April 2013 Newsletter

Hello, fellow FWA members and guests.

The meeting schedules are included below. I would appreciate some input from the critique members on subjects they would like to cover in upcoming workshops.

I also include other local writing groups and opportunities. Contests, Conferences, Classes and much more.

 

Florida Writer’s Association Manatee

Critique group, bring six to eight copies of up to ten pages Double-spaced

First & third Thursdays, at 6:30 pm, April 4^th, 2013 and April 18^th, 2013

The third Thursday we generally do something a little more advanced, but beginners will benefit from it as well.  We study a style concept each month and then bring work relevant to the concept to that meeting for discussion, followed by a general critique meeting.  All other meetings are critiques.

First & Third Saturdays, at 4 pm, April 6^th, 2013, and April 20^th, 2013

 

For new attendees, you may bring up to ten pages, double-spaced 12 font of your work, fiction or nonfiction. Please have a minimum of 6 copies for Saturday meetings and 8 copies for Thursday meetings.

All meetings are held at Village Voices Gallery, 1010 10th Ave West, Bradenton,

For more information call Dona Lee at 748-6865 or at Dgould497@aol.com

 

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I am going to attempt to keep you all apprised of the other local writing groups, events, conferences, workshops, and contests.  If you are aware of any new groups, please let me know and I will include them.  Now on to the writing news from around the region……

 

Other Local Writing Groups

Local area critique groups and meetings

Upcoming Conferences and Workshops

An online writing blog for Sarasota and Manatee Writers includes all the vast resources available to local writers.  The web address has been changed:

www.FloridaWritersAssociationManatee.com

I hope you check it out and find it useful.  If you know of any other resources please feel free to add them or forward the information to me and I will add them.

There is a similar blog for Pinellas and Hillsborough writing events at:

http://www.marylouihess.com/enews.html

 

Florida Writers Assoc., Sarasota Branch

FWA-Sarasota Chapter

Coordinator: George Mindling

 

FWA Sarasota meets two evenings each month: on the FIRST and THIRD Wednesday.  The training room of the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department is located at the corner of US41 and Pavonia Road.  Pavonia Road is the street that has the flashing emergency lights on US 41 south of Matthews-Currie Ford.  Pavonia is about a quarter mile south of Albee Road.

The FIRST meeting of the month, April 3^rd, 2013 is dedicated to subgroups of various genres.  The members of each subgroup bring stories, poems, articles, or novel chapters for reading and critiquing.  The SECOND meeting of the month, April 17^th, is the general meeting.  A few members read to the entire group and then receive comments and suggestions from the group.  The rest of the general meeting is dedicated to questions, discussions, progress reports, and general information about writing, publishing and marketing.

A half hour of socializing is encouraged for attendees arriving at 6:00.  The regular meetings begin promptly at 6:30 and last until about 9:00.  Come join us on the FIRST and/or THIRD Wednesday of every month.

The leader is George Mindling. He can be contacted at: myakka@embarqmail.com .

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FICTION WRITER’S FORUM

Critique group

6:30pm Second Thursday of the month, April 11^th, 2013

Books-a-Million, Gulf Gate Mall

6:30pm Fourth Thursday of the month, April 25^th, 2013

Books-a-Million, Gulf Gate Mall

Bring ten to fifteen copies of up to ten pages of your fiction.

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Sarasota Fiction Writers

April 2^nd , 2013 (Different Day – TUESDAY)

General Meeting

 

Selby Library Auditorium at 6 pm

Guest Speaker: Suzanne Brockmann, New York Times bestselling author of the Troubleshooters series and a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today), has an acclaimed history of taking readers’ breath away with her novels of hot passion and high adventure. She will discuss how she chose Navy Seals for her fiction world, her new foray into the future—selling e-short stories, and if there’s time about the movie “The Perfect Wedding,” which she wrote, directed and produced, and which premiered at last year’s Sarasota Film Festival.

 

Sarasota Fiction Writers Critique  Meeting

6:30 pm, Wednesday, April 17^th, 2013

Books-a-Million, Gulf Gate Mall

Bring 5 pages of work to read,

At least ten copies, double-spaced, 12 font.

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Screen Writer’s Circle

Meeting place and time for the Screen Writer’s Circle is Tuesday, April 16th, in the Selby Library second floor conference room from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.

We will read and give notes to Pat Mitchell on his latest script, “Yearning for Monsters.” (Note to those who won’t read horror — it’s about monster trucks not hideous creatures.)

For more information and to join the notification list or to join, contact Laurie Stoner at Laurissas@msn.com  Hope to see you there!

