December is here, and we're now officially in "the happiest time of the year." For some, that means a never-ending chorus of "The Little Drummer Boy" in every store in the land. To others, it's a time for reaching out to family and friends and sharing the love of the season. But to writers, it's a time to evaluate the past year and prepare for the future as we move forward on our writing journey.
This final FWA blog post of 2018 is sent your way with the hope that you and yours enjoy the finest of holidays seasons. So, let's get on with our calendar of events
- The River City Writers group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. The meeting starts at 7PM.
- Join the Ancient City Writers chapter for its annual holiday meeting and pitch session, Saturday, December 15 at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. Seven area writers will have seven minutes to pitch their book. Time for networking, so bring your marketing materials to share, and enjoy holiday treats.
- The new Amelia Island Writers will gather at Story and Song Bookstore in Amelia Park on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at 4PM. Enjoy the social time to chat over a book or two or three that had special meaning to you this year. Contact: Marla McDaniel, group leader, divinemissmm@yahoo.com.
- There will be no meeting of the Clay County Writers this month.
- The Bold City Writers meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 5PM at Panera Bread, 9301 Atlantic Boulevard. This is a critique group, and they're actively seeking new members. Contact group leader Rod Sullivan for details.
- The Ponte Vedra Writers continue their holiday while planning for the upcoming year. With the library closed through February or March, the group will relocate to Christ Episcopal Church starting with the January 26 meeting. Author T. M. Jacobs will present, "Writing is Your Business." We will meet in the choir room of the church, and next month I'll send out a map to help orient you.
And in other news ...
- A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays at 2PM. While the Ponte Vedra Library is undergoing major repairs, the group is meeting at Chabad at the Beaches, across A1A from the library at 521 A1A North.
- The application deadline has passed for the Jacksonville Public Library's Jax Book Fest event on Saturday, February 23, but that doesn't mean you can't attend and support your fellow writers. Another reason to attend is to hear featured authors R.L. Stine and Mike Thaler.
- You may have missed out on Jax Book Fest, but there's still plenty of time to register for FWA's 4th Annual I (Heart) Books signing event. This years event will be bigger than ever with a new venue in a new city, and more authors than ever. The event takes place on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Alachua County's Main Library in downtown Gainesville. Click here for registration and details.
- FWA's "Writers@Work" Mini-Conference is set for April 27-28 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. The topic is Marketing 101, with an intensive study of website design, Facebook ads, and social media. More details can be found here.
KUDOS
- Did you see the article on award-winning author Walter Joseph Schenk, Jr. in a recent FWA newsletter? The write-up details his writing journey and provides a peek into some of his award-winning books. Here's the link in case you missed it. By the way, Walter is the March speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting.
- Congratulations to FWA member Donnalee Overly on the publication of her second book in the Knot Series, The Zeppelin Bend: Unraveling the Knot of Deception.
- Beth Davis will discuss her novel, A Glimmer of Hope, at the Webb Wesconnett regional library on Thursday, December 6 at 7PM.
- Windrusher Hall Press recently published the biography, Music is My Ticket: The Musical Journey of Bill Prince, co-authored by Victor DiGenti.
- Micah Ward of Fernandina Beach, FL received an Honorable Mention in the 2018 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. His story, “The Guilt of the Living,” was one of 31 Honorable Mentions out of 704 entries received from over 20 countries.
Vic
Vic Digenti
FWA Regional Director
