March FWA Post

As we plow through another year, month by month, here's the latest writerly news for March 2018.

• There's still room for more authors at FWA's I Heart Books Festival here in Jacksonville on Saturday, May 19 at the Schultz Center. Click here for all the details.
• Once a book is published, every author begins looking for an agent or publisher. Chuck Sambuchino, the man who literally wrote the book on how and where to find an agent, will present a full day workshop on Thursday, October 17—the day before the start of the 2018 Florida Writers Conference—titled "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries, and First Pages." This Celebrity Workshop requires a separate registration fee from the conference, and benefits the Florida Writers Foundation.
• The first Focus Day of 2018 is scheduled for Saturday, April 28 at the Hilton Orlando/Altamonte Springs. The focus is on craft featuring the following workshops: Dan Alatorre on Pacing, Jade Kerrion on Arcs, Tracie Roberts, Tropes, and Jennifer Siddoway on World Building/Setting. Register here.

And now for the rest of the story:

• The River City Writers group meets on Tuesday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Regional Branch Library off Gate Parkway. Contact Gregg Golson for more information.
• The Ancient City Writers chapter returns to St. Augustine's Main Library on Saturday, March 17 to hear Rik Feeney talk about "Media Gratification: What Works Best for You?" The library doors open at 10:00 a.m., and that's when you can enter the meeting room to hear Rik discuss the many marketing opportunites available to writers.
• Wednesday, March 21 is the day the Clay County Writers will gather at the Orange Park Library to hear from journalist and travel writer Kathleen Walls. Kathleen will speak on "How to Turn Your Article into a Book." Kathleen is the editor and publisher of American Roads and Global Highways blog. The time for the meeting is 6:15 p.m.
• "The Author's Digital Footprint" is the subject of a talk by Mark Ezra Stokes and Dr. J. at the meeting of the Writers by the Sea FWA group. The presentation will teach writers how to drive readers to their work and your website using social media. The meeting kicks off at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22 at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach.
• Rik Feeney tumbles from St. Augustine to the Ponte Vedra Beach Library on Saturday, March 24 as the guest speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. and Rik will cover the many aspects of Kindle Publishhing, from writing your book to the cover, pricing, and the Kindle set-up.

But wait, there's more:

The Florida Heritage Book Festival presents two fundraising events worth noting and attending. 

• Author Patrick Smith's son, Rick, presents a one-man show about his father and the experiences that led him to write his award-winning novels, with special emphsis on A Land Remembered. The show combines Rick's quirky brand of humor with stories, videos, photos, and music. "Patrick Smith's Florida is A Land Remembered" is scheduled for Friday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. The cost is only $10 for individuals, or $20 for families. Tickets are available at the door, or online soon at fhbookfest.com.
• And on Saturday, April 14, Janice Hardy will present a full day workshop titled "How to Turn Your Idea Into a Novel." If you attended last year's Florida Writers Conference you may have attended one of Janice Hardy's workshops. She came away with one of the highest evaluation scores from those attending her sessions. The hands-on interactive workshop runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and costs $85, which includes lunch. Details as to the St. Johns County location will be released soon.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. They will present a reading at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 at the Neptune Beach Library in honor of Poetry Month.

And that's all there is for now. Here's to your writing success,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

FWA Regional Director for Northeast Florida

February Blog Post

There's no time like the present to make your future plans. If you're a published author I know your number one interest is selling books. FWA provides you with an excellent opportunity for book sales right here in Jacksonville. On Saturday, May 19, the annual I (Heart) Books event will be held at the Schultz Center from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event is limited to only 75 authors and includes a brunch. There are still a limited number of openings available. Click here for details.

October is still months away, but the 17th Annual Florida Writers Conference is shaping up to be

another outstanding event for writers of all persuasions. We've landed Linda Fairstein as our National Guest of Honor and Heather Graham as the Florida Writer of the Year. And Florida Poet Laureate Peter Meinke will join us, as well.
We're excited to announce that the Celebrity Workshop will be presented by Chuck Sambuchino. For years, Chuck was the face of Writers Digest's guides to agents, editors and publishers. He's still the go-to expert on getting an agent, and on Thursday, October 18 he will present "Everything You Need to Know About Agents, Submissions, Queries, and First Pages." Remember this requires a separate registration fee as it's a benefit for the Florida Writers Foundation. Information and registration may be found here.

