Of Books, Storytelling, Marketing and More

We're approaching month #6 of living in the time of the pandemic.  Some of us are still sheltering in place, others not so much. But writers gotta write. Am I right? And they have to read. A librarian stayed busy assembling a special collection of books. You'll have to enlarge the photo but read them starting at the top left.

Locally, a lot of writing is going on. A tip of the hat to the following authors for their accomplishments:

• Congratulations to Bob Black who published two books in June. He tells me Age Successfully was published June 3, 2020, and Life 401 was published on June 15, 2020. He had been working on the books for some years and when he went on a 77-day cruise to South America, Antarctica, and the Amazon early January to late March he was able to finish both.
• Ancient City Chapter award-winning author Jeff Walton's second book has just been released by Sunbrook Publishing. Divine Return picks up where Final Departure left off.
• Nicholas A. Marziani Jr.'s sequel, Fool's Journey: The Showdown, was released on May 30 by WC Publishing. Journey picks up where Holy Fool, Holy Father left off.
• N.L. Quatrano and writing partner D.K. Ludas have a new Ebook out of short mystery stories, released on Jul 4 by Twisted Hair Publications.
• Harlan Rector, author of the recent Once Upon the Corner in Detroit, and Ed Mickolus, author of 36 books, are compiling a collection of micro-memoirs around the theme of Finding Meaning in Life at Any Age. This shared, limited autobiographic project is organized by incidents or periods of life such as childhood, elementary school, high school, adulthood, work experience, marriage/children, career, retirement. Each life period will feature 2-3 incidents or memories from a variety of people, of various ethnicities, ages, religious preferences, and economic pursuits, along with our own memories. Ed and Harlan are looking for contributions of one to five pages. For further information, please contact hrector234@aol.com or edmickolus@hotmail.com.
• And speaking of the prolific Mr. Mickolus, a former CIA operative, he's added book numbers 37 and 38 to his tally. More Stories from Langley: Another Glimpse Inside the CIA is available from Potomac Books, and America's Funniest Memes—Coronavirus Edition may be ordered from Amazon.
• Congratulations to Jacksonville author Kathryn Bain. Her novel, Fade to the Edge was selected as one of the finalists for the 2020 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Awards in the Suspense category. Also making the cut is area writer Maggie Toussaint for Dreamed It in the SF/Fantasy and Horror categories. You may see the complete list of finalists and vote for your favorites by clicking here.
• Patricia Daly-Lipe has published Miami's Yester'Years, Its Forgotten Founder, Locke Tiffin Highleyman, the story of the founding of Miami, and one man's vision of paradise in the early 1900s.
• Lucy Cortese reports that her writers group, known as TWINKYs, will launch a new children's book on August 4. Do You Know Me? Poems About the Sea is a book of playful poetry, imaginative illustrations, and science facts for children. It highlights sixteen animals to promote a child's curiosity about their natural world. The book will be available on Amazon and in local bookstores.

Our past Zoom writing workshops have been quite successful, with excellent presentations by Kristin Durfee, Jane Wood, and Charlene Edge. On Saturday, August 22, April O'Leary, the author of five books and founder of O'Leary Publishing, will present "Proven Social Media Book Launch Success Strategies (that cost nothing!)." During her presentation, April will show you exactly what she has done to launch six first time authors to #1 in their category on Amazon this past year. While there are no shortcuts to a successful career as a writer, this is one tool you'll want to have in your book marketing toolkit. Look for the Zoom registration link coming your way in the next few weeks.

I had planned to have another marketing workshop via Zoom, but Tara Alemany, the publisher of Emerald Lakes Books, had serious time constraints. Instead, she offered to share an interview she did with Dave Chesson, a book marketing pro and creator of Kindlepreneuer. In this 48-minute interview, Dave talks about how you can best use Amazon ads to improve your book sales. My thanks to Tara for sharing this interview. Click here to access the interview.

Don't forget FWA's 19th Annual Florida Writers Remote Conference, October 15-18. For only $57, you have access to four days of workshops, plus the Royal Palm Literary Awards Competition.

