July 2017 Blog Post

It's a steamy day, with rain in the forecast. So what else is new? Take advantage of the summer heat and humidity by staying indoors and writing, but save time to attend one of these FWA meetings here in NE Florida.

• The River City Writers continues its pursuit of concluding the Writing Great Fiction tutorials. On Tuesday, July 11, the group takes on "The Mechanics of Writing Dialogue," and "Integrating Dialogue into a Narrative." They will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library.
• There will be no meeting of St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers this month due to a lack of a meeting facility. The group hopes to be back in their home base of the Main Library next month. Stay tuned.
• Clay County Writers can double their writing pleasure this month as the group meets twice at its new venue of Panera Bread, 661 Blanding Boulevard. Group leader Maureen Jung reports that the topic for the two meetings is "Book Marketing and Fund-Raising," with discussions of how to launch and market their Clay anthology. The meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, July 12 and July 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please RSVP to Maureen, 904) 298-5714, if you are attending.
• Amelia Island Writers will not meet in July. Watch for news of its August meeting in next month's blog post.
• Robyn Gioia is the author of the nonfiction book, America's First Real Thanksgiving, and several works of fiction, including the upcoming historical fiction YA novel Under Siege. She's just returned from South Korea, where she's been teaching and will present a workshop on writing historical fiction to the Ponte Vedra Writers group. Her talk is titled, "Teleporting Readers into the Past; A Guide to Writing Historical Fiction." Join the Ponte Vedra Writers to hear Robyn's talk on Saturday, July 22 at 10:30 a.m.

And in other news:

Be aware that the early bird registration ends at the end of the month, and it will cost more to register for October's Florida Writers Conference. Early registration not only saves you money, but it includes the four Thursday evening Boot Camp sessions, a $39 value. Click here to check out the conference schedule and register.
• Not many of us have the opportunity to learn from a true master of the craft. David Morrell is the bestselling author of 34 novels, including his debut novel, First Blood, which became the 1982 blockbuster film Rambo starring Sylvester Stallone. His influential espionage novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose, became the only TV miniseries to be broadcast after a Super Bowl. Morrell is the National Guest of Honor at this year's conference and will present "Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing," the Celebrity Workshop on Thursday, October 19.  This requires a separate registration and benefits the Florida Writers Foundation. More information here.
• Florida Sisters in Crime will meet Saturday, July 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the SE Branch Library to hear Leonard Birdsong present "A Courtroom & Trial Primer for Authors." Professor Birdsong teaches Criminal Law and White Collar Law at Barry University in Orlando. He's worked as a private attorney and as a federal prosecutor. This is a good opportunity to learn how to write accurately about courtroom proceedings. BTW, Professor Birdsong is also an RPLA winner.
• First Coast Romance Writers welcome Nancy Quatrano speaking on “Rising to the Point and Backstory: How, Who and How Much” to their July 8, 2017, meeting from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the West Regional Library located at 1425 Chaffee Road S, Jacksonville, Fl, 32221. Visit http://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com for more information.
• Susan Boyd is the hard-working Chairperson of the Florida Writers Conference Silent Auction, which benefits the Florida Writers Foundation. She's issued a call for auction items and can use your help. If you have an item(s) you wish to donate to this worthy cause, please contact Susan for more information.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at the Ponte Vedra Library at 2 p.m. and new poets are very welcome.

That's it for now. I'll leave you with a smile (hopefully), with the wish no writer ever receives such a bad review.

“I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top.” Ohio State University writing professor

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Executive Vice President
FWA Regional Director
2017 FWA Conference Chair

June 2017 Blog Post

Though we're about to enter the lazy, hazy days of summer, there's nothing lazy about a writer on deadline. Let's get started.

• The River City Writers group meets on Tuesday, June 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Group leader Gregg Golson reports that they will continue their journey through the "Writing Great Fiction" songbook. This meeting will discuss characters and dialogue.
• The Ancient City Writers return to the St. Augustine's Southeast Branch Library for its Saturday, June 17 meeting. Award-winning author Elizabeth Sinclair will discuss using all five senses on a writer's literary palette. Library doors open at 10:00 a.m.
• "Marketing for Writers" is the topic for this month's Clay County Writers meeting, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m at the Orange Park Library on Wednesday, June 21. This will be a group discussion and an overview of the Embedded in Clay anthology project. Please note that in June and July the group will meet at the Panera Bread at 661 Blanding. RSVP to Maureen Jung if you're planning to attend.
• Writers by the Sea meets Thursday, June 22, 6:00 p.m. at the Nassau County Library. Award-winning author S. R. Staley will present "Writing Historical Fiction that Sizzles."  Note, the group will not have a meeting in July. Contact group leader Nadine Vaughan-Williams for more information.
• Jennifer Swanson is the award-winning author of over 25 nonfiction books for children. Jennifer will offer ideas for "Capturing an Editor's Attention through Innovation" at the Saturday, June 24 meeting of the Ponte Vedra Writers. You can join them at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library.