And now for the February FWA meetings:

• River City Writers meets on Tuesday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway. Contact Gregg Golson for details.
• Writers by the Sea meets on Thursday, February 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History. Author Darryl Bollinger will speak on an unusual and mysteruus topic he calls, "When You Say Nothing at All."
• Ancient City Writers will not meet at St. Augustine's Main Library in February due to AARP hijacking their meeting room to offer tax assistance to the public.
• Clay County Writers assemble on Wednesday, February 21 at the Orange Park Library. The time of the meeting is 6:15 p.m. and group leader Maureen Jung has details.
• Are you ready for a laugh? Do you want to write humor? Then come to the Saturday, February 24 Ponte Vedra Writers meeting at the Ponte Vedra Library. Longtime humor writer and professional blogger Erik Deckers presents "10 Professional Humor Writing Secrets." The chuckles begin at 10:30 a.m.

And in other news:

• Arson investigator Detective David Young presents an inside look at the world of arson investigations at this Saturday's Florida Sisters in Crime meeting. The group gathers at the SE Branch Library at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 3. Arrive early to claim your own hot seat.
• The Amelia Island Book Festival has "something for everyone" that begins with the Gala Face-Off Dinner on February 15. Four bestselling authors, including Lee Child and Karin Slaughter, meet in an "engaging and scintillating face-off exchange." Steve Berry serves as the Face-Off moderator. Visit the website for more details.
• FWA's first webinar of the year should be of interest to all published authors. The subject is "How to Make Money with Your Books." Jonathon (JK) Miller is the webinar host. The price is only $10 for FWA members and $15 for nonmembers. You'll need a computer with internet access and speakers to hear the audio. Visit the web page for details.
• John Capouya leads the University of Tampa's Creative Writing MFA program. He's also the author of Florida Soul: From Ray Charles to KC and the Sunshine Band.  He will be at the Ponte Vedra Library on Monday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about hs book. BTW, John will also present one of the Thursday evening Boot Camp sessions at this year's Florida Writers Conference.

Until we meet again, here's a quote that most writers can identify with:

“My mind is a raging torrent flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.”

~Hedley Lamarr, Blazing Saddles

Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Executive Vice President
NE Florida Regional Director

January 2018 Blog Post

Happy New Year! A new year brings all kinds of new possibilities for writers. FWA continues to lead the way with new programs, Focus Days, and book sale opportunities. Below is a list of area goups meetings in Northeast Florida, along with more news you can use.

• River City Writers meet on the second Tuesday of the month at the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway. Visit with them on January 9 at 7:00 p.m., and email Gregg Golson for details.
• The Ponte Vedra Writers meet next Saturday, January 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. Special guest speaker is Darlyn Finch Kuhn, author, poet, and producer of video book trailers. If you've thought about turning your memoir or life experiences into a novel, this is the workshop for you as Darlyn tells us to "Change the Names and Make Stuff Up." She will show us how to convert family and friends into characters even they won't recognize, and how to ramp up the drama to make the story even more compelling.
• The Clay County Writers will meet on Wednesday, January 17 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Howard Denso asks this important question: "Is Your Verb Tense Slipping Into Darkness?" Howard will discuss the pitfalls of shifting verb tenses along with chracterization and research. You may contact group leader Maureen Jung for more specfics.
• Writers by the Sea meet on Thursday, January 18 at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island History Museum. Group leader Dr. Nadine Vaughan D'Ardenne will present "Binge-Worthy Story Telling: A Revolution in Writing," disecting the story telling in binge-worthy TV series like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things and how writers can learn from them.
• Head to St. Augustine's Main Library for the Saturday, January 20 meeting of the Ancient City Writers. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. and author and editor Belea T. Keeney will address the five major mistakes writters need to avoid.

And in other news ...

