Contrary to what many of you might imagine, a career in letters is not without its drawbacks -- chief among them the unpleasant fact that one is frequently called upon to sit down and write. -- Fran Lebowitz
Not to be argumentative, Fran, but some of us enjoy the act of writing. Of course, some of us are also liars—we tell lies for fun and profit!
But here's the truth about what's happening in the NE Florida neighborhood for writers seeking some inspiration.
- The Ponte Vedra Writers group has been politely pushed from its regular fourth Saturday meeting date by the library to the second Saturday in April. On Saturday, April 9 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library, Chris Gabbard will speak about writing his memoir A Life Beyond Reason: A Disabled Boy and His Father's Enlightenment (Beacon 2020). In it, Gabbard talks about his son August, who passed away at the age of fourteen. Gabbard will explore how the first draft of a creative non-fiction piece focusing on a deeply felt personal loss will often amount to a cry of pain, a blurt of undifferentiated sentiments, and unplotted memories and thoughts. Dr. Gabbard is a Professor of English at the University of North Florida, and he'll talk about the first draft of your memoir.
- Bestselling thriller author John Gilstrap presents a Zoom workshop titled "Whose Story Are You Telling?" at the River City Writers April 12 meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. Choosing the correct point of view is one of the key elements of dramatic storytelling. Author John Gilstrap has been praised by Publishers Weekly for “flawless characterization” in his books, and in this interactive session, he’ll walk you through the critical decisions that help you propel your story through the most dramatic set of eyes. Gilstrap's protagonist in his new Victoria Emerson thriller series has been praised by Jeffrey Deaver as “One of the most singular and compelling heroines to come along in years.” Use this link to join Gilstrap on the 12th: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71750614805?pwd=TDO-x7t_5WMzC97oFJxBmEoWzWcM6C.1
- The FWA Ancient City Chapter meets on Saturday, April 16, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Dr. Margaret Nicholson will present "How Websites Can Overcome Fear of Publishing." In her talk on why websites are important, she'll discuss the use of a website for writing and publishing along with quick and easy steps to post a blog story.
- Clay County Writers group leader Melanie Pronia is planning either a Zoom or Facebook Video meeting for the group's April 20 meeting. Contact Melanie directly for more information. She can be reached at melanie@melaniespronia.com.
- The Amelia Island Writers is sticking to its quarterly meeting schedule and won't meet this month. However, there are several groups focusing on critiques, memoirs/biographies, and screenwriting. If interested, contact Marla McDaniel, divinemissmm@yahoo.com
Update on liars: Not all lying is confined to writers, of course. Jimmy Fallon in one of his "Thank You Notes" bits had this to say: Thank you, horseradish, for being neither a radish nor a horse. What you are is a liar food.
And in other news ...
- Save the date for Florida WritersCon 2022, October 28-30. The featured speaker is Sarah Penner, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Lost Apothecary, which debuted at #7 on the NYT hardcover fiction list and is in the works as a TV drama series at Fox. Registration opens on May 1 but a partial schedule can be found here.
- Submissions to the Royal Palm Literary Awards competition close on April 30. The competition covers multiple categories of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and more, but remember you must be a member to submit your work for judging. Visit the FWA website to join and for more information.
- Congratulations to Kurt McGill on the publication of his crime thriller, Night Pictures. One reviewer said, "He has almost uncannily melded into one thriller many of their (pulp novelists of the 60s) best sinister bad guys, mean streets and alleys, protagonists stunned into self-reflection, and obsessive, addicted social isolates."
- If you're into contests, the Kindle Book Awards are now open for submissions.
- And Craft Literary has another Short Fiction competition for stories from 1,000 to 5,000 words. The winner receives $2,000 and runners-up $500. More info can be found here.
- I've mentioned how LinkedIn keeps trying to find me a job. In its latest listing was a writer position with Netflix. Part of the job description reads, "The Writer will work with the narrative and creative teams to create dialog, mood, emotion, and descriptors for the established vision." Just up my alley, I thought, until it turns out it's for gamers. Still, an intriguing job for a writer, and so far 4,421 applicants agree with me.
That's all folks. Keep writing and don't forget what Ernest Hemingway said, "A writer of fiction is really... a congenital liar who invents from his own knowledge or that of other men." Of course, if Ernest wasn't such a misogynist he would have added "or women" to that sentence.
Cheers,
Vic
Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director