And in other news ...

• Register early for the upcoming Florida Writers Conference, October 20 - 22,  and we'll throw in Thursday evening's Writer Boot Camp sessions free of charge. Early registration ends July 31.
• While you're registering, go ahead and sign up for the Celebrity Workshop on Thursday, October 19. David Morrell has been called "A master of the modern action novel," and it's a rare opportunity to learn from one of the all-time great writers. This day-long workshop calls for a separate registration since it's a benefit for the Florida Writers Foundation.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at the Ponte Vedra Library at 2 p.m. and new poets are very welcome.
• Florida Sisters in Crime meets this Saturday, June 3 at the SE Branch Library. The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. Retired police officer Paul Schad will explain some of the psychological and health issues affecting police officers and their families.
• First Coast Romance Writers gather on Saturday, June 10 at the West Regional Branch Library to hear Kerri Nelson's workshops on creating a pitch and producing multiple novels in one year. The meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.
• John Dufresne leads a two-day writers workshop at the Lakeside Inn in Mt. Dora on September 29-30. Click here for details.
• The Amelia Island Book Festival and the Florida Authors & Publishers Association have teamed up to present a half-day workshop on "DIY Book Publishing." The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 17 at FSCJ-Nassau Center. Visit this page for details.

Until next time, keep writing and use sunscreen.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive VP

May 2017 Blog Post

We're surging through another year, already in the fifth month of 2017. FWA has been riding this fast-moving train with Focus Day Conferences—there's another coming May 20 in Boca Raton—confirming plans for the annual conference and scheduling area group meetings.

This is what local FWA group leaders have planned for you here in NE Florida.

• Join the River City Writers Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library for a double-barreled program. First Melody Lorbeer (she writes as Melody Delgado) will share her journey to publication and how she chose her protagonist. Next the group continues working their way through Writing Great Fiction, part of the Great Courses program. This one is titled "Call Me Ishmael—How to Introduce Characters."
• On Wednesday, May 17, author Paula Hinton joins the Clay County Writers to address "The Resilient Writer." Writers are often sensitive creatures—sometimes too sensitive, and swayed by bad reviews and rejection slips. Paula will help focus the group on what it takes to continue to write amidst the challenges life brings us. Paula is a writer of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, whose work has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion, as well as many literary magazines. Her YA novel, Little Miss Chaos, was short-listed in the William Faulkner–William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. The group meets at the Orange Park Library at 6:15 p.m.
• Writers by the Sea will gather at the Amelia Island Museum of History on Thursday, May 18 at 6:00 p.m. This month's program features a panel discussing "Writing for Children, YA and New Adults: What is the Difference?" The panelists are Frances Keiser, Jane Wood, Diane Harper and Jim Weinsier. Contact group leader Nadine Vaughan-Williams for more information. 
• The much-traveled Ancient City Writers group returns to St. Augustine's Southeast Branch Library, 6670 US 1 South, for its May 20 meeting. Join them at 10:00 a.m. when author/editor Nancy Quatrano discusses "Writing to the Point: We Only Have 5 Seconds to Make It." Nancy's interactive presentation will focus on learning tight writing skills by employing good word choices and sentence structure, not more words.
• Memoir writers take notice: Writer and editor Alison Nissen is the featured speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, May 27 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Alison, who is the head of 3 Dog Tales Productions, a ghostwriting and editing service, compares writing a memoir to assembling a quilt. In her presentation, "Quilting Your Memoir, One Memory at a Time," Alison tells us, "Our memories are not revealed to us in chronological order but rather stitched together in cascading colors and textures. Likewise, our memoirs need not be written in epic form from beginning to end, rather, they can be collected into small, vibrant accounts of our experiences. Using sensory details, we bring to life these short vignettes to create a beautiful depiction of our lives, one memory at a time."