Here's one final item before I release you to return to your writing life. I will be doing a series of three Zoom workshops for the Jacksonville Public Library. A condensed version of my Novel in a Day workshop, they cover three consecutive Saturdays starting August 29 at 10AM. I've titled the sessions, Storytelling 101, and we'll cover the key elements of the novel, from plotting to characterization, to writing scenes, and more. The workshops are free but you need a JPL library card, which you can acquire online. I'll have more information soon.

Until then, keep in mind these choice suggestions from the Boy Scout Law and remain Helpful, Courteous, Kind, Clean, Cheerful, and Brave.

Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

Tips of the Hat & Tips for Writers

It's been two months since my last FWA blog post. Although I've written direct emails to all the NE Florida writers on my list I thought it was time to post online again. As I sat down at my iMac to create this post my mind pulled up one of Willie Nelson's poignant songs, Funny How Times Slips Away. I'm sure you've heard it many times, but I Googled the lyrics and the first stanza seems to have been written for our time in the coronavirus bubble.

Hello there, my it's been a long time.

How am I doing? Well, I guess that I'm doing fine.

It's been so long now, but it seems now it was only yesterday.

Ain't it funny how time slips away.

That's enough maudlin introspection, let's get down to the writing business. The pandemic has closed libraries and prevented our FWA writers groups from meeting since February. In response, we had two Zoom presentations in June—one by Charlene Edge on memoir writing, and one by Jane Wood telling us how to market our books to schools. Both were excellent workshops and well attended.

You'll be happy to know I've scheduled another Zoom meeting for this month, and two more in August.

Some of you may remember Kristin Durfee, who presented a workshop on firearms at the Ponte Vedra Writers group several years ago. I invited Kristin to return and she has agreed to present a new workshop on plotting the novel. Register for Kristin's Zoom presentation, "A Novel Approach: Plotting Your Way to Success," which will be presented live on Saturday, July 18 at 10:30 a.m.

Kristin, who is the author of the Four Corners Trilogy as well as many short stories, describes the workshop this way:
"Plot like a pro and get that novel finished! Learn systematic tips and tricks to set yourself up for success. Attendees will learn how to incorporate outlining in their writing, what research can and should be done prior to starting your story, and some troubleshooting techniques to help if you get stuck. The presentation should leave you with a good framework for how to tackle and complete that first draft."

Here's the invitation to register for this meeting:

You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Jul 18, 2020 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vc-qoqj8qHNSQt6468SY-Qni1H_sN7OSv
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

And as I mentioned above, in August we'll have two more Zoom meetings, both focusing on marketing; one using Facebook groups and the other using Amazon ads. Watch this space for more information.

I've heard from a few people who have used their time productively. A tip of the hat to:

• Ponte Vedra Beach writer Ken Overman. His new book, Intrusions, When God Shows Up in Your Life Unexpectedly has been picked up by CrossLink Publishing, a top U.S. traditional Christian publisher. The book will be out in about 7 months. Congratulations Ken.
• I also heard from Richard and Lucy Lipari, who decided to use their home alone time to jointly write a mystery novel. Rich wrote to tell me, "We decided to purchase Scrivener when the virus began and we knew we would be homebound. We learned about this software from meetings we attended in Ponte Vedra, and decided to give it a try. We found the program very user friendly and a great organizer. Since we had absolutely no distractions, we started jointly writing a mystery using the program. We began as pantsers but as we were going along, we evolved into plotters. Happy to report, since March we wrote over 75,000 words, 45 chapters, 275 pages. We’re excited now, as we know how the mystery will resolve, and it’s just a matter of writing it down." The novel is titled The Genghis Code. Congratulations to you both.
• Sharon Scholl has kept her poetry group active since the shutdown by also using Zoom meetings. She invites any and all poets "to join The Gathering's Zoom sessions, we will send the meeting data to whoever requests it at accidentals@comcast.net. Usually the first and third Thursdays of the month at 2 p.m."
• The Amelia Island Writers are also active. Group leader Marla McDaniel tells me that George Weinstein will be the virtual guest speaker on Saturday, July 25 at 3:30 p.m. Weinstein is a published author and coordinates the Atlanta Writers Group. He will talk about his writing journey and his latest thriller, Watch What You Say. Click here to register for that meeting.

