday, December 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. As mentioned above, this will be a special meeting with our first open mic opportunity. Readings are open to anyone working on a project, either fiction or nonfiction, a work in progress or even a completed work of your choice—published or unpublished. The reading is limited to the first two pages only. We're limited in time, so the first 10 people to email me that they want to participate will be guaranteed a spot in the program. We’ll also have a book exchange of new or gently used books so bring one or two you’d like to pass along. Any left over books will be donated to the FOL’s bookstore in the library. And I won't turn down any goodies anyone wants to share with the group. Come  on down to the beach and share your holidays reading with us.
• The River City Writers meet Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 p.m. to hear from Susan Kiernan-Lewis on "The Importance of Research." Susan recently returned from a trip to Paris (doing research, I'm sure) and will report on her travels. More info from group leader Gregg Golson.
• Clay County Writers assemble on Wednesday, December 16 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Ad man Rick Jones explains the importance of scene building in his session titled, "Don't Be Shy—Let's Make a Scene."
• Writers by the Sea typically meets on the third Thursday of the month, which would be December 17. They may meet at the Museum of History on Amelia Island at 6:00 p.m. Contact Nadine Vaughan for more concrete details.
• Looking for some new toys ... make that tools ... to help with the editing and writing process? Then you should attend the meeting of the Ancient City Writers on Saturday, December 19, 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Patricia Charpentier will explain how a variety of free or inexpensive electronic tools can be used to root out typos, overused words and phrases, redundant sentence structures and more. The library is located at 1960 US 1.
• First Coast Christian Writers, an affiliate of FWA, meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library.

And in other news ...

• EAT POEMS#10 has just been released. This audio chapbook features poems from Francis Driscoll's new collection, Seaglass Picnic. Listen to it free at the EAT website. 
• Florida Sisters in Crime will be welcoming Edgar, Agatha, Anthony & Macavity-Award Winner Margaret Maron, who will speak on the writing journey to their December 5, 2015 meeting from 10:15 - 12:00 in the Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida. Visit https://floridasistersincrime.wordpress.com/ for more information.
• Seersucker Live, a literary arts nonprofit in Savannah, Georgia is hosting its first-ever writers workshop February 3-7, 2016. Described as an extended weekend of writing and revelry, you can find details of the Seersucker Live Writers Workshop by clicking here.
• Patti Brassard Jefferson of Florida Authors & Publishers Association has opened a new bookstore in Fort Myers for independently published authors. If interested in getting on the shelf of P.J. Boox, visit the website.

Here's wishing you and yours an open heart and the best of holidays. And with a tip of the hat to the upcoming Star Wars film, here's the last word for the year 2015.

All the best,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

Celebrate Success

"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo was a wise man back in the day, but it still holds true. If you want to achieve success you have to go out and pursue it. I saw a lot of successful writers at last month's FWA Conference, many of them from NE Florida. If you know these people, be sure to congratulate them for winning a Royal Palm Literary Award.

Unproduced Screenplay — Marie Vernon and C.J. Godwin, 1st place for Graceland Express, based on Marie's novel. The duo also picked up the Dahris Clair Memorial Award for Best Screenplay/Stage Play/Teleplay.
Nadine Vaughan-Williams took home 2nd place in the Unproduced Screenplay category.
Unpublished Mainstream/Literary — C.J. Godwin, 1st Place for Lie Very Still. 
Dan Dundon received 3rd place in the same category for Diamond Ridge.
Published Thriller/Suspense — Keith Gockenbach, 3rd place for Deadly Loop
Published Middle-Grade Fiction — Heather Hamel, 1st place for Within Emerald Forests
Unpublished Middle-Grade Fiction — Heather Hamel, 3rd place for Under Sapphire Skies
Published Children's — Stephen Kindland, who recently moved to NC from Clay County, 1st place for I Beg Your Pardon, But This Is My Garden
General Catch-All Fiction/Published — Parker Francis, 1st place for "The Strange Case of Lord Byron's Lover."

Congratulations to all the winners. Let me know if I left anyone out from the NE Florida area. In the recently published news category, kudos to Carolyn Greeley who published her first mystery novel, Emerald Obsession, volume one in the Found Mystery Series. It's available on Amazon.com.

It's not too early to think about your entry into next year's RPLAs. Also, the theme for the next FWA Collection will be Hide and Seek. Thriller writer John Gilstrap is the Person of Renown, and will select his top ten entries for the collection.

And now let's see what's happening at our area FWA group meetings this month:

• River City Writers meets Tuesday, November 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Query group leader Gregg Golson for details about the meeting.
• The Clay County Writers will gather at the Orange Park Library on Wednesday, November 18 at 6:15 p.m. Group leader Maureen Jung will facilitate a mini-workshop on "Goal Setting for Writers." 
• On Thursday, November 19 you can attend the Writers by the Sea meeting at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Raffaela Marie Rizzo Fenn, Marketing Communications Consultant, will present "Marketing Matters: Seven Steps for Getting Your Book into Readers Hands." The gathering begins at 6:00 p.m. to be followed by the presentation at 6:30.
• Public Relations pro Ron Whittington is the featured speaker at the Ancient City Writers meeting on Saturday, November 21. Be at St. Augustine's Main Library 10:00 a.m. if you want to hear Ron talk about web development and how best to use social media.
• First Coast Christian Writers, an FWA affiliate, meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers chapter will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, so there will be no November 28 meeting. However, we'll have a meeting the next Saturday, on December 5. This will be a special holiday gathering with an open mic program and book swap. Details to come soon. 

In other news:

• There was a very successful FWAYouth Conference as part of the FWA Conference. They announced the contest winners and participated in the Youth Collection. For the past few years NE Florida had two very active FWAYouth groups, one in Jacksonville and the other in Fernandina Beach. Unfortunately, the group leaders had to move on and we're looking for one or two good people willing to work with young writers. Contact me if you're interested.
• It's that time of year again when those wacky writers attempt to write a novel in a month. The National Novel Writing initiative known as NaNoWriMo is off and running. Sign up and track your progress here.
• Did you know FWA is producing a series of webinars covering topics of importance to writers? The next one is set for November 14 on "Maximizing Your Production." Click here for details.
• Florida Sisters in Crime meets this Saturday, November 7, 10:15 a.m. at the SE Branch Library. The subject is human trafficking. The speakers from the US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).
• First Coast Romance Writers meets Saturday, November 14 at 11:00 a.m. at the West Regional Branch Library. Romantic suspense author Lena Diaz (Avon and Harlequin Books) will present a workshop on writing an effective query letter. BTW, Lena will be the guest author at the Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program on Monday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m.