And in other news —

• FWA'a May 20 Focus Day Conference places the Focus on E-Books with workshop sessions covering everything from formatting to cover design, from platform options to marketing of e-books.   The day-long conference will be held at Lakeside Terrace in Boca Raton. Visit the website for all the details and registration information.
• At the same date and location, FWA will present its first Youth Focus Day. This conference targets middle grade and high school student writers, and covers flash fiction writing, cover design and live critiques. 
• Speaking of critiques, this year's Florida Writers Conference will offer several critique options. Freelance editor JoSelle Vanderhooft will conduct three small group critique sessions during the conference. There's no extra fee, but advance registration is required since there's limited seating. When you register for the conference you'll receive an email providing all the details. The second option is a one-on-one 25-minute critique of up to 10 pages of your WIP. You may select either JoSelle or editor Chantelle Aimee Osman. The cost is $45. Look under the Opportunities page for details, and check out the entire conference schedule if you haven't already. 
• Nancy Quatrano has an active speaking schedule this month. She will speak at the Florida Sisters in Crime meeting this Saturday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. at the SE Branch Library. Nancy's topic is "Book Marketing: Ten Things You Need to Know."
• The Masters Review has partnered with PEN America and Poets & Writers for its current flash fiction contest for emerging writers, which is deadlined May 31, 2017. Top prize is $2,000 and publication in PEN America. Visit this page for guidelines.
• St. Augustine author Nancy Haddock covers two topics for the First Coast Romance Writers, meeting at the West Regional Branch Library on Chaffee Road, Saturday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m. First, Nancy explores what makes enduring series characters memorable. Her second presentation covers "Kind, Effective Critiquing."
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at the Ponte Vedra Library at 2 p.m. and new poets are very welcome.

And so another month of writerly activities has been recorded, and I move on to other things. Maybe I've been watching too much cable news, but this month's quote seemed most appropriate.

"Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation."

~ Henry Kissinger

Cheers everyone,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

FWA Regional Director

2017 Conference Faculty Chair

April 2017 FWA Blog Post

April brings us a shower of of outstanding programs and events for writers, so let's get started.

• Here's your chance to get in on the ground floor of a new FWA critique group. The Jacksonville Writing Meetup holds its first meeting this Saturday, April 1 at 9:30 a.m. in room 101 of Kaiser University. The group is being formed by attorney Gertrude Kehne and Brian Hobbs, a professor at the university. Contact Gertrude for more information.
• On Tuesday, April 11, the River City Writers continues its journey through the Great Courses "Writing Great Fiction." They will view Professor James Hynes as he teaches on "Building Fictional Worlds Through Evocation and Fictional Characters, Imagined and Observed." Then, the group will discuss how the lessons apply to our own works-in-progress and have group critiques. The group meets at Jacksonville's SE Branch Library starting at 7:00 p.m. Contact group leader Gregg Golson for more information.
• St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers chapter meets on Saturday, April 15, 10:00 a.m. at Anastasia Island Branch Library. Guest speaker is Rik Feeney who will talk on the topic of "Advanced Book Marketing for the Savvy Author."
• We travel to the Orange Park Library next for the Wednesday, April 19 meeting of the Clay County Writers. The meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. and the writers will hear from Richard Preston, author of the memoir Serenity Granted speaking on the topic "So You Want to Write a Book: 5 Things You Need to Know to be Successful." Among the things Richard will address, are how to plan your book and get started, whether to self publish, and book marketing.
• Writers by the Sea will meet on Thursday, April 20 at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Attorney and artist Deborah Reid will discuss the "Uses and Abuses of Copyright and Trademark Law." Contact Nadine Vaughan-Williams for more information.
• Ever wonder how accurate those CSI type programs are? You'll get inside information from forensics firearms scientist Kristin Durfee as she tells us "How to Commit the Perfect Murder
  
  (On Paper)" and shares real news about firearms, crime labs and answers your questions. Kristin will be at the Saturday, April 29 meeting of the Ponte Vedra Writers, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Kristin writes for both adults and young adults, and has published two novels and several short stories. She lives in Central Florida.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christin Fellowship on Lake Grey Blvd.

But wait, there's more!

• Florida Sisters in Crime meets this Saturday, April 1 at 10:00 a.m. to hear from JSO Lt. Kevin Geoff. In his 22-year career with JSO, Lt. Geoff has commanded units in multiple departments. He's currently in charge of the Integrity and Special Investigations Unit, which investigates human trafficking in NE Florida. They meet at the SE Branch Library.
• First Coast Romance Writers will be welcoming Lisa Kessler speaking on “Black Moments: Make Them Earn Their Happily Ever After” to their April 15, 2017 meeting from 10am to 2:30 pm, at the West Regional Library located at 1425 Chaffee Road S, Jacksonville, Fl, 32221. Visit http://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com for more information.
• Don't forget the first of FWA's Focus Days is scheduled for Saturday, April 29 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. The focus is on character-driven stories. Click here for more information.
• At the same time and at the same hotel as the April 29 Focus Day (go figure), I'm presenting my "world famous" Novel in a Day workshop as a benefit for the Florida Writers Foundation. It's a full day workshop (lunch and 30-page workbook included) covering the essential elements of writing a novel in a quick-paced, interactive — and entertaining — session. Registration and more details here.
• Christina Benjamin is collecting latest release info from St. Augustine writers for an article in St. Augustine Social. She needs the title, genre, release date, and a link to the Amazon product page. Email her with the information.

