FWA December 2019 Blog Post

In this season of good cheer, let's cheer each other on to another year of good tidings and improved writing. Did anyone complete their 50,000 words last month for NaNoWriMo? If not, you're not alone, but, hopefully, it spurred you on to write more. And to help motivate us, here are this month's NE Florida FWA group meetings:

• You can look forward to attending the first meeting of the newly reminted River City Writers group next month, on Thursday, January 9 at 7:00PM at the SE Branch Library. Linda Feist has stepped up to assume the group leader's role and rumor has it that she has booked an outstanding speaker for the first meeting. Stay tuned.
• The Amelia Island Writers host its annual December book chat on Tuesday, December 17 from 4:00 to 6:00PM at Story and Song Bookstore Bistro. Briefly discuss a book or two that has meant something special to you. Click here for more information on the Amelia Island Writers.
• The Clay County Writers gather together on Wednesday, December 18, from 6:00 to 8:00PM at Mackey's Munchies, 868 Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park. This will be a holiday celebration meeting.
• There's more holiday celebration ahead when the Ancient City Writers chapter hosts its annual pitch session and networking meeting, Saturday, December 21 at 10:00AM at St. Augustine's Main Library.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers group celebrated the holidays last month with its Open Mic meeting. The group takes this month off to refuel, hydrate, and returns on Saturday, January 25 with the first in a series of outstanding workshops. 

But wait, there's more:

• Rod Sullivan leads the Bold City Writers critique group, which meets twice a month at 11:00AM at the Panera Bread on Atlantic Boulevard near Regency Mall. The group is small, and Rod tells us they are accepting more members who write consistently. This the group's Facebook page and its Meetup page.
• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime chapter hosts its annual holiday social event this Saturday, December 7 at 10:15AM at the SE Regional Branch Library.
• A Gathering of Poets continues to meet twice a month on the first and third Thursday at 2:00PM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. All writers of the poetic persuasion are invited.
• Romance writers take note: the 2020 Hearts in the Sand Writers Conference, presented by the Southwest Florida Romance Writers, is scheduled for January 31 in Estero, FL (near Naples). Visit the website for more information.

That's it for this month and this year. Happy holidays to one and all!

Vic  

FWA November 2019 Blog Post

Fall is in the air, and the holidays are right around the corner. But the writing marches on, particularly since November is National Novel Writing Month. Join the thousands of others who will be working on—and hopefully completing—a 50,000 word novel in the next 30 days. Details are on the NaNoWriMo website.

And when you're not writing, you can attend one on these NE Florida FWA writers group meetings"

• Like the weather, there's been a change in the first River City Writers meeting date. As reported previously, the River City Writers group is under new management. Linda Feist has accepted the leadership role, and will launch the meetings on Thursday, January 9 at 7PM at the SE Branch Library. Look for more information next month.
• St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers chapter is back in business after its annual conference break. On Saturday, November 16 at 10AM, Margaret Nicholson, PhD, will discuss using DNA testing and genealogical research to enrich memoirs and historical fiction. Margaret wrote My Surprise Family: Find Your Ancestry Story as a mystery, a memoir, and a manual. The meeting takes place at St. Augustine's Main Library.
• Amelia Island Writers will chat with James Bruner, Esq. about how careers influence a chosen genre, successful publishing, and continuation as a series. Tuesday, Nov. 19, 4-6 pm at Story and Song Bookstore Bistro, Amelia Park. ameliaislandwriters.org
• Love to write, but hate the selling? Then join Nancy Quatrano at the Clay County Writers meeting on Wednesday, November 20 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library. In her talk, "Hybrid Marketing 101: Understanding Basic Buzz and Fan-Building," Nancy reveals an alternative path to generating better book sales.
• It's time to share your best work with your peers at the Ponte Vedra Writers Annual Open Mic meeting, Saturday, November 23 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. Participants will have at least five minutes to read an excerpt from their WIP or other work— fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc. The time will be dependent on the number of people signing up to read. If interested, please respond in advance of the meeting and I'll add you to the list of speakers on a first response basis.

And in other news ...

• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third thursday of the months at 2PM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. All poets are invited.
• NE Florida Sisters in Crime meets tomorrow, Saturday, November 2, at St. Augustine's Main Library at 10:15AM. They've invited fingerprint experts from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office to present forensic details for all mystery writers.
• Tickets go on sale today for the Amelia Island Book Festival Gala, featuring a star-studded line-up that includes David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Robert Crais, Margot Lee Shetterly, and Sharon Robinson. The Gala is the festival's major fundraising event, and takes place on Valentine's night in February 2020, at the Omni Amelia Island  Resort. Click here for ticket information.

That's all for now. I have to start on my NaNoWriMo novel.

Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA NE Florida Regional Director

October 2019 FWA Blog Post

When October rolls in we know FWA's conference is right around the corner. If you haven't already, it's not too late to register for the 18th Annual FloridaWriters Conference, October 17 - 20 in Altamonte Springs. This year's conference features three bestselling authors with two National Guests of Honor— Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jonathan Maberry. Delilah Dawkins is the Florida Writer of the Year. All three will participate in workshops and panels, and Maberry presents the Celebrity Workshop (requires a separate registration) on "The Art of the Pitch."

Check out the schedule and register now.

Meanwhile, happening in NE Florida ...

• We reported last month that the River City Writers group was in transition and I was searching for a new group leader. I'm happy to say that Linda Feist has stepped up and volunteered to lead the River City Writers. Linda has a good writing background, having been published in three Chicken Soup for the Soul books, in various newspapers and magazines, and she's a six-time RPLA finalist. She plans to return the meetings to the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway at the original time of the second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The first meeting probably won't be until November but watch this space for more details. In the meantime, Linda welcomes your input into the type of meetings you'd like to have and specific subjects to be covered. Email Linda Feist here: feistlyn@aol.com.
• Clay County Writers return to the Orange Park Library on Wednesday, October 16 (6:15-8:00  p.m.) to hear from Tracy Collins, who will speak about writing and marketing her book, Stumbling into Sobriety: And the Things I learned on the Way Back Up. Group leader Maureen Jung welcomes all area writers to join them on the 16th.
• The Ancient City Writers group, which always meets on the third Saturday of the month, takes its traditional month off and urges everyone to attend the Florida Writers Conference instead. They'll be back in the game next month.
• Thinking about writing a flash fiction story? Then plan to attend the Saturday, October 26 meeting of the Ponte Vedra Writers at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. Darlyn Finch Kuhn leads an exploration of the art of extremely short story-telling, and instructs us how to develop a beginning, middle, and end that leaves the reader satisfied. The meeting begins at 10:30 a.m.
• The Amelia Island Writers group will have a Halloween-themed open reading on Thursday, October 31 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island History Museum. The program is open to the public.