That's it for the celebratory month of November. Have a great month and an outstanding holiday.
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

The hunt for the real October

Somehow, the month of September was swiped from right under us. I've vowed to keep a close watch on October to insure it won't happen again. That shouldn't be difficult since we have many memorable happenings in October including FWA's 14th Annual Writers Conference, October 15-18, the Florida-Georgia game, and the start of the World Series later in the month. 

On the negative side, the weather gods promise more drought, floods, hurricanes and wildfires in the next thirty days, and there's a chance our government might shut down this month. 

But all is not doom and gloom since October brings us many reasons to celebrate, including National Sausage Pizza Day on October 11, and National Chocolate Cupcake Day on October 18. I'm definitely marking my calendar for both of those days.

These area writers also have reason to celebrate as they've recently published books:

• Nancy Quatrano, writing as N. L. Quatrano, has released the first in her Point and Shoot Mystery Series, Murder in Black & White
• Kathryn J. Bain has published her short suspense story, Small Town Terror, on Amazon.com
• Judith and Allen White have published a joint memoir, Autumns of Our Joy, A Memoir of Romance, Stem Cells, and Rebirth
• Raffaela Marie Rizzo has published her first novel, Thank You for the Shoes
• Mark Johnson has published, Encountering God, a chronicle of his parents courtship letters
• Joan North has published Fragments of Grace

Congratulations to all of the newly published authors. Keep them coming.

And here's what October offers for NE Florida FWA meetings:

• River City Writers meets Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library to hear group leader Gregg Golson discuss "How to Hook Your Readers on the First Page."
• There will be no meeting of the Ancient City Writers on October 17 since the date is in conflict with the FWA Conference. They'll return on November 21 with novelist and public relations guru Ron Whittington discussing social media.
• The Clay County Writers assemble on Wednesday, October 21 at 6::15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Group leader Maureen Jung has all the latest info.
• Nassau County's Writers by the Sea returns to the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach for their October 22nd meeting, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Contact Nadine Vaughan for more details.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library.
• Freelance editor and writer Kimberly Smith is the featured speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, October 24, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Kimberly calls her workshop, "Confessions of a Freelance Editor: Lessons I've Learned that Can Save You Time and Money." 

In other news:

• It's not too late to register for this month's FWA Writer's Conference. You may register for the entire conference, including the Celebrity Workshop with thriller writer John Gilstrap and the RPLA Banquet, or pick and choose your days. Visit this page for all the details.
• Florida Sisters in Crime meets this Saturday, October 3, at 10:30 a.m. at the SE Branch Library on Deerwood Park Blvd. to hear from DEA members fighting the flow of drugs into this country.
• UNF's OLLI program (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) continues its series for writers and readers next Monday, October 5 with novelist Laura Lee Smith. Her topic is "Story, Story, Story: How to Create Compelling Narrative Structure." On Monday, October 12, Nancy Quatrano talks next about "Writing Outside the Lines: Genre Short Stories and Collaborative Writing." St. Augustine poet Mary Deno-Yeck is next on Monday, October 19, and her topic is "The Art of Science in Poetry: Biology, Chemistry, Physics." Finally, all three writers, along with Vic DiGenti, who kicked off the series on Monday, will appear together in a panel discussion on October 26. All of the presentations begin at 11:30 a.m. at UNF's University Center. Visit the OLLI website for more information.
• First Coast Romance Writers welcomes RITA Award-winning romance writer Karen Rose for two workshops on Saturday, October 10, starting at 11:00 a.m. at the West Regional Branch Library on Chaffee Road. Karen will first present, "Sidekickin' It Up," a look at the secondary characters, and then "Creating Chillin' Villains."
• In partnership with the Fernandina Little Theatre, the Amelia Island Book Festival presents an interactive Murder Mystery Dinner on October 24 at the Golf Club of Amelia Island. Click here for reservations and details.
• The Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program presents Rosamond Parrish discussing her book, Lincolnville, A Sketchbook Journal of St. Augustine's Historic Neighborhood, on Monday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m.

Maria Geraci was last week's speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting talking about "Writing Faster & Writing Better." Her personal goal is to write three to four books a year, but it brought to mind something Raymond Chandler once said, 

"The faster I write, the better my output. If I'm going slow, I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them."

And Stephen King seems to agree since one of his 20 rules of writing states "The first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season."

Until next time, write fast and enjoy the month of October,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director for NE Florida

Make it a September to remember

I've heard from several people recently who have either launched a new book—Janie Wilkins (Let's Roll: Granma Janie Rocks), or are in the process of launching—Mike Walsh (Ocean Beach) and Perry Smith (If God Isn't Merciful We're All Screwed). I'm sure there are others I haven't heard from, and if you'll let me know I'll give you props in the next blog post. The point is now is the best time to join Janie, Mike and Perry as published authors—or at least set a deadline goal for publication.

To help you get motivated, consider attending one or more of NE Florida's FWA chapter meetings.

• The River City Writers will gather on Tuesday, September 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Contact Gregg Golson for meeting details.
• If you dig researching your books, you'll love what Environmental Crimes Detective Robert Dews has to say about "Finding Magnolia Lake State Park," Wednesday, September 15 at the Clay County Writers meeting. Working with the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Mr. Dews became interested in researching the history of this little-known county park, one of several statewide segregated for African-Americans. He says "I enjoy discovering and learning about the past," and you'll enjoy this meeting at the Orange Park Library starting at 6:15 p.m. on the 15th.
• Join Nassau County's Writers by the Sea, Thursday, September 16, 6:30 p.m. at the Fernandina Beach Library. Nadine Vaughan-Williams has more information.
• Get to know your Kindle at the Saturday, September 19 meeting of Ancient City Writers, 10:15 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Pat Gaydos, a Kindle workshop teacher, will show us how to use the many Kindle apps to help us write, edit and research better. Pat will do an extensive show-and-tell in her program titled, "The Kindle and the Writer."
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library.
• Maria Geraci writes contemporary romance and women's fiction—and she writes fast. Having more product on the bookshelves is a definite advantage, and she'll share her secrets to "Writing Faster, Writing Better" at this month's meeting of the Ponte Vedra Writers, Saturday, September 26, 10:30 a.m. at thePonte Vedra Library.

