Exciting new opportunities for NE Florida writers

Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." If you've been writing and querying and not getting anywhere, then it's time for a change. We're excited about two new events that will help writers in our area to work smarter and better understand what writers and editors are looking for. The first is a new fiction competition for unpublished novels. We call it the Lighthouse Book Awards, and it's open to all writers who wish to submit in these three categories:

1. Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

2. Fiction-General

3. Young Adult

Instead of giving the winners another plaque to dust, the three finalists in each category will have their work reviewed and judged by acquisition editors for major publishing houses in each of the genre areas. This is huge! Unless a writer has an agent, it’s virtually impossible to have your manuscript reviewed by an acquiring editor at the larger traditional publishers, but if your work passes muster with the preliminary judges, it will be sent on to the editors.

The deadline for entry is Friday, March 30, and I've posted the contest rules and entry form on my website along with information on the upcoming one-day conference. Here's the link to the contest rules: http://www.windrusher.com/ContestRules.html. The finalists will be announced at a one-day conference on Saturday, May 19 at the Ponte Vedra Library.

New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry will give the keynote talk at the luncheon and also present a workshop on research, backstory, and great beginnings. His new book, The Alexandria Link, debuted at #4 on the NY Times list.

Titled Shift Your Writing into High Gear, the conference runs from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and covers a variety of subjects from screenwriting to plot development, from writing short stories to tips on revision. Early-bird registration through April 30 is only $40 for FWA members and $60 for non-members. After April 30, the conference fee increases to $50 for FWA members and $75 for non-members. Ten minute one-on-one appointments are also available with any of the presenters, except Steve Berry, for $20 per session. The fee includes a box lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments, and an invitation to the May 18 Book Fair. The Book Fair will feature author panels, question and answer sessions , and book signings.

Advance conference registration is requested, and the registration form may be downloaded from the FWA website, http://www.floridawriters.net/. Be patient if the form isn't on the FWA site for a few days as we're a bit ahead of the curve here. For more about the conference, the complete schedule, and information on the presenters, go to http://www.windrusher.com/Index.html.

Ponte Vedra Writers Group Meetings

Now let's move on to our Writers' Group meetings. Our group meets on the fourth Saturday of each month at 10AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library located at 100 Library Boulevard. Here's what's coming up this Saturday and the next few months.

Saturday, February 24 at 10AM — Look Who’s Talking

One of the hardest things for new fiction writers to master is point of view–the perspective from which a scene is written. Multi-published author Eileen Ann Brennan will explore the various perspectives of point of view in an entertaining and interactive workshop at this month’s meeting. Eileen will discuss the types of POV and their uses, providing illustrations of the differences between first, second and third person POV. She lives with her husband, daughter and, occasionally, her son who is away at school , and writes about sexy heroes, sassy heroines, and scintillating plots.

March 24 at 10AM — Turning your life experiences into poetry

In a change from my last Blog, award-winning poet Teri Grimm will be with us in March rather than April. She will discuss how to turn those moving moments from our life into effective poetry.

April 28 at 10AM — The most common mistakes beginning writers make and how to avoid them

Editor Emily Carmain reviews the lengthy list of missteps she’s seen come across her desk and offers advice on how to fix them.

Don’t forget the other FWA Writers Groups in the NE Florida region if you’re unable to attend ours, or just want more involvement in the writing life.

Central Jax WG — This Jacksonville group has changed the site of their meetings to the Southeast Public Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd, on the southwest corner of J. T. Butler and Gate Parkway. Led by Judy Connolly, the group has two monthly meetings, one with speakers meeting on the second Tuesday of each month, 6:30-8:45 pm, and the other a critique group meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month. Terri Ridgell will conduct a workshop on March 13 on the subject of Writing Strong, Intelligent Heroines. For complete information on the Central Jax WG, go to http://fwacentraljax.blogspot.com/.