And in other news:

• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime chapter will have a business meeting on Saturday, October 5 to elect new officers. All members are invited to attend at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Regional Library on Deerwood Park Blvd.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.
• And don't forget to register for the Florida Writers Conference, especially if you're an RPLA finalist. 

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

NE Florida Regional Director

SEPTEMBER 2019 FWA POST—HURRICANE EDITION

With Hurricane Dorian knocking at our door we all have decisions to make. Some of you may already be on the road to safer harbors. I'll keep this FWA blog post brief so we can proceed with our storm planning. Perhaps this experience will play out in a future book. Good luck.

• It seems the River City Writers group has been abandoned and is no longer meeting. I hope in the near future to have a new leader in place to regroup and re-energize Jacksonville writers. Stay tuned for more news.
• Have you always wanted to write a thriller, but didn't know where to begin? Then attend the Saturday, September 14 meeting of the Ponte Vedra Writers. Award-winning author Vic DiGenti will share the secrets to writing a good thriller in his presentation "Writing the Thriller for Fun and Profit." The meeting begins at 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.
• The Clay County Writers group gathers together at the Orange Park Library on Wednesday, September 18 at 6:15PM. Maureen Jung has the details. 
• Travel to St. Augustine on Saturday, September 21 to hear Bob Boese talk about "The Importance of Setting" at the meeting of the Ancient City Writers chapter. The doors of the Main Library open at 10AM.
• Amelia Island Writers meet Tuesday, September 24 from 4 to 6PM at the Story and Song Bookstore Bistro. Dr. Donna Jennings will discuss blogs, blogging varieties, and writing content.

In other news

• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime chapter Saturday, September 7meeting has been canceled due to Hurricane Dorian.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library at 2PM. All poets are welcome.

Stay safe everyone, and we'll see you after the storm passes.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

August 2019 FWA Blog Post

"I like middles. It is in middles that extremes clash, where ambiguity recklessly rules."  ~ John Updike

Here's what to expect at this month's NE Florida FWA meetings:

• The River City Writers meet tonight at 7PM at the Pablo Creek Library. Contact Gregg Golson for details.
• You're invited to attend the Ancient City Writers meeting gathering together on Saturday, August 17 at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. All in attendance will hear award-winning author Nancy Quatrano discuss "What's So Special About a Series?" Nancy tells us that writing a series makes financial sense since sales are proportionately better, and she'll tell you how to build a series.
• The Clay County Writers are back in session after a two-month sabaatical. They meet on Wednesday, August 21 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library. Author Amy Stewart will be there to talk about her books, her life, and her career. Amy is the author of the Kopp Sisters mystery series, and three popular nonfiction titles.
• Erik Deckers returns to the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, August 24 to tell us "How to Structure and Write a Nonfiction Book." Erik is a professional blogger who has co-authored books on social media marketing and personal branding. He'll join us at the Ponte Vedra Library on the 24th at 10:30AM.
• The Amelia Island Writers will meet at the same date and time—the fourth Tuesday of the month at 4PM—but have a new temporary meeting place. The group can be found at Island Art, 18 N. 2nd Street in Fenandina Beach on August 27, and they will discuss programming ideas for 2020.

And in other news ....

• October is right around the corner, so it's definitely not too early to register for the 18th Annual Florida Writers Conference featuring presentations by bestselling authors Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jonathan Maberry, and Deliah S. Dawson. Maberry is also the Celebrity Writer and will present a full day workshop prior to the conference on October 17.
• A Gathering of Poets continues its poetic probing on the first and third Thursdays of the month at the Ponte Vera Beach Branch Library at 2:00PM. All writers of the poetic persuasion are invited.

Until next time, keep writing.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

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

June 2019 FWA Blog

June may be busting out all over, but so is the heat index. Stay cool, folks, and take advantage of these meetings where the air is conditioned.

• River City Writers assemble on Monday, June 3 at 7PM at the Pablo Creek Library. Contact Gregg Golson for details.
• The Clay County Writers are on a forced two-month holiday since the Orange Park Library will be using the meeting room. They will return to their normal meeting dates in August.
• The Amelia Island Writers revert to childhood as they tackle writing fairytales this month. Jim Weinsier will facilitate the program, Tuesday, June 25 at 4PM at Story and Song Bookstore Bistro in Amelia Park.
• Author Susan Slater drops in on the Ancient City Writers to present "Plotting: A Moveable Feast," on Saturday, June 15, 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. As the author of two mystery series and a creative writing teacher, Susan brings her expertise to talk about story structure. She says, "Know where you're going with your story, but more importantly–how to get there."
• "Are You Ready to Take Your Pants Off?" is the provocative title of Susan Kiernan-Lewis's workshop at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, June 22 at 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. No, her talk isn't about modeling underwear, but instead about the advantages of outlining. The prolific author will introduce an outlining technique that works for any genre of writing.
• The Amelia Island Writers revert to childhood when they work on writing fairytales at this month's meeting. Jim Weinsier will facilitate the meeting, taking place Tuesday, June 25 at 4PM at the Story and Song Bookstore Bistro in Amelia Park.

And now for the rest of the story:

• NE Florida Sisters in Crime welcome back Janet Kuchler, aka Janet Cooper, for part two of her workshop, "Fiction? Nonfiction? What to Write? at the Saturday, June 1 meeting at the Southeast Regional Branch Library at 10AM.
• FWA presents an expanded mini-conference on "Writing Diversely," Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23 at the Hilton Orlando, Altamonte Springs. The various workshops cover writing about diverse characters and cultures. Click here for details, including registration information.
• The deadline has passed to submit your work for consideration for the Royal Palm Literary Awards competition, but now is the time to sign up for both the Celebrity Workshop with Jonathan Maberry and the annual Florida Writers Conference. Maberry is a New York Times bestselling author and five-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, as well as a comic book writer. His vampire apocalypse series V-Wars, is in production as an original Netflix series. His Celebrity Workshop will cover "The Art of the Pitch."
• The Florida Writers Conference features workshops and panel discussions by dozens of authors, including bestselling authors Jonathan Maberry, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Deliah Dawson. The theme this year is Writers at Work, so make sure you find a way to work your way to the conference. Visit the website for all the details.
• A Gathering of Poets group meets on the first and third Thursdays at 2PM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. All poets are welcome. For information, contact Sharon Scholl.

