July 2019 FWA Blog Post

"Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you're passionate about something, then you're more than willing to take risks." ~ Yo-Yo Ma

Are you passionate about writing? Are you sitting down each day to add words to a story, essay, or other work because your passion drives you, not because you believe you're going to make the bestseller list? That would be nice, of course, but the reward comes in crafting work that meets the level of your passion.

To that end, FWA brings you ample opportunities to rekindle your passion. Here's what's happening around NE Florida and beyond.

• Sit in with the River City Writers at the Pablo Creek Library on Monday, July 1 at 7PM. Group leader Gregg Golson will be happy to provide the details.
• Don't bother traveling to the Orange Park Library to attend the Clay County Writers meeting as they won't be meeting this month. They'll be back next month, so check this space then.
• Elizabeth Sinclair is center stage at the July 20th meeting of St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers group. Elizabeth is the award-winning author of 27 novels, and will discuss "Research: For Your Novel." She will explore sources ther than Google and how to access them. The meeting kicks off at 10AM at the Main Library.
• The Amelia Island Writers have retreated to a metaphorical summer camp, according to group leader Marla McDaniel. They will return to business as usual in September.
• Multi-RPLA award-winning author Ken Pelham travels from his Central Florida home to Ponte Vedra Beach to put us inside a character's head so we know what the character sees, hears, and thinks. It's an important lesson in the often misunderstood and misused point of view, and Ken will deliver the goods in his presentation, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Writing in the Fictional Viewpoint." That's Saturday, July 27 at 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.

And in other news ...

• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime chapter meets on Saturday, July 13 at 10AM at the SE Branch Library to hear author Susan Slater discuss "The History of Mystery: The Evolution of the Cozy."
• The Sisters in Crime are inviting you to a very special one-day workshop with bestselling author Victoria Thompson. Thompson is the author of the Edgar and Agatha Award-nominated Gaslight Mystery Series. The event takes place on Saturday, August 3 from 10AM to 4PM at the UNF University Center. The cost is $60 and includes a catered lunch. Click here for details and registration.
• IngramSpark, BookBrunch, and Publishers Weekly have combined to present the first Selfies Awards for independent writers. The awards recognize adult fiction and will be presented at BookExpo 2020 with the winning author receiving a $1,000 cash prize and $5,000 in advertising support from Publisher's Weekly. Click here for more information.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2PM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. All poets are invited. Contact Sharon Scholl for more information.
• FWA is open for business. You may renew your passion by registering for any or all of the following: the 18th Annual Florida Writers Conference, the 7th Annual Florida Youth Writers Conference, and the Celebrity Workshop with Jonathan Maberry. Information and registration details can be found on the FWA website.

That's all folks. Have a safe and enjoyable July 4th.

Cheers,

Vic 

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director