Amelia Island WG — Meets on the first Saturday of the month at 10AM at the Fernandina Beach Police Dept. on Lime Street. Contact Jim Morgan, (drjpm1999@yahoo.com) for details. Ancient City WG — Meets on the third Saturday of the month, also at 10AM, at the St. Augustine Library. Randy Cribbs and Peter Guinta lead the group, and Randy may be reached at sacriver@bellsouth.net. Due to a conflict this month, I was unable to attend this meeting and deliver my talk on Great Beginnings. However, Randy has been kind enough to give me a second chance and I'll be there for the March 17 meeting.

More items of interest to writers:

• Last month I wrote that I wanted your success stories and other items of interest to FWA members and area writers. Annette Simon emailed to let me know her picture book for young mimics, Mocking Birdies, was recently named a 2006 ABC Best Book for Children by the Association of Booksellers for Children. Published by Simply Read Books, it was a finalist for the 2006 Writers' League of Texas Teddy (Children's) Award, and also a pick for the American Institute of Graphic Arts' 50 Books/50 Covers exhibit. Congratulations, Annette.
• Nancy Murray also called to let me know her children's book, Gullah, The Nawleans Cat Meets Katrina, will be published in March. Nancy is donating a portion of the profits from her sales to Katrina relief programs. Interestingly enough, the artist she selected to create the many watercolor images for the book is from Pascagoula, MS and now living in a FEMA trailer.
• Speaking of Hurricane Katrina, the Disaster News Network (www.disasternews.net), a 24/7 Web news service, is seeking "engaging writer/photographers with a passion for human-interest reporting." They're looking for freelance journalists to conduct interviews by phone and in the field -- along with photography -- if you are available to travel. To be considered, you'll need a degree in journalism or communications, at least one year of professional experience on a daily newspaper or news service, and have clips they can review online. Send your resume and at least five online examples of your work to: mailto:hr%40disasternews.net or fax them at (410) 884-7353.
• As announced last month, the 21st Annual Florida’s First Coast Writer’s Festival has a new home. It’s moved to the Jacksonville Public Library’s main branch at 303 Laura Street, and is scheduled for March 9 – 11. http://www.fccj.org/wf/ FYI, David Poyer and Lenore Hart will be conducting a special three hour master class in fiction on Friday, March 9, from 9:00 am to noon. http://www.fccj.org/wf/festivals/2007/class.html Winners of the various contests will be announced at Saturday's luncheon. A number of the finalists and winners are from our area, including Rick Maloy, winner of the short story division and a member of my critique group. Congratulations to Rick.
• Much Ado About Books has posted their author schedule for the April 21st event at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. This heralded book festival benefits the Jacksonville Public Library and features over ten New York Times Bestselling authors. Among them will be the keynote panel at the luncheon featuring Sandra Brown, Brad Meltzer, and Adriana Trigiani. Panels are free, but the luncheon tickets cost $40. http://www.muchadoaboutbooks.com/home.cfm.
• James Redfield, author of The Celestine Prophecy , will present and discuss the St. Augustine-filmed version of his book on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the Flagler College Auditorium. It's part of Flagler's spring Writer-in-Residence program. For more information, go to http://www.flagler.edu/writers.
• MargieAnn Sauls, president of the Jacksonville branch of Sisters in Crime, reports that Florida mystery authors Christine Kling, Wreckers' Key, and Bob Morris, Bermuda Schwartz, will be signing books at the Bookmark in Atlantic Beach on Saturday, March 10 at 7:00 pm.
• The deadline for the Writecorner Press Poetry Prize is right around the corner, Feb. 28 postmark, but if you have something ready to go, send 2 copies of unpublished poems, 40 lines max, any style or theme. Type author’s name, address, phone, e-mail (optional) on top of one copy only. The second copy, without identification, will be used in judging. Send short bio. Entry fee: $5 first poem, $3 each additional. Mail to: Writecorner Press, PO Box 140310, Gainesville, FL 32614.
• And last but not least, don't forget that national bestselling author Sue Monk Kidd will be in Jacksonville for a reception and lecture on Thursday, March 8 at UNF's Lazarra Theatre. Kidd's acclaimed novel, The Secret Life of Bees, sold more than 4.5 million copies and stayed on the NY Times Best Seller list for two years. For ticket information, call 904-285-0073 or go to http://www.friendspvlibrary.org/

Until next time,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

http://www.windrusher.com/

Life is what happens...