That's all folks. As usual, I'll leave you with a choice quote:

“The most annoying and full-of-crap thing a writer says is, ‘I write only for myself, I don’t care if anyone reads it.’ A writer without a reader doesn’t exist.” ~Harlan Coben

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

NE Florida Regional Director

March 2017 FWA Blog Post

Moving into the third month of the year brings us closer to spring and the first FWA Focus Day on Saturday, April 29. This mini-conference in Altamonte Springs focuses on Character-Driven Stories with faculty members Arthur Doweyko, Tawdra Kandle and Darlyn Finch Kuhn. More information may be found here.

On the same day in the same Hilton/Orlando hotel, FWA's Executive Vice President delivers his Novel In A Day workshop as a benefit for the Florida Writers Foundation. This popular workshop covers many of the essential elements necessary to write a compelling novel, including plot and structure, characterization, dialogue, beginnings, middles and endings, and much more. The day-long workshop includes individual and group exercises, all of it delivered in a fast-paced, interactive and entertaining a workshop. Here are what two of the past attendees said:

“Vic DiGenti is a great speaker and covered all the material you could want. Group work and matching handout were very helpful.” – Shannon B.

“Vic’s workshop is fantastic! He gives information to help writers break down novel writing into chunks. I loved his use of humor and examples. It was a great day full of valuable information.” 

– Kitty W.

Click here for registration information.

March also brings NE Florida all of these fine FWAA group programs:

• On Tuesday, March 14, the River City Writers begin a series of programs based on The Great Courses series - on Novel Writing. They will watch a lecture from Writing Great Fiction and discuss how the session applies to current works on progress. The group will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Contact group leader Gregg Golson for more information.
• Clay County Writers group leader Maureen Jung reports there is good news for writers looking to upgrade their professional bio. The group meets Wednesday, March 15, 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library for a hands-on session on "How to Polish Your Bio." Maureen says, "Your bio statement acts as your introduction when you’re not around. It helps establish your credibility and build trust. It can express your personality and entice readers to buy your book or read your article." Bring three copies of your current writing bio.
• Writers by the Sea will tickle your funny bone with the Thursday, March 16 program, "The Funny Thing About Writing Humor." Humor writer and educator Michelle Boyette begins by asking, “What is going on in the brain when we laugh?” and posits that knowing something of how and why humor works helps create the humorous piece or the comic story. The group meets at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History
• The Ancient City Writers FWA chapter is on the move for the Saturday, March 18 meeting. Due to construction at the Main Library, the group will meet at the SE Branch Library, 6670 US 1, south of St. Augustine. The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m., and Vic DiGenti pays a visit to present his "Life is Like a River" memoir writing workshop. If you've been thinking of writing a memoir or biography, this workshop session will get you off to a fast start.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers welcome multiple award-winning writer John Hope who will tell us how deep editing short stories can take them from good to great. John, who won five 2016 RPLA's for his stories, will show us how to dissect and view our stories the way readers and publishers view them. The group meets Saturday, March 25 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Grey Blvd.

And in other news:

• Florida Sisters in Crime meets Saturday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. at SE Branch Library to hear from Dr. Sabine O'Laughlin, Anatomic Pathologist.
• The International Woman's Writing Guild presents Florida Fling 2017 on Saturday, March 25 at the Del Webb clubhouse in Nocatee. Judy Huge and Kelly DuMar will present workshops. Click here for more information. 
• If you're looking for venues to sell your books and willing to travel, then check out FWA's 2nd Annual I (Heart) Books event on May 21 in Boca Raton, FL. This is a multi-genre book signing event limited to the first 50 authors. Here's the link for more information.
• The May 10-11 Florida Library Association Annual Conference will have opportunities for authors to see their books. Information may be found here.

Until next time, keep these words of wisdom in mind:

"If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write."

 ~ Stephen King

Cheers,

Vic

FWA Executive Vice President 

FWA Regional Director

February Blog Post

“The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Honest Abe knows what he's talking about, and if he was still around he'd be happy to know so many people are writing books these days. And FWA is still here helping to smooth the way for writers.

Two of our FWA writers groups will not have meetings this month. River City Writers is taking Valentines Day off—awww—and those pesky income tax people are taking over the Ancient City Writers' meeting room. Both will return in March, although the Ancient City Writers will shift to other St. Johns County Libraries for a few months due to renovations at the Main Library.

Here's what the other groups have to offer this month:

• Clay County writers meet on Wednesday, February 15 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Guest speaker is journalist and travel writer Kathleen Walls. Her topic, "It's Not All Glitz and Glamour, But it is Rewarding." Find out how to keep all the balls in the air: writing, travel, blogging and more.
• Writers by the Sea gathers at the Amelia Island Museum of History on Thursday, February 16 at 6:00 p.m. Attendees will be invited to wade into the memoir-writing waters with FWA Regional Director Vic DiGenti and learn why he says, "Life is Like a River."
• Wondering why some writers sell more books than others? It's usually a game of numbers, and when you attend the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, February 18 you'll hear Susan Kiernan-Lewis explain why, "The Key to Increased Book Sales is Writing Faster." The meeting will start at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Grey Boulevard.