And there's more:

• Reduced pricing for the FWA Conference ends on September 13, so now is a good time to register for what promises to be an excellent conference, October 15 - 18 at the Hilton Orlando in Altamonte Springs. Information and registration info can be found here. And don't forget the the Florida Writers Foundation Celebrity Workshop on Thursday, October 15 with award-winning thriller writer John Gilstrap. John's topic is "Adrenaline Rush: How to Write Suspense Fiction."
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival Writers Conference kicks off on Thursday, September 24 with critique workshops led by Elizabeth Sims and Sohrab Homi Fracis. Friday's workshop schedule includes a wide range of workshops by professionals, including literary agents Jeff and Deborah Herman, a keynote luncheon with Robert Macomber, and a post conference reception. Click here for more information and registration.
• There still may be time to become a vendor in the FH Book Fest's Saturday Marketplace. Check it out here.
• Florida Sisters in Crime welcomes Del Kiernan-Lewis. Saturday, September 5, 10:15 a.m. at the SE Branch Library. Del will talk about how to "Boost Your Creativity."
• Novelist, short story writer and creative writing professor John Dufresne returns to the First Coast on Saturday, October 3 for a full day seminar on "Writing the Novel" at Flagler College. Early bird pricing has been extended to September 15. More details and registration here.
• Frances Keiser and Jane Wood present "How to Start a Self-Publishing Company," Tuesday, October 13, 6:00 p.m. at UNF as part of the colleges Continuing Education program. More info here.
• Steve Berry has been named the Honorary Chair of the 2016 Amelia Island Book Festival, February 18 - 20. They'll host a murder mystery gourmet dinner on Saturday, October 24. Check it out.
• Fans of bestselling novelist Charles Martin can hear him talk about his latest bestseller, Water from My Heart, Monday, September 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program. It's free and open to the public.
• Jennifer Ashley is a prolific romance writer with 83 novels and novellas in print. She'll be the featured guest author at the First Coast Romance Writers meeting, Saturday, October 12, at the Jacksonville West Regional Library on Chaffee Road. Jennifer will present two workshops, the first at 11:00 a.m., "Being a Hybrid Writer in Today's Marketplace," the second at noon is on "Building a Series."
• The Ancient City Romance Writers hold its annual conference, "Dream Up a Story," September 25-26 at the Hampton Inn, St. Augustine Beach. Click here for details.
• On a personal note, I want to thank Dianne Ell, the longtime Ancient City Writers chapter co-leader for her many years of service to FWA and writers in our community. Dianne and her family have moved to SW Florida where she plans to devote more time to her writing. The group is in good hands with Judy Weber, Nancy Quatrano and others in charge, but I know you join me in wishing Dianne well in her new home.

Since I began this post by touting new book launches, I'll indulge in a little BSP (Blatant Self Promotion). The Prometheus Saga was a project by 12 award-winning authors, including my alter ego, Parker Francis. Four of us are in the running as RPLA finalists, including one for my short story, "The Strange Case of Lord Byron's Lover." Each of us wrote stories based on a single SF premise, and published them digitally as individual short stories. On September 20 the print edition of the anthology containing all the stories in one collection will become available. And shortly after that we'll launch the anthology as an ebook. Look for The Prometheus Saga coming soon.

As it turns out, September is a month overflowing with writerly events. Let's see how the rest of the fall turns out.

Enjoy the writing life,

Vic

Vic DiGenti (aka Parker Francis)

FWA Regional Director

"Do you know where you're going?"

Years ago I was a volunteer go-fer at an ATP exhibition match where the guest of honor was none

other than Arthur Ashe. I had the honor to drive the tennis star to the airport afterwards, having been warned that Mr. Ashe wasn't much of a conversationalist.  Ashe kept busy in the back seat reading through a stack of papers he retrieved from his briefcase, looking up on occasion to see where were —which was running late for his flight. At one point I took a wrong turn and had to double back. After not saying a word for thirty minutes, Ashe finally spoke up, asking me, "Do you know where you're going?"

This is a question I often ask myself these days as I do periodic assessments of my progress as a writer and member of the human race. I'm not sure I'm ever happy with the answer, but it's still a good question to ask ourselves from time to time. If you don't like where you're going, there's always time to change directions.

Which we'll do now as we review what's in store for our FWA meetings this month.

• The River City Writers meet on the second Tuesday of the month, August 11, at 7:00 p.m. in Room D of the SE Branch Library. Group Leader Gregg Golson will speak on the important topic of revision, "How I Polish My Manuscript."
• Backstory is on the menu at the Ancient City Writers chapter, Saturday, August 15. They meet at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library, US1 and San Carlos, to hear from Nancy Quatrano discuss "The Scoop on Backstory: 10 Tips to Develop and Use it More Effectively." Nancy is a content editor and writer who will tell us how the correct use of backstory can boost your characters from average to riveting.
• The Clay County Writers meet on Wednesday, August 19 at the Orange Park Library at 6:15 p.m. Contact Maureen Jung for more details.
• Writers by the Sea of Fernandina Beach return to their summer meeting venue of the newly refurbished Fernandina Beach Library on Thursday, August 20 at 6:30 p.m. Members of the Playwrite Group will give a presentation called "Conversations with a Script." Group leader Nadine Vaughan-Williams has more information.
• Central Florida author Jeanne Moon Farmer has constructed a life with many accomplishments, including 35 years as a teacher, grant writer, and editor—not to mention her three novels and one nonfiction book. Jeanne steps on the stage at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, August 22 to talk about what she's learned in "This Writing Life." The theme of her talk is "How to do what you love and love what you do." My thanks to Kimberly Smith for filling in for me at last month's meeting, but I'll be there to greet you on the 22nd at the Ponte Vedra Library at 10:30 a.m. The coffee will be hot and waiting to be poured.
• FWA affiliate, the First Coast Christian Writers, meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconett Library.