“Life is what happens to us while we’re making other plans.”

I love that quote, supposedly said by Beatle John Lennon. We all know how Life can get in the way of our daily plans, whether our goal is to write 2,000 words a day or faithfully attend the FWA Writers Group meetings. Things happen to divert us from those plans. But this posting isn’t a sermon designed to make you feel guilty, instead it’s a celebration of successes and the many opportunities we should embrace while we have the chance.

Workshops and conferences are excellent ways to learn more about the craft and keep the batteries charged, and there are several listed below. Of course, since this is the FWA Ponte Vedra Blog Spot, I will tell you we have some outstanding programs lined up for the first quarter of the year. You’ll find a listing of those directly below this opening rant, but I’ll alert you to this month’s speaker right now: She’s screenwriter Sharon Cobb, and she’ll be telling us how to adapt our books into movies. Look for more details below, but mark your calendar for Saturday, January 27 at 10AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library.

I’m looking for success stories, so be sure to share with me (and I’ll share it with hundreds of others through this blog) your good news. Do you have a new book coming out? Have you won a competition? Heard of a great writer’s workshop or conference that might be of interest to us? Pass it along.

Here’s wishing you the best of success in the New Year.

Ponte Vedra Writers Group Meetings

Our group meets on the fourth Saturday of each month at 10AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library located at 100 Library Boulevard.

January 27 at 10AM — How to Adapt Your Book into a Movie
Many authors believe their book or manuscript would make a first-rate movie, but they have no idea how to go about adapting it into a screenplay. Seemingly, there are many more questions than answers for writers trying to break into this highly-competitive field. Screenwriter Sharon Cobb will answer many of those questions at this month’s meeting.
Among the many details of the screenwriting profession Ms. Cobb will share are what type books and manuscripts film producers are more likely to purchase; which genres are most popular in Hollywood today; the differences between writing a book and a screenplay, and using the three-act structure for films.

Ms. Cobb was named as one of Script Magazine’s Top Ten New Hollywood Screenwriters to Watch and is featured in the documentary film, We, the Screenwriters. In addition, she has sold numerous scripts to independent producers and directors and is a co-producer of many of her projects. Among her screenwriting credits are Lighthouse Hill (2004), British comedy starring Jason Flemyng, On Hostile Ground (2000), action-adventure starring John Corbett, TBS, Just Write (1997), romantic comedy starring Jeremy Piven. She also wrote a novelization of Touched by An Angel for CBS which sold over 170,000 copies in bookstores throughout the country. Her new book False Confessions of a True Hollywood Screenwriter is out to New York book agents.

February 24 at 10AM — Look Who’s Talking
Join multi-published author Eileen Ann Brennan for an entertaining, interactive workshop on Point of View. Learn the types and uses of POV, how to identify and determine whose POV to use, and find out who those first and third persons really are.

March 24 at 10AM — The most common mistakes beginning writers make and how to avoid them
Editor Emily Carmain reviews the lengthy list of missteps she’s seen come across her des
and offers advice on how to fix them.

April 28 at 10AM — Turning your life experiences into poetry
April is Poetry Month and award-winning poet Teri Grimm discusses how to turn those moving moments from our life into effective poetry.

Don’t forget the other FWA Writers Groups in the NE Florida region if you’re unable to attend ours, or just want more involvement in the writing life. The next meeting of Central Jax WG is January 25 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the Balis Community Center, behind the San Marco Public Library. The featured speaker is Carolyn Herman, the Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Florida Coastal School of Law, Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law, who will discuss signing book contracts with agents and publishers. Note that this is a special time for January only. For more information, check out WG Leader Judy Connolly’s blog at http://fwacentraljax.blogspot.com/

The Amelia Island WG meets on the first Saturday of the month at 10AM at the Fernandina Beach Police Dept. on Lime Street. Contact Jim Morgan, (drjpm1999@yahoo.com) for details.

The Ancient City WG meets on the third Saturday of the month, also at 10AM, at the St. Augustine Library. Randy Cribbs and Peter Guinta lead the group, and Randy may be reached at sacriver@bellsouth.net.