Tell me what's gong on in your writing life, and I'll report it in the next FWA blog post. In the meantime, if you're looking for inspiration, guidance, or a way to productively pass the time, I've assembled a few online sites you might want to check out if you haven't seen them already.

1. The first is a fun exercise that purports to analyze your writing and tell you what famous writer you write like. I entered the first paragraph of my thriller, Hurricane Island, and was informed I write like Mario Puzo. Oh, to have been as successful as the author of The Godfather. Here's the link.
2. Stephen King is one of America's favorite (and wealthiest) writers based on the number of bestselling books and films and TV series that have come from his creative mind. CBS is curently remaking The Stand into a limited series. His latest offering, If It Bleeds, gives us four  novellas, including the title story featuring Holly Gibney, which picks up after the conclusion of The Outsider. The four stories are a mixed bag, but I expecially liked Rat, which deals with a writer struggling to write s novel. I thought you might like to watch this YouTube video with King talking about his writing. You can skip the ads after a few seconds, and if you search you'll find other King interviews and talks.
3. Check out this page if you're looking for writing tips from successful authors. In it you'll learn that John Irving always starts by writing the last sentence on a blackboard. Whatever works, right?
4. And finally, here's an oldie but goodie from The Writing-World.com listing the Top Ten Mistakes New Fiction Writers Make.

Until next time, stay involved and stay healthy. This thing is far from over. And don't forget to register for the July 18 Zoom workshop with Kristin Durfee.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

What Day Is It?

When I was a child, sometime between the end of the Civil War and the Woodrow Wilson administration, I recall watching a program that always opened with these words: "Hey kids, what time is it?" And the answer was always—say it with me—"It's Howdy Doody time!"

Today, that refrain has changed to "What day is it?" Most of us are stuck inside working from home or staying safe at home, and it's easy to lose track of the days. And since I'm retired, every day seems like a weekend day. But I look forward to the time when we can gather together at libraries for our FWA writers group meetings. However, it looks like June won't be the month for those gatherings.

But I have good news. In June I'll host not one but two Zoom workshops with writing pros addressing valuable topics for writers. Here's what you have to look forward to in June:

• On Saturday, June 13 at 10:30 a.m. Charlene Edge will present the memoir writing workshop she would have given in person in May. "Open a Vein: Writing Your Memoir and Publishing It"  takes us through the steps Charlene took to write and publish her award-winning memoir, Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International.
• And on Saturday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m., tune in for Jane Wood's presentation detailing strategies for selling your books to schools. "Schools: A Niche Market for Authors" will show us how to contact schools, and what makes a book marketable to schools. Jane has sold thousands of books to schools, so you don't want to miss this.

I'll send out the Zoom meeting link and password the week before each session. There's a limit of 100 people for each of these webinars, so if you're interested you should sign up right away.

And in other news, Rik Feeney, who has done a great job keeping writers connected with Zoom meetings, has scheduled another one for Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. This one is with Linda Hollander, who calls herself the Wealthy Bag Lady. Her topic is "Corporate Sponsorship for Books." She's the author of Corporate Sponsorship in 3 Easy Steps and the CEO of Sponsor Concierge. Here's the link to that Zoom meeting: www.SponsorZoomWithLinda.com

I had asked you to keep me informed of any news on the writing front, and two of you came forth to let me know their books are being published. Congratulations to Kaye Schmitz on the publication of her suspense novel, On Deadly Ground. Also to Melissa Kosciuszko on the publication of her Christian suspense novel, Within A Dream. And thanks to Jack Orth for sharing some of his fine writing with me.

I'll leave you with this quote and image I ran across some time ago and only recently uncovered as I was cleaning my file cabinet. They're both from artist Vincent Van Gogh, but if you replace the word painter with writer you'll see that Van Gogh is talking directly to us.

"If you hear a voice within you saying, 'You are not a painter,' then, by all means, paint, boy, and that voice will be silenced. One must undertake (work) with confidence, with a certain assurance that one is doing a reasonable thing, like the farmer who drives his plow, or like our friend in the scratch below, who is harrowing, and even drags the harrow himself. If one hasn't a horse, one is one's own horse."

Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

Groundhog Day All Over Again

Today marks Day 50 of sheltering at home in the time of the coronavirus. As Dana Carvey's Church Lady might have remarked, "Well, isn't that special?" Of course, it's not that special since most of the country is facing the same Groundhog Day scenario, where the days blend together, separated only by the news we're watching, which also seems pretty much the same, and whatever Netflix series has us glued to the telly.

But there is light at the end of that tunnel. Am I right? Our beaches are open for most of the day now, and the restaurants are slowly allowing a few customers inside. And I hope we're all making progress on our writing projects.

There's little new to report on the FWA Writers Group meetings front, however. All libraries are still closed. All speakers are following the same social distancing guidelines as the rest of us and remaining home, and it might be some time before larger groups of people will feel comfortable gathering for meetings. But not to fret. If you utilize online tools like YouTube, you'll find a wealth of recorded information and workshops by experienced authors. Like this one by British children's and sports novel writer Tom Palmer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUScPnDwzPU. In this ten-minute video, he shows us how to edit a short paragraph, taking us through it step-by-step. You'll find much more on YouTube to educate and entertain you, plus you might make your own YouTube videos and I can report them next time. Just let me know.

Ted Talks and podcasts are two other excellent tools to stretch your brain. If you have a smartphone, there's a good chance it came with a Podcast icon, giving you access to hundreds of fascinating programs covering almost every subject imaginable.

What else is available? Rik Feeney is a popular speaker at writers groups here and around the state. He also leads his own group in Winter Park and arranged for the Penny Sansevieri Zoom workshop last month. BTW, if you missed Penny's workshop on how to sell a truckload of books on Amazon, here's the replay link: https://bit.ly/3aFCz7x

Well, Rik has done it again, and he has orchestrated another live Zoom webinar this Wednesday, May 6 at 7PM with

Rocky and Cheryl Detwiler, authors of the best-selling book, The Samson Effect. They are experts on the Positive Power of Words, have been highlighted on A&E, ABC, ESPN, FOX, and NBC. Reality TV stars and authors, Rocky & Cheryl Detwiler have learned to monetize their message and love helping authors deliver their message to the world by selling more books.
Go online early on Wednesday, May 6th via the link listed below to learn from Rocky & Cheryl, professional coaches, who teach authors how to get paid speaking engagements, create workshops and sell your books in bulk. This webinar is free and open to the public, but space may be limited. Here's the information you'll need to join the meeting:

Topic: Transforming Lives with the Power of Words
Time: May 6, 2020, 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
Click below to join the Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86482585218?pwd=SGlndTRaTjZybzRkcXRNT3NBQkhHZz09

Meeting ID: 864 8258 5218
Password: 212330

And here are a few more items of interest:

• April was National Poetry Month and Loretta Leto is collecting poems for the Mayo Clinic's Humanities in Medicine program. Although April has passed us by, this first week of May honors Florence Nightingale and all nurses, so that's a good theme to work on. The poems are given to health care workers to carry in their pockets. The poems should fit on one page, so no more than 30 lines. Send poems and questions to Loretta at lmleto58@gmail.com.
• While the RPLA submission period has closed, you may still submit to The Florida Writer and join the team of bloggers. Plus there are many webinars available for viewing. The links may be found on the home page.
• Here are a few other competitions still open for submissions: The Austin Film Festival has extended its screenplay competition deadline to June 1. Click here for details. 
• The Masters Review, which bills itself as the platform for emerging writers, has a May 31 deadline for its Flash Fiction Contest, paying a top prize of $3,000. Here's the page with the details.
• The 35th Annual Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival is seeking submissions of original Fiction, Short Fiction, Poetry, and One-Act plays for its 2020-2021 Writing Contest. Fiction and One-Act Play deadline is October 1, 2020. Poetry and Very Short Fiction deadline is October 15, 2020. For complete guidelines and submission details, please see the website. http://tennesseewilliams.net/contests/  
• Former NE Florida writer Lorraine Haataia is now a California resident and working to connect writers with her new site, Prolific Writers Life. It's a way to connect with writers and readers, schedule Zoom meetings, and more. Check it out.

I'll leave you with a favorite quote from Mr. Anonymous.

