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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170409T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170409T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170408T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170408T173000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20170224T214350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:6261-1491667200-1491672600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Book Discussion at Matheson Museum
DESCRIPTION:WAG member Mallory M. O’Connor and her co-author\, Gary Monroe\, discussed their book\, Florida’s American Heritage River: Images from the St. Johns Region at the Matheson History Museum in downtown Gainesville at 4:00 p.m. on April 8. This event was held in conjunction with the museum’s  exhibit\, River of Dreams: The St. Johns and Its Springs. \nThe mighty St. Johns River flows from its headwaters near Lake Okeechobee north through central Florida to Jacksonville. The river and its tributaries have been part of the cultural landscape of the peninsula for thousands of years. From the Native Americans who first settled along its banks to the French\, Spanish\, British and American settlers who followed\, it has been a source of food\, water\, transportation\, industry\, agriculture\, and recreation. In 1998 the St. Johns was declared an American Heritage River\, the only one in Florida and one of only fourteen in the country to be so designated. \nO’Connor is professor emerita of art history at Santa Fe College. Monroe is professor of fine arts and photography at Daytona State College. The lecture was free and open to the public. \nThe MATHESON HISTORY MUSEUM
’s hours are 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.\, Tuesday–Saturday. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/book-discussion-matheson-museum/
LOCATION:Matheson History Museum\, 513 E University Avenue\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Discussion,Book Sale,Book Signing
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/51YULgWX53L.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170325T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170325T140000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20170303T194629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170519T145755Z
UID:6330-1490436000-1490450400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Community-Wide Event at Depot Park
DESCRIPTION:WAG participated in 352Creates\, a community-wide event at Depot Park (located off South Main Street at SE Depot Road in downtown Gainesville)\, from 10 AM to 2 PM on Saturday\, March 25. \nOpen to all 352 (area code) residents\, the event is founded on the idea that anyone\, using even the simplest of materials\, can create something amazing. WAG members provided fun word activities for those who stopped by our table. Book sales were not allowed\, but WAG member authors donated books that were given as prizes.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/community-wide-event-depot-park/
LOCATION:Downtown Gainesville\, 111 East University Ave\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32627\, United States
CATEGORIES:Games,Readings
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/352logo-final-color.1200x0p50x50-e1488569870192.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170312T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170312T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170212T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170212T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170108T144000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170108T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
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:20170108T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170108T144000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20161119T153338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170510T103247Z
UID:5833-1483885800-1483886400@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Meet WAG's New Officers
DESCRIPTION:Immediate Past President\, Susie Baxter\, (center) presents mock book “Herding Cats” to Kimberley Mullins\, President\, as Mallory O’Connor\, Vice President\, looks on. \n  \nKimberley E. Mullins\, President \nKimberley Mullins is a Jacksonville\, Florida\, native and has enjoyed reading and writing since her early childhood. She began her writing career while in the Navy by venturing into poetry. Her first piece\, “My One Last Cent\,” was published in the literary journal\, Amistad\, Howard University\, 2007. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a major in Marketing\, and she has an MBA in Finance from National University. She has published a book of poetry\, Thinking Aloud: Dimensions of Free-Verse\, and two novels: The Friends and Family Connection: Get Unplugged\, 2013\, and In the Company of Strangers\, 2015. She was a winner of the 2015 NaNoWriMo\, completing just over 50\,000 words in thirty days. She has also participated in several spoken word venues including the Urban Grind in Atlanta\, Busboys and Poets in Washington\, D.C.\, and the Thomas Center here in Gainesville. She currently works as a Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) Instructor in Gainesville. \n  \nMallory M. O’Connor\, Vice President \nMallory O’Connor is the author of the American River Trilogy and three additional novels. Long an admirer of a variety of American writers like John Steinbeck\, Anne Rice\, Dan Brown\, and Howard Fast\, she strives to meld her knowledge of the past with her love of music and art and her passion for social justice and environmental issues. Mallory has a BFA in Painting\, an MA in American Cultural History and an MFA in Art History—all from Ohio University. She has taught art history at Ohio University\, the University of Florida (UF) and Santa Fe College (SFC). She served as gallery director at SFC and as Visual Arts Coordinator for the City of Gainesville. She is the author of two non-fiction books\, Lost Cities of the Ancient Southeast and Florida’s America’s Heritage River. She served as staff writer for the Institute for Food and Agricultural Science at UF and as a feature writer for Business to Business Magazine. Since 2013 she has served as a juror for the Florida Book Awards. Born in Illinois and raised on a ranch in Northern California\, Mallory now resides in Micanopy with her husband\, artist John O’Connor\, and her cat\, Minnaloushe. \n  \nBonnie Ogle\, Secretary \nBonnie Ogle is a retired public school teacher\, now teaching children at the Florida Museum of Natural History\, University of Florida (UF) campus; she is also a volunteer interpreter at UF’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and a lifetime member of Phi Kappa Phi Educational Honor Society and Girl Scouts USA. Bonnie is also an avid ballroom dancer and a member of Word Weavers International\, a Christian writers’ group. Publications include “The Muffin Lady\,” in the e-zine Word Weavers International\, November\, 2016; “Beaver Woman” in Boys’ Quest Magazine\, April\, 2015; “Bewitched” in THEMA Literary Journal\, Spring\, 2014; and “Santa’s Point of View” and “Souvenir” in Marco Polo Art Magazine\, April\, 2013. She is a contributor to Bacopa Literary Review\, May\, 2013\, and Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales\, December 2012. Bonnie’s first children’s book\, Arthur the Arthropod\, published in 2012\, and she now has three more books in various stages of production. Bonnie blogs about environmental issues; check out her website here. \n  \nConnie Morrison\, Treasurer \nConnie Morrison grew up in a rural setting of central Delaware\, attended the University of Delaware\, and in 1963\, met and married her husband\, Jim. In 1978\, she and her family moved to Gainesville to be near other family members.  Professionally\, she was a bookkeeper\, but after retirement\, with pencil still in hand\, she focused on her life-long passions of writing and art. In 2012\, she visited a WAG program\, and soon after\, signed up for a writing class where the memoir bug bit her. Connie’s short stories and essays have been published in a local magazine\, e-zines\, and an anthology\, and for the past few years she has been working on a personal memoir. She hosts a WAG critique pod and is part of a life-history writing group. Since her husband passed away in 2012\, she has enjoyed volunteering for WAG\, first as Critique Pod Coordinator and now as Treasurer. She serves as a transcriber for the Sam Proctor Oral History Program at UF\, as Millhopper Library’s Book Club recorder\, and as a commissary sales person for Dudley Farm Historic State Park. She lives near Gainesville with her 13-year-old tabby cat\, Mopsy\, who directs many of her daily activities. She also blogs on her website\, Connieann’s Corner.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/installation-wags-newly-elected-officers/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cropped-installation-e1484012237410.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20161208T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20161208T200000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20161207T200123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170110T155603Z
UID:5868-1481220000-1481227200@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Holiday Open House & Local Author Book Signing
DESCRIPTION:The staff and Board of Directors of the Matheson History Museum invited local authors and members of the community to celebrate the holidays with food\, shopping\, book signings\, and a cookie baking contest. \nAttendees took advantage of the Matheson’s gift shop sale (25% for museum members\, 20% off for all others). Proceeds support museum programming. \nCopies of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’s Cross Creek and Cross Creek Cookery were available at a special table operated by the Friends of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm\, which is preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of these two classics in 2017. \nAuthor Ibram X. Kendi\, winner of the 2016 National Book Award for nonfiction\, signed copies of his new book\, Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. \nSeveral WAG authors were among those invited to participate: \nRie Burton – author of The Thomas Center: Illustrated History and Guide\nLola Haskins – http://lolahaskins.com/\nKate Dupes Hawk – author of Florida and the Mariel Boatlift of 1980\nKaren Kirkman – author of The Historic Haile Homestead at Kanapaha Plantation\nRobert Knight – author of Silenced Springs: Moving From Tragedy to Hope\nSandra Lambert – http://www.sandragaillambert.com\nMichele Leavitt – https://michelejleavitt.com/\nDarlene Marshall – http://www.darlenemarshall.com\nAnn Browning Masters – 12th generation Floridian and author of  Floridanos\, Menorcans\, Cattle-Whip Crackers: Poetry of St. Augustine\nRobert F. Moore – author of Magnesia Springs in Alachua County\, Florida\nDorothy Smiljanich – author of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park\nCarol Ray Skipper – author of Funalicious \n\n\n  \nLink to the Matheson’s Facebook page.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/holiday-open-house-local-author-book-signing/
LOCATION:Matheson History Museum\, 513 E University Avenue\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/matheson-history-museum.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20161204T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20161204T163000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20160904T145844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:5367-1480861800-1480869000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Bacopa Literary Review 2016
DESCRIPTION:On the 1st Sunday in December\, Bacopa Literary Review’s editorial board and local writers read from the newly published edition of WAG’s annual literary journal. Editor-in-Chief Mary Bast and Associate Editor Susie Baxter facilitated the program. \nBacopa continues to garner national and international recognition with almost fifteen hundred submissions in 2016. \nEach WAG member receives a free copy of the journal\, priced at $10.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/bacopa-literary-review-2016/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Party,Readings
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bacopa-2016.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20161113T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20161113T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
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:20161009T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20161009T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20160816T231748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170519T150641Z
UID:5273-1476023400-1476028800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:NaNoWriMo: Write a Novel in a Month!
