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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20171209T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20171209T153000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20171129T182214Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164352Z
UID:8787-1512829800-1512833400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Children Books . . . Readings at Local Author Series
DESCRIPTION:On Saturday\, December 9\, authors Bonnie T. Ogle and Judith A. Barrett discussed their new children’s books in the Story Woods room of the Alachua County Library Headquarters. \n \nBonnie Ogle reading from Arthur the Arthropod\nArthur the Arthropod by Ogle. Feeling quite vulnerable when his shell comes off\, the young centipede Arthur tries to overcome his feelings of inferiority by bragging. Along the way\, he discovers he is part of a very large family that includes his neighbors\, a mosquito\, a dragonfly\, and even a crawfish. He receives delightfully repetitive advice from his wise Mama\, and ultimately realizes that he has everything he needs! \nThe Sounds and Smells of Christmas by Ogle. Would a king be born in a dark\, moldy cave\, surrounded by smelly animals? Would shabby\, dirty people be allowed near a king? Only a king who loves His people\, young or old\, pretty or ugly\, rich or poor. Enter the stable and experience the real sounds and smells of the Nativity and discover that Jesus didn’t come to sit on a fancy throne. He came to be with ordinary people like me. \nOgle is a retired first grade teacher\, now teaching children at a natural history museum. She is a huge fan of lepidoptera (butterflies) and herptiles\, especially frogs. \nJudith Barrett reads from Pink Baby Alligator\nJudith Barrett’s first book\, Pink Baby Alligator\, is a story she told her young granddaughter\, who then requested the story be written down so she could read it for herself. Soon\, the story passed through many grandchildren\, proving particularly meaningful for her autistic grandchild. \nPink Baby Alligator by Barrett. Pink in a world of green. From the very beginning\, it’s obvious that Rose is different. As a lone pink alligator in a family of green ones\, she stands out when all she wants to do is blend in. With the support of Mama Alligator and her friends\, Rose sets off on an adventure to discover how to use her special gift to create a place where everyone is included! \n  \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/book-talks-new-books-children/
LOCATION:Story Woods Room\, Children’s Department\, Alachua County Library Headquarters\, 401 East University Avenue\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Readings,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_1876-e1512855392377.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20171203T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20171203T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20171129T161002Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164352Z
UID:8774-1512311400-1512316800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Book talk: Lancelot's Disciple
DESCRIPTION:On Sunday\, December 3\, as part of the Local Author Series\, Richard Gartee discussed his latest book\, Lancelot’s Disciple. \nFrith\, a student of Sir Lancelot\, leaves the Christian abbey he has always called home\, to join a caravan on the ancient Silk Road. While staying with a Sultan in Central Asia\, he is tutored by a Taoist\, a Buddhist\, and a Hindu Swami. Confounded by their strange philosophies\, he becomes catatonic during the journey home. Once back in Britain\, he must sort out his confusion\, attain the Holy Grail\, and find the sister he left waiting at the abbey. \nGartee is a novelist\, poet\, and author of seven college textbooks. In addition to his novels\, he has had five collections of his poetry published as well as numerous chap books. His third novel\, Ragtime Dudes In a Thin Place won the first place 2016 Royal Palm Literary Award for unpublished book-length fiction.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/book-talk-lancelots-disciple/
LOCATION:Alachua County Library Headquarters\, Meeting Room A\, 4th Floor\, Rm. A\, 401 E Univ. Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Richard_Gartee-photo-e1518734308294.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20171119T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20171119T153000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20171024T140813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171209T211530Z
UID:8563-1511101800-1511105400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Susie H. Baxter\, Local Author Series
DESCRIPTION:On Sunday\, November 19\, Susie H. Baxter was the featured speaker in the Alachua County Library’s Local Author Series. She discussed her recently published book\, Pumping Sunshine. Believing that everyone has a story to tell\, Baxter also encouraged those in the audience to write about their own lives. \nAn Alachua County resident\, Baxter has deep roots in Suwannee County where she grew up on a farm near the Suwannee River\, and where she was known as Susanette Howell. \nAfter a career in health-science publishing as an acquisitions editor\, she now serves as creative nonfiction editor for Bacopa Literary Review and teaches memoir writing in the community education program at Santa Fe College. She is also the author of Write Your Memoir\, One Story at a Time and C.G. & Ethel\, A Family History. \nThe November 19 program was held at the Headquarters Library. Refreshments (homemade cookies made from a family recipe in the book) and a book signing followed the program.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/susie-h-baxter-local-author-series/
LOCATION:Alachua County Library Headquarters\, Meeting Room A\, 4th Floor\, Rm. A\, 401 E Univ. Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601
CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Readings,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Susie-at-ACL-book-talk.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20171022T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20171022T153000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20170922T231431Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171208T205641Z
UID:8275-1508682600-1508686200@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Gene Cowell\, Local Author Series
DESCRIPTION:On Sunday\, October 22\, Gene Cowell was the featured speaker in the Alachua County Library’s Local Author Series. \nCowell discussed the evolution of popular crime fiction from its Nineteenth-Century roots through classic British “cozy” mysteries of the early Twentieth-Century\, and the enduring noir novels of famous American authors from Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain to Elmore Leonard and Dennis Lehane. \nHe also read from his second recently-published novel\, Bring Me the Gypsy\, inspired by true events; it follows American Gypsy Dix Arcos as he struggles to escape the lethal wrath of his gangster boss. \nAn Alachua resident\, Cowell touched on lessons learned over a 45-year career as an advertising copywriter\, ad agency owner and subscription newsletter publisher that he claims helped him in his fiction writing. He paid homage to Elmore Leonard’s immortal “Ten Rules for Good Writing\,” including the one rule he broke. \nThe program was held at the Headquarters Library\, 401 E. University Ave.\, Gainesville FL. \nThe Local Author Series features a new author each month. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/gene-cowell-local-author-series/
LOCATION:Alachua County Library Headquarters\, Meeting Room A\, 4th Floor\, Rm. A\, 401 E Univ. Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601
CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/GeneCowell-photo-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20171008T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20171008T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20170724T184824Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171208T210330Z
UID:7541-1507473000-1507478400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:M. W. Gordon - Ask Not for Whom the Pen Writes . . .
DESCRIPTION:Summary of M. W. Gordon’s talk by Penny Church-Pupke. \nRetired UF law professor turned mystery writer Michael Gordon (pen name M.W. Gordon) presented a program entitled “Ask not for whom the pen writes\, it writes for me.” A published author of nonfiction and fiction\, Gordon’s debut novel Deadly Drifts\, the first of nine in his  McDuff Brooks mystery series\, won the 2014 Royal Palm Literary Award for Published Book of the Year. \nThroughout his talk\, Gordon used anecdotes from his life and gave writing advice gained through publishing his book series. Gordon said his writing grew out of his examination of his life’s interests including law\, sports\, boating and fly fishing. After his retirement at age 73\, he sifted through his work experiences of teaching\, lecturing\, consulting\, and writing in international law as well as civil law. At the same time\, he assessed his other interests—he was a boat builder\, a certified fly-fishing guide\, an oboe and English horn player\, and an owner of Shetland Sheepdogs. At leisure\, with no thought of writing\, he began reading fiction. Eventually\, he wondered whether he could write dialogue and if he knew enough to write a book\, using the knowledge he had gained during his life. \nTwo years later\, Deadly Drifts was complete. Now\, he wondered what he should do with his 300-page manuscript. He tried traditional publishing\, but the publishing agent he contacted wanted a contract of five years to search for a publisher. Gordon didn’t want to wait that long. On his own\, he tried the Big Five Publishing Houses—Penguin Random House\, HarperCollins\, Simon & Schuster\, Hachette Book Group\, and MacMillan—but they weren’t interested. Going to a subsidiary of the Big Five\, what Gordon called a “sub of a sub of a sub” wasn’t satisfactory. His alternative was DIY publishing (Do-It-Yourself). He suggested authors use the term Do-It-Yourself rather than self-published. Gordon confessed he had made lots of mistakes as he learned the ins and outs of publishing. In addition\, he said DIY publishing took lots of his time\, and required him to make lots of choices. \nHere are some of his recommendations. \nGordon suggested that authors not edit their works themselves; he added that it is important to know what kind of editing is being contracted (grammar\, punctuation\, content). Referring to DIY books\, he said writers should make use of templates—5.5 x 8.5 is a good size. Once a template it used\, it can be reused through copy and paste. Use 1.5 line spacing for your final submission since double-spacing makes it look like a draft. He advised forming your own publishing entity LLC (Limited Liability Company) or create a fictitious name so you can say you are “published by a small publishing firm in (location).” Also purchase your own ISBN (International Standard Book Number) so the number belongs to the writer not the publisher—it is\, he emphasized\, a matter of control. \nGordon discussed the differences between print-on-demand (POD) publishers like IngramSpark and Amazon’s CreateSpace. CreateSpace publishes only softcover (paperbound) books sold by Amazon or by the author.  One positive is that a Kindle e-book can be made with just a click of a mouse. However\, some bookstores do not like to work with Amazon since they take a 25% cut\, and books are not generally returnable. Gordon recommends not using Amazon Kindle’s special programs—Kindle Select/Kindle Unlimited—because this may require an exclusive agreement with Amazon and may lower royalties by 20%. In contrast\, IngramSpark will publish a softcover or hardcover and the company distributes to bookstores and makes the books available to libraries. For ease of use\, Gordon suggested going to IngramSpark first\, then CreateSpace. \nWhen writing a series\, Gordon said\, it is essential to have a timeline; the timeline he created for his series is about 25-pages long. Equally important is to have a list of characters. He found that characters are easier to write if they come from a dysfunctional family. In a similar vein\, he said children grow up fast—in other words\, how long can a child be credibly enrolled in high school or college? He said adults age much better. Gordon suggested it is a good idea for the main character to have a pet; that pet can be a minor figure\, or it can be another character\, but it should have some quirks. He added that his dog character\, Wuff\, has appeared in all his books and was even shot. In a series\, if the main characters are married or are a couple\, one spouse/partner can be killed. Likewise\, if a character isn’t working out\, or if the author is worried that the readers are getting bored\, characters can be killed. However\, he added\, don’t bring back a character who was killed. Gordon said\, it is good to have a sinister character appear throughout the series\, much as Professor Moriarty served as a nemesis to Sherlock Holmes. \nGordon’s book display at October 8 WAG program\nAs for marketing suggestions\, Gordon said book tours and lectures are usually not arranged by publishers. He found book tours did not give him a reasonable return; he sold only 2 copies the first time\, 12 the second\, and 25 the next month. The most he sold was 62\, this past year. In contrast\, he has sold 2\,000 e-book copies. He said\, book sales come after radio and TV interviews. Another marketing tip (good for bookstores) is to create a one-page handout\, with a photo of the book cover on one side and a description and contact information on the other. \nGordon provided a handout\, which said “Enjoy what you are doing.” If you don’t enjoy writing\, do something else. His final recommendation\, written in bold letters was Write for yourself. \nWhen not writing\, Gordon has been involved in Project Healing Waters in Montana\, where fly-fishing is taught to former military personnel who were combat wounded. Next summer\, he hopes to become involved in Casting for Recovery in Vermont\, where fly-fishing is taught to women cancer survivors. According to his handout\, he sailed in the America’s Cup on America’s contender “American Eagle” in 1967. \nGordon has degrees from the U.S.