February: Holidays and More

February only has 28 days, but the month is packed with two Presidential holidays, Valentine's Day, the Chinese New Year, and let's not forget that all-important Groundhog Day... and let's not forget that all-important Groundhog Day. Did I already mention Groundhog Day?

February also brings the Amelia Island Book Festival and the Jax Book Fest, not to mention a full slate of FWA group meetings. And here they are:

• Gregg Golson has announced that the River City Writers have a new time and place for their meetings. Beginning this month the group will meet on the first Monday of the month (February 4) at 7PM at the Pablo Creek Library on Beach Boulevard. This month's guest speaker is author Tracy Tripp.
• There will be no February meeting for the Ancient City Writers. The group returns to St. Augustine's Main Library in March for a program on memoir writing.
• Some authors write one book and consider it a career. Dr. Edward Mickolus has published 35 books and considers it a promising start. Ed is the guest speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, February 16 at Christ Episcopal Church, 400 San Juan Drive, classroom 113. In his entertaining presentation, "How To Be(come) a Prolific Writer: Tips and Tricks on Writing and Publishing More Often Than You Think You Can," Ed will offer techniques to help increase your productivity. The meeting starts at 10:30AM.
• The Amelia Island Writers meet on Wednesday, February 20 at 4PM at the Story and Song Bookstore. Author Kathryn Taylor will discuss her new memoir, Two Minus One.
• Also meeting on the 20th is the Clay County Writers group, 6:15 PM at the Orange Park Library. The group welcomes Sherri Henderson, an author who works in the area of community support and advocacy services for families and individuals with developmental disabilities. She wrote Picture Memories: Understanding Dementia to help her son, who has Down Syndrome, understand his disease.

In other news ...

• The Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime group meets this Saturday, February 2 at 10AM at the SE Regional Library to hear retired attorney Judith Erwin speaking on "Love Can Kill."
• The 18th Annual Amelia Island Book Festival, February 14 - 16, offers multiple activities for writers and readers, including conversations by bestselling authors. Visit the website for details.
• The Jacksonville Public Library presents Jax Book Fest 2019 on Saturday, February 23 at the downtown Main Library. The free event runs from 10AM to 3PM and features presentations and signings by dozens of authors.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2PM at Chabad at the Beaches, 521 A1A North, while the Ponte Vedra Library undergoes repairs.
• Both the FWA Collections and Royal Palm Literary Awards competitions are open for submissions as of February 1. And don't forget you may also submit to The Florida Writer magazine and the FWA Blog. Visit the FWA website for details.

Our last word goes to Harlan Coben, who said, "A novel, for example, can be cleaned up, altered, trimmed, improved. Life, on the other hand, is one big messy rough draft.”

Cheers,

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director