• Two Jacksonville critique groups are working together: Serivilous Panerians and the Townie Critics have formed a critique group alliance, providing greater scope and flexibility for both groups. They will facilitate three meetings per month — two in person and a third via Skype. They are accepting new members. The SPs will host in person meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, 5 pm at the Town Center Panera in Jacksonville. The TCs will host the Skype meeting on the third Sunday of each month at 1pm. Writers are welcome to attend one or all meetings, as best suits their needs. Contact Cheri Roman or Krys Fenner for additional information.
Florida Sisters in Crime meet this Saturday, January 6 at 10:00a.m. at the SE Regional Branch Library to hear from former NCIS agent Jeff Walton. Jeff is the author of the novel Final Destination: Death, and will provide an inside look at the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the world of counterintelligence.
• FWA will present two Focus Day conferences this year. The first, Focus on Craft, is set for Saturday, April 28 in Altamonte Springs. And Focus on DIY Marketing on Saturday, June 23, also in Altamonte Springs.
• And speaking of conferences, the 2018 Florida Writers Conference, October 18 -21, is coming together nicely. If you haven't heard, bestselling author Linda Fairstein is the National Guest of Honor, and Heather Graham, another bestselling author, the Florida Writer of the Year. Also in attendance as one of the faculty members will be Florida Poet Laureate Peter Meinke. More details will be posted shortly on the FWA website.
• FWA's 3rd annual I (Heart) Books event is set for Saturday, May 19 at the Schultz Center here in Jacksonville. This multi-genre book signing event brings together both readers and writers. The event is free for readers, and limited to only 75 writers. Click here for more information.
• The Florida Writer is FWA's official magazine, and starting with the February 2018 issue it will be available in a grayscale print version as well as digitally. There is a charge for the print version. More information can be found here.
• Lee Child, the author of the hugely popular Jack Reacher action novels, will headline next month's Amelia Island Book Festival. Child will be part of a gala author dinner at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort on February 16. Click here for details.

Not to discourage you from writing books, but I'll end with this quote from that great philosopher, Homer Simpson:

"Books are useless! I've only read one book, To Kill A Mockingbird, and it gave me absoluteely no insights into how to kill mockingbirds."

Vic DiGenti

FWA Esecutive Vic residet

Tis the season

It's happened again. The twelfth month of the year crept through the back door while I wasn't looking. With the holidays rushing in, let's get right to it and unwrap the December meeting packages. Take notes, please, because there may be a test at the end of the class period.

• River City Writers meet on the second Tuesday of the month, December 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Branch Library. Gregg Golson is the keeper of the details.
• On Saturday, December 16 the Ancient City Writers will host their annual holiday party with a panel of local members discussing issues of interest to writers. This will be followed by a raffle and holiday refreshments. All are encouraged to bring business cards and other promo materials to share. The party starts at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library.
• Due to some scheduling mishap involving the fact the library is closed on our reguar meeting date, the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting will also be held on Saturday, December 16, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. We will repeat the popular Open Mic program and offer holiday refreshments. If you have a page or two from one of your writing projects, complete or not, you are welcome to take the stage and share it with the crew. We promise no rude remarks will be heard, only lots of enthusiastic support, but I'd appreciate advance warning if you wish to participate or bring a goodie to share. Email me now. 
• We're assuming the Clay County Writers will hold their monthly meeting on Wednesday, December 20 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Maureen Jung will know for sure.
• Writers by the Sea is in the holiday spirit with a coffee house type meeting on Thursday, December 21 at the Amelia Island Museum of History. Any writer who wishes to read one of their works can sign up at the door. And group leader Nadine Vaughan says if you feel adventurous, you may dress up as your character. The fun starts at 6:00 p.m., especially if your character is a dragon.

And in other legitimate news:

• Because of a demand for print issues of FWA's official magazine, The Florida Writer, members will now be able to subscribe to a print edition. A full-color PDF version will still be emailed to all members free of charge, but starting with the February 2018 issue, a grayscale print version will be availble for a charge. The annual subscription for all six issues costs $44, plus tax and shipping. A single issue will cost you $7.00 plus tax and shipping. Check the most recent issue for details or click here. 
• The Florida Authors and Publishers Association has opened submissions for its 2018 FAPA President's Book Awards. The awards cover 43 categories and the early bird deadline is February 28, 2018. Click here for details.
• The Florida Book Awards are open for submissions through January 13. The website has all the details.