DESCRIPTION:At the WAG General Meeting on October 9\, panelists Pat Caren\, Kimberley E. Mullins and Wendy Thornton (right to left in photo) — all are members of WAG — described their participation in previous NaNoWriMo events. The panelists summed up how to write a novel in 30 days. The program encourages aspirants to write 50\,000 words in the month of November\, National Novel Writing Month. \nPat described the challenges she faced. “Due to travel\, I had to up the usual 1500 words a day. Accustomed to writing by hand\, I was unable to write\, then type that much. Slightly OCD\, I also had to learn to ignore the red underlines and just upload to the [Nanowrimo] site.” The exercise forced Pat to write three to four hours a day. She said it also improved her typing skills. \nKimberley emphasized to the audience the need for discipline. “I set the goal of writing a sequel to two previous novels\, then set the alarm clock. I wrote from 4:00 to 6:00 a.m.\, before work and got up early on weekends.” At one point Kimberley reached writer’s block. Driven to get words on the page\, she jumped to the end of her story and worked back. \nWendy assured the audience\, “It doesn’t matter what you write\, NaNoWriMo only counts words. It doesn’t judge; no one will steal your work. It is a computer program on a secure website. The goal is to get your draft done.” Wendy has participated in the program four times. “I ‘won’ twice\,” she said\, “entering with ideas I’d been formulating for years. I was not as successful with new ideas. ”Wendy cautioned listeners: “50\,000 words is not a book. Agents are looking for 75-100\,000 words.” \nWendy provided attendees with an outline including a one sentence description of a novel: Act 1: Exposition; Act 2: Rising Action; Act 3: Solution; Scenes. She also distributed Caitlin Jan’s Six Month Novel Writing Plan.  \nA homeschool family attending the meeting described their participation in the youth division\, encouraging children to use NaNoWriMo as a learning tool. \nNaNoWriMo is an international event sponsored by the nonprofit Office of Letters and Light.  Participants include professional and amateur writers who work toward the goal of writing a 50\,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. In 2015 there were 300\,000 participants world-wide\, with 1595 members from Gainesville. Forty thousand entrants were “winners.” \nProgram chairperson Roz Miller summed up the program\, saying\, “You will be both challenged and encouraged by NaNoWriMo.” \nPat Caren decided to become writer when her third-grade teacher read Little House in the Big Woods to her class. As a youngster\, Caren realized that stories are written by actual people. After college\, she worked as a teacher and social worker\, writing when she could\, making sporadic efforts to get published. While raising four children\, there was little time for writing. But after retirement\, she wrote and self-published a novel. She also dabbles in short stories and poetry. Last year for NaNoWriMo\, she wrote a new novel\, which she’ll polish once other projects are complete. Her pen name is Marie Q. Rogers. \nKimberley E. Mullins has enjoyed reading and writing since her early childhood. She began her writing career while in the Navy by venturing into poetry. Her first piece\, “My One Last Cent\,” was published in a literary journal\, Amistad\, in 2007 at Howard University. Mullins has published a book of poetry\, Thinking Aloud: Dimensions of Free-Verse\, and a novel\, The Friends and Family Connection: Get Unplugged. She was a winner of the 2015 NaNoWriMo\, completing just over 50\,000 words in thirty days. She has also participated in spoken word venues—the Urban Grind in Atlanta\, Busboys and Poets in Washington\, D.C.\, and at the Thomas Center here in Gainesville. \nWendy Thornton is a freelance writer and editor who has been published in Riverteeth\, Epiphany\, MacGuffin and many other literary journals and books. Her memoir\, Dear Oprah or How I Beat Cancer and Learned to Love Daytime TV\, was published in July 2013. Her mystery\, Bear-Trapped: In a Trashy Hollywood Novel\, was published in February 2015. Thornton has won many awards for her work\, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize\, and has been Editor’s Pick on Salon.com multiple times. She has participated in NaNoWriMo four times and finished twice. \n  \nArticle by Bonnie Ogle
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/nanowrimo/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Nanowrimo-panel-2015-e1476548609270.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20161001T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20161002T170000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
CREATED:20160822T031808Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:5307-1475316000-1475427600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:WAG Book Sale at Thornebrook Art Festival
DESCRIPTION:October 1 – 2\, 2016\n10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.\n\nFor the second year in a row\, WAG participated in the Thornebrook Village Art Festival. The work of artist Roz Miller\, WAG’s program coordinator\, was selected for this year’s poster (above) by the Gainesville Fine Arts Association\, the sponsor of this annual event. \nOur thanks to Gene Cowell for coordinating this event and to WAG members who staffed the booth. This year\, our booth featured a new sign\, “Meet Our Local Authors.” \nBook sales under sunny skies were steady both days\, and a number of writers stopped by to ask questions about our organization and to pick up literature; two joined WAG on the spot. \nThe festival featured the works of 130 artists (including writers)\, food\, and live music. WAG member and pod leader Patsy Murray performed on two different stages with her voice and violin. \nOur next book sale will take place at the Downtown Arts Festival\, November 5-6. Don’t miss the fun! Mark your calendar now. \n  \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/book-sale-32nd-annual-art-festival-thornebrook/