More items of interest to writers:

• Flagler College is presenting a Writers in Residence program this spring with noted authors Janice Daugharty, James Redfield, Connie May Fowler, Les Standiford, and Janis Owens. For details on their appearances, go to www.flagler.edu/writers
• Speaking of noted authors, national bestselling author Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid’s Chair, will appears at the UNF Fine Arts Center on Thursday, March 8. This is a special presentation by the Friends of the Library–Ponte Vedra Beach as part of their Major Author Program. A VIP Reception with Ms. Kidd is planned prior to her presentation at 7:30. For details, go to http://www.friendspvlibrary.org/site/events.htm/
• The 21st Annual Florida’s First Coast Writer’s Festival has a new home. It’s moved to the Jacksonville Public Library’s main branch at 303 Laura Street, and is scheduled for March 9 – 11. http://www.fccj.org/wf/
• Mark your calendar for the very first NE Florida One-Day FWA Conference (better known by the catchy acronym, NEFODFWAC) on Saturday, May 19 at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. Details will soon be hammered out by a crack team of conference planners. Look for more details in the near future.
• Some bad news for the Orlando mini-conference, however. That February 24 event has been cancelled.
• Children's mystery author June Weltman will teach a six-week workshop on Writing Children's Mysteries through Mandarin High School's Adult Community Education Program. The class will be held Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m., starting Jan. 25, 2007. http://www.mandarinhigh.org/
• Suspense writer Terri Ridgell and yours truly offer the next Novel in a Day Workshop this Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the downtown library. Spaces are still available. Go to http://www.taridgell.com/NIAD.htm for details.
• Area author Robyn Gioia (formerly known as Robyn Leslie) announces her nonfiction middle grade book America's Real First Thanksgiving from Pineapple Press is coming out March 15. She’s available for talks. robynleslie100@hotmail.com
• If you’re a big-time thriller reader then you’ll want to sign up for the free ITW (International Thriller Writers) newsletter at mailto:contest%40150Thrillers.com. One lucky registrant will win 150 thriller novels and three runner-up entrants will each receive a copy of the 2006 Thriller Anthology, edited by James Patterson.
• Readers and writers of graphic novels might want to attend this year’s New York Comic Con, February 23 – 25 at the Javits Center in NYC. The Graphic Novels Conference will be held on the 23rd at the Comic Con, featuring panels of writers, artists, and publishers. Graphic novels were one of the fastest growing areas of publishing again in 2006, with the top selling manga series hitting new highs. http://www.nycomiccon.com/app/homepage.cfm?appname=100453&moduleID=2517&LinkID=24884&campaignid=42917&iUserCampaignID=26291579
• Did you know that according to the 2004, Nielsen Bookscan, which tracked the sales of 1.2 million books in the United States, that of that number only 25,000 books sold more than 5,000 copies? Fewer than 500 sold more than 100,000 copies, and only 10 books sold more than a million copies each. Gives us something to shoot towards.
• Watch for the new and improved FWA publication, The Florida Writer, to come out next week. Editor Sammy Smith promises it won’t exactly be like landing on the moon, but a giant leap forward nonetheless.

That’s it until next time. Let me hear from you, and be sure to keep writing and making those plans, despite what Life may throw in your path.

I’m proud of myself for resisting the urge (until now) to crow a bit and say,

“How ‘bout them Gators?”

Vic

Victor DiGenti FWA Regional Director http://www.fwapontevedra.blogspot.com/ http://www.windrusher.com/

Year-End Update

With the end of the year fast approaching, I find myself looking back on the great strides FWA has made in the NE Florida Region. We have four strong Writers Groups and WG Leaders, and we’re helping more people make the transition from wanting to write to actually writing.

Over the course of the year, we’ve heard from a wonderful roster of speakers to help educate and motivate us, and we’ve seen a number of our members take home honors from the Royal Palm Literary Competition. We’ve also given published authors the opportunity to sell their books at various events and locations ranging from the Ponte Vedra Beach Library’s “Meet the Author” day to the Writers Tent at the Riverside Art Festival.