“Make no little plans. They have no magic with which to stir blood and soul, and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work. Remember that our children and grandchildren will do things that would stagger us. Remember that when you create a situation that captures the imagination, you capture life, reason, everything.”  

I'll see you on the other side,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

FWA March 2020 Blog Post

No bad puns about Marching toward your writing goals. Instead, we'll charge ahead into this month's group meetings.

• Judith Erwin discusses the "Basics of Self-Publishing" at the River City Writers group on Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. Judith is a retired attorney who has penned six indie novels and is working on her memoir.
• This month the Clay County Writers celebrate retiring group leader Maureen Jung's ten years of service and welcome incoming leader Paula Hinton. The celebrants will gather at Mackey's Munchies, a New Orleans style cafe, on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m. Mackey's is located at 868 Blanding Boulevard in the Ollie's Bargain Center shopping plaza. Come for the food, the good times, and to thanks and offer your best wishes to Maureen. Paula is also seeking ideas for future meetings.
• Saturday, March 21 is the day of the Ancient City Writers meeting at St. Augustine's Main Library. Be there when the doors open at 10:00 a.m. to meet Rik Feeney, who will discuss "Creating Your Digital Media Kit."
• Selecting a title for your book can be agonizing. The Amelia Island Writers hope to make that task easier as they talk about how to choose a title and offer 15 types of titles with examples for each. The group will meet on Tuesday, March 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Story and Song Bookstore Bistro in Fernandina Beach.
• Brad Kuhn returns to the Ponte Vedra Writers group meeting to discuss self-publishing, something he's become well-versed in during his 20 years as a writer, publisher, and publicist. He's titled his talk "Self-Publishing: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." As always, Brad has some good advice to share. The meeting begins at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 28 at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library.

And in other news ...

• Submissions are open through April 30 for FWA's Royal Palm Literary Awards competition and the 2020 Collection anthology. Make plans to submit your work to either or both of these prestigious outlets recognizing outstanding writing. Click here to visit the pages for details.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2:00 p.m at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library. And congratulations to Poet-in-Chief, Sharon Scholl, on the release of her new chapbook, Seasons. Her poems reflect the various life stages of a long life well-lived. You'll find Seasons available on Amazon.com.
• Former FWA Conference Florida Writer of the Year thriller author Steve Berry holds forth at the Bookmark in Neptune Beach this Friday, March 6, at 7:00 p.m. He'll reveal some of the secrets behind his new book The Warsaw Protocol.
• Goodreads is back with its annual Reading Challenge. Reading authors you admire helps you recognize tones and styles that work in each genre, broadens your vocabulary, and helps inspire you to work toward becoming a better writer. Click here to take the Goodreads 2020 Reading Challenge.
• NE Florida Sisters in Crime meets on Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bartram Trail Library. Speaker Nancy Quatrano advises on "The 13 Questions a Writer Should Ask."

"You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page."  ~ Jodi Picoult

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA regional Director for NE Florida

February 2020 FWA Blog Post

We're charging full speed ahead into the new decade. In February, we can look forward to a trio of national holidays like Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, and let's not forget Groundhog Day. And then there's the biggest holiday of all, the Super Bowl this Sunday.

It's also time for more FWA group meetings, and here's what you have to look forward to in NE Florida.

• The River City Writers convene on Thursday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the SE Regional Library off Gate Parkway. Guest speaker Claudia Oltean presents, "Adventures in Writing a Debut Novel." Claudia will discuss her experiences and lessons learned writing her novel, Another Chance to Die, based on her grandfather's exploits during the Prohibition-era.
• Ancient City Writers chapter takes its annual February holiday due to AARP volunteers helping folks prepare their taxes in the meeting room. They'll be back in March.
• Writers of mysteries and suspense are in for a treat when award-winning author Michael Wiley holds forth at the Clay County Writers meeting, Wednesday, February 19 at 6:15 p.m. at the Orange Park Library. Wiley has just released the first in a new series, and will address "The Dark Side of the Sunshine State: Writing Noir."
• Do you want to know more about using Scrivener for your writing? Then head to the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting, Saturday, February 22 at 10:30 a.m. when Michael Carlson presents "Scrivener Basics." The group meets at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.
• The Amelia Island Writers meets Tuesday, February 25, 4:00 p.m. at the Island Art Assn. Ed. Bldg., in downtown Fernandina Beach. Dr. Diann Schindler will discuss aspects of podcasting, its importance to writers, and share one of her own episodes as an established podcast host.
• The Bold City Writers critique group meets on the second and fourth Thursday at 11:00 a.m. at the Panera Bread on Atlantic Boulevard near Regency Square. Contact group facilitator Rod Sullivan for details.