\, France\, and Mexico\, and except for a case of malaria\, he would have had another degree from the Netherlands. He consulted and lectured at U.S. Embassies in a dozen or more foreign nations and was consulted on cross border issues by the Departments of State\, Commerce\, and Justice. He primarily fishes in the U.S. and Canada and is on pro-boards in fly-fishing in Simms  in Montana and Orvis in Vermont. He has never kept a fish he caught; his first trout was caught in 1944 and was immediately released because he said\, he was struck by its beauty. And fittingly\, he uses barbless hooks whenever he fishes.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/m-w-gordon-writer-mysteries/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Gordon2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170916T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170916T153000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20170826T210237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:7728-1505572200-1505575800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Mallory M. O'Connor\, first author to present in new "Local Author Series"
DESCRIPTION:Mallory M. O’Connor is first on the program for the Alachua County Library’s new Local Author Series. \nOn September 16\, O’Connor will discuss her debut novel\, American River: Tributaries\, which follows the entwined lives of three immigrant families as they settle along this river in Northern California during the turbulent 1960s. \nO’Connor\, who grew up in Northern California\, has degrees in art\, art history\, and American history and taught art history at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. \nShe is also the author of the non-fiction book\, Lost Cities of the Ancient Southeast\, and she and Gary Monroe coauthored Florida’s American Heritage River: Images from the St. Johns Region.  \nO’Connor resides in Micanopy and currently serves as vice president of the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. \nThis program will be held in Meeting Room A\, Fourth Floor\, of the Headquarters library\, 401 E. Univ. Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL. \nThe Local Author Series will feature a new author each month. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/alachua-county-librarys-local-author-series-feature-mallory-m-oconnor/
LOCATION:Alachua County Library Headquarters\, Meeting Room A\, 4th Floor\, Rm. A\, 401 E Univ. Ave.\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601
CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Sale,Book Signing,Readings,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Headshot-5.2-e1503839035552.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170813T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170813T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20170703T190321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170819T023404Z
UID:7258-1502634600-1502640000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Use Your Family Stories to Write a Historical Novel
DESCRIPTION:Nick West’s presentation\n\n– Summarized by Bonnie Ogle –  \nOn August 13\, novelist and local businessman Nick West spoke to the general meeting of the Writers Alliance of Gainesville about using family stories to create a historical novel. A fifth generation Floridian\, West has a plethora of family stories\, which he has used as the basis for his four novels. Raised by grandparents with no television\, West was entertained by his grandmother’s recounting stories about a family that traveled with the circus and weathered the American Civil War. \nAudience members chat with author Nick West.\nWith that kernel of information\, and inspiration from circus posters\, West sought out other descendants of circus members to hear their stories. Learning of his great grandfather’s circus friend Master Duffy\, he sought and found Duffy’s family. Duffy was a former slave who ran away when his sister was sold and their mother died of a broken heart. He became the “African Prince\,” riding a horse in the show\, using the job as a cover to search for his sister. \nPithy incidents retold to successive generations show up in West’s books. He had heard from his grandfather that the circus people split between north and south when war broke out. The circus owner’s parting words to the troops landed in one of West’s novels: “I hope the next time we meet\, it’s not at the end of a barrel.” \nAs a child living in Archer\, West frequently found arrowheads in the yard\, amassing a large collection. He wondered\, Who was the last human to touch this? Taking several pieces to the Florida Museum of Natural History for carbon dating\, he was surprised to learn they were 6\,000 years old. At the museum\, he met anthropologists who were familiar with the first people\, the Potanos\, who lived in the area. \nThis sparked enough interest that he created a Potano couple for his main characters. Studying ancient peoples of Florida gave West many ideas. He incorporated the people’s customs such as marrying outside their tribe and trading with coastal tribes. When his hero traveled to the coast he saw a “great ship.” This event evolved from historical accounts West found while studying first encounters with Europeans. \nNick West speaks to a packed house at the Millhopper Library.\nThe author advised fellow writers\, “The internet is a wonderful resource for you to get information about the locale\, daily life\, and current events of the time in which you set your story.” He cautioned writers\, however\, to use two or three sources to verify information. He reported spending half his time on research and twenty-five percent on editing. He recommended getting everyone you know to beta read your material\, particularly if you are self-publishing. \nWest’s presentation\, laden with anecdotal adventures and self-deprecating humor (“I am a non-profit organization – a self-published author”) piqued the audience’s interest in his four books\, all available on Amazon. They include The Great Southern Circus\, The Long Ride Home\, The Sandspur Special\, and To Light a New Fire. \n The Great Southern Circus (2010) entertains with stories of Orton and Older’s Great Southern Circus\, which performed in eighteen states from Wisconsin to Florida\, just before the Civil War. The author weaves together the tales passed down from his great-great-great-grandmother\, Miranda Madderra\, one of the circus performers. \n  \nHis most recent book\, To Light a New Fire\, chronicles the lives of a young Timucua native Floridian during the period of first European contact in the mid 1500’s. The book is based on the Potano village that existed for over 12\,000 years on the edge of Paynes Prairie. \n  \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/nick-west-writing-historical-novels/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/IMG_3037-e1503109148129.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170805T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170805T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054102
CREATED:20170720T191054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170824T221039Z
UID:7474-1501923600-1501948800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Marketing Workshop a Huge Success
DESCRIPTION:WAG’s one-day Marketing Workshop on Saturday\, August 5\, at St. Leo University filled up days before the event and was a huge success. Speakers showed attendees how to market and promote their published works and covered these topics: \n\ne-flyers\nsocial media tools\nnetworking skills\nbook-signing kick-off party and possible venues\nthe importance of personal contacts\nbook reviews — how to get them\, how to use them\nadvertising and promotion\nspeaking opportunities\neffective written proposals\nbroadcast and print media\n\nTerry Martin-Back\, Richard Gartee\, Kassandra Lamb\, Roz Miller\, Kimberley Mullins\, Roger Robles\, and Carrie Dandridge Selleck presented. \n \nTerry Martin-Back is the author of Networking the Right Way. A realtor and a member of the National Speakers Association\, Martin-Back believes in the power of networking. This includes meeting and greeting strangers\, engaging in small talk\, and using brief “oral business cards” to your advantage. \nRichard Gartee has written twenty books including seven college textbooks\, a novel Lancelot’s Grail\, five collections of poetry\, and numerous chap books. His second novel\, Lancelot’s Disciple\, is scheduled to be published this fall. His third novel\, Ragtime Dudes In a Thin Place won the first place 2016 Royal Palm Literary Award for unpublished book-length fiction. \nKassandra Lamb is the author of the Kate Huntington mysteries and the Marcia Banks and Buddy cozy mysteries\, which educate readers about psychological issues. In her mysteries\, she weaves unusual twists\, based on her twenty years of experience as a psychotherapist. At the workshop\, she will discuss the “Dos & Don’ts of Getting Book Reviews” — how to get them and how to use them in your marketing. \n \nRoz Miller\, an award-winning speaker\, artist\, and speech coach\, she’s also a freelance writer\, storyteller\, and public relations coordinator. She believes creative people need a variety of skills that translate into marketing their projects. Plus\, they need access to professionals who can provide the services they lack\, so their creative projects will sell. \n \nKimberley Mullins began writing during her 20-year career in the Navy. She has published a book of poetry\, Thinking Aloud: Dimensions of Free-Verse\, and two novels: The Friends and Family Connection: Get Unplugged\, and In the Company of Strangers. At the workshop\, she will discuss how social media formats contribute to successful marketing\, regardless of the medium. \nRoger Robles works with clients around the world\, building websites\, mobile applications\, and helping brands build an online presence. Roger walks clients through the technical maze to create an effective website and grow the client’s online network. He loves helping brands connect with customers through custom experiences for phones\, tablets\, TV’s\, and other smart devices. \nCassie Dandridge Selleck‘s first novel\, The Pecan Man\, ranks as a best-seller on Amazon.com\, and movie rights have been optioned by BCDF Pictures. The self-published novel has been traditionally published for audio\, translated into two foreign languages\, and selected by the state of Arkansas for their 2017 common reader program\, “If All Arkansas Read the Same Book.” \nHer second novel What Matters in Mayhew was completed during the course of her studies at Goddard College where she earned a BFA in Creative Writing in 2016. Selleck has had a non-traditional experience with publishing and marketing\, and will share tips and tools that have helped make her work successful. This includes marketing on a very limited budget and taking advantage of publicity opportunities. Selleck is also the creator of the hybrid publishing company\, Obstinate Daughters Press. \nFees paid by those registered:\n\n$35 WAG members\n$50 Non-members\n\nThe fee included a tasty boxed lunch (chicken or vegetarian)\, plus coffee\, iced tea\, and water. \n  \n  \nsferrario1968 / Pixabay
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/marketing-workshop-full/
LOCATION:St. Leo University\, 4650 NW 39th Avenue\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32606
CATEGORIES:Speaker,Workshop
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/workshop_1494266766.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170709T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170709T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20170611T135128Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170714T011322Z
UID:7027-1499610600-1499616000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:How to Turn Your Skills\, Experience\, and Knowledge into Nonfiction Books
