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

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