But wait, there's more!

• Susan Kiernan-Lewis offers smart advice on the outlining process as the guest speaker at the Florida Sisters in Crime meeting this Saturday, February 1 at 10:00 a.m. at the SE Regional Library. Susan asks the rather surprising question, "Are You Ready to Take Your Pants Off?" as the starting point of her talk.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 2:00 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library.
• February 1 marks the start of submissions for the 2020 FWA Collection: Create An Illusion. the Collection is open to works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Click here for more information. 
• The Amelia Island Book Festival is another big event happening in February. Headlined by David Baldacci and other bestselling authors, the event features a Gala Dinner, writers workshops, and more. Visit the website for details.
• This year's Florida Heritage Book Festival presents three days of writers workshops on February 20—22 at the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village. The workshops feature presentations by Craig Pittman, Janice Hardy, Sharon Cobb, Steph Post, Brad Kuhn, Elizabeth Sims, and Rich Wickliffe. Have your writing critiqued on Saturday afternoon. Award-winning journalist and author, Craig Pittman will be honored at the annual Literary Legend Reception on Friday evening. Visit the website for details and pricing information.

Happy trails to you,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

Happy New Year 2020

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier.'" ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

And so we say goodbye to another year and look forward to better things in the new year. This missive goes out to all the writers in NE Florida hoping for a fresh start or possibly a continuation of the good things you've accomplished in 2019. Read on to see what the first month of the year has to offer us.

• The newly reconstituted River City Writers group begins afresh on Thursday, January 9 at their old digs at the SE Branch Library off Gate Parkway. The meeting commences at 7PM, and group leader Linda Feist and I welcome everyone to the first of many meetings. The meeting will be of special interest to anyone working on a memoir, or thinking about writing one, as I present "Life is Like a River: Navigating the Memoir Writing Rapids." We hope to see you there.
• The Clay County Writers group has a special program of interest to all poets. They'll meet on Wednesday, January 15 at 6:15PM at the Orange Park Library and Lynn Skapyak Harlin and Paula R. Hinton will present "Line by Line: Revising Poetry from Catharsis to Crystallization."  All good writing requires revision, and Lynn and Paula will lead the group through exercises designed to improve your poetry.
• Yours truly, Vic DiGenti, makes a return engagement to the Ancient City Writers chapter on Saturday, January 18 to disclose the "Seven Secrets to Writing the Thriller." During the one-hour presentation, I'll discuss the seven essential elements of a thriller, identify the differences between mysteries and thrillers, and illustrate the best ways to add tension and conflict. The meeting begins at 10AM at St. Augustine's Main Library.
• Join the Ponte Vedra Writers on Saturday, January 25 for a walk on the wild side of writing and an exploration of the Erotica market. Dr. Donna Jennings, a licensed Sex Therapist and the author of sex-positive literary erotica, will tell us all about "Writing in the Erotica Market." We meet at 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.
• To ring in the new year and the new decade, the Amelia Island Writers will discuss the "All Important First Fifteen Pages" at their Tuesday, January 28 meeting. They will gather at 4PM at Story and Song Bookstore in Amelia Park. 

And in other news ...