LOCATION:Thornebrook Village\,  2441 NW 43rd Street\, Gainesville\, 32606
CATEGORIES:Book Sale
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/poster-2016.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160911T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160911T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095347
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:20160910T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160910T163000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20160831T174320Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164426Z
UID:5320-1473501600-1473525000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Local Author Showcase
DESCRIPTION:The Alachua County Library invited WAG authors to participate in their “Local Author Showcase” held at the Headquarters Library in downtown Gainesville. WAG members Stephen Smitherman and Sandra Gail Lambert were among the five authors who spoke about their books during in the morning session\, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. WAG members Hugh E. (Eddie) Suggs\, Susie Baxter\, Terri Depue\, Sandra “Lee” Phillips\, and Richard Gartee made up most of the roster in the afternoon session\, 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. A book signing followed each session.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/local-author-showcase/
LOCATION:FL
CATEGORIES:Book Sale,Book Signing,Panel Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/LASflier-768x994-cropped.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160807T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160807T163000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
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:20260620T095348
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:20260620T095348
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160519T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160519T200000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20160426T033115Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T030812Z
UID:4213-1463680800-1463688000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Scribes of the Sunshine State
DESCRIPTION:The Matheson History Museum and the Writers Alliance of Gainesville (WAG) teamed up to present the second “Scribes of the Sunshine State” program. Four distinguished authors — Mary Wood Bridgman\, Jack E. Davis\, Kate Dupes Hawk\, and Darlene Marshall — shared how Florida inspired their writing. See their bios below. \nThis program was held in conjunction with the museum’s April – June\, 2016\, exhibition: “Liquid Gold: The Rise and Fall of Florida Citrus.” \nWAG furnished refreshments\, and a book signing followed the program. \nMary Wood Bridgman\, a lawyer and former corporate executive\, resides on the shores of Kingsley Lake in Clay County. Her professional writing has appeared in national\, regional\, and local publications\, from Chicken Soup for the Soul to The Bradford County Telegraph. Mary has won honors from Writer’s Digest\, the Florida Writers’ Association\, and the Sandhills Writers’ Conference. She has taught writing courses at the University of North Florida and has frequently contributed to public radio (WJCT 89.9 FM in Jacksonville). She currently contributes to Our Town magazine and serves as Managing Editor for Bacopa Literary Review\, published annually by WAG. \nJack E. Davis has taught history at the university level for nearly two decades. In 2002-2003\, he taught on a Fulbright award at the University of Jordan in Amman. He is now a professor of history at the University of Florida\, where his work focuses on U.S. environmental history. Davis prefers to write for an intellectually curious reader rather than an academic audience. His Race Against Time: Culture and Separation in Natchez Since 1930 won the Charles S. Sydnor Prize for the outstanding book in southern history for 2001. An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century\, Davis’s latest book\, received the gold medal for best nonfiction in the Florida Book Awards. Two Charlie Awards — first place for best feature writing and for best in-depth reporting — from the Florida Magazine Association recognized his 2011 article on the Gulf of Mexico\, the subject of his next book. \nKate Dupes Hawk wrote Florida and the Mariel Boatlift of 1980\, which won the 2015 Stetson Kennedy Award from the Florida Historical Society. The 1980 Mariel Boatlift was a profound episode in twentieth-century American history\, impacting not just Florida\, but the entire country. During the first twenty days of the boatlift\, with little support from the federal government\, the state of Florida coordinated and responded to the sudden arrival in Key West of more than thirty thousand Cuban refugees\, the first wave of immigrants who became known as “Marielitos.” Hawk has also developed three museums for the Florida National Guard Historical Foundation and was awarded the Commander’s Award for