There are two FWA critique groups in our region. They are:

• Serivilous Panerians (yes, that's their name) meets at Panera Bread at St. Johns Town Center on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 p.m. Cheri Roman is the group leader, but when last we checked they were at their maximum.
• Townie Critics is a fairly new critique group, also meeting at Panera Bread in the Town Center every other Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Krys Fenner is the group leader and she says they're still accepting writers of any genre. 

And in other news:

• Florida Sisters in Crime meets at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 4 at the SE Branch Library.
• First Coast Romance Writers meets Saturday, February 11 at 10:15 a.m. at the West Regional Library on Chaffee  Road. They will be hosting a panel of bestselling authors on "Choices, Choices, Choices – Traditional, Indie & Hybrid Authors Tell All." 
• The Amelia Island Book Festival kicks off on Friday, February 17 with an 8:30 a.m. workshop by Steve Berry, "Lessons from a Bestseller." That evening the Author Face-Off Gala Dinner brings together David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Lara Adrian, Mary Kay Andrews, Joseph Finder and R. L. Stine. There's much more including Saturday's Author Expo. Visit the website for all the details.
• Don't forget the Royal Palm Literary Awards competition is now open for submissions, and the Collections, "What a Character," will open tomorrow, February 1.
• And "What a Character!" is also the theme of the 2017 Florida Writers Conference, October 19 - 22. You'll be hearing much more about the conference soon as we unveil our National Guest of Honor, the Florida Writer of the Year and the Celebrity Workshop presenter. This will be one writers conference you don't want to miss. Stay tuned.
• Poets, you're invited to attend a Gathering of Poets critique group meeting on the first and third Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library.
• And on a sad note, we're sorry to hear of the passing of one of our First Coast writers. Linda Foley, a retired forensic psychologist who used her professional background to write a pair of mysteries, passed away yesterday.
• Tony Timbol has started a writing group that will meet once a month at 7:00 p.m. at Jason's Deli, 4375 Southside Blvd. The first meeting is on Tuesday, February 21. Here's a link to their Facebook page, and you may contact Tony for more information.

Since we began with a quotation about books, it's only fitting that we end with one as well.

"Whenever you read a good book, it's like the author is right there, in the room, talking to you, which is why I don't like to read good books."  -~ Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

FWA Regional Director

Faculty Chair, 2017 Florida Writers Conference

Here's to New Beginnings

With 2016 behind us — for better or for worse — we can all look forward to another opportunity to improve our lives and the world around us. In this week's Mad About Words Monday Muse, Mary Ann de Stefano posted this appropriate quote by author Neil Gaiman,

"Try to make your time matter: minutes and hours and days and weeks can blow away like dead leaves, with nothing to show but time you spent not quite ever doing things, or time you spent waiting to begin.

"Meet new people and talk to them. Make new things and show them to people who might enjoy them."

You can make things happen this month by attending one or more of these FWA meetings:

• River City Writers, Tuesday, January 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. Contact Gregg Golson for details.
• Clay County Writers, Wednesday, January 18 at 6:00 p.m. at a site to be announced soon. Group leader Maureen Jung tells us this will be a "Salute to Local Writers," and a look ahead to future projects. All writers are welcome.
• Writers by the Sea gathers on Thursday, January 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History. This month's program is "Keeping it Relevant: Writing and Selling an Op Ed Piece." Nadine Vaughan has the details.
• St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers chapter meets on Saturday, January 21 at the Main Library to hear from the writing team of Judy Weber and Marie Vernon (aka Amber Adams) on "Writing the Series Character."
• The Ponte Vedra Writers group returns to the Ponte Vedra Library on Saturday, January 28 at 10:30 a.m. Horror fiction writer Will Ludwigsen presents "Getting Personal With Horror," and will share his secrets for developing characters uniquely attuned to the reader's fears.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Grey Boulevard.