DESCRIPTION:Terry Martin-Back enthusiastically told of using his background in construction and real estate to write and sell non-fiction books useful for homeowners at the July 9 WAG meeting at Millhopper Library. He emphasized that writing is a business\, whether you want to sell your work or not. At minimum\, both you and the reader invest time and effort in the book. \nTerry Martin-Back speaks at July 9 WAG meeting\nNon-fiction\, he said\, can be one of three types: \n\nPersonal story — of an individual\, second\, or third party\nBranding — provide information or commentary\nTechnical — how-to instructions or factual report\n\nTo choose a topic\, evaluate your life in segments and categories by experience\, achievements\, and lessons learned. Pick a subject you are passionate about — your enthusiasm will enhance your writing. Decide whose story you are telling\, and determine who your audience will be. Then\, decide what you want readers to think\, do\, or feel after they read your book. What in your book will they find interesting or learn from? Elaborate on your message by incorporating details and illustrative stories — which you may wish to exaggerate. \nStories are all around you. A writer must keep eyes open for them. A story may be standing next to you in the check-out line. \nWrite what you know. Martin-Back pointed out the difference between experience and expertise. Experience would be twenty years in building houses\, learning to use the tools; expertise might result from extensive research leading to useful knowledge about the business. Either experience or expertise can be the basis for a book. \nMartin-Back spoke at length about marketing\, especially using social media. He said your presence on Facebook\, Twitter\, and LinkedIn is essential\, and you should start at least three months before your book is published. He described ways to generate online followers. LinkedIn is especially useful because of the quality of its users. Other helpful sites include Fiver\, Square\, and Selz. Accounts with Square and Selz can be used to sell your book(s). \nHe advised us not to overlook alternate ways to get the book’s message out. Besides print\, consider an audio book — it’s been found that listening uses different parts of the brain from reading\, so it may appeal to a different audience and boost your sales. A how-to book might work well as an online course. Online training sites can teach you how to set up an online course. \nMartin-Back is a contractor\, realtor\, investor\, author\, and professional speaker. His knowledge of and experience in real estate\, coupled with client questions and clients’ lack of realty knowledge\, compelled him to write several nonfiction books to benefit homeowners — from Homeowners Manual to Tools\, Tips and Remodeling Plan. He is also the author of Networking the Right Way\, in which he emphasizes that networking is not about selling; it’s about getting to know people and learning about their business and how you can help them. \n  \nSummary of program by Roz Miller and Joan H. Carter. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/terry-martin-back-turning-skills-life-experiences-knowledge-non-fiction-books/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Terry-Martin-Back.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170611T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170611T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20170428T004329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170630T181120Z
UID:6606-1497191400-1497196800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Editor Jackie Smith Gives Freelancers Advice
DESCRIPTION:At WAG’s June general meeting\, Advantage Publishing Editor Jackie Smith gave aspiring writers tips from the editor’s side of the desk. Freelancing allows writers a flexible schedule and the potential for earnings “on the side.” Editors like to use freelancers because it allows for more diversity in content. On the down side\, a freelance submission versus an assignment can mean you’re writing for free. \nWriters should be guided by their curiosity. “Write what you know and what you would like to know” (example: an interview). \nSmith encouraged writers to not be afraid to pitch to an editor. “It’s a skill you will develop the more you do it.” However\, writers should do their homework before submitting. Know the publisher’s needs\, style and word count preferences\, and seek feedback. The submission process is more casual these days\, particularly on the local scene\, so email submissions are acceptable and encouraged. \nEditor Jackie Smith (left) talks with Skipper Hammond (center) and Diane Childs (right)\nYou do not need a structured abstract. A basic resume and small sample is fine. A title and pull quotes are always appreciated. Submit only one subject\, not a “ton of content.” It is okay to ask when the piece will be published and what the pay will be. Advantage’s three publications pay $50 per page for the average six-page article\, but there is a wide spectrum\, both locally and nationally. Smith cautioned\, “You can\, of course\, be paid only in exposure but should know what your worth is and not be afraid to walk away. It is easy to lower your rates but impossible to raise them.” Writers should be cognizant of tax-reporting thresholds and submit a 1099. Develop an invoicing process. \nSmith noted that Millennials are reading more online publications\, but hard copies are regaining popularity. She advised writers to be sure to ask for a pdf of a final online article and a direct link to the published work. This is important for building a portfolio. Accept low resolution if pictures are included. \nDeadlines must be respected! Delays cascade among editors\, proof-readers\, designers\, printers. Writers should understand publishers’ timeframes. An “evergreen” article which could be printed at any time of year\, is not of great concern\, but articles related to holidays or seasons must be planned in advance. Home magazine works two months in advance. \nSmith reminded us writers that we likely won’t have editorial control when we make a freelance submission. The publisher then owns the piece and can edit or cut as its editors see fit\, without consulting the freelancer. Smith handed out a tips page which included industry vocabulary that writers should be familiar with and a list of local publications and helpful websites. \nAdvantage Publications in the Gainesville Area are: \n            Home: Living in Greater Gainesville\, bimonthly magazine \n            Business in Greater Gainesville\, monthly magazine \n            Guide to Greater Gainesville\, annual relocation guide \n  \nSummary of program provided by WAG member Bonnie T. Ogle. Thanks\, Bonnie!
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/jackie-smith-speak-freelance-writing/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Speaker-Jackie-Smith.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170507T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170507T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20170407T192419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170509T160204Z
UID:6558-1494167400-1494172800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Ronald W. Haase: The Good\, the Bad\, and the Surprising of Self-Publishing
DESCRIPTION:Professor Emeritus Ronald W. Haase\, who taught architecture for twenty years at the University of Florida\, shared his experience of transitioning from the college teaching environment to creating fiction\, while incorporating his respect for and knowledge of architecture. In his presentation\, Haase explored with good humor the good\, the bad\, and the surprising of self-publishing. \nIn retirement\, Haase is writing fiction with the same sense of structure and design. His hybrid first novel\, The Last House\, incorporates the journey of a husband and wife and their love of building houses\, examining four different regional architectures of Florida. The decades’ long journey introduces the reader to the ghosts of several notable Floridians who come along in support of the ride. Readers appreciating fine pen-and-ink drawings will enjoy viewing and studying Haase’s architectural designs illustrating the book. Haase is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. \n\nHaase discussed his first book\, Classic Cracker\, published by Pineapple Press. The press did the editing\, designed the book\, provided the cover\, and did the marketing. The book won an award and sold twenty thousand copies. Haase was very pleased with the job the press did and hoped to work with them again.\nHaase’s second book\, The Last House\, started as a non-fiction essay on four iconic Florida architectural styles: North Florida Cracker\, Sarasota School Mid-century Modern\, Art deco\, and Spanish Colonial. But Haase felt it would be more interesting if he fictionalized the story about a couple who built a house in each style over the course of their marriage. He illustrated the story with sixty-five drawings of the various architectural styles. He pitched the book first to Pineapple Press and then to a number of publishers\, but all said they didn’t know “how to market it” since it wasn’t a conventional genre and he was a first-time fiction author. So Haase decided to look into self-publishing.\nHe explored Create Space and found that publishing costs would be $1\,185. He felt the costs included several things that he could do himself\, such as the book cover. Ongoing disagreements and problems getting refunds eventually caused him to withdraw from the relationship.\nHe then tried Book Baby. Despite having to pay for editing and designing\, and agreeing to do most of the marketing\, he moved ahead with the project. There were some frustrations such as having to change the illustrations from color to black and white due to production costs.\nMarketing was a big challenge but Haase used a network of friends to organize events such as book signings. He also engaged members at his church\, friends at GFAA and the Melrose Bay Gallery\, local libraries\, and other professional contacts to assist with the marketing effort\, including getting endorsements from his architectural friends. Although his son has urged him to use social media to promote his book\, Haase isn’t yet comfortable with that strategy.\nThe book costs $8.00 to publish and sells for $19.95. Through the Book Baby agreement\, Haase gets 50% of net sales. It was an expensive investment and might not be a financial success\, he said\, but he has been generally pleased with his experience with Book Baby. And it was an adventure he preferred over a trip to Sweden.\nA book signing followed the informative program.\n  \n  \n \n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\nWAG thanks Mallory M. O’Connor for summarizing this talk. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/good-bad-surprising-self-publishing/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/photo.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170409T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170409T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20170306T155514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:6347-1491748200-1491753600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:"Show\, Don’t Tell" About Social Issues in Your Fiction
DESCRIPTION:Kassandra Lamb\, retired psychotherapist turned mystery writer\, presented seven lessons she has learned about including social issues in fiction: show\, don’t tell; do your research; make readers care about the character; don’t stereotype; keep it balanced; expect some push back; and be open to learning from your characters. \n“Authors must show readers how a social issue affects people’s lives\,” she said\, “rather than tell the author’s opinion on that social issue.” She noted that telling may annoy a reader who has a different viewpoint. She said no author wants his or her book to be put down in disgust—not over the development of the fictional situations and characters but—by the author’s offering personal opinions. \nKassandra Lamb signs books following her talk.\nLamb urged the careful development of a character who espouses an opinion on a contentious social issue. If the issue is one of contemporary importance and significant polarization (e.g.\, future of Obamacare\, Trump\, immigration\, or who bears the burden of a tax reform)\, this is especially important. \nIf the reader agrees with the viewpoint in the book\, he/she may not care whether the opinion comes from a character in the book or the author. But the reader is more likely to accept an opposing viewpoint if the character in the book has the standing and credibility to speak to the social issue—such as a farmer who needs immigrant workers discussing immigration or the head of a hospital discussing health care. \nLamb is the author of the Kate Huntington mysteries and the Marcia Banks and Buddy cozy mysteries. She has also published a guidebook for novice writers\, Someday Is Here! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing and Publishing Your First Book. You can find out more about Lamb and her books at http://kassandralamb.com. She blogs about psychology and writing at http://misteriopress.com. \nThanks to M. W. Gordon for summarizing this talk.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/show-dont-tell-social-issues-fiction/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/lamb-closeup-photo.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170312T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170312T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20170204T222717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:6166-1489329000-1489334400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Writing a Romance Novel for Fun and Profit