Civilian Service medal for her work on the Camp Blanding\, Florida\, Museum of World War II. \nDarlene Marshall writes award-winning stories of romance and adventure\, featuring pirates\, privateers\, smugglers and the occasional possum. She lives in North Florida and loves being a writer because her work wardrobe is shorts\, sandals and tropical shirts with flamingos. The best days are when she puts the convertible top down and cruises over to the beach to do research.The Pirate’s Secret Baby won the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers and the Readers’ Choice Award from New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA). Castaway Dreams won the Aspen Gold Reader’s Choice Award\, and Florida-set The Bride and The Buccaneer received the First Coast Romance Writers Beacon Award for best historical. Her books are available in print\, ebook format\, Kindle editions\, and also in German and Estonian editions.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/scribes-of-the-sunshine-state/
LOCATION:Matheson History Museum\, 513 E University Avenue\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Panel Discussion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/matheson-history-museum.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160515T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160515T160000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20160426T041320Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T110108Z
UID:4217-1463322600-1463328000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Outlining the Book or Novel You Want to Write
DESCRIPTION:Three published authors\, Darlene Marshall\, Wendy Thornton\, and Larry Brasington\, discussed their outlining and writing styles. A book signing followed the program and Q&A. \n\nDarlene Marshall writes award-winning stories of romance and adventure\, featuring pirates\, privateers\, smugglers and the occasional possum. She lives in North Florida and loves being a writer because her work wardrobe is shorts\, sandals and tropical shirts with flamingos. The best days are when she puts the convertible top down and cruises over to the beach to do research. The Pirate’s Secret Baby won the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers and the Readers’ Choice Award from New England Chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA). Castaway Dreams won the Aspen Gold Reader’s Choice Award\, and Florida-set The Bride and The Buccaneer received the First Coast Romance Writers Beacon Award for best historical. Her books are available in print\, ebook format\, Kindle editions\, and in German and Estonian editions. \n\nWendy Thornton is a freelance writer and editor who has been published inRiverteeth\, Epiphany\, MacGuffin and many other literary journals and books. Her memoir\, Dear Oprah Or How I Beat Cancer and Learned to Love Daytime TV\, was published in July 2013 and is available on Amazon and Kindle. Her mystery\,Bear-Trapped: In a Trashy Hollywood Novel\, was published in February 2015 and is available on Amazon and Kindle. She has won many awards for her work including most recently\, second prize in New York’s Literal Latte essay contest. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize\, and has been Editor’s Pick on Salon.com multiple times. Her work is published in England\, Scotland\, Australia\, and India. \n\nLarry Brasington likes to write stories with lots of action and strong story line. He most enjoys his Shane Ireland\, Elf Detective series set in a world in which a quarter of the human race has mutated. He first published stories in 1972: “Temple in the Swamp” and “The Valley\,” an H. P. Lovecraft-like tale. Many of his short stories have been featured in www.powdermonkey.biz\, an online magazine for gamers. His latest book is Saving Sonya\, a fantasy novel. Among his other novels are Alien Madness\, Brandenburgers: Invasion of Russia (alternative history of World War 2)\, Nell’s Tavern (an alien invasion on a backwater planet)\, and Beyond the Wall (historical novel 169 AD); all are available on Amazon\, Barnes and Noble online\, or Smashwords.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/outlining-the-book-or-novel-you-want-to-write/
LOCATION:Millhopper Library\, Meeting Room A\, 3145 NW 43rd St\,\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32606\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Panel Discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160410T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160410T143000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
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
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160319T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160319T170000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20160215T014140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164427Z
UID:3774-1458378000-1458406800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Book Sale at Kanapaha Spring Garden Festival
DESCRIPTION:WAG authors displayed and sold their books at this festival\, Gainesville’s premier horticultural event\, which features about 170 booths offering plants\, garden accessories\, arts and crafts\, educational exhibits\, food — and now — books. The festival ran for two days: \nMarch 19 (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)\nMarch 20 (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM) \nA big thanks to Gene Cowell\, who headed up WAG’s festival committee\, and to WAG authors who worked in the booth\, selling books and passing out brochures about Writers Alliance.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/book-sale-at-kanapaha-spring-garden-festival/