But wait, there's more:

• The Florida Authors & Publishers Association Conference is this coming weekend, August 7 - 8 at the Hilton Orlando in Lake Buena Vista.
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival kicks off on Thursday, September 24 with the Writers Conference starting with a day of critique workshops. Friday presenters include Elizabeth Sims, Mark Powell, Darlyn Finch Kuhn, Jane Wood, Harrison Scott Key, literary agents Jeff and Deborah Herman and a luncheon keynote by Robert Macomber. Read more and register  by clicking here. 
• One of the benefits of joining FWA is adding to your publishing credits by submitting an article for FWA's magazine, The Florida Writer. If you're already a member, you should have received  the August issue. It's crammed with outstanding articles and features, including a summary of the results of the mini-conference survey. One of the popular location choices for 2016 was St. Augustine, so on Saturday, February 27, FWA will present a one-day mini-conference in the Ancient City. It will be held at the Ringhaver Student Center at Flagler College. Watch for more details as they develop.
• In the meantime, if you haven't registered for the annual FWA Conference, now is as good a time as any. The conference, October 15 - 18, has moved to the Hilton Orlando-Altamonte Springs. The conference offers a wealth of workshops and more sessions than ever. Agents, acquisition editors and film producers will be on hand to hear your latest project. Check it out here.
• The Women's Industry Network has extended an invitation to local authors to participate in an Author's Showcase on Friday, August 7 at Suite at St. Johns Town Center. There is no fee to participate, and authors will have the opportunity to showcase and sell their books. Tables and chairs are provided. If interested, contact Myesha Jones at myesha.jones7@gmail.com for a registration form.

Time to sign off, but I wish I'd remembered J.R.R. Tolkien's wise words from The Fellowship of the Ring when Arthur Ashe asked me if I knew where I was going. The master of the Ring said, "Not all who wander are lost." That makes me feel much better.

Later,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

Celebrate the sweltering month of July

As a kid (back in the paleozoic era) I looked forward to the 4th of July as being the landmark holiday of summer vacation. Today, the day holds special meaning because it's my wedding anniversary, but it still makes me nostalgic for those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.

I know this certifies me as an official member of the Oldtimers Club, so let's move on. Even though the temperatures are inching toward the 100 degree mark, we can still sit in our air conditioned homes and pound away at the keyboard. Let's hope you're making progress on your writing project, whatever it might be. And to help you stay motivated, why not attend one of this month's FWA meetings here in NE Florida?

• The River City Writers meet on the second Tuesday of the month at the SE Regional Branch Library off Gate Parkway. The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14. Author and editor Howard Denson will tell us how to polish and simonize our final draft until it shines. For more information, contact group leader Gregg Golson.
• Tim Gilmore returns to the Clay County Writers group meeting on Wednesday, July 15 at the Orange Park Library. Be there at 6:15 p.m to hear Tim present, "Writing as Listening to the Landscape." Tim is a UNF professor and well-known Jacksonville storyteller.
• Writers by the Sea celebrates the summer by moving from the Amelia Island History Museum to the newly renovated Fernandina Beach Library. The meeting is set for Thursday, July 16 with a social gathering at 6:00 p.m. and the program at 6:30. Vic DiGenti (aka Parker Francis) is the guest speaker that evening, and I'll present "Great Beginnings: That All Important First Page." Find out why your first sentence, first paragraph, first page can make or break your book.
• Moving on to St. Johns County on Saturday, July 18, you can attend the Ancient City Writers chapter meeting, which starts at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Author Chris Berman provides insights into "Writing the Action-Adventure Hero." Chris said he will focus on the setting, plot formula, and persona of the action hero.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers meet at the PV Library on Saturday, July 25 at 10:30 a.m. to hear from two authors who happen to be mother and daughter. Leslie Talley is the author of three mysteries, and her daughter, Terri Talley Venters, has penned five novels with two more on the way. Their presentation is titled, "Everything I Know About Writing I Learned from My Mother," and the duo will talk about their writing journeys and provide writing tips they've learned along the way.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library. 

And in other news ...

• Award-winning SF author Sandra MacDonald presents a writing workshop for Florida Sisters in Crime on Saturday, July 11. The meeting starts at 10:15 a.m. at the SE Branch Library.
• The Florida Authors & Publishers Association will hold its annual conference August 7 - 8 at the Hilton Orlando in Lake Buena Vista (the same hotel where the 14th annual FWA Conference will be held in October. Visit the FAPA website for details.
• And while you're at it, go ahead and register for the FWA Conference, October 15 - 18.  Last month I inadvertently provided the link to register for the FAPA conference hotel at a $119 nightly rate instead of the FWA Conference. You'll be glad to know the room rate for the FWA Conference is only $99 per night. 
• The quarterly meeting of North Florida Writers is Saturday, July 11 at noon in the conference room of Riverside's VyStar Credit Union. The group will hear from Melissa Kosciuszko (aka M.S. Kaye), the author of six books with three different publishers. Melissa is the recipient of three Royal Palm Literary Awards, and is a 4th degree Black Belt and certified Taekwondo instructor. She's also co-leader of the River City Writers.
• FWA is hosting a book signing event limited to only 50 authors. The event will be held on May 1, 2016 in Altamonte Springs. Tables are $100. If you're interested, click here for more details.

And that will do it for the month of July. Check the FWA NE Florida Facebook page to keep current, and stay safe during the upcoming holiday. I'll leave you with an appropriate Mark Twain quote.

"Many public-school children seem to know only two dates: 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either occasion."

Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

June 2015 FWA Post

Although the first day of summer is still three weeks away, Nat King Cole's 1963 hit, "Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer" comes to mind. For those of you younger folks scratching your heads and wondering who Nat King Cole might be, please ask Mr. Google. But don't get too lazy because June offers many opportunities for writers to get involved. So let's start with scheduled FWA meetings in NE Florida:

• Joyce Williams Davidson is the guest speaker at the meeting of River City Writers on Tuesday, June 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southeast Regional Library. Joyce, a retired teacher, has published three historical novels, short stories and poems. Her topic is ""You Are What You Write," and she asks the question, "What is the legacy you're leaving?"
• Clay County Writers welcome Howard Denson, author, former humanities professor, and editor, to the Wednesday, June 17 meeting at the Orange Park Library. Howard will speak on "How to Polish Your Draft: Simonize or Turtle Wax?" Howard will tell you how to correct the most common mistakes before you turn it over to someone else to read and turn them off. The meeting begins at 6:15 p.m.
• Writers by the Sea will gather at the Amelia Island History Museum, 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18. Cheyenne Knopf, marketing director for OnLineBinding.com presents, "Book Production 101," and will walk us through the various stages of book production, the choices authors need to make about paper, printing and binding options.
• Award-winning author Elizabeth Sinclair presents, "Dialogue and How it Works" at the Saturday, June 20 meeting of Ancient City Writers. They meet at St. Augustine's Main library at 10:00 a.m.
• First Coast Christian Writers, an FWA affiliate, meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library.
• Marketing and publishing consultant RaffaelaMarie Fenn takes center stage at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m. Her topic is "Marketing Matters: Seven Steps to Getting Your Book into Readers Hands." Marie serves as President of Ottima Group and its subsidiary, Giro di Mondo Publishing Services. She's also the new president of the Amelia Island Book Festival. In her workshop, Marie will show you how to write an actionable marketing plan, unearth your own unique brand, and discover audience segments to help your book sales. 

But wait, there's more!

• New York Times best-selling author Mary Kay Andrews appears at Jacksonville's Main Library downtown at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2nd. If you miss her there, she'll be at The BookMark in Neptune Beach the next evening, June 3rd at 7:00 p.m. along with another bestselling author, Mary Alice Monroe. 
• On Saturday, June 6, Florida Sisters in Crime welcomes Robert Lassiter, Senior Investigator, Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The group meets at 10:15 a.m. at the Southeast Regional Library.
• The Masters Review is holding a short story contest for emerging writers (no published novels) with a $2,000 grand prize. No theme, up to 6,000 words. Click here for submission info.
• The annual FWA Conference has found a new hone at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Walt Disney World Resort. The $119 room rate is good for three nights before and three nights after the conference, so you might consider adding an extra day or two and bringing the family. But you must make your reservations by July 16. Here's the link for reservations, and click here for conference details.
• Ancient City Romance Authors welcome Jennifer Fusco, author of Market or Die: A Down & Dirty Guide to Marketing Your Book, as their speaker at the Saturday, June 27 meeting. There's a BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch) gathering at 12:30 p.m. at the Southeast Regional Library, followed by Jennifer's presentation at 1:00 p.m.
• The BookMark in Neptune Beach has been serving book lovers for nearly twenty-five years under the ownership of Rona Brinlee. Her independent bookstore has developed a national reputation for hosting major authors and recommending books on NPR. Rona will be the guest speaker at the Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program, Monday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. She'll talk about some of the best summer reads, and what's coming up at The BookMark.
• FWA's final mini-conference of the year is Saturday, June 27 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. Tracks include Effective Writing Tools, How to Make Money Writing, and How to Land an Agent. Visit the FWA website for more details.

And that should get your summer of to a fast start. Enjoy these lazy, hazy, crazy days and keep writing.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

FWA May 2015 Post

We're about to enter the fifth month of 2015, with summer approaching full steam (and humidity) ahead. Let's see what's on the radar screen for the merry month of May.

• Ponte Vedra Writers are double-dipping this month. On Saturday, May 2 at 10:30 a.m. visit the Ponte Vedra Library to hear Rik Feeney ask the probing question, "Audiobooks: Have You Heard the Latest?" Rik was set to present this workshop last week, but because of a scheduling snafu it was rescheduled to the first Saturday in May. Rik graciously altered his schedule to accommodate us, so please return the favor and come out to hear the latest on how you can turn your project into an audiobook. Another Ponte Vedra Writers meeting is set for May 23. Look for details at the end of this list.
• River City Writers gather on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Ask Gregg Golson for details. 
• Florida Sisters in Crime President Susan Kiernan-Lewis is the guest speaker at the Ancient
  City Chapter of FWA on Saturday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m. Susan's topic is "How to Successfully Market Your Ebook." She'll review what works and what doesn't, and provide tips for driving more sales. Susan is a former advertising copywriter with four book series across three popular genres.
• Clay County writers meet on Wednesday, May 20, 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Contact Maureen Jung for more information. 
• May is a great time to visit historic Fernandina Beach with a stop at the Amelia Island Museum of History on Thursday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. That's when the Writers by the Sea meet to hear "Build-A-Book: Many Authors, One Book." The presentation will be followed by group discussions.
• FWA's Youth groups both meet the first and third Thursdays of the month. The Jax Youth Writers at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library, led by Kimberly Smith, and the Nassau County Youth Writers at the Peck Center in Fenandina Beach. Jim Weinsier is the leader of that group.
• First Coast Christian Writers, an FWA affiliate, meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Regional Library.
• And we're back where we started at the Ponte Vedra Library where the FWA group will meet on Saturday, May 23 at 10:30 a.m. for a special program I'm calling "Thanks for the Memories." We'll hear from a panel of award-winning memoir writers about how they tackled their projects, and hear their suggestions for how best to write your own memoir. The panelists are Debbie Powers, John Tinny, and Kimberly Smith. 

• Florida Sisters in Crime welcomes JSO Cold Case Investigators, Detectives Dennis Sullivan and Glen Warkentien to their Saturday, May 2nd meeting, which kicks off at 10:15 a.m. at the SE Branch Library.
• Two important FWA deadlines are approaching: The FWA Youth Collection is accepting submissions through April 30. The theme is "Do-Overs." And the Royal Palm Literary Awards Competition will close the doors on 2015 submissions on May 15. Read all about it here if you want to be included in the collection or win one of those cool trophies. 
• FWA presents the Daytona Beach Mini-Conference covering historical fiction and Sci-Fi/Fantasy on Saturday, May 16 at the Grace Episcopal Church in Port Orange. Registration details here.
• Deadline for the Florida Authors & Publishers Association (FAPA) President's Book Awards is this Friday, May 1. Visit the FAPA website for details.
• If you're in the Altamonte Springs area this Saturday, think about attending FWA's Writer's Nest Mini-Conference at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. Faculty will cover YA fiction, screenwriting, inspirational writing, and the craft of writing.
• It's not too late to register for my Novel in a Day Workshop presented by the Florida Heritage Book Festival on Saturday, May 9 at Flagler College's Ringhaver Student Center in St. Augustine. The $95 registration fee includes morning coffee, a box lunch, and a 30-page workbook. Procrastinators who register at the door pay $115. Click here for all the details.
• The Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program presents a mini book fair on Monday, May 18 featuring four area authors. Come by the library at 6:30 p.m. on the 18th to hear from and support authors Kathy Bain, Mark Reasoner, Ken Overman, and Mary Atwood. Each will discuss their writing journey and later sign books. A portion of all sales benefits the Friends of the Ponte Vedra Library.