The Books & Brew program at the Jacksonville Beach Starbucks is a new initiative that’s met with mixed success, but all authors seem appreciative for the opportunity to promote and sell their books. And speaking of Starbucks, this Friday night’s Books & Brew program will be extra-special since the CSPAN Book TV Bus will be parked outside. The bus is open for tours, and the producer will be on hand to answer any questions.

It so happens that I’ll be there Friday along with suspense writer T. A. Ridgell. If you’re in the neighborhood, please drop by and say hello, have a cup of brew, and tour the CSPAN Bus. We’ll be there from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Next Friday’s authors will be Mary Kohnke and Joanelle Mulrain, followed by John Oberheu and Grahl Neitz on the 29th.

Of course, when I think about the end of another year, I also think about all the things I wanted to accomplish, but never found the time. More and more, I’m reminded of Carl Sandburg’s sage advice when he said, “Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.” Easier said than done, right? But I’m resolving to spend more time on the important things, like writing, while I still have a few coins left.

Coming up in the New Year, we’ll have a new series of WG meetings, more outstanding speakers, and our first one-day conference sometime in May. More details will be forthcoming, but I’m looking for a few good volunteers to serve on the conference committee. Get back to me if you’d like to help.

Speaking of one-day conferences, the Orlando region will present theirs on Saturday, February 24 at the First United Methodist Church at 142 East Jackson Street, in Orlando. Here’s the link to the page on the FWA website: http://www.floridawriters.net/LocConf/LC-Orlando-02-07.htm. They haven’t put up the schedule details as yet, but that will be following soon. Last year’s Orlando conference drew high praise from those who attended, so it is definitely worth your time.

More items of interest:

• For a listing of Book Fairs, you might want to check out the Library of Congress site, http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/bookfair.html. There’s also the Shaw Guides site, http://writing.shawguides.com/
• Speaking of the Library of Congress, congratulations to Jacksonville poets Kay Day, Dottie Fletcher, and St. Augustine poet Roselyn Cole for their appearance at the Library of Congress Poetry at Noon reading earlier this month. They represented Florida poets with a program called, “Florida Poets Arrive.”
• Thanks to St. Augustine FWA member Dianne Ell for sharing with me the December issue of The Rap Sheet, the on-line newsletter of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Among the choice morsels I found in the newsletter was a review of a very creative mystery writers conference held at a funeral home in Washington, D.C. They called it Dying to Write, and it included speakers like Elaine Viets and Stephen Hunter, plus panels and forensic experts. Attendees were encouraged to wear black, and the report stated that people were dying to get in. I’ll bet.
• Also in The Rap Sheet was a notice of the upcoming Sleuthfest, one of the better writer’s conferences I’ve attended. Specifically for mystery and thriller writers and readers, this year’s conference is in Miami Beach, April 19-22. Special guests are author Linda Fairstein and Law & Order producer/writer, Rene Balcer. Go to their website for more details: http://www.mwa-florida.org/sleuthfest.htm
• Dianne and Peter Guinta of the St. Augustine Writers Group also sent me word of a New Years project. This variation on the Novel in a Month project invites authors to write a novel in six weeks. It starts at 12:01AM, January 1. Word length depends upon type of novel, 65,000-word minimum. Keep in mind that most genre novels–mysteries, thrillers, etc. are a minimum of 80,000 words. You can plan on writing about 2,000 words a day to stay on track. The rest of the details will be worked out at this Saturday’s meeting at the St. Augustine Main Library at 10AM. Try to attend if you’re interested or contact either Dianne Ell at dnell@se.rr.com, or Peter Guinta at peter.guinta@staugustinerecord.com. This is a good way to set a meaningful goal for yourself and stay motivated.
• Writing-World.com is an impressive website with a database of contests and more than 600 articles and columns on everything pertaining to writing. Check it out at http://www.writing-world.com/mystery/index.shtml
• Did you know that Staples will give you $3 in exchange for your empty ink cartridge, while Office Depot will reward you with a ream of copy paper?
• Did you know that Amazon.com has a program called Amazon Shorts for published authors? Amazon Shorts provides authors with an outlet for short-form fiction or non-fiction (2,000 to 10,000 words) and offers it for sale to the millions of Amazon.com customers for only $0.49 per download. The revenue is split 60/40 with Amazon getting the larger share. The concept is to give authors visibility between projects, and provide readers with something new from their favorite writers. If you’re interested in reading any of the Amazon Shorts or learning more about them, go to http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=shrt_su/?ie=UTF8&node=13993911.
  