LOCATION:FL
CATEGORIES:Book Sale
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160313T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160313T143000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
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:FL
CATEGORIES:Speaker
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160305T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160305T150000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20151212T190410Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160627T040940Z
UID:3592-1457168400-1457190000@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:WAG's Writers in the Woods
DESCRIPTION:Forty writers attended WAG’s first workshop/retreat\, held at Skipper Hammond’s rural homestead on the Gainesville side of Williston. \nWorkshop topics included publishing\, e-books\, poetry\, marketing\, blogging\, freelance writing\, and submitting to the 2016 Bacopa Literary Review. \nThe cost to WAG members was $15. Attendees enjoyed morning coffee\, donut holes\, and a boxed lunch. Art Crummer and Jeff Shapiro provided entertainment. \nFollowing the day-long program\, Skipper led attendees on a walking tour of her  110-acre spread in old Florida country. What a fun educational day! \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/wags-writers-woods/
LOCATION:FL
CATEGORIES:Retreat
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160207T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160207T143000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
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
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20160124
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20160125
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20151212T191516Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20160701T175533Z
UID:3597-1453593600-1453679999@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:WAG Gets HIPP
DESCRIPTION:The Hippodrome Theater invited the Writers Alliance of Gainesville (WAG) to host a panel discussion on January 24\, immediately following the matinee performance of Collected Stories\, a play\, by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies\, \n\n“This is probably Margulies’ best play to date…” -- NY Post \n\n“Fluid and lively\, the play is thick with ideas\, like a \n stockpot of good stew.” -- Village Voice \n\nThis play is a riveting and emotionally charged exploration of the intersection of friendship and creative freedom: In a walk-up apartment in Greenwich Village\, a distinguished professor of creative writing reluctantly agrees to mentor an ambitious student\, and over the course of six years\, the two women are led to question\, Who owns the story of your life? \nFollowing the matinee performance on January 24\, four WAG members — Larry Brasington\, Richard Gartee\, Kimberley Mullins\, and Wendy Thornton (see bios below) — discussed with audience members where they get ideas and to what extent the stories around them influence what they put on the page. \nBy way of thanks for WAG’s participation in this event\, the Hippodrome offered all WAG members substantially discounted tickets to the play. A number of WAG members attended and joined in the panel discussion. \nLarry Brasington’s Temple in the Swamp\, an H. P. Lovecraft-like tale\, published in 1968. To date Brasington has published five novels: Alien Madness (science fiction)\, Unholy War: the Brandenburgers—Russia 41 (alternative history)\, Beyond the Wall (historical adventure)\, Nell’s Tavern (science fiction)\, and Saving Sonya (fantasy). In addition he has a series of fantasy mystery stories in the noir-tradition. Brasington has been a judge for the Florida Writers Association Mystery contest\, and he is actively involved with the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. \nRichard Gartee is a poet\, novelist\, and full-time author. He has had seven college textbooks and five collections of his poetry published. His first novel\, Lancelot’s Grail\, was published in 2013\, and he has since completed two more novels that await publication. Gartee is a member of Writers Alliance of Gainesville\, and Florida Writers Association. \nKimberley E. Mullins is a Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor in Gainesville\, FL. Her first poetry piece\, “My One Last Cent\,” was published in Amistad in 2007. She has published a book of poetry\, Thinking Aloud: Dimensions of free-verse\, and a fiction novel\, The Friends and Family Connection: Get Unplugged. Her novel In the Company of Strangers released in early 2016. She was a winner of the NanoWrimo 2015 completing just over 50\,000 words in 30 days. In addition to writing poetry\, Mullins has participated in spoken-word venues in Urban Grind\, Atlanta\, GA; Busboys and Poets in Washington\, D.C.; and at the Thomas Center\, Gainesville\, FL. \nWendy Thornton is a freelance writer and editor published in Riverteeth\, Epiphany\, MacGuffin and many other literary journals and books. Her memoir\, Dear Oprah Or How I Beat Cancer and Learned to Love Daytime TV\, was published in July 2013. Her mystery novel\, Bear-Trapped: In a Trashy Hollywood Novel\, was published in February\, 2015. Thornton has won many awards for her work including most recently\, second prize in New York’s Literal Latte essay contest. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize\, has been Editor’s Pick on Salon.com\, and is published in England\, Scotland\, Australia and India. \n  \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/wag-gets-hipp/