• We're sorry to report the passing of two area writers this month. Lillian Kiernan Brown died on December 4 from natural causes. Lilly, who wrote about her days as a burlesque queen in her memoir, Banned in Boston, was beloved by all who knew her and will be missed by the other Clay County Writers. And Steven Kerry Brown (no relation) passed away on Christmas day after a long battle with cancer. Steve was a licensed private investigator who began his career with the FBI. He was the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating and several mysteries. Our condolences to their families.
• Need a critique group? The Bold City Writers critique group is looking for more members. They meet on the second and fourth Thursday of the month at Panera Bread, 9301 Atlantic Boulevard near Regency Square, at 11AM. Contact group facilitator Rod Sullivan for details.
• A Gathering of Poets meets twice a month at the Ponte Vedra Beach Library on the first and third Thursday at 2PM.
• Author Marketing Expert Penny Sansevieri leads a three-part FWA webinar on Amazon marketing over three consecutive Saturdays beginning January 11. Click here for all the details and registration information.
• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime meets on Saturday, January 4 at 10AM at the SE Regional Branch Library. The guest speaker is retired Fire Command Chief Officer Jeff Lewis.
• Shutta Crum has written an excellent review of the online service Duotrope, a comprehensive tool helping writers find a publishing home for their stories, novels, nonfiction or poetry. Read all about it here.
• And speaking of Shutta Crum, she will present a free program titled "Sound, Shape & Sense" on Satuarday, February 8 at the Pablo Creek Library. The program, which begins at 12:30PM, will help attendees understand how to sculpt picture books, poems, and novels into elegant objectsof art. Please RSVP to Eileen Meyer.

And finally, to help you keep your New Year's resolutions, read this quote from Wayne Dyer.

"I've learned over the years that when I go to that place of passion within me, there's no force in the universe that can interfere with my completing a project."

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

FWA December 2019 Blog Post

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

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

But wait, there's more:

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

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

Vic  

FWA November 2019 Blog Post

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

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

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

And in other news ...

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

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

Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA NE Florida Regional Director

October 2019 FWA Blog Post

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

Check out the schedule and register now.

Meanwhile, happening in NE Florida ...

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

And in other news:

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

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

NE Florida Regional Director

SEPTEMBER 2019 FWA POST—HURRICANE EDITION

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

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

In other news

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

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

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

August 2019 FWA Blog Post

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

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

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

And in other news ....

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

Until next time, keep writing.

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

July 2019 FWA Blog Post

"Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you're passionate about something, then you're more than willing to take risks." ~ Yo-Yo Ma

Are you passionate about writing? Are you sitting down each day to add words to a story, essay, or other work because your passion drives you, not because you believe you're going to make the bestseller list? That would be nice, of course, but the reward comes in crafting work that meets the level of your passion.

To that end, FWA brings you ample opportunities to rekindle your passion. Here's what's happening around NE Florida and beyond.

• Sit in with the River City Writers at the Pablo Creek Library on Monday, July 1 at 7PM. Group leader Gregg Golson will be happy to provide the details.
• Don't bother traveling to the Orange Park Library to attend the Clay County Writers meeting as they won't be meeting this month. They'll be back next month, so check this space then.
• Elizabeth Sinclair is center stage at the July 20th meeting of St. Augustine's Ancient City Writers group. Elizabeth is the award-winning author of 27 novels, and will discuss "Research: For Your Novel." She will explore sources ther than Google and how to access them. The meeting kicks off at 10AM at the Main Library.
• The Amelia Island Writers have retreated to a metaphorical summer camp, according to group leader Marla McDaniel. They will return to business as usual in September.
• Multi-RPLA award-winning author Ken Pelham travels from his Central Florida home to Ponte Vedra Beach to put us inside a character's head so we know what the character sees, hears, and thinks. It's an important lesson in the often misunderstood and misused point of view, and Ken will deliver the goods in his presentation, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Writing in the Fictional Viewpoint." That's Saturday, July 27 at 10:30AM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.

And in other news ...

• The NE Florida Sisters in Crime chapter meets on Saturday, July 13 at 10AM at the SE Branch Library to hear author Susan Slater discuss "The History of Mystery: The Evolution of the Cozy."
• The Sisters in Crime are inviting you to a very special one-day workshop with bestselling author Victoria Thompson. Thompson is the author of the Edgar and Agatha Award-nominated Gaslight Mystery Series. The event takes place on Saturday, August 3 from 10AM to 4PM at the UNF University Center. The cost is $60 and includes a catered lunch. Click here for details and registration.
• IngramSpark, BookBrunch, and Publishers Weekly have combined to present the first Selfies Awards for independent writers. The awards recognize adult fiction and will be presented at BookExpo 2020 with the winning author receiving a $1,000 cash prize and $5,000 in advertising support from Publisher's Weekly. Click here for more information.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2PM at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. All poets are invited. Contact Sharon Scholl for more information.
• FWA is open for business. You may renew your passion by registering for any or all of the following: the 18th Annual Florida Writers Conference, the 7th Annual Florida Youth Writers Conference, and the Celebrity Workshop with Jonathan Maberry. Information and registration details can be found on the FWA website.