DESCRIPTION:Rebecca Heflin\, Gainesville author of contemporary romance\, revealed many secrets of writing for fun and profit in her March 12 PowerPoint presentation. Too bad we cannot include all of them here. \nShe stressed the importance of voice\, saying that “a bad editor can take away the author’s voice; don’t let that happen to you.” \nHeflin dreamed of writing romantic fiction from the time she was fifteen\, after reading Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss\, but she didn’t begin writing until she was in her late forties\, after she’d gone to law school and practiced law for fifteen years. She is now the author of six romance novels that are racking up awards — eleven to date. \n“Hook the reader with your opening line\,” she said\, and provided examples like this one: “What a waste of smooth\, shaven legs.” (Boss Man\, by Vi Keeland) \nThe opening scene should: \n\nconvey the time period\nintroduce the setting (small town\, big city\, another world)\nintroduce one or both of the main characters\ninclude the inciting incident\ngenerate empathy for the character(s)\nreveal the external conflict\nreveal the internal conflict\nset the tone (comedy\, thriller\, etc.)\npropel the story forward\n\n“Avoid ‘sense’ words like felt\, smelled\, thought\, wonder\, etc.\,” Heflin said. “Instead of saying ‘Becky felt the snake slither up her leg\,’ say ‘Becky’s skin crawled as the snake slithered up her leg.'” \nFor audience members\, the author provided copies of her entire PowerPoint slide presentation as well as a Vocabulary sheet. Two words that jumped out: BLACK MOMENT\, the scene toward the end of the book when the romance seems hopelessly doomed. PURPLE PROSE\, text that is extravagant\, flowery\, or ornate and detracts from the story; typically characterized by extensive use of adjectives\, adverbs\, and metaphors — something to avoid. \nAssistant Director of Research at UF by day\, Heflin said\, “I must set deadlines and goals for my writing.” She cannot follow instructions that tell you to sit down at the computer every day and write any damn thing that comes to mind. Instead\, Heflin said she arranges her schedule to write in a focused way\, one day a week. \nHeflin’s readers look forward to her new book\, Winning Dr. Wentworth\, available in June 2017\, and Educating Dr. Mayfield\, available in September 2017. \nShe is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA)\, Florida Romance Writers\, RWA Contemporary Romance\, Savvy Authors\, and Florida Writers Association. Follow her at http://www.rebeccaheflin.com/ \n  \nSummary by Susie H Baxter.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/writing-romance-novel-fun-profit/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Heflin.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170212T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170212T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20170106T025008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:5890-1486909800-1486915200@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Work Experience As Writing Resource
DESCRIPTION:“Write what you know\,” Fiordalisi said. Accurate details of the business or industry in which your book is set will increase your book’s credibility. You may think your work experience unworthy of a story\, but others will disagree. Secretaries\, for example\, have a wealth of knowledge they can base a story on. All professions have inside experiences—“seed nuggets” for stories. \nStart your story after the phone rings\, after a knock on the door. After that is when the action happens. A death notification might make a good starting point. \nFiordalisi\, who had a career in law enforcement\, told of police officers going to notify a man about the death of his wife. Normally\, the officers would say they had come to deliver some bad news. But when this man answered the door and began yelling at them—“Why are you here again! You’re always coming ’round!”—the officers dispensed with their normal courtesies and said\, “Your wife’s dead.” \nFiordalisi went on to provide a host of pointers for writers: \n\nUse inside knowledge gained from your profession in your writing; rules govern most professions.\nKeep a journal of the things you see and hear; your notes can provide a wealth of resource material.\nTake writing classes and attend workshops.\nParticipate in a critique pod.\nDo your research.\nWhen writing fiction\, stick to the facts; with factual information\, you can write a believable story.\nDon’t introduce errors that will make your reader say\, “This doesn’t ring true.”\nCreate situations with emotions that will bring your reader into the story.\nPay attention to voice—mood and delivery.\nKnow and use work vocabulary and jargon. “Cops don’t say ‘handcuffs\,’” Fiordalisi said. “They say cuffs.” Use the jargon of the industry you are writing about.\nUnderstand that jargon may be different in California than it is in Florida; learn the jargon of the region you’re writing about.\nAdd small actions to a story to show how people feel. Fiordalisi mentioned what John Gardner\, author of On Becoming a Novelist and other books on writing\, tells writers\, “You can tell a reader anything but you have to show feelings”— white knuckles\, red faces\, clenched hands.\n\nFiordalisi mentioned again the importance of critique and said\, “If you have difficulty writing about a character of the opposite sex as I do\, get a good beta reader of the same sex as the character to read your material and provide feedback.” \nFiordalisi’s talk was summarized by Roz Miller. If you would like to summarize a future program\, email Roz at programs@writersalliance.org.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/work-experience-writing-resource/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Fiordalisi-e1537365421624.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170108T144000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170108T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20161019T175050Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:5573-1483886400-1483891200@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Five Common Mistakes Writers Make
DESCRIPTION:From looking at thousands of manuscripts over the last decade\, Belea Keeney has identified the five most common mistakes writers make. \n1. Problems with point of view (POV). The writer must establish with the reader which character’s head the writer is in. The omniscient narrator is out of fashion with publishers. Gone with the Wind would not get published today; publishers want only one point of view per scene. \nKeeney provided handouts with examples. She explained that if Alice is describing the scene in a restaurant (we’re in Alice’s head)\, then Alice can’t say “a guy at the table became furious” because Alice does not know what is in that guy’s head. Instead\, Alice can say\, “The guy’s face turned red as fire.” Alice can see the red face\, and when she tells the reader this\, the reader can make the assumption that the guy is furious. \nAnother example illustrated how the writer can show different points of view for the same scene through well-chosen words and emphasis. Keeney’s two examples described Patty who was watching movies on a Valentine’s weekend. Members of the WAG audience gave their opinions of Patty\, saying that in the first version she was a “hopeless romantic\,” whereas in the second version of the same scene\, she had a “real attitude!” Words that may have made the difference? First scene: “sighing\, fabulous costumes\, envying\,  happy\, dance\, romantic\, perfect.” Second scene: “binge watching\, rolling her eyes\, damn people\, constantly\, a six-pack\, headache.”\n \nBooks Kenney recommends for learning POV: \nWorld War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War\, by Max Brooks; the main character interviews a large number of diverse people (doctor\, Buddhist monk\, etc.) \nHarmony: A Novel\, by Carolyn Parkhurst—has shifting points of view. The story is told from three perspectives. \nHorse Heaven\, by Jane Smiley. The horses become characters with human qualities\, so they have their own points of view. \n“Allison Lurie is also good writer\,” Keeney said. “She has complete mastery of POV\, pacing\, and a good voice. Others are Thomas Harris\, Stephen King . . . ” \n2. Too much narrative. “We live in our heads a lot\,” Keeney said\, “but there needs to be interaction going on. Give your character a friend and have them interact.” Keeney’s handout illustrated the difference: The TV news anchor in the studio tells you the news\, but the reporter on the scene shows you. \n3. Too much backstory. Be careful with information\, facts\, and flashbacks. Ask yourself if a particular fact is needed. Is the flashback relevant? Is it important the aunt died in a certain year? Avoid flashbacks within the first 25% of your book\, and if you use them later in the book\, be sure to transition clearly. \n4. Not understanding types of editing. Developmental editing looks at the big picture—at the structure\, the forest—to see how scenes fit together. Copy editing looks at grammar\, punctuation\, spelling—the leaves on the trees; some publishers call it line editing. Proofreading comes last\, technically\, in galleys. \nBefore sending your work to an editor\, make sure it’s as good as you can make it—work with it to improve it until you’re sick of it. And understand that voice-to-text systems such as Dragon don’t always get homonyms right (petal/peddle\, bridal/bridle). \nTrust your editor\, and don’t argue about whether the spelling should be tee-shirt or T-shirt. That’s just a house-style thing. Sometimes\, style questions come up that are not easy to answer. For example\, if Merge refers to an important concept and is capitalized\, should unmerge be capitalized? Each manuscript should have a style sheet showing the style preferred throughout. \nIf you feel strongly about some element on which you and the editor disagree\, discuss it.  For example\, the editor might wish to take out your comma splices\, but if they are important to the story\, discuss it. If you have problems with an editor you can’t resolve\, though\, find another editor. \nBooks recommended to answer editing questions: \nThe Chicago Manual of Style—the one used by most publishers \nThe Elements of Style\, by Strunk & White \nWoe Is I\, by Patricia T. O’Conner \n5. Not knowing if you want to be a writer. Ask yourself if you really want to be a writer or just tell one story (e.g.\, write your memoir). If you want to be a vet\, you go to school before you stick your arm up a cow’s butt. To be a good writer\, you’re going to have to read\, study\, and write\, write\, write. \nQ & A\nQ:  “How do you find a good editor?” \nA:  “Check the website of Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA).  It shows specialties—medical\, for example. I’m a member of EFA.” \nQ:  What do editors charge? \nA:  Some charge by the job\, some by the page\, some by the word. I charge 2 to 3 cents a word—or 4 to 5 cents a word if I’m working with a writer whose manuscript takes a lot more work. Most editors will edit a 3- to 5-page sample for you. I can tell in a page and a half if the person can write. By the way\, you need to know how to use Microsoft Word’s “Track Changes.” \nEditor’s Secret Bits of Advice \n \nTip 1: Start out by writing short. Don’t jump into a 400-page novel. Get rejections. Get published. “I wrote 35 short stories before writing a novel\,” Keeney said. “Don’t start with a dream sequence. And don’t start with the character waking up in the morning. Don’t have the character look in a mirror to analyze appearance.” (Upon hearing these don’ts\, an audience member commented that she’d have to toss out her entire manuscript and start over!) \nTip 2: Write what you know. Don’t get bogged down with research. While research is a good way to learn about a topic you’re interested in\, it can bog down your writing. If you must look something up\, make a note of it and keep writing. \n“If you want to write for magazines or journals\, study them before you submit. And try contests. This gives you a deadline for completing the manuscript. Look in Poets and Writers magazine—it lists contests in the back.” \nBooks on writing that Keeney recommends: \nSelf-editing for Fiction Writers\, by Renni Browne \nFiction First Aid\, by Raymond Obstfeld \nThe Weekend Novelist\, by Robert J. Ray \nManuscript Makeover\, by Elizabeth Lyon \nBookLife\, by Jeff VanderMeer \n\nBelea T. Keeney’s novel\, The Tiger Whisperer\, won the 2014 Cat Writers Association Best Book Award\, and she has sold three short story collections. Her stories have placed in the Writers in Paradise Short Story competition\, the 2010 Florida Review Editor’s Choice Award\, the 2007 Left Coast Writing Contest\, and the 2011 Saints & Sinners Literary Festival Short Story contest. \nKeeney works as an editor for Samhain Publishing\, JMS Books\, and for a variety of private freelance clients. She especially enjoys working on paranormal\, horror\, romances\, memoirs\, and most anything written about animals. Find out more about her editing services and books at www.beleatkeeney.com. \n\nKeeney’s talk was summarized by Susie Baxter and copy edited by Joan Carter. If you would like to summarize a future program\, email roz57@cox.net.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/five-common-editing-mistakes/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/speaker-e1484002626144.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20161113T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20161113T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160904T145039Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:5361-1479047400-1479052800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:How Do You Prepare for a Successful “Grit Lit Book Launch”?