LOCATION:The Hippodrome State Theater\, 25 SE 2nd Place\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32601
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20160110T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20160110T143000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
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
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20151114T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20151115T170000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20150907T235205Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220306T164427Z
UID:3232-1447495200-1447606800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Gainesville Downtown Festival and Art Show
DESCRIPTION:(By Joan Carter)\n\nThe Writers Alliance participated in the 2015 Gainesville Downtown Festival and Art Show. For two beautiful fall days\, WAG members manned WAG’s booth on a prime corner in front of the Hippodrome to sell each others’ books. The festival was huge\, covering blocks and blocks of displays selling the works of over 240 artists to probably 100\,000 attendees. \nSunday afternoon\, member George Huber demonstrated his skill as a carnival barker and former WAG president Art Crummer played his guitar and sang\, attracting passers-by to WAG’s display. Dozens of festival-goers stopped to learn about WAG and took flyers\, bookmarks\, and handouts home for future reference. Thirty-six books\, priced at special festival prices by WAG authors to facilitate making change\, were sold at the festival. \n  \nWendy Thornton\, Art Crummer\, and Bonnie Ogle man WAG booth Sunday afternoon.
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/gainesville-downtown-festival-and-art-show/
LOCATION:Downtown Gainesville\, 111 East University Ave\, Gainesville\, FL\, 32627\, United States
CATEGORIES:Book Sale
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20151110T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20151110T200000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20150925T163339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170926T191100Z
UID:3329-1447180200-1447185600@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:Community Outreach: Becoming a Writer
DESCRIPTION:(By Susie Baxter)\nWAG members Art Crummer and Karen Porter presented a program entitled “Becoming a Writer” to a small group of emerging writers at the High Springs Branch of the Alachua County Library on November 10. \nCrummer\, past president of the Writers Alliance and an award-winning musician\, said he interwove real life anecdotes with fictional events to create Wrestling God\, The All True Misadventures of an Elkin\, N.C. Boy\, the first novel of his trilogy Fixing Things. He discussed how he created a unique voice for each character through word choice and the importance of editing to eliminate unnecessary words. \nPorter\, author of several children’s books\, explained how she and her daughter work together on the books\, including the artwork\, and how the concept came about for What to do When You Get the Bejeebers Scared Out of You. One day while driving\, Porter exclaimed that another driver almost scared the bejeebers out of her. Her young daughter replied\, “Mommie\, what’s a bejeeber?” and the idea for the book was born. \nFollowing their talks\, the authors answered audience questions\, which focused on e-book publishing\, blogging\, and establishing a platform. \nIf you are interested in participating in community outreach programs such as this\, contact the WAG president or a member of the WAG Board. \n  \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/becoming-a-writer/
LOCATION:FL
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussion
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20151108T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20151108T143000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
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
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20151011T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20151011T143000
DTSTAMP:20260620T095348
CREATED:20150408T074842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170926T191405Z
UID:454-1444573800-1444573800@writersalliance.org
SUMMARY:National Novel Writing Month
DESCRIPTION:by Connie Morrison\nA panel of three NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) winners held a packed audience captive as they shared their former participation in this 30-day\, 50\,000-word novel-writing challenge. The National Novel Writing Month takes place internationally every November\, encouraging writing and creativity around the world. Winners are those who complete their novels in the one month. \nGail Carr\, a youth services librarian at Headquarters Library in Gainesville and a three-year winner of NaNoWriMo\, took off last year for time to become a grandmother. Her supportive husband Archie\, her first grandchild\, and a Chihuahua named Pedro keep her busy now\, but not too busy to write. \nShe feels creating is crucial to her life. Others – 325\,142 of them last year – share that view as that number signed up for the challenge; 58\,917 hit their goal of writing a 50\,000-word draft novel in 30 days. \nGail told how published authors offer frequent pep talks