That's it for this month. Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

April 2019 FWA Blog

April showers us with a plentitude of educational activities from which to choose. FWA presents the two-day mini-conference, "Marketing 101," on April 27-28 in Altamonte Springs. Join marketing pros Rick Bettencourt, Mary Ann de Stefano, Erik Deckers, and Mandie Stevens for workshops covering everything from Facebook advertising to website building. Read all the details here.

Here in NE Florida, you may select from the following area group meetings:

• Tonight at 7PM, the River City Writers gather at the Pablo Creek Library to hear from editor Kimberly Smith-Ashley, who will share her thoughts on working with a professional editor and what to expect from the process.
• Clay County Writers meet on Wednesday, April 17 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library. Former police officer Sherrie Clark presents, "Communicating through Storytelling." Sherrie is an author, editor, book coach, and publisher of over 80 books.
• On Saturday, April 20, the Ancient City Writers welcome award-winning writer Skye Taylor. Skye will address the question of how to hook your reader and keep them turning pages. The group meets at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library.
• Amelia Island Writers celebrates National Poetry Month. Lola Haskins, Honorary Chancellor of the Florida Poets Association., will present "Plein Air, Florida—Woods and Waters," on Thursday, April 23, 4-6 PM at the Island Art Association Educational Building, 18 North 2nd St., Fernandina Beach. Lola will have a selection of her books available for purchase.
• Thinking of writing a stage play? Then you'll want to know the ins and outs of formatting a play and join Walter Schenk at the Ponte Vedra Writers group meeting on Saturday, April 27 at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. Walter will present a show-and-tell discussion designed to answer all your questions, starting at 10:30AM.

And in other news:

• The 18th Annual Florida Writers Conference is now accepting registrations. Nationally prominent featured authors include National Guest of Honor Sherrilyn Kenyon, Florida Author of the Year Delilah Dawson, and National Guest of Honor and Celebrity Workshop presenter Jonathan Maberry. Click here for details.
• If you've been waiting to submit your work for consideration for a Royal Palm Literary Award, be advised that the submission deadline is April 30. The same deadline applies for the FWA Collection.
• The 4th Annual I Love Books book fair will be held at the Alachua County Library District Main Branch in downtown Gainesville on Saturday, May 11.

Until next time, keep writing and I'll see you at the library.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

March 2019 FWA Blog

We're marching toward another busy spring season. On March 16, FWA presents a marketing webinar with Dr. Juduth Briles, who was one of the hits of last year's Florida Writers Conference. And for an even more intensive marketing session, you should check out the April 27-28 mini-conference in Altamonte Springs. Let's not forget the 4th annual I Love Books book signing event is scheduled for May 11 and is located in Gainesville this year. Check it out here.

Now for the local news:

• River City Writers meets on Monday, March 4 at 7PM at the Pablo Creek Library on Beach Boulevard. Contact group leader Gregg Golson for information.
• The Ancient City Writers are back on schedule with this month's meeting, taking place Saturday, March 16 at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. This month's speaker is author Belea Keeney, and her topic is "Memoirs: So Many Memories, So Little Time."
• Self-described spiritual activist and student of consciousness teZa Lord will speak to the Clay County Writers on Wednesday, March 20 at 6:15PM. Her topic: "No Matter What, Never Give Up."
• The Ponte Vedra Beach Library is open once again, and the Ponte Vedra Writers will return to their old stomping grounds this month. The library is accepting applications for meeting rooms next week, and I hope to keep our regular schedule on the fourth Saturday of the month. Our speaker is travel writer Kathleen Walls, who will address, "A Travel Writer in Today's World." Look for a follow-up announcement to confirm the date after the 7th. 
• The Amelia Island Writers group concludes its memoir focus study and makes plans for April National Poetry Month. They meet on Tuesday, March 26, 4PM at the Story and Song Bookstore Bistro in Fernandina Beach.

And in other news:

• If you write police procedurals or crime novels, mark your calendar to attend this Saturday's meeting of Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime. Paul D. Schad, retired detective, actor, and Police Technical Advisor, will speak on "Emotional Reactions and Ramifications for Law Enforcement Officers." The meeting is set for 10AM, Saturday, March 2 at the SE Regional Library.
• Aside from all the FWA events mentioned at the top of the page, submissions are now open for the annual Collections anthology, the Royal Palm Literary Award Competition, and the Florida Writer Magazine. Details may be found here.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic Digenti

FWA Regional Director

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

Happy New Year 2019

It's a new year and a time for new beginnings. If you resolved to finish your writing project, we have plenty of inspiration for you. Keep reading for information on the NE Florida writing group meetings, and be sure to show up for at least one of them. As Woody Allen said, 80 percent of success is just showing up.

• The River City Writers group is taking the month off to reorganize and move to a new location. Beginning Monday, February 4, the group will meet at 7PM at the Pablo Branch Library's front conference room. Their first meeting features local author Tracy Tripp. Gregg Golson has more details.
• The Clay County Writers group is off and running in the new year with a motivational program to help you sell books. Meeting on Wednesday, January 16 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library, the group welcomes Armand Rosamilla, a hybrid author who addresses the subject, "Building Readership: Reaching Your First thousand Readers." Armand will talk about podcasts, mailing lists, and social media.
• Children's book authors will want to head to St. Augustine on Saturday, January 19 for the Ancient City Writers group meeting. Your destination is St. Augustine's Main Library at 10AM. That's when Frances Keiser will expound on "The ABCs of Publishing a Children's Book."
• The critique group known as the Bold City Writers meets on the second and fourth Thursday of the month at 5PM at the Panera at 9301 Atlantic Blvd. Newcomers are welcome. Contact group leader Rod Sullivan for details.
• The newly relaunched Amelia Island Writers group meets on Tuesday, January 22 at 4PM at the Story and Song Bookstore in Fernandina Beach. Their mission: to study and write short memoir. Your contact is Marla McDaniel.
• A freshly revived Ponte Vedra Writers group returns from sabbatical this month reinvigorated and relocated to a temporary new home at Christ Episcopal Church, 400 San Juan Drive in Ponte Vedra Beach. The meeting begins at 10:30AM on Saturday, January 26. Our speaker is author T. M. Jacobs who will teach us how to develop our writing into a business. During his talk, appropriately titled "Writing is Your Business," Jacobs will share some outside the box marketing methods, how to set goals, and how to learn from best sellers. The group will meet in the choir room on the ground floor, and parking is available in the lot or in their parking garage. See the map below and follow the arrows to the choir room. Hymnals will be provided for those wishing to sing.