DESCRIPTION:Hartley Stevens\, author of the Tales of the Cable Counties Thriller series\, presented the nuts and bolts of launching his first two books\, Buck Wild and Absolute Bull. His April 2016 launch party\, attended by more than 300 people\, resulted in the sale of over 200 books. \nHis book-launch event was designed to introduce attendees to his Cable series and to engage them with the series’ themes—a fictional cohort of thirteen actual north central Florida counties where down-home residents “pool their resources to protect themselves from Florida’s panhandle Yankee tourists and the liberal sinners to the south.” \nStevens’ launch party goal was to help build his author platform and generate media interest beyond the event itself. After selecting a local brewery for the location\, he solicited local and regional businesses and groups to participate\, such as restaurants and musicians\, in exchange for offering exposure to their products and services. \nStevens discussed the ingredients for his large-scale launch—including advance publicity and invitations as well as the value of book cover visuals\, original music and games\, and book-related food and drink. He also offered concrete ideas for small-scale\, inexpensive book launch parties with suggestions such as book-related free or low cost locations—parks\, churches\, libraries\, and retail sites. \nHe uses and highly recommends the website www.fiverr.com  for a myriad of low-cost\, customized promotional materials. He also suggested three books—Story Grid by Shawn Coyne\, You Are A Writer by Jeff Goins\, and The War of Art by Steven Pressfield—as motivating resources for writers to approach their craft as they would any other job: show up\, work hard\, don’t give up. And prepare to launch! \nStevens’  talk was summarized by Jani N. Sherrard. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/plan-hold-book-launch-party/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Hartley-Stevens-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160911T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160911T160000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160717T214857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160912T214649Z
UID:5210-1473604200-1473609600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Writing a Memoir of Love\, Loss and Survival
DESCRIPTION:Nancy Rankie Shelton\, professor\, researcher\, and writer\, showed us how the process she used in writing her memoir\, 5-13: A Memoir of Love\, Loss and Survival\, can be used by anyone writing a personal story of surviving a lost love. Her book details her husband’s battle with lung cancer\, which was diagnosed after he suffered a seizure. The numbers 5-13 are symbolic\, and not just because she and her husband were married on May 13. For the full story\, read the book. \nSheldon said she kept a daily record of her husband’s illness\, but when writing the book\, she used scenes and dialog to pull the reader in. She discussed the importance of obtaining feedback from readers\, while reminding the audience that the author has the final say in what goes in and what is left out. \nShelton teaches courses at the University of Maryland at Baltimore in Reading and Language Arts\, Literacy/Culture\, and Composition Theory/Practice. Her research interests\, after teaching ten years in Florida schools\, focus on children’s writing development\, the effects of mandated instruction on elementary literacy development\, connections between literacy and art\, and children’s literature. \nShe has 23 publications that appear in premier academic journals or with leading publishing companies that specialize in literacy research and/or education policy. She earned her Ph.D.\, Ed.S\, and M.A. from the University of Florida. Her B.A. is from SUNY at Albany. \nClick here for a review of her memoir and more biographical information. Also see the Kirkus review. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/writing-memoir-love-loss-survival/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Nancy-Rankie.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160807T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160807T163000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160628T145328Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160912T215354Z
UID:5158-1470580200-1470587400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Writing Songs\, Writing Stories
DESCRIPTION:WAG member\, successful author\, and architect Ron Hasse had this to say about Crummer’s August 7 presentation: \n“Art Crummer has a magical way of combining music with wise words about writing. He told us how to write a first sentence and why. His talk had a lot to do with comic reality. He’s a great storyteller whether as an author or a troubadour. He has a knack for explaining how to organize our storytelling in ways that parallel songwriting—first line/story arc/resolution—in words and in chords. Art says a rant is not a song! Good advice to all writers. Clichés should be avoided. You are not the best judge of your own work; you need criticism and feedback—join a pod.” \nTruly\, Art presented an entertaining program as he described and demonstrated the essential elements common to successful songs and stories from the writer’s perspective. He addressed several song types including narrative\, humorous\, political\, poetic\, message\, mystical\, religious\, and taboo. He generously shared his notes; they may be seen by clicking here. \nArt is the winner of ten blue ribbons in the Florida Old-Time Championships in singing and in multiple instruments. He has produced two instructional booklets and three musical CD’s and has written numerous original songs in addition to publishing Book 1 of a trilogy Fixing Things. He is past president of the Writers Alliance\, teaches guitar\, and writes poetry\, creative memoir\, and fiction. He is working on the second book of his trilogy and regularly returns to the Piedmont region of Western North Carolina\, the locale of his novel Wrestling God\, which is available on Amazon. He and his wife live in Gainesville.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/writing-songs-writing-stories/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ArtCrummer2-169x200.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160710T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160710T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160507T185110Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170318T115551Z
UID:4585-1468161000-1468161000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Getting Your Work Noticed
DESCRIPTION:Mohana Rajakumar shared with us a host of ideas to help market our writing\, methods that have worked for her. She based her presentation on establishing your “Brand Story” by answering three questions: \n\nWhat are you passionate about?\nWho do you want to read your book? What types of readers will find value in your work? Why? How will you connect emotionally with your readers? Why should they care?\nHow can you use your strength? How is your work different from that of others? How do you wish your reader would describe your work to a friend?\n\nYour brand. The first step in your marketing campaign is to define your brand\, including not only an image but a tag-line\, motto\, or slogan. This will be your image for your readers. It must be visually consistent—same colors\, same fonts\, same logo or photo—everywhere you present your writerly self. \nYour media. Choose the appropriate social media to reach your readers. Choose those you will update on a regular basis\, weekly or oftener\, to keep their attention. Where do your readers hang out? Different websites reach different audiences. For example\, older folks use Facebook. Young people no longer use Facebook—find them on Instagram and YouTube. Find professionals on LinkedIn. Set up special accounts for your author persona—you’ll want it separate from your personal life. \nBesides all the major websites—Facebook\, YouTube\, LinkedIn\, Instagram\, Pinterist\, Twitter\, Google+—brainstorm for other ways to connect: your own website\, a blog\, a newsletter. Write a bio to access by a tab on your website. \nFor input ideas\, remember the audience you want to reach. Who are your ideal readers? What are their wants\, desires\, values\, interests? Who are their influences? Where online are they spending their time? What do you have in common with them? \nUpdate. Contribute something unique to each medium at least weekly. Use pictures to help hold attention. Interact with people online\, reminding them who is behind the writing. Participate in discussions. Time your entries to your readers’ schedules\, entering blog posts to be read Monday morning when they first sit at their desks. Post Facebook entries to be read right after work. \nMohana emphasized giving something of value to the reader of your promotional material. Share news or ideas four times as often as you mention the work you want to sell. Link your entries to each other\, and link to additional information—that’s a freebie you give the reader. Send a free short story\, for example\, in exchange for an email address. \nHelp is available online\, much of it free: \nTo develop your brand\, try http://www.yourwriterplatform.com. \nFor ideas on many aspects of marketing your work including building a contact list\, try https://janefriedman.com. Other sites: http://www.novelpublicity.com\, http://katetilton.com. \nFor working with a long list of contacts\, as you might have with a newsletter\, try MailChimp. \nGet reviews to show someone has read your book. To get a review of your book to post on Amazon or elsewhere\, contact Bookbloggers. The cost of the service covers administration only—the reviewers are not paid for their work\, so treat them kindly. They sign up to read only books they want to read. Even if the reviewer gives your book only one or two stars\, at least that’s evidence your book has been read. Appreciate the effort. \nMohana gave pointers for arranging in-person events\, such as book signings and making contact by phone. “For book signings\, choose a location where you won’t be sitting alone\,” she said. “There’s always the chance no one will show up. And in trying to set up an event\, prepare yourself for unanswered phone calls. To promote your work\, you need a tough skin!” \nShe also mentioned that IngramSpark is a print-on-demand alternative to CreateSpace. \nA book signing followed the program. At left\, Mohana signs a book for WAG member Lee Phillips\, author of Child of the Land. \nFor a free copy of Mohana’s Coloured and other Stories from her newsletter\, click here. To learn more about Mohama and her work\, check her website or follow her latest on Twitter: @moha_doha. \nMohana’s talk was summarized by Joan Carter.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/getting-your-work-noticed/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mohana-Rajakumar-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160612T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160612T163000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160507T161100Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T111048Z