delivered to the participant’s NaNoMail inbox throughout November. She came prepared with pompoms and got the audience cheering as she shared some past gems. This year Diana Gabaldon\, Charlaine Harris\, N. K. Jemisin\, Gene Luen Yang and Stephanie Perkins\, all well-known authors of diverse genres\, will offer their encouragement throughout the month of writing. \nAdditionally last year\, 803 volunteer liaisons on six continents gave their time and encouragement\, and 849 book stores\, libraries\, and community centers opened their doors to NaNoWriMo writers. \nGail admitted that as a slow\, careful\, technical writer she had not enjoyed writing. Then she met Jennifer\, who encouraged her to join NaNoWriMo\, and learned to write fast and carefree\, with no editing and no agonizing. She experienced a burst in her self-confidence helped by the pep talks. \nJennifer Kinser\, a Tower Road librarian and graduate of Florida State\, is this year’s local NaNoWriMo municipal liaison (ML). She gets encouragement from her 22-year-old tuxedo cat named Sylvester. In 2010\, she joined the challenge on a whim after being encouraged by a friend. She was working and going to grad school\, but the energy of others brought her to the finish line. She emphasized that not reaching the 50\,000-word goal would not be the end of the world. Just writing makes you a winner. \nJennifer gave us a NaNoWriMo website tour from sign-up to forum participation and beyond. She encouraged everyone to create an account and look at the site\, getting familiar with it ahead of time. Individual writing is usually done on personal software\, then copied and pasted to the NaNoWriMo site for word counts. Writing can be in any genre\, but only new writing should be used toward the 50\,000 word count. \nThe writing schedule is 1\,667 words per day to reach the 50\,000 word mark.  Typos don’t matter. The NaNoWriMo site can lead you through the challenge – it’s a warehouse of information. Under the heading “Regions/Local Volunteers\,” you can find and contact your municipal liaison (Jennifer) whose job it is to set up write-ins and meet-ups for encouragement. Most first timers are especially interested in the “NaNo Prep” page\, found under “Inspiration.” \nWinning is hitting the 50\,000 words\, but by creating an account\, which is free\, you are not required to do anything else. At the least\, you can get acquainted with the site\, and any writing you do is more than you would have done\, a plus in itself. \nAudience members wondered: Why November? The answer was that November includes holidays – the long Thanksgiving Day weekend plus Veterans’ Day. It all started in 1999. The audience got to hear the NaNoWriMo song presented in a YouTube video\, \nHannah E. O’Neal\, age fifteen and ready to write her fourth novel\, hit the 50\,000-targeted word count her first year\, even though writers seventeen and under can be winners at 10-30\,000 words. After finishing\, Hannah took advantage of a NaNoWriMo coupon from Createspace for two free published copies of her novel. The coupon was time sensitive and gave her the needed incentive. She encourages everyone to give it a try. \nAudience members inquired about the writers’ schedules. During the month of November\, Gail stated she did not do dishes\, leaving the table immediately after dinner to write for however long it took to reach the daily word count of 1\,667. If necessary\, she devoted more time on weekends\, and she declared she always felt energized while writing. \nJennifer\, as liaison\, has write-ins planned for three branches. The information can be found on the library events page for November. Meet-ups are also planned\, at Perkins Restaurant (tentatively) and other places to be announced. \nIn answer to an audience question\, Gail shared what she wrote about the three years she has done NaNoWriMo. In 2011\, she did no planning and wrote personally about child abuse and bullying. It was cathartic for her. In 2012\, she planned ahead with an outline\, writing about the library’s role as a social service agency. She hasn’t shared those manuscripts. In 2013\, she tried fiction\, futuristic sci-fi on the theme of bullying and slavery\, using a short outline. She confided this manuscript was aging like a nice cheese on the shelf. \nHannah admitted that at first she was a pantser – a seat-of-the-pants writer – with two characters as protagonists\, finally coming up with an antagonist as she was writing. Interaction dictated her scenes. Later she began to outline. \nEveryone was again encouraged to register\, even if in November. The experience would be invaluable. Someone questioned about the organization asking for donations on the NaNoWriMo site. All three panelists emphatically declared the site was free with donations made only by those who felt compelled and able. They insisted that sharing the NaNoWriMo information was just as important as a donation. \nGail reminded the audience that local authors are encouraged to donate their books to Alachua County Libraries so they may be made available to patrons. A special sticker indicating the author is local is applied to the spine. Headquarters has its own local author section. Please contact the library if you are interested in having your book on the shelf. \nAnd if you don’t have a book\, sign up for NaNoWriMo and write one. \n 
URL:https://writersalliance.org/event/national-novel-writing-month/
LOCATION:FL
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussion
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