And here are more opportunities to meet people and learn something new:

• FWA presents four Focus Days during 2017 (aka mini-conferences), the first one being Focus on Character-Driven Stories on April 29. More information and registration here.
• The world famous (or nearly so) Royal Palm Literary Awards competition opens for submissions on January 15. Get an early start and save money by entering sooner than later.
• The 2017 Collections, "What A Character," will begin accepting submissions on February 1.
• Florida Sisters in Crime starts off the year this Saturday, January 7 with details from a retired NYPD police officer about what the TV programs get wrong. Paul Schad walks us through the technical things that don't work in real life crime fighting. They meet at 10:00 a.m. at the SE Regional Branch Library.
• The Jacksonville Public Library will hold its first Jax Book Fest on Saturday, March 25. They're looking for authors to exhibit during the event to market and sell their books. The early bird booth rate is $30 through January 6, increasing to $50 after that. Click here for more information.
• The deadline for the 2016 Florida Book Awards is fast approaching. January 13 is the last day to enter this prestigious award. Visit the website for all the details.
• The Ancient City Poets will host a community open mic poetry reading on Sunday January 29, 2017 from 3:00 to 4:30 at Corazon Cinema and Cafe, across from the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine. There will be a "New Year / Brave New World" theme to kick off the year, although attendees do not have to stick to this theme to share their work. The gatherings are held "renga style" with no emcee or sign-up sheet and end when everyone has had an opportunity to share.

Best wishes for a meaningful 2017,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director
2017 FWA Conference Chair
www.fwapontevedra.blogspot.com
www.parkerfrancis.com

A December to Remember

The year 2016 apparently did an end run on us, and we find ourselves facing the merry month of December once again. With hopes that this will be a December to remember for you, here's what's in store at our NE Florida FWA meetings and more.

• The Open Mic tradition we started last year continues at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting this month on Saturday, December 10, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Do you have a work in progress or a completed project you'd like to share? Come and read your first page (4 minute limit to give everyone a chance) and celebrate the season with some holiday refreshments and a book exchange. Bring any new or gently used book—fiction or nonfiction—and exchange it for another. All remainders will be donated to Seymour's, the library's bookstore. If you wish to participate in the Open Mic program please contact me by Thursday, December 8, and it's first contact, first up. Bring a goodie to share if you're so inclined.
• River City Writers will meet on Tuesday, December 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Contact group leader Gregg Golson for details.
• Another holiday gathering is in the works at the Writers by the Sea meeting on Thursday, December 15 at the Amelia Island Museum of History. Starting at 6:00pm, each writer is invited to read 1-3 minutes of something she or he wrote. The cost of admission is a plate of cookies or other finger-food to share. They will provide the coffee.
• Keeping in the holiday spirit, Ancient City Writers hold a networking and informational session on Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. A panel that includes three RPLA winners will be available to answer questions, while holiday refreshments are served.
• The Clay County Writers will focus on book covers at its Wednesday, December 21st meeting, 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. A discussion of the key elements of a good book cover will include a show and tell by attendees who are invited to bring their favorite book covers and be able to explain why it's their favorite.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Gray Boulevard.

And in other news ...

• Florida Sisters in Crime welcomes author Nancy Haddock to its December 3rd holiday party meeting. The sisters will gather at 10:00 a.m. at the SE Branch Library. Nancy is the author of the "Silver Six Crafting" mystery series published by Berkley Crime Time. She'll talk about how to develop series characters that will grab your reader.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Ponte Vedra Library. Bring four extra copies of your work to be critiqued by the group.
• Here's a list of December deadlines courtesy of The Masters Review.
• The Jacksonville Public Library will hold its first ever Jax Book Fest on Saturday, March 25 at the Main Library. They're looking for local authors to be exhibitors for the day at a cost of $30. Click here for more information.
• Kudos to John Carson on the publication of his book, Kid's Sports – A Parent's Best Friend.
• If you participated in November's National Novel Writing Month, please share your experience with us and we'll pass them along next month.

Until we meet again, my editor Duke and I wish you and yours a joyful Christmas, a happy Hanukkah or whatever you choose to celebrate during this festive holiday season.
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director
2017 FWA Conference Faculty Chair

November FWA Blog Post

Over 450 people attended the 2016 FWA Conference this month, many of them from the NE Florida area. If you missed it, you missed a good one, but you can make up for it by attending one of the FWA Focus Days, formerly known as mini-conferences. The first one is scheduled for April 29 in Altamonte Springs, and the focus is on Character-Driven Stories. But definitely put the 2017 Conference on your calendar, October 19 - 22, as the new Faculty Chair is planning a bunch of innovative sessions and new features.

Congratulations to all the RPLA winners. I hope you were one of them, but be sure to congratulate any of the writers you may know as these are the best of the best.