UID:4566-1465741800-1465749000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Finding Your Voice and Telling Your Story
DESCRIPTION:Lou Heckler entertained us as he shared techniques of story-telling he has used in his thirty-six years as a motivational speaker and coach. \n“Your unique voice is the right voice for you\,” Heckler said. “Be nosy. Ask questions. Ask people how they do what they’re doing. And listen.” He also shared advice that others had given him. He said that his commanding officer asked how he felt about his new assignment. Heckler said\, “Apprehensive\,” and the officer replied\, “If you ain’t scared\, the job ain’t big enough for you.” \n“In telling or writing your story\,” Heckler said\, “ask yourself these questions: \n\nIs this story big enough? (Does it address big issues?)\nIs it small enough? (Can normal people relate?)”\n\n“As you write\, include sensual details – feel\, taste\, smell.” \n“With description\, find a happy medium\, just enough but not too much. Allow the reader to participate by filling in his/her own details.” \n“Make the movie GO; say things in a different way.” To illustrate\, Heckler read a story that described a man so tall that “he sits in stages\, folding himself.” \n“Look for the abnormal in the normal. Look for the normal in the abnormal.” \n“Notice things around you\, details … Steal ideas.” \nHeckler told about listening to a woman in Publix—upset because the meal she’d ordered wasn’t ready—and watching how the manager handled the situation. The manager walked over and touched the upset customer\, saying\, “We’ll fix this. Would you permit me to bring the food to your house this afternoon? Because of your disappointment\, there will be no charge.” \n“Read widely and with a purpose. If you subscribe to a number of magazines\, always find at least one article with an idea you can use. Keep a file of ‘gems’ you find.” \n“Take the macro idea and make it micro . . . rather than abstractions\, present individual moments and details.” \n“Prepare your elevator pitch\, and work on your delivery. Read the book Steal the Show by Michael Port.” \nBefore closing\, Heckler shared a story that kept the audience laughing throughout. We can’t do it justice here\, but for those who enjoyed it\, bet you’ll remember it forever. It went something like this:  Hungry\, I caught a flight to another city\, a short flight\, but to my surprise\, the plane had food on board! One seatmate ordered beef\, the other chicken. Neither choice looked appetizing. The flight attendant pressed me to make a decision—“beef or chicken?” “Neither\,” I blurted. The attendant bent over and whispered in my ear\, “GOOD choice.” Later\, in my hotel room\, I ordered a turkey sandwich from room service\, expecting the usual long wait. The guy who promptly delivered the sandwich treated me like a king\, laying out a linen tablecloth and napkin and pouring a cup of fresh-ground\, fresh-brewed Columbian coffee—decaffeinated to allow a good night’s sleep. The young man then asked if I would mind filling out a survey because they wanted to improve their service. \nHeckler began his career as a television journalist and has worked at stations in Charlotte\, Chapel Hill\, Richmond\, and Indianapolis. In 2012\, he was the closing essayist every Friday night on the nationally televised PBS television program\, “Nightly Business Report.” Lou has spoken professionally in 47 of the 50 states and a dozen countries. A few of his talks may be seen on YouTube. \nSummarized by Art Crummer and Susie Baxter. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/finding-your-voice-and-telling-your-story/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LouHeckler_headshot2011_lowres-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160410T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160410T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160212T171644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T032952Z
UID:3742-1460298600-1460298600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Inspiring Teenagers to Write Poetry — The Struggles and Benefits
DESCRIPTION:Nicole Harris (third from left)\, teacher of English literature at Gainesville High School\, and her talented group of students presented a program of poetry in honor of Poetry Month (April). \nHarris\, Coordinator of Youth Programs for ARTSPEAKS\, founded the poetry club Canes On Da Mic two years ago\, giving students the opportunity to write and share their original poetry. The results surprised her. \nInspired by Harris’ example as a spoken-word poet\, the students competed in the 2015 Youth Speaks Brave New Voices International Poetry slam and entered the national Poetry Out Loud Contest at the regional competition in Tampa in February. A few of the students will perform their own work at WAG’s meeting. \nNicole Harris’s love for writing and performing was instilled early on – she began competing in oratorical contests at Oak Grove Elementary School. She is a spoken word poet and a former performer for South Florida’s Word-of-Mouth Poetry Troupe\, which is a chapter of Black on Black Rhyme\, a group of nationally recognized poets creating a movement to educate\, inspire\, and change lives for the better.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/canes-on-da-mic/
LOCATION:Downtown Gainesville\, 111 East University Ave\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32627\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Nicole-Harris-program-e1466997718926.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160313T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160313T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20160206T005623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170510T104328Z
UID:3736-1457879400-1457879400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Marketing Your Book But Were Afraid to Ask!
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Peggy Macdonald\, the Executive Director of the Matheson History Museum\, spoke about the many helpful people and resources that opened doors for her in the promotion for her recently published book\, Marjorie Harris Carr. Her book is an intimate look at this remarkable woman who dedicated her life to conserving Florida’s wildlife and wild places. It won Honorable Mention in Foreword Reviews’ 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award contest in Women’s Studies. \nMacdonald is a native Floridian. She is an alumna of the University of Florida (PhD/History\, 2010) and Hollins University\, a women’s college in Roanoke\, VA. She has taught history at Florida Polytechnic University\, Stetson University\, and UF. She is also a freelance writer\, editor\, and photographer. She lives in the greater Gainesville area with her husband\, two children\, and Miles\, her blue-and-gold macaw.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-marketing-your-book-but-were-afraid-to-ask-2/
LOCATION:Florida
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Peggy-macdonald-matheson-museum-e1494412992693.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160207T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160207T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20151104T233813Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T042256Z
UID:3440-1454855400-1454855400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:How to Establish Your Writing Niche
DESCRIPTION:(By Art Crummer)\n\nDr. Kevin McCarthy\, who taught Linguistics\, Modern English Structure\, and History of the English Language at the University of Florida before his retirement in 2005\, spoke at WAG’s February meeting on “Finding Your Niche.” McCarty took “Floridiana” as his niche\, and has published 30 books having to do with Florida. \nHis WAG presentation was organized around topics beginning with the letters of the word\nR E A C T I B L E S. \nR = Research. McCarthy discussed Research in relation to both fiction and nonfiction. When writing about a region\, he visits local bookstores\, talks with residents\, and buys books about the area\, which he studies to learn what transfers to his own writing. “Learn what books already exist about your area. What movies?”\nE = Expertise. “Specialize in one thing.” After choosing your niche\, what is your own area of expertise? Leverage that.\nA = Accuracy. This applies to both the content and form of your writing\, and to your letters to publishers\, editors\, etc. Make sure all content\, grammar\, and spelling are correct. Especially the recipients’ names.\nC = Canvas the market. Study Writer’s Digest. Look in bookstores – what publishers are doing books in your area? Read Writer’s Market (available from the library).\nT = Timeliness. Does your topic correspond to certain points in the calendar? You can time the release of your article or book to match heightened level of interest on those dates. What countries celebrate holidays on what days? McCarthy has done books on black history\, releasing them just before February. The lead time for magazines is about six months\, so be ready in June to be published before Christmas. His book Christmas in Florida sold well in October and November.\nI = Illustrations. In his nonfiction books\, McCarthy includes illustrations on almost every page. You can get stock photos from fotolia.com\, CanStockPhoto.com\, or other stock photo sites. (Search for “Royalty-free photos.”) You can use these photos\, with appropriate attribution\, royalty-free after converting them by camera or scanner to high resolution. Also\, many libraries have digitized back years of local newspapers\, and these images are available for free. One book on Minnesota history consists of little more than a collection of such images. The Library of Congress has a digitization project.\nB = Byline. McCarthy shared a story about the thrill he felt when he saw his name as the author of a story his mother asked him to write as a youngster.\nL = Legality and Logistics. In your query letter be sure to include: \n1. The idea\n2. Why you?\n3. Who are your external experts in the field?\n4. When will it be ready?\n5. Size?\n6. Why should they support this?\n7. How will you market this book?\n8. Does a similar book exist and how is yours different?\nE = External Experts. Talk with them and learn from them.\nS = Sell\, sell\, sell! McCarthy has found ready markets for his 30 books published under Floridiana\, his chosen niche. \nAfter this well-received talk\, a lively Q&A session was followed by chats up front and a book signing. His “Floridiana niche” includes 30 published books\, including Florida Lighthouses (1990)\, The Book Lover’s Guide to Florida (1992)\, Thirty Florida Shipwrecks (1992)\, African Americans in Florida (1993)\, The Gators and the Seminoles (1993)\, Twenty Florida Pirates (1994)\, Baseball in Florida (1996)\, Guide to the University of Florida and Gainesville (1997)\, Native Americans in Florida (1999)\, and Christmas in Florida (2000).
