We're charging ahead toward the new normal, whatever that proves to be. Virtual sessions have taken the place of in-person meetings for the most part, and we'll continue to provide you with high level speakers and workshops until we meet again. Here's what's on the February schedule via the Ponte Vedra Beach Writers:
- We welcome award-winning author E. J. Wenstrom on Saturday, February 27 at 10:30 a.m. E. J. will be sharing tips on creating and managing your author newsletter. Who should have a newsletter? How can you tell if it's working? What if I'm not published yet? In this presentation, E. J. answers common author questions about newsletters and more. With a focus on a realistic approach to make a newsletter work for you, this introduction to newsletters for authors will explore what to put in your newsletter, offer an orientation to the tools available, how to grow it, and how to tell if it's working, so you can hit "Send" with confidence. E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye, and standing to the right on escalators. Her award-winning fantasy series Chronicles of the Third Realm War features a mashup of mythology, folklore, and a little chaos. It starts with the 2016 RPLA Book of the Year Mud. Copy and paste the following link to join us on the 27th.
Meeting ID: 837 8421 3396 Passcode: 736644
And in other news ...
- Both the Royal Palm Literary Awards and the Collection anthology are now open for submissions for you early birds. They will both close on April 30, or 500 entries for the RPLA, whichever comes first. Footprints is the theme for this year's Collection. The RPLA submission process has been streamlined to make it easier and quicker to enter. Visit the new FWA website to learn more about submitting your work. You'll have to login to the Member Center first and then select either RPLA or FWA Collection from the Quick Links on the right hand side.
- And speaking of the RPLAs, Chris Coward, the esteemed RPLA Chair, is always looking for judges. If you've been an RPLA winner in the past or have a good writing background, please consider being a judge. You may choose from the wide range of categories you're interested in judging. Here's the link to the judge-preference survey.
- A Gathering of Poets holds socially distanced gatherings on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 2:00 p.m. on the gazebo behind the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library (where we will one day return for our in-person meetings). Contact Sharon Scholl at sharonscholl527@comcast.net for more information.
- Rik Feeney's Orlando Writers group hosts author Nancy Cohen on Wednesday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m. for a Zoom meeting. Nancy will explain how to turn your book into an audiobook using the ACX service. All are invited to participate by using this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86572072199?pwd=UU4rWXNyTE9pNHg0aDB1VWtMVW4rdz0
Meeting ID: 865 7207 2199 Passcode: 188099
- If you can't get enough of Rik, then you'll be glad to know he is the March 20 guest speaker, discussing Creative Writing Techniques. Watch this space for more details next month.
- Some of you may be familiar with Dave Chesson and his website Kindlepreneuer. Dave is a marketing whiz and has a number of free resources for writers (plus many paid ones, of course) and not long ago he added an article about the pros and cons of traditional publishing and using an agent versus independent publishing. And he added a list of 30 publishers authors without agents may consider. View that article here.
- On the local front, Edward Mickolus wants you to know that his latest book, Spycraft for Thriller Writers, is now available on Amazon.
- The Jacksonville Public Library System presents another Lit Chat on Thursday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m. You can register to visit with Alexander Smalls, a true renaissance man, winner of Grammy, Tony, and James Beard awards. A visionary chef and co-owner of two Harlem restaurants, The Cecil and Minton's, Smalls will discuss his new cookbook, Meals, Music and Muses. Sounds like a tasty way to spend the evening. Click here to register for the Lit Chat with Alexander Smalls.
That will do it for this month's FWA Blog Post for NE Florida writers. Feel free to share with your writer friends who may not be on the mailing list. Stay well and keep writing.
Cheers,
Vic
Vic DIGenti
FWA Regional Director