And I'll leave you with these sage words from John Irving: "And I think what I've always recognized about writing is that I don't put much value in so-called inspiration. The value is in how many times you can redo something."

That's all, folks,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

Writers Are People Who Write

For years I had a sign over my desk that read WRITERS ARE PEOPLE WHO WRITE. It wasn't that I was linguistically challenged and required help defining the word "Writers." No, I admit to being a world class procrastinator, and the sign was a not so subtle reminder that unless I was actually writing I wasn't a writer, just a person with a wannabe writer. Sure, I could talk a good game about what I was planning to write, or convince myself I was in the research phase of my next book while I was reading or watching the squirrels frolic beneath the bird feeder. But unless I was writing, I was only a person who wanted to write.

Mystery novelist Elizabeth George may have said it best when she ascribed her success to "bum glue," the ability to keep your bum in the chair and write. Now that my bum is in the chair, I think I'd like to get on with writing this post.

Here's what's happening this month at our NE Florida FWA meetings:

• Journalist and children's book author Stephen Kindland is the guest speaker at the April 14 meeting of the River City Writers. They'll gather at the SE Branch Library at 7:00 p.m. to hear Stephen share his experiences as a self-published author, providing specifics about the costs and pitfalls of hiring a publishing company versus the benefits of using a free self-publishing service. Contact Gregg Golson for more information.
• If you've ever been asked "Where do you get your story ideas?" then you'll want to hear what Michael Ray FitzGerald has to say on the subject. FitzGerald will speak at the April 15 meeting of Clay County Writers, 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library, on the topic, "Spotting Good Story Ideas: They're Probably Right in Front of You." FitzGerald has written hundreds of articles for business journals and other publications on the topics of music, film and culture. Group leader Maureen Jung has more details. 
• Writers by the Sea meet Thursday, April 16 at the Amelia Island Museum of History on 3rd Street in downtown Fernandina Beach. A social time starts at 6:00 with the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. Area thriller writer Chuck Barrett will speak on the topic of "Publishing Alternatives: What is Print-On-Demand?" A number of small support/critique groups will meet following the presentation.
• In what may be a first, having four FWA meetings in one week, the Ancient City Writers chapter meets on Saturday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library (corner of US 1 and San Carlos). Rik Feeney talks titles in this presentation he calls "Great Book Titles: Make Them Marketable and Memorable." Rik will tell us why your title is so important, and how to test its Internet impact.
• POSTPONED TO SATURDAY, MAY 2ND   As though to prove you can't get enough of a good thing, Rik Feeney makes a return visit to the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, MAY 2. Come to the Ponte Vedra Library for the 10:30 a.m. meeting to hear Rik ask the burning question, "Audio Books — Have You Heard the Latest?" Rik will share the benefits of adding audiobooks to your product line, and how to do it yourself or even have a pro do it for nothing. Contact Vic DiGenti for more information about this meeting.
• The Jax Youth Writers meet on the first and third Thursdays of the month, 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Kimberly Smith has the details. 
• The Nassau County Youth Writers also meet the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Peck Center in Fernandina Beach at 4:45 p.m. Contact Jim Weinsier for more information. 

And now for the rest of the story:

• FWA's 4th Annual Writer's Nest Mini-Conference is set for Saturday, April 25 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. Workshops will cover screenwriting, writing the YA novel, POV, and taking your writing to the next level, among others. Click here for all the details.
• April 30 is the deadline for both the FWA Collection and FWA Youth Collection. The 2015 Adult Collection, Volume 7, comes with the theme "Revisions, Stories of Starting Over" and will include 60 short pieces written by FWA members. Your submission may take the form of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. This year's Person of Renown, Marie Bostwick, will select her top ten favorites. The word limit is 1,200 words. Visit the webpage for all the entry guidelines.
• The FWA Youth Collection, Volume 2, has a similar theme of "Starting Over." Click here for entry guidelines.
• Submissions for the RPLA competitions close on May 15. Everything you ever wanted to know about this year's competition can be found right here.
• Calling all mystery writers! There's a new mystery writers group in St. Augustine called Murder Ink, and they're searching for new members. They meet on the first Thursday of each month, 5:30 p. m. at the St. Johns County's SE Branch  Library on US 1 and SR 206. That's Thursday, April 2 this month. Contact Kurt McGill for more info.
• Florida Sisters in Crime meets Saturday, April 4 at 10:15 a.m. at the Jax SE Branch Library to hear Deputy Director Penelope Knox from the local branch of the U. S. Marshall's Service. Ms. Knox will explain the difference between reality and fiction as it pertains to the duties of the U. S. Marshall's Service.
• Lynn Harlin kicks off another in her series of Shanty Boat Writers Workshops that will meet each Saturday afternoon from April 11 to May 16. The workshops are for both beginning and more seasoned writers, and run from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Contact Lynn for more info.
• Nancy Quatrano, editor, author, writing coach, has put out double call for short story entries. The first is for Christmas stories to be included in Snowbird Christmas, Volume 3. Word count from 1,000 to 3,000 words, and stories may be either fiction or non-fiction, but must be heart warming and G rated. Deadline is April 18. The second call is for mysteries set on the East Coast, any state that touches the Atlantic Ocean. Word count from 1,500 to 3,500, and submission between June 10 and July 10. There is no entry fee. Contact Nancy at ontargetwords@gmail.com for more details.
• Congratulations to Holly Bebernitz on the publication of Road to Briarwood, part two of the Magnolia Arms Chronicles. Holly will have a book launch party at Heavenly Chocolate Creations, 4251 Lenox Avenue, on Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Sounds tasty. 

And that's all the news for the month of April, 2015. Remember, Writers are people who write.
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

March forth or lose ground

"An artist is always out of step with his time. He has to be."