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/how-to-establish-your-writing-niche/
LOCATION:Downtown Gainesville\, 111 East University Ave\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32627\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160110T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160110T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150911T202848Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T041653Z
UID:3259-1452436200-1452436200@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:How to Write a Travel Narrative
DESCRIPTION:Fiona Lama\, an adjunct English teacher at Santa Fe College and a library specialist with the Alachua County Library District\, discussed the elements that make travel narratives different from other non-fiction essays. Following her presentation\, the audience had the opportunity to draft the beginning of their own travel narrative and receive feedback. \nIn connection to Lama’s interest in travel stories\, she has logged thousands of miles across the big pond with 20 trips to Europe and 40 to London. After earning a master’s degree in education from the University of Florida\, she pursued her second master’s in English and creative writing. She is a member of the National League of American Penwomen and has two works online: an essay\, “Facing Fear in Lovely London\,” and a short story\, “I Saw Dead People.”
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/how-to-write-a-travel-narrative/
LOCATION:Downtown Gainesville\, 111 East University Ave\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32627\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20151108T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20151108T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150913T031020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170926T191231Z
UID:3266-1446993000-1446993000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Bacopa Literary Review Presentation
DESCRIPTION:(By Joan H. Carter)\nThe Writers Alliance of Gainesville (WAG) presented the sixth annual edition of their literary journal\, the Bacopa Literary Review\, and announced the winners of their 2015 contest. The forty-one works selected for Bacopa included authors from as far away as Australia\, Brazil\, and Canada as well as from the Gainesville area and several other states. Of the nine winners in the contest – note that the judging is blind so the judges don’t know the authors – four were local residents. \nWAG members picked up their free copies of Bacopa\, and visitors had a chance to buy one for $10. Gen Aris\, Bacopa Editor-in-Chief\, led the program of readers during which editors introduced each of thirteen readings from the journal by sharing a short bio of the author. The program included all or parts of six of the prize-winning entries plus other works by three local authors as well as four non-winners from out of state that the editors thought we’d enjoy. Editors on behalf of authors not able to attend and authors read selections of about four minutes each. The appreciative audience followed along in their own copies. After applauding the readings — listed below — the audience celebrated by enjoying a table of treats and healthy snacks. \nDavid Maas read his poem “Beautiful Like This.” \nCatherine Ghosh\, third place nonfiction winner\, read an excerpt from “The Fire Breather.” \nDorothy Staley\, editor\, read an excerpt from Ellen Perry’s first place fiction “Milk – Bread – Soft Drinks.” \nMichael Allard\, third place fiction winner\, read an excerpt from “Your Invisible Alligator.” \nJani Sherrod\, editor\, read Margaux Griffith’s poem “Late Bloom.” \nPat Caren (pen name Marie Q. Rogers) read selections from her story “Canebreak.” \nBonnie Ogle\, on behalf of Kaye Linden\, first place creative nonfiction winner\, read Kaye’s “The Linear and Circular One Sentence of Tattoo Designs over His Body.” \nGen Aris\, editor\, read Kimberly Rose’s poem “Medicine My Mother Was.” \nDorothy Staley\, editor\, read Mary Moycik’s short fiction “Reading the Newspaper.” \nMichael Kite\, second place creative nonfiction winner\, read an excerpt from “Memories of a Honeymoon and a Milk Carton.” \nGen Aris\, editor\, read Darrell Dela Cruz’ poem “Where We Are Located.” \nJani Sherrard\, editor\, read Diane Stone’s first place poem “Local Weather.” \nGen Aris\, editor\, read Nicholas Lloyd’s story “Sprint.” \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/bacopa-literary-review-presentation/
LOCATION:Downtown Gainesville\, 111 East University Ave\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32627\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20150913T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20150913T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150408T074454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180408T143618Z
UID:452-1442154600-1442154600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Pictures: Worth a Thousand Words or Dollars?
DESCRIPTION:“Writing sells after the book presentation attracts the buyer.” The buyer must be attracted somehow to the book before he looks inside. This was just one suggestion from illustrator\, author\, and publisher Mark Wayne Adams\, who spoke to a packed audience at the September meeting of the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. \nMark began his career as an illustrator in the third grade\, marketing his own drawings to friends. In high school\, his target for success was to illustrate just one book in his lifetime. With energy\, passion\, and humor\, he explained how his raw talent\, fueled by innate energy\, has propelled him into creating a successful publishing enterprise with a warehouse of 35\,000 books. \nAs CEO of Mark Wayne Adams\, Inc. and past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association\, he has already illustrated forty-nine more books than he originally intended\, is the author/illustrator of eight more\, and has published the works of many other talented individuals. He is a prolific artist with a collection of over 12\,000 of his original drawings. \n“What elements are required to become a successful author?” Mark asked the audience. He admitted that he had no unusual experiences to write about\, but everyone has a story to tell. His story began as a boy who loved to draw. Mark’s early dreams were specific and focused. Beyond illustrating that one book\, he had a goal to work as an animator at Walt Disney World\, to be part of the creative team producing fantasies that inspired millions of children and adults all over the world. \nAfter graduating from Murray State University in Kentucky with a BFA in Drawing\, he migrated to the eastern Mecca of animation\, Walt Disney World in Orlando. Once there\, he observed Disney artists at work. He could match other artists’ styles and he was fast – animators have to be able to draw approximately 32 times faster than the average illustrator. For him\, there was no brooding over an easel\, no lingering consultation with his muse. He was production-oriented in a production-oriented environment. Walt Disney World was impressed\, hired him\, and helped to set him on a path that he is still blazing today. \nIn addition to learning the craft\, Disney taught him how to engage with people\, to conquer intimidation through courses in public speaking. Today\, he meets and interacts with audiences at schools\, public service events\, and festivals to energize other people\, especially children\, and encourage them to realize their dreams. These meetings introduce people and potential consumers to his work. \nThere have been diversions along the way. Scholastic Publishers sought him out as their regional sales manager. Despite tantalizing benefits\, the job would not allow him time to draw\, speak to groups\, or participate in festivals. Encouraged by his family\, he decided to continue in the publishing business because he loved it and he could continue to encourage others. “If you treat a business like a passion\, you will make ten times more money than if you treat it like a business\,” he told us. He is passionate about writing\, illustrating\, and the business of publishing. \nHe challenged members of the WAG audience to write that book\, to consider their own life experiences and recognize how those experiences can be crafted into a story for general appeal. He asserted that everyone sitting in the room with him had begun and quit a number of different enterprises over a life span that would provide sufficient fabric to weave tales for publication. \nAs an example\, he referenced one of his own authors who composed a series of books focusing on the eccentricities of her two young children\, two subjects whom she knew better than anyone. Through humorous verse\, accented with Mark’s illustrations\, she produced award-winning books from the most simple of life’s experiences. It is the telling together with the right illustrations – the total product including its packaging – that can transform a simple story into a standout seller. \nWriting is just the first step. Marketing makes a huge difference\, said Mark. Presentation of the book\, how it’s displayed\, is a factor in its sales. He discussed binding styles. He cautioned self-publishers to keep in mind that it is the spine of the book that is visible to buyers on the bookstore shelf\, so a series lends itself to an interesting illustration on lined-up spines. Avoid stapled bindings! And don’t forget publicity\, promotion\, public speaking\, and other specifics of production that may baffle or intimidate first time authors\, particularly those in self-publication. \nMark spent nearly half of his presentation addressing specific questions from the audience\, and he is willing to personally answer more queries by email. However\, he warned that his speed with a pen does not translate into his speed with email – expect some turn-around time. \nFor examples of Mark’s writings\, illustrations and for more information\, please visit his website. \n(Summary of program by Elaine Beem Robinson)
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/pictures-worth-a-thousand-words-or-dollars/
LOCATION:Florida
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=:
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20150809T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20150809T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150809T063054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T042757Z
UID:3116-1439130600-1439130600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Game Warden Bob Lee's True-Life Adventure Stories
DESCRIPTION:(by Skipper Hammond)\n\nThe first advice writers get is “Write what you know.” Bob Lee has done exactly that\, writing about his three decades with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). But instead of common\, everyday life\, his stories are pure adventure-thriller\, the stuff of Indiana Jones’ experience. On August 9\, his listeners were on the edge of their seats one moment\, in rapt suspense\, then howling in laughter as he recounted his adventures enforcing conservation law in Putnam and St. John’s counties. \nIn writing memoir\, Lee has faced questions all memoirists must answer: How do I handle my “characters\,” who are real people\, friends\, co-workers? And do I stretch the truth to entertain? Lee took perhaps the easy route in answering the first—he waited until he retired before publishing. But he prepared for the day by interviewing his characters as he collected case reports\, photos\, clippings\, and notes. \nGuest speaker Bob Lee entertains the audience. Photo by Michael Allard.\nEven for one particular interview\, he was forced to wait until after retirement. His main character\, Roger Gunter\, a notorious poacher who lived for the challenge of outwitting game wardens\, wouldn’t agree to an interview as long as Lee was working for FWC. The payoff for Lee’s patience was four full days of interviews and pages full of thrills and laughs in which the reader is able to identify with the “bad guy.” Gunter\, the poacher\, was so invested in the story that he came to the book launch at the local feed and seed store\, but\, like a teen on her first date\, he worried about what color boots to wear. \nLee’s goal in answering the second question\, whether to stretch the truth\, has been to be accurate. “Sometimes I’m tempted to bend truth to make stories more entertaining. But I don’t\,” he said. Accuracy protects the reader’s trust. On at least one occasion he modified his words “to keep friends. But I’m always careful to get the story right.” That one time\, an officer he’d interviewed was angry about a quote\, even denied it\, although it was on tape. \n“I’m not a professional writer\,” Lee said. “I didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer.” So he’s made a point of looking to other writers to learn “how they do what I want to do” and for feedback on his writing. A freelance writer friend edited his first story\, and he joined a small critique group early in his writing journey. For almost two decades\, members of that group have continued to give each other feedback. He said he writes first thing in the morning\, “before my head gets cluttered up with everything that happens during the day.” \nBob Lee talks with WAG members and guests as he signs books. Photo by Michael Allard.