Here's wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday of your choosing. 

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

FWA November Blog Post

As we approach the end of another year, it seems that everything is speeding up. So let's get moving.

• River City Writers meet the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Regional Branch Library off Gate Parkway. Contact Gregg Golson for details.
• Clay County Writers will meet on Wednesday, November 15 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Contact Maureen Jung for more information.
• The Writers by the Sea group gathers at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, November 16 at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Contact Nadine at nvaughanwilliams@gmail.com for details.
• St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers will hear from author Chris Berman presenting "Keeping It Real," a discussion of how the proper research can enhance your novel. The group meets Saturday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the Main Library.
• There will be no meeting of the Ponte Vedra Writers this month due to the Thanksgiving holidays. I suggest you attend the Ancient City Writers meeting instead. The group will meet again on Saturday, December 16 for a holiday Open Mic session. You're invited to read the first page of a work in progress or a completed project you're proud to share. More details next month.

That's it for now. Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday and we'll see you next time.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive VP

FWA Regional Director

If It's October, It's Time for the Florida Writers Conference

After nearly a year of planning the 16th Annual Florida Writers Conference is almost upon us.  The conference kicks off on Thursday, October 19 with David Morrell's Celebrity Workshop, followed that evening by four Boot Camp sessions. During the next two-and-a-half days hundreds of writers will have their choice of over 70 workshops and panels, pitch interviews to literary agents and acquiring editors, and much more.

Additionally, dozens of finalists will anticipate the winning announcements at Saturday evening's Royal Palm Literary Awards Banquet. Will you be among them? It's not too late to be part of this outstanding event. Click here for more information.

Life goes on here in NE Florida with more FWA group meetings, so let's take a look at them.

• The River Cty Writers were unable to meet in September due to Hurricane Irma, but they're ready to go now. The group will meet on Tuesday, October 10 for a second attempt at "Are You Ready for Some Plot?" The meeting will cover turning story into plot, and plotting with the Freytag Pyramid. Think about attending this meeting if you have trouble with your plots.
• The Clay County Writers meet on Wednesday, October 18 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library to discuss maximizing book sales. Check with group leader Maureen Jung for more details.
• The Ancient City Chapter of FWA will not meet this month due to the Florida Writers Conference occuring on the same weekend as its meeting date. They encourage their writers to attend the conference or one of the other meetings instead.
• The Conference caused Writers by the Sea to move its usual third Thursday of the month meeting to the fourth Thursday. Catch up with them on Thursday, October 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Award-winning poet Nola Perez will present "Poetry and Illustration."
• Mystery writers have a chance to hear from a group of award-winning mystery authors and a real life private detective at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, October 28, 10:30 a.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. "Whodunnit? A Mystery Writers Panel" features Nancy Quatrano, Steven Brown, John Marling March, and Bruce Thomason answering questions about how to plot the perfect crime novel. 

And in other news:

• Florida Sisters in Crime members and guests will hear librarian Sandra Ostroski discuss how authors can get their books into the library and keep them on the shelves. The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 7 at the Southeast Regional Library.
• First Coast Romance Writers welcome C. L. Wilson speaking on "Tips to Improve Your Writing" to their Saturday, October 14 meeting. The group meets at the West Regional Library from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. More information can be found here.
• The 2017 Florida Book Awards is now open for submissions in 11 categories. The deadline is January 13. Visit the website for more information.
• Dr. Thomas Graham will speak at the Ponte Vedra Library's Book Talk Cafe program about his new book, Silent Films in St. Augustine. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 16.
• Congratulations to St. Augustine author Dr. Ardain Isma on the publication of his new novel, Midnight at Noon. Dr. Isma will hold a book event at the Ponte Vedra Library on Saturday, October 14, startng at noon. 