And now for the November meeting news:

• The River City Writers offers the perfect prescription for ridding yourself of the election blues since the meeting falls on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Linda Schilling Mitchell tells the story of how she developed her popular coloring book, Colorful Florida in a talk she calls, "Thinking Outside the Box for Writers." And maybe outside the lines as well.
• Laura Lee Smith knows a thing or two about rejections and what it takes to catch the attention of editors and agents. Laura's acclaimed novel Heart of Palm came after a series of rejections, and many short stories published in literary magazines. Laura will discuss her writing and publishing process and lay out a step-by-step strategy for "Breaking In" to the publishing scene. She's the special guest speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, November 12 at the Ponte Vedra Library. The meeting starts at 10:30 a.m.
• Wondering what a writing platform is and how to build one? Nancy Quatrano will tell you to put away the hammer and nails, and start thinking about your brand and reputation. Nancy is the guest speaker/author/editor at the Wednesday, November 16 meeting of the Clay County Writers to discuss "How to Build a Writing Platform." The meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library.
• Writers by the Sea meets on Thursday, November 17 at the Amelia Island Museum of History at 6:00 p.m. The topic is "First Aid for High Risk Writing," and editor Heather Whitaker can help writers not only improve their writing, but also their chances of success. She's a developmental editor and writing coach and has worked with bestselling authors Julianna Baggott, Jon Jefferson and Laura Lascarso.
• The Ancient City Writers chapter of FWA will gather together Saturday, November 19 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Heather Ashby is an award-winning military romance writer who served in the U.S. Navy. Heather tells us "The First Draft is Supposed to Stink," and advises writers to "turn off your internal editor while you're writing."
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Gray Boulevard.

And in other news:

• The Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross, GA is looking for 5 or 6 writers for a book signing this Sunday following the presentation of awards and a reception honoring winners of the Writer's Guild Contest. If interested, please contact Elizabeth Welch at okeheritage@gmail.com, or phone 912-285-4260.
• Florida Sisters in Crime meets Saturday, November 5 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bartram Trail Branch Library. The guest speaker is Candace Gerding, retired State Probation/Parole Officer.
• A gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Bring four extra copies of your work to be critiqued by the group.
• The Friends of the Ponte Vedra Library will present noted author Les Standiford at the Monday, November 14 Book Talk Cafe program. Les will talk about and sign his latest nonfiction book, Water to the Angels: William Mulholland, His Monumental Aqueduct, and the Rise of Los Angeles. The program starts at 6:30 p.m.
• November is National Novel Writing Month. Can you write a novel in a month? If you'd like to give it a try, visit the official website for all the details, from how it works to tracking your progress to getting daily pep talks. Good luck, and let us know how you did.

That's all folks. Have a great writing month, and enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA NE Florida Regional Director
2017 FWA Conference Faculty Chair
October 19 - 22, 2017

It's Conference Time

With over 70 workshops, panels and other sessions, keynoter John Gilstrap, the Royal Palm Literary Awards Banquet, and much more, this is one FWA Conference not to be missed. Check out the list of faculty members, including agents, editors and publishers waiting to hear your pitch, then click here to register for the 15th annual FWA Conference. You won't be disappointed.

And because we want as many NE Florida writers as possible to attend the conference, both the Ponte Vedra Writers and Writers by the Sea groups will not have meetings this month. I'll be at the conference presenting two workshop sessions. I hope to see you there. Here's what the other area writers groups have planned for this month.

• The River City Writers will meet on Tuesday, October 11 at 7:00 p.m. in Room D of the SE Branch Library. Group leader Gregg Golson will present "The Ten Commandments of Self Editing," how to ensure your writing is ready to be submitted to an agent or publisher.
• The Ancient City Chapter welcomes Marge Smith, who writes as Elizabeth Sinclair, on Saturday, October 15 at St. Augustine's Main Library. Her topic is "First Chapters Count" and she will explore all the facets of a dynamic beginning that will keep the reader turning pages. It will answer the burning question of "Where do you begin?" Library doors open at 10:00 a.m. and the meeting begins at 10:15 a.m.
• The Clay County Writers have a fun and helpful session planned for the Wednesday, October 19 meeting at the Orange Park Library, 2054 Plainfield Avenue. In "The Heart of the Story," writers are invited to pitch their story to the group in 50 words or less. They'll receive valuable feedback to help them hone their messages to readers. Group leader Maureen Jung reports the group is also holding a book sale on Saturday, October 15 from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. at the Community Commons Classroom in Penney Farms. She invites everyone attending the meetings to donate their gently used books on writing, editing, reading or speaking. Proceeds will go toward the group's Embedded in Clay anthology project. For more information, contact Maureen.
• FWA affiliate First Coast Christian Writers meets each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Gray Boulevard.
• There will be no meeting of Writers by the Sea in October so that everyone is able to attend the FWA Annual Conference in Altamonte Springs that week. In November, the group meets at the normal time on the third Thursday, at the Amelia Island Museum of History.
• Again, the Ponte Vedra Writers are also taking a break this month, but will return on Saturday, November 12 with a workshop on how to break in to the publishing scene by novelist and short story writer Laura Lee Smith.