  Finally, here’s wishing everyone the happiest holiday season ever. And I’ll leave you with this bit of good cheer from Santa and his reindeer: http://badaboo.free.fr/merryxmas.swf
  
  Vic
  
  Victor DiGenti
  FWA Regional Director
  http://www.fwapontevedra.blogspot.com/
  http://www.windrusher.com/
  

Welcome to the new FWA Ponte Vedra Blog

Welcome to the Ponte Vedra Writers Group. We're a diverse group of writers, both published and unpublished, working to improve our craft, help one another stay motivated, and become better writers. Our group normally meets on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10AM at the Ponte Vedra Library, 100 Library Boulevard in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL—located between Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

Having said that, we're taking a holiday break in December. Time to renew your family connections, recharge the writing batteries, and return with new goals in January. We'll see you on Saturday, January 27 with an exciting new speaker—Sharon Cobb on "How to Adapt Your Book into a Movie."

We welcome all aspiring writers to our meetings, both FWA members and non-members alike. Of course, if you return a second and third time and find it to be a valuable resource, as I'm sure you will, we expect you to send in your application and join with the nearly 800 other members across the state as Writers Helping Writers.

Check this blog site regularly for the latest information on our Writers Group. I'll also post information about contests, book signings, conferences, and other activities of interest to writers. Sort of a one-stop shopping site.

If you're new to FWA and have questions about what goes on at the meetings, and what you should know, i.e., do we have a secret handshake; wear special headgear; bring the group leader brownies? The answer is no. Except for the brownies, maybe. Our group typically has a guest speaker. I try to bring in an accompliashed author or expert in a certain area to educate and motivate us.

Here's a partial list of the speakers and their topics over the past year:

• Dr. Darien Andreu on "How to Jumpstart a Short Story."
• Entertainment attorney Carolyn Herman on “What Every Author Should Know Before Signing a Publishing Contract.”
• Camille Cline offered to answer "Everything We Always Wanted to Know About Editing but were Afraid to Ask."
• Freelancer and poet Kay Day told us "How to Support Yourself as a Freelancer."
• Author Pat Behnke shared her "Secrets of Book Proposal Writing."
• Sohrab Homi Fracis discussed "The Art of Short Fiction."
• "How to Structure Your Story for Success," was Sandra McDonald's topic.
• Goal-setting was the subject of Terri Ridgell's talk, entitled, “If You can Drive Yourself to Success, Why am I Still Walking?”
• "The Five Secrets of Writing & Selling You Memoir" with Caorl O'Dell.
  

So you see we've been fortunate to tap into some of the fine writing talent in the Northeast Florida region, and that's just the PV Writers Group. I'm the Regional Director and I won't bore you with my resume, but if you're interested, you can visit my website at www.windrusher.com. We're lucky to have three other committed writers leading groups in St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and Downtown Jacksonville. They meet at different times. Look for details on their individual blogs, but here's a brief summary of where to find them:

1. The Ancient City WG (St. Augustine) meets on the 3rd Saturday (this Saturday) at 10AM at the downtown library. Randy Cribbs is group leader and for more information contact Randy at sacriver@bellsouth.net.
2. The Central Jax WG holds two meetings: the first with a guest speaker on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6PM at the Balis Community Center behind the San Marco Library on Hendricks Avenue. On the 4th Thursday at 5PM, they have a monthly Critique Group session. Contact Judy Connolly, judy.connolly@comcast.net, for more information.
3. Jim Morgan leads the Amelia Island Writers Group on the 1st Saturday of the month at 10AM at the Lime Street Police Building Community Room in Fernandina Beach. For more on next month’s meeting, contact Jim at drjpm1999@yahoo.com.

What else is happening?