That's all folks. Have a safe and enjoyable July 4th.

Cheers,

Vic 

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

June 2019 FWA Blog

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

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

And now for the rest of the story:

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

That's it for this month. Cheers,
Vic

Vic DiGenti
FWA Regional Director

April 2019 FWA Blog

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

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

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

And in other news:

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

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

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

March 2019 FWA Blog

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

Now for the local news:

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

And in other news:

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

Cheers,

Vic

Vic Digenti

FWA Regional Director

February: Holidays and More

February only has 28 days, but the month is packed with two Presidential holidays, Valentine's Day, the Chinese New Year, and let's not forget that all-important Groundhog Day... and let's not forget that all-important Groundhog Day. Did I already mention Groundhog Day?

February also brings the Amelia Island Book Festival and the Jax Book Fest, not to mention a full slate of FWA group meetings. And here they are:

• Gregg Golson has announced that the River City Writers have a new time and place for their meetings. Beginning this month the group will meet on the first Monday of the month (February 4) at 7PM at the Pablo Creek Library on Beach Boulevard. This month's guest speaker is author Tracy Tripp.
• There will be no February meeting for the Ancient City Writers. The group returns to St. Augustine's Main Library in March for a program on memoir writing.
• Some authors write one book and consider it a career. Dr. Edward Mickolus has published 35 books and considers it a promising start. Ed is the guest speaker at the Ponte Vedra Writers meeting on Saturday, February 16 at Christ Episcopal Church, 400 San Juan Drive, classroom 113. In his entertaining presentation, "How To Be(come) a Prolific Writer: Tips and Tricks on Writing and Publishing More Often Than You Think You Can," Ed will offer techniques to help increase your productivity. The meeting starts at 10:30AM.
• The Amelia Island Writers meet on Wednesday, February 20 at 4PM at the Story and Song Bookstore. Author Kathryn Taylor will discuss her new memoir, Two Minus One.
• Also meeting on the 20th is the Clay County Writers group, 6:15 PM at the Orange Park Library. The group welcomes Sherri Henderson, an author who works in the area of community support and advocacy services for families and individuals with developmental disabilities. She wrote Picture Memories: Understanding Dementia to help her son, who has Down Syndrome, understand his disease.

In other news ...

• The Northeast Florida Sisters in Crime group meets this Saturday, February 2 at 10AM at the SE Regional Library to hear retired attorney Judith Erwin speaking on "Love Can Kill."
• The 18th Annual Amelia Island Book Festival, February 14 - 16, offers multiple activities for writers and readers, including conversations by bestselling authors. Visit the website for details.
• The Jacksonville Public Library presents Jax Book Fest 2019 on Saturday, February 23 at the downtown Main Library. The free event runs from 10AM to 3PM and features presentations and signings by dozens of authors.
• A Gathering of Poets meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 2PM at Chabad at the Beaches, 521 A1A North, while the Ponte Vedra Library undergoes repairs.
• Both the FWA Collections and Royal Palm Literary Awards competitions are open for submissions as of February 1. And don't forget you may also submit to The Florida Writer magazine and the FWA Blog. Visit the FWA website for details.

Our last word goes to Harlan Coben, who said, "A novel, for example, can be cleaned up, altered, trimmed, improved. Life, on the other hand, is one big messy rough draft.”

Cheers,

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

Happy New Year 2019

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

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

 And in other news ...

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

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

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director

December 2018 Blog Post

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

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

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

And in other news ...

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

KUDOS

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

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

Vic

Vic Digenti

FWA Regional Director

November 2018 Post

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

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

And in other news ...

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

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

Cheers,

Vic

Vic DiGenti

FWA Regional Director