~ Orson Welles

It struck me that every time a book makes waves, thousands of writers try to ride the same wave, hoping to cash in on the flavor of the month. It happened with Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, and most recently with Fifty Shades of Grey. But as Orson Welles reminds us, we need to create our own waves and not march in lockstep. Find your own voice and maybe others will be emulating your success.

Sermon over. Time to march on with the calendar of outstanding events this month ... and more.

• The Jax Youth Writers meet on the first and third Thursdays of the month, 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Kimberly Smith has more information.
• And in Fernandina Beach, the Nassau County Youth Writers also meet on the first and third Thursdays at the Peck Center at 4:45 p.m. Contact Jim Weinsier for details.
• River City Writers meet on Tuesday, March 10 at the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. and the guest speaker is screenwriter Kelly Fogwell. Her topic is "How to Use Screenwriting Techniques to Strengthen Fiction Writing." Kelly has taught screenwriting at the college level, and has some great tips for writers of fiction. Contact Gregg Golson for more information.
• Clay County Writers meet on Wednesday, March 18, 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library, 2054 Plainfield Avenue. Group leader Maureen Jung has the details. 
• Writers by the Sea will gather on Thursday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Barbara Bond will present "The Writing Guide for the 21st Century: Do You Need It?"
• Novelist Arliss Ryan takes the spotlight for the Ancient City Writers meeting on Saturday, March 21, 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Arliss will share her secrets for turning historical research into astounding fiction no reader can resist.
• A visit to the Ponte Vedra Library on Saturday, March 28 at 10:30 a.m. will bring you to the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting. We welcome editor, writer, and writing coach Mary Ann de Stefano speaking on "From First to Final Draft: Opening the Door." Mary Ann, who edits FWA's official magazine, The Florida Writer, will talk about the various stages of manuscript development, when to go it alone, and when to share your work in progress. 

And in other news:

• FWA's next mini-conference is on Saturday, March 21 in Plantation, FL in S. Florida. The dual theme of the conference is building suspense and writing female characters. Here's the link for more information. I'm presenting a new workshop on writing thrillers in the morning, and will join Jade Kerrion and Kim Campbell in the afternoon to answer a few questions about how I approach writing my female characters (very carefully). This should be a good one if you'd like to make a weekend of it in sunny S. Florida.
• The Royal Palm Literary Awards competition is open for submissions through May 15. The deadline for early bird fees was last Saturday, so you (and I) will now pay $40 per entry rather than $30. Still, that's better than $60 per entry fee which kicks in on May 1st.
• Florida Sisters in Crime meets on Saturday, March 7, 10:15 a.m. at the SE Branch Library, to hear from an arson investigator from the Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigators.
• NY Times bestselling author Steve Berry will debut his new thriller, The Patriot Game at a fundraiser for the St. Augustine Historical Society Research Library on Thursday, March 26. A reception will precede Steve's presentation and Q & A session, followed by a booksigning. The event takes place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and tickets are $100 per person, which includes a copy of the book. Contact Bob Nawrocki at 904-825-2333 for more information.
• Ancient City Romance Writers welcome Salt Run Publishing's Kellie Sharpe as their speaker to their Saturday, March 28 meeting. She will present, "Marketing & Promotion for Authors Who Break Out in a Cold Sweat." The meeting is at 1:00 p.m. at the South Mandarin Branch Library. 
• Laura Hampton of The St. Augustine Record is looking for a few good freelancers. She's particularly interested in articles on food, health and wellness, gardening and outdoor living, local residents and local charitable organizations and/or religion. If interested, contact Laura at laura.hampton@staugustine.com.
• From time to time I'm asked when I'm going to present my Novel in a Day workshop again in our area. It's been more than a year since my last one in Jacksonville, but now I've teamed up with the Florida Heritage Book Festival & Writers Conference to present one as a benefit for the organization. The date is Saturday, May 9 at the Gamache-Koger Student Center at Flagler College. Registration is $89 through April 20, $95 from April 21 to May 1, and $115 at the door. The fee includes a box lunch and a 30-page workbook. Click here for information and registration.

And that's all the news that fits. Don't forget to march to the beat of your own drummer.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

Short Month-Full Schedule

In celebration of yesterday's Groundhog Day, I'm repeating my call to attend one of the following FWA meetings this month.

• Tuesday, February 10 is the date for the next meeting of the River City Writers group. They'll assemble at the SE Branch Library at 7:00 p.m. to hear from group co-leader Melissa Kosciuszko who will speak on her journey to traditional publication. There will be group critiques after Melissa's talk. Questions? Direct them to Gregg Golson at gtgolson@comcast.net.
• The Clay County Writers meet Wednesday, February 18, 6:5 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Contact group leader Maureen Jung for details.
• Writers By the Sea (formerly the Amelia Island Writers) will meet an hour earlier this month due to the kickoff of the Amelia Island Book Festival. They'll gather at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 19 at the Amelia Island Museum of History, 233 S. Third Street in Fernandina Beach, to hear group chairperson, Nadine Vaughan Williams present, "Writers in the Storm: Novel Approaches for Turbulent Times."
• There will be no meeting of the Ancient City Writers group this month since their meeting room has been requisitioned for tax preparation sessions. They will return on Saturday, March 21 with a program on historical research by author Arliss Ryan.
• Ponte Vedra Writers group leader Vic DiGenti (aka Parker Francis) presents "The Suspense is
  
  Killing Me," at the Saturday, February 28 meeting. The group meets at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. If you're looking for ways to build more suspense into your stories, this workshop will share some of the secrets bestselling authors—and the late "Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock—use to keep the reader in a constant state of anticipation. 
• The Jax Youth Writers meet on the first and third Thursday of each month  at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Contact Kimberly Smith for more information.
•  Nassau County Youth Writers also meet on the first and third Thursdays, though they meet at 4:45 p.m. at the Peck Center in Fernandina Beach. Jim Weinsier has details.
• And finally, FWA affiliate, First Coast Christian Writers gather at Webb-Wesconnett Library each Thursday at 6:45 p.m.