 And in other news ...

• The ubiquitous—and appreciated—Nancy Quatrano kicks off the year for the Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime clan talking about how to strengthen a manuscript, especially a mystery, by dissecting "The 13 Problems." The sisters (and brothers) meet Saturday, January 5 at 10AM at the SE Branch Library. All genders are welcome.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday at 2PM. They gather at Chabad at the Beaches, 521 A1A North, until the Ponte Vedra Library opens for business in a few months.
• Marine journalist Robert Beringer brought the following $2,000 scholarship announcement to our attention if you know of any college students following this career path:
  Have you ever read a boating article in a magazine or online blog and thought to yourself, I could do that! Well here’s your chance. The BWI Scholarship Fund was created to honor undergraduate college students—from any major—who demonstrate a passion for the field of boating media and have a clear career goal to pursue this field. Applications may be downloaded at http://www.bwi.org/downloads/scholarship/BWI-Scholarship-App-19.pdf and will be accepted through January 15, 2019.

And that's all for now, folks, except to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

December 2018 Blog Post

December is here, and we're now officially in "the happiest time of the year." For some, that means a never-ending chorus of "The Little Drummer Boy" in every store in the land. To others, it's a time for reaching out to family and friends and sharing the love of the season.  But to writers, it's a time to evaluate the past year and prepare for the future as we move forward on our writing journey.

This final FWA blog post of 2018 is sent your way with the hope that you and yours enjoy the finest of holidays seasons. So, let's get on with our calendar of events

• The River City Writers group meets on the second Tuesday of the month at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. The meeting starts at 7PM.
• Join the Ancient City Writers chapter for its annual holiday meeting and pitch session, Saturday, December 15 at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. Seven area writers will have seven minutes to pitch their book. Time for networking, so bring your marketing materials to share, and enjoy holiday treats.
• The new Amelia Island Writers will gather at Story and Song Bookstore in Amelia Park on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at 4PM. Enjoy the social time to chat over a book or two or three that had special meaning to you this year. Contact: Marla McDaniel, group leader, divinemissmm@yahoo.com.
• There will be no meeting of the Clay County Writers this month.
• The Bold City Writers meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 5PM at Panera Bread, 9301 Atlantic Boulevard. This is a critique group, and they're actively seeking new members. Contact group leader Rod Sullivan for details.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers continue their holiday while planning for the upcoming year. With the library closed through February or March, the group will relocate to Christ Episcopal Church starting with the January 26 meeting. Author T. M. Jacobs will present, "Writing is Your Business." We will meet in the choir room of the church, and next month I'll send out a map to help orient you.

And in other news ...

• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays at 2PM. While the Ponte Vedra Library is undergoing major repairs, the group is meeting at Chabad at the Beaches, across A1A from the library at 521 A1A North.
• The application deadline has passed for the Jacksonville Public Library's Jax Book Fest event on Saturday, February 23, but that doesn't mean you can't attend and support your fellow writers. Another reason to attend is to hear featured authors R.L. Stine and Mike Thaler.
• You may have missed out on Jax Book Fest, but there's still plenty of time to register for FWA's 4th Annual I (Heart) Books signing event. This years event will be bigger than ever with a new venue in a new city, and more authors than ever. The event takes place on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Alachua County's Main Library in downtown Gainesville. Click here for registration and details.
• FWA's "Writers@Work" Mini-Conference is set for April 27-28 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. The topic is Marketing 101, with an intensive study of website design, Facebook ads, and social media. More details can be found here.

KUDOS

• Did you see the article on award-winning author Walter Joseph Schenk, Jr. in a recent FWA newsletter? The write-up details his writing journey and provides a peek into some of his award-winning books. Here's the link in case you missed it. By the way, Walter is the March speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting.
• Congratulations to FWA member Donnalee Overly on the publication of her second book in the Knot Series, The Zeppelin Bend: Unraveling the Knot of Deception.
• Beth Davis will discuss her novel, A Glimmer of Hope, at the Webb Wesconnett regional library on Thursday, December 6 at 7PM.
• Windrusher Hall Press recently published the biography, Music is My Ticket: The Musical Journey of Bill Prince, co-authored by Victor DiGenti.
• Micah Ward of Fernandina Beach, FL received an Honorable Mention in the 2018 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. His story, “The Guilt of the Living,” was one of 31 Honorable Mentions out of 704 entries received from over 20 countries.

That's it for 2018. We'll see you in the New Year. Happy holidays to all!

Vic

Vic Digenti

FWA Regional Director

November 2018 Post

From Halloween we move into the Thanksgiving month of November. 2018 is flashing by, so let's move on with our monthly announcements.

