July 2016 FWA Post

No jokes about starting the month off with a bang because, like Alice's White Rabbit, I'm in a hurry. So here's what you need to know about our July meetings.

• Join the River City Writers on Tuesday, July 12 at 7:00 p.m. to hear about author Robyn Gioia's latest long journey to publication for her middle grade novel, The Siege, which is set in St. Augustine. The group meets at the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway.
• St. Augustine's Ancient City Chapter of FWA meets Saturday, July 16 at the downtown Main Library. The guest speaker is writer Jeanne Moon Farmer who will speak on "How To Do What You Love and Love What You Do." The meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.
• On Wednesday, July 20, the Clay County Writers will gather at the Orange Park Library to review Lynn Skapyak Harlin's Shantyboat guidelines, "To Give and to Receive: Guidelines and Practice in Reading and Reaction." The group meets from 6:15 to 8:00 p.m.
• Writers by the Sea meets Thursday, July 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History. Author, surfer, and environmentalist Paul Hayden will present "Having Fun in Different Genres: How to Write Adventure/Intrigue." Contact group leader Nadine Vaughan-Williams for more information.
• Ponte Vedra Writers group leader Vic DiGenti takes the stage for the Saturday, July 23 meeting, presenting a memoir writing workshop. In his workshop, "Life is Like a River," he'll talk about the best ways to start and finish a memoir, as well as using elements from the world of fiction to hook the reader. The meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library.
• The First Coast Christian Writers, an FWA affiliate, has changed its meeting place. They now meet at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship at 6195-7 Lake Gray Blvd., Jacksonville 32244. The meeting schedule remains weekly, each Thursday at 6:45 p.m.

And in other news:

• Florida Sisters in Crime welcomes Rick Skinner, Duty Officer for the Florida Highway Patrol to its July 9 meeting. The group meets at 10:00 a.m. at the Bartram Trail Library in St. Johns County, 60 Davis Pond Road.
• And speaking of the Florida Sisters in Crime chapter, the group holds its annual Crime Writers Workshop next month on Saturday, August 20 at the UNF Adam Herbert University Center. The guest speaker is bestselling author and investigative reporter, Hank Phillippi Ryan. Click here for registration information.
• The Ancient City Romance Authors have a new location and time for its Saturday, July 23rd meeting. The group will meet at 1:00 p.m. (no lunch time planned) to hear from Pablo Creek Librarians Sara Roberts and Jackie Spirtas about "How to Get Your Book in the Library." The meeting will be held at the Pablo Creek Library, 13295 Beach Blvd. 
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival, September 15 - 17, has updated its Writers Conference and Book Festival schedules. Check them out here.
• Bestselling author Tosca Lee has been selected to present this years Celebrity Workshop prior to the FWA Conference on Thursday, October 20 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. Tosca is the New York Times bestselling author of The Progeny, now under development by Radar Pictures, as well as Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba: Rise of a Queen, and The Book of Mortals series with Ted Dekker. The full-day workshop is titled, "10 Secrets of a New York Times Bestseller." Visit the Celebrity Workshop webpage for details and registration.

And that's all folks. Enjoy your July 4th holiday, and keep writing.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director