\nIn 2007\, Lee set out to chronicle his experiences in a package of selected stories. It took him three years to write his book\, Backcountry Lawman: True Stories from a Florida Game Warden\, published in 2013 by the University Press of Florida. The book was recognized in 2014 as the winner of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association Award for best outdoor book and has been featured in the Florida Sportsman\, Florida Wildlife\, Florida Game & Fish\, Palatka Daily News\, International Game Warden and other publications. \nA native of Florida\, Bob graduated with a degree in criminal justice from the University of South Florida. He is a 30-year veteran of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He worked as a water patrol officer on the St. John’s River and a land patrol lieutenant in Flagler\, Putnam and St. John’s counties. He is a former teacher of man-tracking classes through the Florida Wildlife Commission Law Enforcement Academy. \nLee continues to work as a freelance writer for law enforcement and outdoor magazines. He and his wife\, Karen\, live on eighteen acres next to a secluded lake in south Putnam County. \n[intense_spacer height=”30″]\n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/game-warden-bob-lee-entertains-with-true-life-adventure-stories-2/
LOCATION:Florida
CATEGORIES:Speaker
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20150712T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20150712T143000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150712T073144Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160507T180504Z
UID:447-1436711400-1436711400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Fifty Years in the Writing Life
DESCRIPTION:by Sharon Ketts\n“Take an event and turn it into a story\,” our speaker\, Shelley Fraser Mickle\, told a full-house audience on Sunday\, July 12\, 2015. “Give yourself permission to make it entertaining. Story has its own needs\, facts can be twisted.” Her engaging presentation of good advice for writers sprinkled the afternoon with laughter. \nMickle said she fell in love with story at age five\, when her family had given her the nickname “Screaming Mimi\,” after the German rockets in World War II. Stories were her grandmother’s way of calming her down. She decided that stories must be something necessary\, like “air\, water\, or a good purse.” \nShe grew up in Arkansas and Tennessee\, and headed to the University of Mississippi after graduating high school. Being a brash high school senior\, she wrote to William Faulkner\, teaching at U of M\, and told him she would be coming in the fall. She gave him permission to introduce himself to her if he saw her walking around campus. Unfortunately\, she told us\, “He had the audacity to die six months before I arrived.” \nShe had the advantage of studying writing in the fertile culture of the Mississippi Delta where her husband was practicing medicine. She wrote her first novel\, Queen of October\, in 1992\, and sent it to Louis Rubin to read through. Unknown to her at that time\, Rubin was the most illustrious literary critic of his time. He worked with her for two and a half years on the novel\, and they remained friends until his death in 2013. \nWhen is your writing good? That’s a question she asked herself every day\, which led to her practices of getting up at 4 a.m. before her inner editor\, and her children\, were awake and of buying a new typewriter when she got rejected. “Don’t give up\,” she told the audience. “It’s all a matter of taste when it comes to agents and editors.” \nAfter publishing several books and appearing on National Public Radio both locally and nationally with her essays\, she and her husband started a publishing company in 2009. They had observed there were no books in which children with physical differences were heroes. Wild Onion Press was born. \nMickle challenged the audience: “Have you written a story powerful enough to change a life?” \nShe received a manuscript from a mother whose daughter had been born with only four tiny fingers on her right hand. The five-year-old had dictated her memoir to her mother before she could write or read. Grace Mary McClelland had been the victim of bullying. “You must be stupid because you have stupid little fingers\,” she was told. Wild Onion published her book\, The Gift of Grace\, exactly as Grace wrote it\, Mickle revising only one sentence in the manuscript. \nMickle said the story changed her life and her way of thinking. “Have you written a story that reflects an act of bravery\, that’s changed someone’s life?” she asked the audience again. \nShe told us the story of Isabelle Hadala\, born with a condition that limits the development of fingers\, teeth\, and toes. At a camp for disabled children\, Mickle led a writers’ workshop for parents. They wrote a first-day-of-school speech for their children to say: “Look at me\, and get over it.” This led to Isabelle’s book\, The First Day Speech. After the book was published\, Isabelle appeared on Good Morning America\, modeled for Aeropostale\, and was a guest weather girl on the local news channel. \nMickle said\, “I never understood what a book can do. It can change a life.” \nA prolific writer\, she is currently working on several projects\, and has no thoughts of retiring. \nAn audience member asked the question\, “Was there anything you couldn’t bring yourself to write about?” \nMickle’s reply: “No\, but I wanted to write about things nobody wanted to hear about.” \n[intense_spacer height=”20″]\n[intense_hr]\n[intense_spacer height=”20″]\nShelley Fraser Mickle\, author of several award-winning books\, shared how she got her start in the literary world and her path over a period of fifty years. \nMickle grew up in Arkansas and Tennessee and graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1966. She studied writing at the University of Mississippi\, the Harvard Extension School\, and Wellesley College. Her first novel\, The Queen of October\, was a 1989 New York Times Notable Book. Her second novel\, Replacing Dad\, became a CBS movie and is now shown on the Hallmark channel. \nMickle began reading her humorous essays on National Public Radio in 1995. In 2000 some of these were published in The Kids are Gone\, the Dog is Depressed & Mom’s on the Loose. That same year she was honored to be a commentator for NPR’s Morning Edition broadcast out of Washington\, D.C. \nIn 2006\, Mickle’s novel\, The Turning Hour\, was recognized with the Florida Governor’s Award for the best suicide prevention tool in an educational setting. The novel is based on the true story of a high-school senior’s recovery from a suicide attempt. Mickle’s masterwork addresses the emotional challenges of modern American youth. \nMickle and her husband\, Dr. John Mickle\, a retired pediatric neurosurgeon\, live on a horse farm in Alachua County\, Florida.\n[intense_spacer height=”30″]
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/fifty-years-in-the-writing-life/
LOCATION:Florida
CATEGORIES:Speaker
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20150503T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20150503T153000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150408T072010Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170926T185520Z
UID:443-1430663400-1430667000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:You Can't Get There From Here: How I Became an Author
DESCRIPTION:by Bonnie Ogle\nNathan Whitaker\, best-selling co-author with Tony Dungy and Tim Tebow\, regaled Writers Alliance members at the general meeting on Sunday\, May 3. Taking a selfie with the audience behind him\, Whitaker revealed his self-deprecating sense of humor and launched into “my favorite topic\, myself\,” and how he became “an accidental author.” \nWhitaker’s first tip to writers of memoir is to “get the subject talking\,” building a much greater word count than needed. Frequently\, accomplished subjects have developed a “two-minute story” for interviews and are often reluctant to talk about their accomplishments. Interviewing people close to the subject helps. Tim Tebow’s dad learned a lot about his son when he found a stack of trophies stuffed under Tim’s locker. \nThe first line of a book is key\, Whitaker said. Tony Dungy’s book\, Quiet Strength begins with his firing. Readers will be immediately engaged because many have been there. “Recognize that it will not be compelling if you don’t talk about the dark times\,” Whitaker said. Who wouldn’t prefer to talk about a Superbowl win than the time he was fired? It is important for the writer to have empathy for his subject who bares himself. \nNathan Whitaker is a principal in Whitaker Partners LLC and represents college and professional coaches and administrators. He is involved in ministry and is available for speaking engagements. You can learn more at http://nathanwhitaker.com \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/you-cant-get-there-from-here-how-i-became-an-author/
LOCATION:Florida
CATEGORIES:Speaker
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DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20150426T153000
DTSTAMP:20260515T054103
CREATED:20150408T065347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170926T190651Z
UID:438-1430058600-1430062200@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Targeting Your Pitch
DESCRIPTION:by Felicia Lee\nPattie Glenn\, published author\, screenplay writer and broker/manager spoke on “Targeting Your Pitch” at WAG’s Speakers Series meeting on April 26\, 2015. She is a prolific author of books and screenplays in a range of genres. She’s also a talented singer (a soloist with the Gainesville Big Band) and realtor and founder of the GreenSmart team at Keller Williams Realty. \nAfter her lively and informative talk on how to perfect your pitch to agents and publishers\, she answered a few more questions: \nQ: What first inspired you to write? \nA: My grandmother was my biggest inspiration – she instilled in me a love of storytelling. Most importantly\, she told me I could be whatever I wanted to be; that’s a really important thing for a child to hear. She taught me how to tell stories – she’d have me read aloud on a reel-to-reel tape. \nI’m not going to say what year that was (I was four) but I still have that tape! I always enjoyed writing poetry in school\, but I didn’t really start writing creatively until around 2003. \nQ: What’s the secret ingredient to a great pitch? If there’s one thing you’d like everyone here to take away today\, what would it be? \nA: Definitely preparation. I prepare – I’m a narrative speaker by nature\, so it’s hard for me to be concise. So I edit and edit and edit! I’m good at editing\, but it’s not easy for me to do\, so I put a lot of work into it. \nQ: You’ve got a lot on your plate with a full-time career as a realtor\, your singing\, your writing – and promoting your writing must also take a lot of time. How do you make time for everything? \nA: Well\, I have to tell you\, I’m really out of balance at times – real estate is that crazy. I rely a lot on prayer and meditation. I’d love my writing to be more of a full-time job – but still\, I don’t want to do just one thing. \nBackground:\nPattie Glenn\, published author\, screenplay writer and broker/manager combines her creative and analytical talents to serve today’s entertainment markets\, and seeks to empower audiences through stories for the heart and soul in her screenplays\, novels\, short stories\, transmedia storytelling\, and instructional materials for a variety of media. Glenn graduated Valedictorian from Full Sail University’s 2013 Creative Writing for Entertainment Bachelor’s of Fine Arts program. \nVisit her website at Pondhawk Productions.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/targeting-your-pitch/
LOCATION:Florida
CATEGORIES:Retreat,Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2a51ea4.jpg
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