• Find out what group leader Gregg Golson and the River City Writers are up to when they meet on Tuesday, November 13 at Jacksonville's SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway at 7PM.
• The Clay County Writers group has worked on an anthology of Clay County stories for well
  
  over a year. Now their labors have born fruit, and group leader Maureen Jung announced they will hold a book launch party on Wednesday, November 14, from 6:00 to 8:00PM at the Orange Park Library. The book, Embedded in Clay: A County in Northeast Florida, was written by 14 local writers who focus on the rich history of Clay County. The book introduces readers to the memorable characters and events that formed the heart of the region. Come and meet the authors, and purchase a book. There will be refreshments and door prizes for the taking.
• The Amelia Island-based group, Writers by the Sea, has disbanded, with long-time group leader Nadine Vaughan Williams stepping down. Fear not Nassau County Writers, Marla McDaniel has stepped up and with her fellow writers is forming a new FWA group to be called Amelia Island Writers. As of now it looks like the group will focus on critiques and interactive learning, and will meet at Story and Song Bookstore Bistro on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Look for a new website and more information in the new year. Our thanks to Nadine and her helpers for their years of service to FWA.
• Mystery writer M. W. Gordon visits the Ancient City Writers group on Saturday, November 17, 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. In his presentation, "Ask Not for Whom the Pen Writes, It Writes for Me," Gordon will discuss his writing/publishing journey and offer insights into some of the essential tools to help writers write faster and more powerfully.
• As announced last month, the First Coast Christian Writers group, an FWA affiliate, has moved its meeting place to the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship's new facility at 7550 Collins Road in Jacksonville. They still meet every Thursday at 7PM.
• Change has come to the Ponte Vedra Writers group meeting as well. With this week's closing of the Ponte Vedra Library for major repairs, the PV Writers group takes a two-month vacation. They will return in January 2019 at Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, only a few blocks from the library. The library isn't scheduled to reopen until March, and the group will meet at the church until then. More information will follow in the next two months.

And in other news ...

• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime chapter will not meet this month, but invite you to join them on December 1 for a holiday social, 10AM at the SE Regional Branch Library.
• The 17th Annual Florida Writers Conference was an outstanding success, setting a new attendance record with well over 500 people registered over the course of the conference. Both National Guest of Honor Linda Fairstein and Heather Graham, the Florida Writer of the Year, lived up to their honorifics, contributing in many ways on panels, with workshops and discussions, and by donating the use of a character name in a future book. Auctioning off those opportunities raised $1,700 for the Florida Writers Foundation. And what did bestselling author Linda Fairstein think about her experience? In writing to thank us for inviting her to the conference, she said, "The FWA Conference is far and away the best writers conference I have ever attended. I loved the people - all smart and sincere and working their hearts out; I have so much respect for the faculty members I met. And I really enjoyed the camaraderie and interest in writers being their best." And thank you Linda for being such a great Guest of Honor.
• Congratulations to the many RPLA winners from NE Florida. If you attended the banquet you saw a number of familiar faces marching up to the winners' table to pick up their awards. Among them were Walter Schenck, Jr., who took home three RPLAs, plus the Dahris Clair Memorial Award for Best Play. Other local prize winners were Joan North, Brad Kuhn, Laura Holian, Margarita McCarthy, and Will Merrill. Let me know if I left anyone out from our region. Be sure to enter the 2019 competition and maybe you'll see your name added to the list of winners.
• As the curtain came down on the conference, it was announced that Sherrilyn Kenyon will be the 2019 National Guest of Honor, and Delilah Dawson the Florida Writer of the Year. Also, bestselling suspense/horror writer Jonathan Maberry has been tapped to present the Celebrity Workshop. The 18th Annual Florida Writers Conference is already shaping up to be another destination event. 
• Have you heard that FWA's annual book signing event, I (Heart) Books, is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Main Public Library in downtown Gainesville. This promises to be HUGE. as some car dealers like to say, and many authors are already signing up. Visit the web page for details and registration information.
• The closing of the Ponte Vedra Beach BranchLibrary has also affected other organizations meeting there. One of them is Sharon Scholl's A Gathering of Poets, which met there on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2PM. They have found a temporary home at Chabad at the Beaches, across from the library at 421 A1A North. It's the mustard colored building with a menorah out front. The meeting days and time remain the same. All poets welcome.

That's all for this month. Enjoy these balmy fall days, and keep writing.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

October 2018 Blog Post

It's not too late to register for this month's Florida Writers Conference and take advantage of the many cool offerings. There are still seats available for Chuck Sambuchino's full-day workshop, "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries, and First Pages." Register now because the price for walk-ups is even higher. Aside from the nearly 70 workshops and panels, and the lineup of agents, editors, and publishers, did you know you can get a professional headshot and have a "Meet the Author" video made while you're at the conference?

Don't forget you may sell your book in the conference bookstore, and attend the Royal Palm Literary Awards Banquet. There's so much more, so check out the conference site and join your writer friends at the 17th Annual Florida Writers Conference. But hurry, online registration closes on the 8th.

And now for the rest of the news:

• Contact Gregg Golson to learn what the River City Writers are up to on Tuesday, October 9 at 7PM at the SE Branch Library.
• Elaine Smith returns for another act at this month's meeting of the Clay County Writers on Wednesday, October 17 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library. Smith, founder and director of the Clamour Theatre Compny, will present, "Let's Make a Scene: In Plays or Fiction."
• The Ancient City Writers chapter assembles on Saturday, October 20 at St. Augustine's Main Library. Fran Kaiser is the featured speaker, and she'll discuss, "The ABCs of Publishing a Children's Book." Kaiser is the owner of Sagaponack Books & Design, and has authored two children's book series.
• Writers by the Sea has changed its October meeting date to the fourth Thursday of the month instead of the third to allow its writers to attend the Florida Writers Conference, October 18 - 21. They will meet on Thursday, October 25 at the usual time at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. This is a Halloween-themed event, so come dressed as your favorite fictional character. And all are invited to share a two to five minute piece of your favorite short story.
• Popular speaker, writer, and developmental editor Nancy Quatrano returns to the October 27 Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Branch Library. Nancy's topic is "Backstory: When, How, and How Much." She will tell us how to present backstory in a way that propels the story forward, deepens the characters, and helps build connections between the story and the reader.
• First Coast Christian Writers, an FWA affiliate, is continuing meeting at the Oakleaf Christian Fellowship, but they've moved to a new facility at 7550 Collins Road in Jacksonville. They will continue to meet every Thursday from 7:00 to 8:45PM. Contact group leader Lynn Rix for more information.

And in other news:

• NE Florida Sisters in Crime meets tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 10AM at the SE Branch Library. The tentative topic is "Premeditation." Be advised that the November meeting has been canceled.
• Speaking of cancellations, the Ponte Vedra Library will be closed for up to four months for a major overhaul of the overhead piping system. They will close on November 2, and not reopen until sometime in March. The Ponte Vedra Writers will take both November and December off to recharge batteries and enjoy the holidays, and return in January at a new location for the next three months. They will meet at Christ Episcopal Church at the interection of Solano Road and San Juan Drive in Ponte Vedra, just a few blocks from the library. The first meeting at the church will be on January 26. Look for more details later.
• The Jacksonville Public Library has announced the date of the 2019 Jax Book Fest will be Saturday, February 23. There's a $35 non-refundable application fee, and the deadline is November 30. Visit the website for details.