That's it for this month. I hope to see you at the Florida Writers Conference in a few weeks.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

2017 Conference Faculty Chair

September FWA Blog Post

Moving ahead with another look at the meetings and events taking place in September and beyond:

• River City Writers meet on Tuesday, September 12, 7:00 p.m. at the Southeast Regional Branch Library. Group leader Gregg Golson asks, "Are you ready for some plot?" The meeting will cover turning story into plot, and plotting with the Freytag Pyramid. Think about attending this meeting if you have trouble with your plots.
• Back on their home territory, the Ancient City Chapter meets Saturday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Augustine's Main Library. Guest speaker Belea T. Keeney, author of The Tiger Whisperer, presents "Five Editing Mistakes You Should Know About."
• The Clay County Writers gather at the Orange Park Library on Wednesday, September 20 at 6:15 p.m. Contact group leader Maureen Jung for more information.
• Writers by the Sea meets Thursday, September 21 at the Amelia Island History Museum, 233 S. 3rd St., Fernandina Beach. Join them at 6:00 p.m. for social time and announcements,. The program starts at 6:30. The topic is: "Crime Fiction: CSI Lies!" presented by Catherine J. Mausolf, retired Special Agent in Charge, GA Bureau of Investigation.
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival takes place on the same day as the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, and because two of our potential speakers will be at the book festival, we're going to take a break and encourage people to attend the festival. We'll be back October 28 with a special mystery writers panel discussion, "Who Dunnit? Writing the Mystery," with four award-winning mystery writers. 

And in other news:

• Speaking of the Florida Heritage Book Festival, Steve Berry will be honored as the festival's 2017 Literary Legend on Friday, September 22, 6:00 p.m. at the Marriott Courtyard in St. Augustine Beach. Click here to register. Steve, as you probably know, will also be celebrated at this year's Florida Writers Conference as the Florida Writer of the Year. He will deliver the Friday evening keynote address and present a two-hour craft of writing workshop. Steve and National Guest of Honor David Morrell are also donating the use of a character's name to be used in a future novel or short story. Those will be auctioned off at Friday's and Saturday's luncheons. Click here for conference information and to register.
• Florida Sisters in Crime welcomes Detective David Young and his wonder dog Fresca of the Florida State Fire Marshall's Office on Saturday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. They meet at the Southeast Regional Branch Library.
• First Coast Romance Writers welcome Connie Mann speaking on “Making Time to Write,” and “Navigating the Stormy Seas of Publishing” to its September 9, 2017 meeting, from 10am to 2:30 p.m. at the West Regional Library located at 1425 Chaffee Road S. Visit http://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com for more information.
• The Amelia Island Book Festival announces their 3rd Annual Murder Mystery Dinner in support of Authors in Schools. Mark your calendar for Fri., Oct. 20, 2017, at The Golf Club of Amelia Island for a delicious, delightful and dangerous evening with a performance of “Any Body for Tea?” For tickets and more information, please visit www.ameliaislandbookfestival.org.
• James O. Born, mystery writer; Allan Marcil, a creator of screenplays; and Andre Frattino, illustrator of graphic novels and children’s literature, will give workshops at the St. Johns County Convention Center at the World Golf Village, on September 22, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as part of the Florida Heritage Book Festival's writers conference. Visit the website for more information.

And as I watched another birthday fly by recently, I remembered this quote from Mickey Spillane—and hoped he was right.

“If you’re a singer you lose your voice. A baseball player loses his arm. A writer gets more knowledge, and if he’s good, the older he gets, the better he writes.”

Thanks, Mickey. Let's keep on writing,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

FWA Regional Director for NE Florida

But it's a dry heat ...

Having recently returned from visiting family east of Los Angeles, and being advised it was going to be hot, in the mid-90s, I reminded them that we were from Florida. "At least you won't have the terrible humidity we have in Florida." We've always heard that it's the humidity and not the heat that makes us uncomfortable, but unfortunately we found California to be just as humd as Florida, at least where we were encamped.