• If you missed the FWA Annual Conference, you missed one of the best ever. Conference Chair Lori Strongin and her hard-working committee did a super job and deserve a big pat on the back. Saturday night’s Royal Palm Awards Banquet was a real treat since a number of our NE Florida members won. Special congratulations to Margee Bugbee who not only took 1st Place in the YA category, but her book also won Book of the Year honors. Other winners from our area were Donald O’Dell, Randy Cribbs, and Peter Guinta. Congratulations to all.
• The FWA web site is undergoing a massive change—and it’s all for the better. It’s still under construction, but the Web Oversight Committee, chaired by Board member Bob Gelinas with the able assistance of Lynn Coleman, is doing a fantastic job. Each Writer’s Group has their very own blog. and each WG Leader will be posting their own meeting information and much more. So keep checking for updated information on the WG of your choice.
• I’ve worked out a neat little program with the Starbucks in Jacksonville Beach. We’re calling it “Books & Brew,” and it features a pair of authors each Friday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. It’s a laid-back opportunity for Starbucks’ customers to mingle with regional authors, and, hopefully, sell some books. This Friday evening’s authors are Dorothy Fletcher & Ken Gorman. If you’re in the area, go by, grab a cup of coffee, and say hello. Let me know if you have a book published and would like to participate in the Books & Brew program. We’ll probably be continuing it into 2007 if there’s enough interest.
• The 7th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition is accepting entries! They're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant ... but brief. Send your best in 1,500 words or less. But don't be too long about it--the deadline is December 1, 2006. The Grand-Prize winner will receive $3,000 (that's $2-- or more--per word). For guidelines, prizes and to enter online, visit: http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2122725/5137658/478/0/
• The Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival, December 2 & 3, added a Book Fair component last year. This is a major arts festival, and attracts upwards of 30,000 people. If you're in the Tampa area, come by and visit us at the Book Fair. I'll be sharing a table with T. A. Ridgell, and I'm sure there will be other FWA authors on hand.
• And finally, one more cheer for our Royal Palm Award winners. Be sure to congratulate Margee, Don, Randy and Peter when you see them.
  

Remember you can post your own comments to this blog. I'd love to hear from you.

I'll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Lawrence Block, who said, "If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass. If it persists, you probably ought to write a novel."

Good writing, and have a wonderful holiday season,
Vic

Victor DiGenti
FWA Regional Director
http://www.windrusher.com/
P.O. Box 1587
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004

Welcome to the new FWA PV Blog

Welcome to the Ponte Vedra Writers Group. We're a diverse group of writers, both published and unpublished, working to improve our craft, help one another stay motivated, and become better writers. Our group normally meets on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10AM at the Ponte Vedra Library, 100 Library Boulevard in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL—located between Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

Having said that, we're taking a break for the Christmas holidays in December. Time to renew your family connections, recharge the writing batteries, and return with new goals in January. We'll see you on Saturday, January 27 with an exciting new speaker—Sharon Cobb on "How to Adapt Your Book into a Movie."

We welcome all aspiring writers to our meetings, both FWA members and non-members alike. Of course, if you return a second and third time and find it to be a valuable resource, as I'm sure you will, we expect you to send in your application and join with the nearly 800 other members across the state as Writers Helping Writers.

Check this blog site regularly for the latest information on our Writers Group. I'll also post information about contests, book signings, conferences, and other activities of interest to writers. Sort of a one-stop shopping site.

If you're new to FWA and have questions about what goes on at the meetings, and what you should know, i.e., do we have a secret handshake; wear special headgear; bring the group leader brownies? The answer is no. Except for the brownies, maybe. Our group typically has a guest speaker. I try to bring in an expert in a certain area to educate and motivate us.

Here's a partial list of the speakers and their topics over the past year:

• Dr. Darien Andreu on "How to Jumpstart a Short Story."
• Entertainment attorney Carolyn Herman on “What Every Author Should Know Before Signing a Publishing Contract.”
• Camille Cline offered to answer "Everything We Always Wanted to Know About Editing but were Afraid to Ask."
• Freelancer and poet Kay Day told us "How to Support Yourself as a Freelancer."
• Author Pat Behnke shared her "Secrets of Book Proposal Writing."
• Sohrab Homi Fracis discussed "The Art of Short Fiction."
• "How to Structure Your Story for Success," was Sandra McDonald's topic.
• Goal-setting was the subject of Terri Ridgell's talk, entitled, “If You can Drive Yourself to Success, Why am I Still Walking?”
• "The Five Secrets of Writing & Selling You Memoir" with Caorl O'Dell.