And now back to work. At least I'm further along than Steven Writght, who proudly boasted, "I'm writing a book. I have the page numbers done."

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive VP

NE Florida Regional Director

September 2018 FWA Blog

We're inching closer and closer to the annual Florida Writers Conference, October 18 - 21. All of you who are members of the Procrastinator's Association need to make your move to the conference website and register now to participate in this outstanding conference experience. Don't miss out on three days of illuminating workshops and panels, pitch sessions with editors, publishers, and agents, and the opportunity to meet New York Times bestselling authors Linda Fairstein and Heather Graham. Not to mention the day-long Celebrity Workshp with Chuck Sambuchino, and the Royal Palm Literary Awards Banquet.

And after you complete your registration, read on to see what we have in store for NE Florida writers in September.

• The River City Writers return to the SE Branch Library on Tuesday, September 11 at 7PM. Group leader Gregg Golson has more information.
• The Ancient City Chapter of the Florida Writers Association will meet on Saturday, September 15 at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. Michael Ray King will explore two areas of concern for writers: First, how to create a powerful first draft; and secondly, boosting your marketing skills by becoming a better public speaker. King is an award-winning author, book coach, publisher, and founder of the Inspired Mic. Note that access to the Main Library has changed to U. S. 1 only.
• Fresh from summer vacation, the Clay County Writers gather once more at the Clay County Public Library to hear Elaine Smith discuss "Life Upon the Wicked Stage: What Playwriters Need to Know." Elaine is the founder and artistic director of the Clamour Theatre Company, as well as a playwrite, actor, and director. The meeting begins at 6:15PM.
• G. W. "Bill" Reynolds is the guest speaker at the Thursday, September 20 meeting of Writers by the Sea, assembling at 6PM at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Bill is a familiar face on the First Coast, a prolific author, cooperative publisher, and former owner of Books Plus. Bill will show how he pulls readers into his story with his presentation, "Enthuse Your Readers with Your Story."
• Del Kiernan-Lewis returns to the Ponte Vedra Library to motivate the Ponte Vedra Writers into becoming better marketers of their books. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 22 at 10:30AM, and will cover many of the basics of book marketing, as well as use of social media. Del is the publisher and editor of San Marco Press and works with authors as an editor, social media marketing advisor, and consultant to independent publishing.

In other news ...

• Cheryl Roman is stepping down after six years as leader of the Serivilous Panerians critique group. Rod Sullivan is taking over as the group leader and they are seeking new members. They meet at the Regency Panera on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month from 5:00 to 7:00PM. If you're interested, please contact Rod at rodsullivan@me.com. Cheri has recently joined the FWA Board and launched two new books, all of which will keep her busy.
• The NE Florida chapter of Sisters in Crime will meet on the second Saturday, instead of its usual first Saturday of the month meeting. On September 8 at 10AM, the group will hear from JSO Detective Bart Smith discussing Hazardous Devices. They meet at the SE Regional Library on Deerwood Park Blvd. 
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival has added an extra day to their September event, starting on Thursday, September 13 with Janice Hardy's full day workshop, "How to Turn Your Idea into a Novel." The next day is the writer conference, featuring workshops and talks by Laura Lee Smith, Jeff Klinkenberg, James O'Born, Robert McComber, and others. That evening's Legends Reception will honor Tim Dorsey. Each of those events will take place at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort. Saturday, September 15 is the Festival marketplace and free book festival at the Flagler College Student Center. For information on all of this and more, please click here.

I'll leave you with a quote by an obscure writer I recently discovered:

"I’ve always thought of reading and writing as addictive behavior. Once they’ve hooked you, they’ll never let you go." ~ Parker Francis

Cheers.
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

FWA August 2018 Post

Not that I have a one-track mind, but everyone seems to have had something to say about the heat, be that real or metaphorical heat. Ronald Reagan said, "When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." Dante Alighieri, of Dante's Inferno fame, is quoted as saying, "Heat cannot be separated from fire, or beauty from The Eternal." And, of course, President Harry Truman famously said, "If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen." Yogi Berra's take was, "It's not the heat, it's the humilty."

Enough with the heat quotes. Let's get on with the FWA show.

• Are you wondering what's happening at the River City Writers in August? Ask Gregg Golson what he has planned for the Tuesday, August 14 meeting at the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway. The meeting will commence at 7:00PM.
• There will be no meeting of the Clay County Writers this month. Look for them to reconvene in September.
• Swim on over to the Writers by the Sea meeting on Thursday, August 16. This month's meeting location has been changed to the island Art Association's Education Classroom at 18 N. 2nd Street in Fernandina Beach at 6:30PM. Award-winning author and editor Emily Carmain is on hand to present, "Editing Your Prospects of Success." Emily will point out many of the common flaws found in too many manuscripts sent to publishers and agents.
• The doors opens at 10AM at the St. Augustine Main Library, and members of the Ancient City Writers flood in on Saturday, August 18 to hear author and former NCIS Special Agent Jeff Walton. Jeff is the author of Final Departure: Death is Never on Time, and spent nearly 30 years fighting crime, including catching spies and terrorists around the world.
• While we may all want to write a bestselling novel, there are myriad other ways to make money as a writer. On Saturday, August 25, 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Library, the Ponte Vedra Writers welcome Brad Kuhn and his workshop, "So You Want to Be a Freelancer." Brad will show us how to make a good living writing things that other people don't want to write, and teaches you how to fish where the fish are.

But that's not all ...

• Today, Tuesday, July 31 is the deadline for early conference registration. Tomorrow the conference fee increases and you will have to pay extra for the Thursday evening "Boot Camp" workshops, which cover creative nonfiction, Facebook advertising, poetry, and the opening pages of your novel. So don't delay. Register now!
• And while you're registering you should consider attending Chuck Sambuchino's full-day workshop, "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries, and First Pages." Registration for this Celebrity Workshop includes lunch and benefits the Florida Writers Foundation.
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival has announced that Tim Dorsey is its 2018 Literary Legend. There will be a reception to honor Tim on Saturday, September 14, preceding the free Book Festival at Flagler College on September 15. The day-long writers conference is also on the 14th, and features seven presenters, including Laura Lee Smith, James O. Born, and Jeff Klinkenburg. Visit the FHBF website for more information.