But wait, there's more:

• Florida Sisters in Crime welcome Donald Knight CIV NCIS to help separate fact from fiction. They meet at 10:30 a.m. at the SE Regional Branch Library
• The next FWA mini-conference is set for Saturday, February 14 at the Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore. The Annual Day at the Bay Conference has two tracks: romance and writing about fighting. Visit the FWA website for more information about this and the other 2015 mini-conferences, www.floridawriters.net.
• Speaking of FWA, the RPLA competition is now open for submissions through May 15. It's time to get your best writing out there for judging by your peers. You can't win if you don't enter. Be aware that FWA has instituted a tiered entry fee this year ranging from $30 per entry through February 28, increasing to $40 through the end of April, and jumping to $60 per entry May 1 to May 15. The early bird gets more than a worm, it saves money. Click here for competition guidelines and details.
• The Friends of St. Augustine's Main Library present "Murder at the Library," a fundraiser, on Sunday, February 22 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and all are invited. For more information, contact Branch Manager Valerie Mull at 904-827-6940, or FOL President Toni Siriani.
• The Amelia Island Book Festival, February 19 - 21, kicks off Thursday night with a concert by musician/author Zara Phillips, and continues with writing workshops, a Teen Fest, and the VyStar Reader's Luncheon featuring keynoter Carolyn Curry.
• Sleuthfest 2015, February 26-March 1, has an all star cast this year, including James Patterson, Dave Barry, and James W. Hall.
• Write On! The 2015 Writers Conference and Book Fair at South Florida State College, Friday, September 27 in Avon Park. A full day of workshops and a book fair for authors. Contact me for more information.
• For you history lovers out there, particularly history of Florida, the St. Johns County Public Library System has selected Les Standiford's book, Last Train to Paradise: Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad that Crossed an Ocean (in the running for the worlds longest book title) as this year's St. Johns One Community, One Book Program. Standiford will be here to discuss his book on Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m. at the St. Johns County Auditorium in the County Administration Building, 500 San Sebastian Way, St. Augustine. As part of the month-long celebration, all  of the branch libraries will have special programs. The Ponte Vedra Library welcomes Dr. Thomas Graham on Monday, February 23, 6:30 p.m., to discuss his book, Henry Flagler's St.   Augustine. 
• The Ancient City Romance Writers meet Saturday, February 28 (a popular date for meetings and events, it seems) to hear Elizabeth Sinclair discuss "The Dreaded Synopsis." They meet at 1:00 p.m. at Generation Next Christian Teen Center, 12650 Gillespie Avenue in Jacksonville. 
• And this just in: Harper Lee's second book will be published this July. Go Set a Watchman is the title of the book she completed in the 1950s and never published. Of course, we all know Ms. Lee as the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, her only published novel to date.

It's a short month, but it's crammed with meetings, conferences and special events. Be sure to put aside time to keep writing. And if you haven't already, please Follow this page.

Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

A New Beginning

I think you'll agree that 2014 brought some mixed blessings, but now we begin anew. I won't bore you with my long list of resolutions, but instead jump right to the upcoming FWA meetings here in NE Florida. I hope one of your resolutions is to attend more meetings. Maybe I'll see you there.

• Changes have come to the group formerly known as the Amelia Island Writers. As announced in last month's post, Maggie deVries has stepped down after leading the group for 7 years, and Nadine Vaughan Williams and Nancy Blanton have stepped up to move the group forward. The new Writers by the Sea will meet on the third Thursday of the month, January 15, at 6:00 p.m. upstairs at Cafe Karibo, 27 North 3rd Street in Fernandina Beach. Nadine and Nancy have not only ushered in the changes for a new name and meeting location, they also have their monthly programs scheduled for the entire year. On January 15, Nancy Blanton talks about the critical importance of working with a critique group and giving and receiving positive feedback.
• The River City Writers will meet at the SE Branch Library at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13 to hear from award-winning author Debbie Reed Fisher. Debbie's topic is "Writing Dialogue that Sounds Real." For more information contact Gregg Golson at gtgolson@comcast.net.
• The Jax Youth Writers meet on the first and third Thursday of each month at the popular SE Branch Library. Contact Kimberly Smith for details.
• The Nassau County Youth Writers also meet on the first and third Thursdays, 4:45 p.m. at the Peck Center in Fernandina Beach. Jim Weinsier has the details.
• The Ancient City Writers group meets at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library on Saturday, January 17. I'm happy to accept the group's invitation to present the workshop on outlining I did for this year's FWA Conference. I'll provide fresh perspectives on that burning question of whether tis better to outline or not. In my presentation, "To Outline or Not to Outline? That is the Question," I offer examples, testimonials from both sides, and even an alternative outlining scenario using fairy tales as the foundation.
• The Clay County Writers next meeting is on Wednesday, January 20 ay 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Maureen Jung is the group leader. Contact her for more information.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers group returns for the new year on Saturday, January 24, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Marie Vernon and Judy Weber (writing together as Amber Adams) discuss the pleasures and perils of co-authorship in a workshop they call, "Writing 2X2: The Advantages of Co-Authorship." Last year, Marie and Judy published the first in their new Day McKelvey Mystery series, Above the Fold, and will soon release the second, Real Estate is Murder. In their presentation, Judy and Marie will discuss their writing process, and answer questions about how to form a writing team and make it work.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Webb-Wesconnett Library.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Florida Sisters in Crime meets this Saturday, January 3, 10:30 a.m. in meeting room A of the SE Regional Library. If you're writing about the influx of drugs from overseas and researching what's being done to stop the flow of illicit drugs, then you won't want to miss this meeting that focuses on the US Coast Guard's mission to serve and protect us.
• New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry is the featured author at the Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program on Monday, January 12 at 6:30 p.m. Berry will discuss his latest thriller, The Lincoln Myth, as well as his upcoming Cotton Malone adventure, The Patriot Threat. The program is free and open to the public.
• Tickets are still available for the Florida Heritage Book Festival's special presentation of bestselling authors Pat Conroy and Janis Owens on Thursday, January 8 at Flagler College's Lewis Auditorium. Visit the FHBF website for details.
• Ancient City Romance Writers meet on Saturday, January 24 at 1:00 p.m. at South Mandarin Branch Library on San Jose Blvd. The speaker is author Maria Geraci who will present, "Writing Faster and Better." More information here.
• FWA's first mini-conference of 2015 is on Saturday, January 17 down near Venice, Florida. "Short Shorts" is the title and theme as the workshops focus on writing short magazine articles, flash fiction, and poetry. Click here for the conference program.

Here's hoping all of your New Year's dreams come true.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director