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