I'll add one more heat quotation to end this month's NE Florida FWA blog post. This one is by Steven Wright, who asks, "If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?"

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

2018 Conference Faculty Chair

July 2018 Post

Glenn Frey had it right when he sang "The Heat Is On!" And not just on the streets, but throughout the nation with record highs. A good time to enjoy an air conditioned writing room. Am I right?

Despite the heat many of you will be visiting one of the FWA writers groups here in NE Florida, so read on to find out specifics.

• Gregg Golson leads the River City Writers. They meet the second Tuesday of the month at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. The next meeting is Tuesday, July 10 at 7PM. Send Gregg a query email for details.
• The Clay County Writers are still enjoying a summer break. Meetings will resume in August.
• Writers by the Sea meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30PM at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Truth in advertising requires me to say that this is not really "by the Sea," but close enough. Nadine is putting the July 19 program together and will send you information when you contact her at nvaughanwilliams@gmail.com.
• You can visit the nation's oldest city on Saturday, July 21 and take in a meeting of the Ancient City Writers. They meet at St. Augustine's Main Library at 10AM. I'm guessing Nancy Quatrano will have information about this month's meeting. 
• Science fiction/fantasy author Tim Robinson discusses how to use real world knowledge to create your fictional worlds and characters. Tim is the featured speaker at this month's Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, July 28 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. 

In other news ...

• Cheri Roman will lead a critique group at the Florida Writers Conference in October. This small group of ten people will have their ten pages critiqued, as well as critique one another's work. The class will fill up quickly, so you might want to register for the conference now, if you haven't already, and register for Cheri's workshop.
• The early bird conference discount is in place through the end of this month, and it includes Thursday night's Boot Camp Workshop.
• Are you ready to pitch your book to an agent, editor or publisher? Then you have another good reason to attend this year's Florida Writers Conference. You can make an appointment to sit down with agents from Writers House, Fuse LiteraryAgency or Folio Literary Managerment. Or speak with acquiring editors from University Press of Florida and St. Martin's Press, as well as publishers from Twisted Road Publications and Sunbury Press Books.
• We've told you before about the outstanding faculty at this year's conference, including National Guest of Honor Linda Fairstein, Florida Writer of the Year Heather Graham, and Florida Poet Laureate Peter Meinke. But good news bares repeating, doesn't it? And don't forget Chuck Sambuchino's Celebrity Workshop, "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries, and First Pages."
• Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime chapter meets Saturday, July 7 at 10AM at the SE Branch Regional Library to hear from author Robbie Cox on cross promoting your book.

I intended to end this edition with a couple of lame joke a la Johhny Carson's "How hot is it?" routine. For example, It's so hot that cows are giving evaporated milk. Or chickens are laying boiled eggs. Why don't you send me your favorites and I'll share them in August's post, when I'm sure it will still be so hot.

Until then, stay cool and keep on writing.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

June Blog Post

I'm not sure whether June is busting out all over just yet, but we do know it's heating up. Here are some places to cool off while networking with your fellow FWA members and other writers.

• River City Writers converge on the SE Regional Branch Library on Tuesday, June 12 at 7PM. Contact group leader Gregg Golson for details.
• The Clay County Writers are taking a summer break from their monthly meetings to focus on completing the long-awaited Clay Couunty anthology. Meetings will resume in August.
• Writers by the Sea is schedled to meet on Thursday, June 14 at 6:30PM at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Nadine Vaughan can supply more information.
• St. Augustine's Main Library is the site of the Ancient City Writers meeting on Saturday, June 16 at 10AM. Nancy Quatrano will speak on the subject of "Backstory," how to use it and how much to use in your story.
• On Saturday, June 16, award-winning journalist Tricia Booker invites you to "Get Naked," figuratively speaking, of course. Tricia will discuss her rules for penning a memoir and why writers shouldn't be afraid to put family lore into words. Come to the Ponte Vedra Beach Library at 10:30AM on Saturday, June 16, prepared to bare your all.

And in other news

• NE Florida Sisters in Crime meet tomorrow, Saturday, June 2nd at 10AM at the SE Regional Library to hear from Roy Glenn, author of the Mike Black series. Roy will speak on "Development of Gangsters in Fiction," and how he develops his villainous characters.
• We're moving ever closer to the July 31 early deadline to register for the 2018 Florida Writers Conference. You'll not only save money by registering early, but enjoy the Thursday night Boot Camp workshops on October 18 at no extra charge. Check out all the speakers, workshops, and panels by clicking here.
• Marketing is key to any writers success, expecially for indie authors. The next Focus Day conference on Saturday, June 23 focuses on DIY Marketing, with a line-up of specialists covering everything from branding to social media. More info and registration can be found here.
• Congratulations to St. Augustine author Caren Umbarger. Her second novel, The Passion of Marta has been recognized with a 2017 Nautilus Book Award.

I'll end with a quote by John Updike, who unlike many writers, claimed to like middles.

"I like middles. It is in middles that extremes clash, whereambiguity restlessly rules."

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

May Days for Writers

May days are upon us, offering another month of writing opportunities here in NE Florida. Here are this month's FWA meetings.

• Visit the River City Writers on Tuesday, May 8, 7PM at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. Gregg Golson has more information.
• Maureen Jung leads the Clay County Writers meeting on Wednesday, May 16. The group gathers at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library. Contact Maureen for details.
• Nassau County writers will make their way to the Amelia Island Museum of History at 6:30PM on Thursday, May 17 for the Writers by the Sea meeting. Group leader Nadine Vaughan will share meeting details with you.
• Writer, lecturer, and performer Randy Ross discloses the lessons he learned trying to get his comedic novel published after rejections from 110 agents and 15 small presses. Randy will appear at the Ancient City Writers meeting on Saturday, May 19, 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library. During his presentation, "A Debut Novelist's Rocky Road to Publication," Randy will discuss lessons learned the hard way, and perform scenes from his one-man show.
• Crafting strong beginnings and endings to your novel is the subject of Vic DiGenti's talk at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, May 26 at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. Vic will tell you ten reasons why the opening is so important, and let you write your own opening. He'll also show you how to bring the story home with a great ending. The meeting begins at 10:30 a.m. on the 26th.