That's all apropros of nothing other than saying "there's no place like home," and here I am back at the keyboard working on multiple writing projects—with the air conditioning blasting and the ceiling fan spinning. And still finding time to update you on our FWA writers groups, and other writing activities in the area.

• The River City Writers will no doubt continue working its way through the Great Courses "Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques," a 24-part lecture series by James Hynes, novelist and writing instructor. The group meets on Tuesday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southeast Branch Library off Gate Parkway.
• The Clay County Writers will meet on Wednesday, August 16 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Author Rick Maloy will discuss how to engage your readers and keep them turning pages in his talk, "What if ..." Rick says "Experiences are the foundation of storytelling, but not the walls."
• Writers by the Sea presents a panel on blogging at its Thursday, August 17 meeting, which begins with a social at 6:00 p.m, followed by the pogram at 6:30. The panel discussion, "Blogging for Authors: Why and How?" is facilitated by Dr. Donna Jennings, and features a panel of local authors. The group meets at the Amelia Island Museum of History, 233 S. Third Street in Fernandina Beach.
• The nomadic Ancient City Writers chapter is finally back home at St. Augustine's Main Library. They meet on Saturday, August 19, 10:00 a.m. to hear from book reviewer Anne Payne.
• Former CIA operative Terrence Williams will slip unobtrusively into the Ponte Vedra Library to speak at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, August 26. Williams now writes spy thrillers that are seemingly "ripped from the headlines." His latest, Zero Day, deals with cyber warfare with China. His talk is titled, "So You Want to Write Spy Thrillers. How's Your Tradecraft?" Be there on time for the 10:30 a.m. meeting because people are watching.

More not so fake news:

• You missed the early bird registration deadline, but the Florida Writers Confeence is still one of the best buys of the year. More than 70 workshops and panels, the opportunity to have your work critiqued, and pitch acquiring editors from St. Martin's Press, Harlequin Romance, Tor Books, as well as top literary agents. And once you're registered you can have your books sold in the conference bookstore, now under the skillful hands of Joanne Sinchuk, proprietor of Murder on the Beach Books, voted a Top Ten Florida Bookstore. Click here for conference details.
• Speaking of the conference, both David Morrell, National Guest of Honor, pictured above, and Florida Writer of the Year Steve Berry, have generously allowed us to auction off a character's name to be used in one of their short stories or novels. You might have your name immoirtalized if you have the high bid. But, of course, you have to be present to bid.
• Morrell is presenting the Celebrity Workshop on Thursday, October 19, a full day craft of writing session he's titled, "Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing." The Celebrity Workshop benefits the Florida Writers Foundation and requires a separate registration, but this is a rare opportunity to learn from a master of the craft. Visit the website for details.
• First Coast Romance Writers will be welcoming New York Times and USA Today best seller Brenda Jackson speaking on “And the Beat Goes On” to their August 12, 2017 meeting from 10am to 2:30 pm, at the West Regional Library located at 1425 Chaffee Road S, Jacksonville,Fl, 32221. Visit http://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com for more information.
•  A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Library. New poets are welcome.
• The Amelia Island Book Festival has just announced a blockbuster lineup for the February 15 - 18 event that includes appearances by Lee Child, Adriana Trigiani, Karen Slaughter and more. 
• The Florida Heritage Book Festival kicks off September 22 with a writers conference, followed that evening with a reception honoring the 2017 Literary Legend, Steve Berry. The free book festival on September 23 at Flagler College includes appearances by Ann Kidd Taylor, James O. Born, Tim Dorsey, and many more.

Stay cool, and enjoy the rest of the hot, rainy summer.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

2017 Faculty Conference Chair

July 2017 Blog Post

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

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

And in other news:

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

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

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

Cheers,

Vic

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

June 2017 Blog Post

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

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

And in other news ...

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

Until next time, keep writing and use sunscreen.

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive VP

May 2017 Blog Post

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

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

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

And in other news —

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

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

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

~ Henry Kissinger

Cheers everyone,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

FWA Regional Director

2017 Conference Faculty Chair

April 2017 FWA Blog Post

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

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

But wait, there's more!

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

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

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

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Executive Vice President

NE Florida Regional Director