Around the area

• Florida Sisters in Crime meets Saturday, October 1 at 10:15 a.m. at the Bartram Trail Library, 60 Davis Pond Boulevard, to hear from private investigator Steven Brown. Visit the website for more information.
• Don't forget to register for the FWA Foundation's Celebrity Workshop with bestselling author Tosca Lee. Or select a separate Foundation workshop with author John Rehg. Both full day workshops precede the annual Conference on Thursday, October 20. You'll want to arrive early anyway since the conference kicks off Thursday evening with five outstanding sessions.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. This is a working group of poets, so bring four extra copies of your poems.
• Speaking of the Ponte Vedra Library, the library's Book Talk Cafe program will feature noir novelist Michael Wiley discussing his latest Daniel Turner thriller, Black Hammock on Monday, October 17 at 6:30 p.m.

And that's all the latest in the neighborhood until next month. Don't forget the FWA Conference, October 20 - 23, and for those of you who are finalists in the RPLAs, I wish you the best of luck. If you're not sure who the finalists are, you can see them here.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

2017 Conference Chair

October 19 - 22, 2017

Stormy Weather

I'm one of those people who find good quotes to make a point. With the passing of tropical storm Hermine, it seemed appropriate to find a storm related quote, and I found several that fit.

"There some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm."

~ Willa Cather

Or what about this one?

"I never waited for my Irish Cream Coffee to be the right temperature, with a storm happening outside and my fireplace crackling ... I wrote every day, at home, in the office, whether I felt like it or not. I just did it."

~Stephen J. Cannell

It looks like NE Florida was spared once again, so let's hope all future storms fall into the metaphor category. And now on to September highlights.

• The Ponte Vedra Library is holding its semi-annual book sale the fourth weekend of the month, necessitating a move of the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting to Saturday, September 10 at 10:30 a.m. Award-winning writer Sandra McDonald will explore the evolving publishing world and the many options available in her workshop, "Picking Your Publishing Platform." Remember the meeting is on the second Saturday this month, not the fourth.
• River City Writers meet Tuesday, September 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Contact Gregg Golson for more information.
• Writers by the Sea meets on Thursday, September 15 at the Amelia Island Museum of History at 6:00 p.m. Graphic novelist and illustrator Michael Regina presents "How Art and Illustration Can Help Sell Your Story." Please contact Nadine Vaughan-Williams for more details.
• Learn how to write an effective press release at the Saturday, September 17 meeting of the Ancient City Writers chapter of FWA. Nancy Quatrano will educate us on writing "Press Releases that Work." The group meets at the St. Augustine Main Library at 10:00 a.m.
• Maureen Jung and the Clay County Writers will focus on their anthology project, as well as learn "How to Write a Summary." Join the crowd at the Penney Farms Community Commons Classroom, Wednesday, September 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Contact Maureen if you need directions.
• FWA affiliate, First Coast Christian Writers, meet each Thursday at 6:45 p.m. at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship on Lake Gray Boulevard.

And in other news:

• The Florida Heritage Book Festival & Writers Conference, September 15 - 17, offers a diverse schedule of workshops and events for both writers and readers. Over 30 award-winning authors, workshops and critique groups, plus receptions honoring Stetson Kennedy and Elaine Konigsburg. Click here for more information and to register.
• Each year on the Thursday preceding the FWA Conference, the FWA Foundation presents a
  
  day-long "Celebrity Workshop." This year you may opt to join award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee in a fast-paced workshop covering everything from writing unforgettable characters to creating gut-wrenching scenes. Her workshop is titled "10 Secrets of a New York Times Bestseller." Tosca is the bestselling author of The Progeny of a Queen, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and The Books of Mortals Series. You also have another Foundation Workshop choice this year as John Rehg presents "From Nursery Rhyme to Novel: Singing Your Story Structure." John's presentation will run from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Tosca's from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 20. Each one is $89. Visit the site for more information.
• Florida Sisters in Crime welcome Lt. Chase Mathews from the U.S. Navy Rescue Swimmers School to their Saturday, September 10 meeting. The group meets at 10:15 a.m. at the SE Regional Library.
• A Gathering of Poets meets each first and third Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library.This is a workshop group so bring four extra copies of your poems. Contact Sharon Scholl with any questions.
• Ancient City Romance Writers present its annual conference, September 9 - 10 at the St. Augustine Beach Hampton Inn. Spend the weekend at the beach with authors Jade Lee/Kathy Lyons and Cindy Dees. Deb Werksman, editor from Sourcebooks Casablanca will keynote and take pitches. Click here for details.
• If you have a one page short story, there's a contest for that. Visit this site for details, but hurry, the deadline's September 12.

One more storm quote before I clean up my yard.

"I pass my life in preventing the storm from blowing down my tent, and I drive in the pegs as fast as they are pulled up."

~Abraham Lincoln

Happy peg pounding,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA NE Florida Regional Director

2017 FWA Conference Chair