And in other news:

• The 3rd Annual I "Heart" Books event is scheduled for Satuday, May 19 at the Schultz Center, 4019 Boulevard Center Drive in Jacksonville. All the author spaces for this multi-genre book signing event have been filled, but there's no charge to attend and support your fellow authors, and pick up some good books. The signing runs from noon to 4PM.
• Did you know FWA offers monthly Webinars designed to help improve your writing and marketing skills. The cost for the live Webinars is only $10 for FWA members and $15 for non-members. And a number of the past webinars are available absolutely free. Click here to learn more.
• Submissions have closed for both the annual Royal Palm Literary Awards competition and the FWA Collection, but you may still register for the 17th Annual Florida Writers Conference, October 19 - 21 in Altamonte Springs. In fact, you'll save money and add the Thursday evening Boot Camp workshops at no extra cost if you register before July 31, which is not that far away. Visit the conference pages for all the exciting details of this year's conference.
• And while you're on the conference website, consider registering for Chuck Sambuchino's Celebrity Workshop, "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries, and Frst Pages" on Thursday, October 18, the day before the annual conference. Chuck is the go-to guy when it comes to finding an agent and writing query letters. Bring a first page  and/or your query letter and Chuck will critique it for you during the workshop.
• The military arts nonprofit, MilSpeak Foundation, supported by a grant from Wounded Warrior Project®, will host a FREE weekend "On Point Women Warriors Writing Workshop" for women military veterans and women military family members May 18-20 at The University of Tampa. Interested in attending? Visit the MilSpeak website.
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival presents author and book coach Janice Hardy in a full-day workshop, "How to Turn Your Idea into a Novel," on Saturday, May 12 at the Ponte Vedra Library. Registration and info at fhbookfest.com.
• And on Thursday, May 17, Dr. Melinda Jay Stephenson guides you through a class demonstrating how to turn your family stories into fiction. Her workshop is titled "Telling a Story that Matters." Also presented by the Florida Heritage Book Festival, and  held at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. Visit www.fhbookfest for details.

That's all folks. I'll leave you with these sage words of wisdom from Jack London.

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice Preisdent

April FWA Blog Post

It's time for another month of FWA-related meetings,, workshops, and announcements of upcoming events of interest to writers. We'll start with this month's area group meetings.

• River City Writers meet Tuesday, April 10 at 7PM at the SE Regional Branch Library off Gate Parkway. Contact group leader Gregg Golson for details.
• Clay County Writers meet on Wednesday, April 18 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library and ask the question, "To Outline or Not to Outline?" Vic DiGenti is the speaker and will review the ongoing debate between pantsers and plotters. He'll cover the pros and cons of both sides, and says, "You'll leave this workshop with newfound apprciation for the writing process, whether you write with your pants on or not—metaphorically speaking, of course."
• Writers by the Sea gather at the Amelia Island Museum of History on Thursday, April 19 at 6PM. Query group leader Nadine Vaughan for more information.
• St. Augustine's Main Library is the venue for this month's Ancient City Writers meeting, Saturday, April 21 at 10AM. Elizabeth Sinclair (aka Marge Smith) will talk about Point of View. Contact Judy Weber for details.
• Ready to get inspired? Attend the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, April 28, 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library to hear Kathryn J. Bain, an author of award-winning Christian, mystery, and suspense novels. Kathy will talk on the subject of "Reaching, Not Preaching: Writing Christian Fiction Without Alienating Readers."

And in other news:

• April 28 is the date for the first of FWA's two Focus Days this year. The focus is on Craft with workshops covering Pacing, Arcs, Tropes, and World Building/Setting. The HiltonOrlando/Altamonte Springs plays host once again. Click here for details and registration information.
• It's not too early to sign up for Chuck Sambuchino's FWF Celebrity Workshop on Thursday, October 19. The former Writer's Digest editor will cover a broad range of topics in his presentation, "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries and First Pages." Chuck, (pictureed here) who wrote and edited several writer's guides to finding agents, has taught this course at conferences across the country, helping many writers get established. An additional benefit of attending this course is that you may bring your query letters and first pages for Chuck to critique live during the workshop. More information can be found here.
• Elizabeth Sinclair is the guest speaker at the Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime meeting tomorrow, Saturday, April 7 at the SE Branch Library. The meeting starts at 10AM, and Elizabeth will speak on Goal, Motivation, and Conflict.
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival has scheduled two excellent day-long workshops next month, both of them at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. On Saturday, May 12, novelist and writing coach Janice Hardy presents "How to Turn Your Idea into a Novel." Janice was one of the featured faculty at last year's Florida Writers Conference, and received glowing evaluations.  She writes series for both teens and adults, and runs the popular writing site, Fiction University. More information and registration can be found on the website.
• FHBF has also scheduled a memoir workshop, "Telling a Story That Matters," on Thursday, May 17, also at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. FSU Panama City Creative Writingt Professor, Dr. Melinda Jay Stephenson, guides you through the process of turning family stories into fiction. She is the author of Annie Laura's Triumph, a fictionalized account of her great-grandmother. As above, details can be found on the website.

ETC.

• If you're into real-life mysteries, particularly what really happened to Amelia Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan, you might want to attend author Mike Campbell's presentation based on his book Amelia Earhart: The Truth at Last. Mike will provide visual and oral details revealing what he calls, "the long suppressed truth about the Amelia Earhart mystery." He appears on Tuesday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library.
• Jeff Klinkenberg, the former award-winning columnist for the Tampa Times, will discuss his newest book, Son of Real Florida: Stories from My Life, at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library, on Monday, April 16 at 6:30PM.
• The Amelia Island Book Festival is bringing New York Times bestselling environmental author Mary Alice Monroe to Fernandina Beach on Wednesday, May 23 for a conversation at Art on Centre Street. Tickets and details are available at the festival website.
• Steve Berry discusses his newest Cotton Malone novel, The Bishop's Pawn, tonight at the BookMark in Neptune Beach. The book follows Berry's pattern of weaving historical fact with speculative, but believable, fiction, this time about the assasination of Martin Luther King, Jr. He'll be at the BookMark tonight at 7PM.

And that's all folks.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

NE Florida Regional Director