So you see we've been fortunate to tap into some of the fine writing talent in the Northeast Florida region, and that's just the PV Writers Group. I'm the Regional Director and I won't bore you with my resume, but if you're interested, you can visit my website at www.windrusher.com. I'm lucky to have three other committed writers leading groups in St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and Downtown Jacksonville. They meet at different times. Look for details on their individual blogs, but here's a brief summary of where to find them:

1. The Ancient City WG (St. Augustine) meets on the 3rd Saturday (this Saturday) at 10AM at the downtown library. Randy Cribbs is group leader and for more information contact Randy at sacriver@bellsouth.net.
2. The Central Jax WG holds two meetings: the first with a guest speaker on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6PM at the Balis Community Center behind the San Marco Library on Hendricks Avenue. On the 4th Thursday at 5PM, they have a monthly Critique Group session. Contact Judy Connolly, judy.connolly@comcast.net, for more information.
3. Jim Morgan leads the Amelia Island Writers Group on the 1st Saturday of the month at 10AM at the Lime Street Police Building Community Room in Fernandina Beach. For more on next month’s meeting, contact Jim at drjpm1999@yahoo.com.

What else is happening?

• If you missed the FWA Annual Conference, you missed one of the best ever. Conference Chair Lori Strongin and her hard-working committee did a super job and deserve a big pat on the back. Saturday night’s Royal Palm Awards Banquet was a real treat since a number of our NE Florida members won. Special congratulations to Margee Bugbee who not only took 1st Place in the YA category, but her book also won Book of the Year honors. Other winners from our area were Donald O’Dell, Randy Cribbs, and Peter Guinta. Congratulations to all.
• The FWA web site is undergoing a massive change—and it’s all for the better. It’s still under construction, but the Web Oversight Committee, chaired by Board member Bob Gelinas with the able assistance of Lynn Coleman, is doing a fantastic job. Each Writer’s Group has their very own blog. and each WG Leader will be posting their own meeting information and much more. So keep checking for updated information on the WG of your choice.
• I’ve worked out a neat little program with the Starbucks in Jacksonville Beach. We’re calling it “Books & Brew,” and it features a pair of authors each Friday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. It’s a laid-back opportunity for Starbucks’ customers to mingle with regional authors, and, hopefully, sell some books. This Friday evening’s authors are Dorothy Fletcher & Ken Gorman. If you’re in the area, go by, grab a cup of coffee, and say hello. Let me know if you have a book published and would like to participate in the Books & Brew program. We’ll probably be continuing it into 2007 if there’s enough interest.
• The 7th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition is accepting entries! They're looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant ... but brief. Send your best in 1,500 words or less. But don't be too long about it--the deadline is December 1, 2006. The Grand-Prize winner will receive $3,000 (that's $2-- or more--per word). For guidelines, prizes and to enter online, visit: http://fwpubs.sparklist.com/t/2122725/5137658/478/0/
• The Lutz Arts & Crafts Festival, December 2 & 3, added a Book Fair component last year. This is a major arts festival, and attracts upwards of 30,000 people. If you're in the Tampa area, come by and visit us at the Book Fair. I'll be sharing a table with T. A. Ridgell, and I'm sure there will be other FWA authors on hand.
• And finally, one more cheer for our Royal Palm Award winners. Be sure to congratulate Margee, Don, Randy and Peter when you see them.

Remember you can post your own comments to this blog. I'd love to h ear from you.

I'll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Lawrence Block, who said, "If you want to write fiction, the best thing you can do is take two aspirins, lie down in a dark room, and wait for the feeling to pass. If it persists, you probably ought to write a novel."

Good writing,

Vic

Victor DiGenti
FWA Regional Director
http://www.windrusher.com/
P.O. Box 1587
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004