 

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Sarasota Authors Connection

 

Sarasota Authors Connection meeting is April 8, 6:15 PM at Fruitville Library. The topic: “Book Covers, What Every Author Should Know.” Ninety percent of book sales are based on the cover, bad cover = no sale. Jane Crick, nationally known artist, will discuss the contracts and the relationship between an artist and author or publisher. Ray Ryder will also speak on finding a template cover on the internet or using your own photo and design.

 

The Authors Connection Radio Show

 

The Authors Connection Radio Show is a one-hour, web radio show and can be heard every Tuesday from 11 AM to 12 PM and repeats on Thursdays from 9 to 10 AM on Radioearnetwork.com. The show consists of interviews with local authors as well as bestselling authors such as Michael Connolly, Tom Corcoran, David Hagberg, Tim Dorsey and others. If you have a book and would like to be interviewed, please contact Susan Klaus, the show director at furryklaus@aol.com

We are pleased to announce that Radio Ear Network now has a listening audience of 10 million in 148 countries worldwide.

Thursday’s– 9 to 10 AM

Authors Connection is taped at the Coffee Loft, 5025 N. Taimiami Trail, a few blocks south of the Ringling Museum on US 41 Circle on the second Wed. of the month.

Authors Connection Radio Show

Guest Speakers

April 2 David Hagberg, N.Y. Times Bestseller

April 9 Liz Coursen & Lucy Hendrick

April 16 Brenda Spalding & Joy Weston

April 23 Susan Kelly, National Bestseller featured on Oprah

April 30 Pat Gussin, No. One Amazon Bestseller

May 7 John Lutz, N Y Times Bestseller & Past Pres. of Mystery Writers of                                                                                                                                                            America

New group

‘Write Your Life Story’

 

Newcomers welcome! Come prepared to read aloud a memory (up to two doubled-spaced pages), or come and just listen.

First Congregational Church, Sarasota, 1031 S. Euclid Ave., off Bahia Vista.

All are welcome.

We meet in Room 9 in the Education Building at 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon:

Thursday, April 4

Thursday, April 11

Thursday, April 18

Thursday, April 25

Thursday, May 2

There is no charge.

Questions? Call or e-mail Lucy Hedrick, 203-561-9590, lucy@lucyhedrick.com)

 

For those writers to our south….

New Writing Group

Peace River Writers

Group Leader: Douglas Houck

Type: Critique and Discussion

Meets: First Saturday of every Month at 9:00 am

Location: Morales Cuban Cafe

321 Taylor Street

Punta Gorda, Florida 33950

Contests

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Ends March 31, 2013

 

 

 

Voice Magazine for Women

 

Calling all WRITERS! Voice Magazine for Women is holding a short story contest to gather stories for WHIMSICAL PETALS, a collection that will be released from Mountain Girl Press. You can check out the rules on Page 22 of the January issue found at www.voicemagazineforwomen.com. (Also, I have cut and pasted the rules below for your convenience. Hope you will all consider entering and please forward this email to all of your writer groups and friends!)

ANNOUNCING OUR 2013 SHORT STORY CONTEST

FROM JAN-CAROL PUBLISHING, INC.

Enter your short story in Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.’s writing contest and maybe your story will be published in the forthcoming Mountain Girl Press story collection, Whimsical Petals in the fall of 2013.

Whether you are an experienced writer or a novice, we are currently soliciting short stories for entry into our new writing contest. Beginning January 1, 2013 and running through June 30, 2013 we will be posting your submitted short stories online at http://www.voicemagazineforwomen.com/ for our readers to read and rank. When the contest ends we will pick the top 10 stories to publish in a new short story collection from Mountain Girl Press titled Whimsical Petals. The new collection will be an addition to our other short story collections titled The Zinnia Tales, Self-Rising Flowers and Christmas Blooms. You may view those collections on our website http://www.jancarolpublishing.com/.

Contest requirements:

1.) The story must be set in the Appalachian mountains and must feature strong Appalachian women, either from the past or contemporary times.

2.) The theme of the story should reflect the Appalachian woman’s humor and grace through adversity.

3.) The length of the story must be no less than 1500 words and no more than 2500.

4.) All stories should include the name, address and daytime telephone number of the author.

5.) All stories may be submitted online at submissions@jancarolpublishing.com and should be accompanied by a $10.00 administrative fee mailed to Voice Magazine for Women, P.O. Box 701, Johnson City, TN, 37605.

6.) Contest will close June 30, 2013. Winners will be notified by a representative of Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.

7.) Stories not fitting the guidelines will not be published online.

Tammy Robinson Smith/Operations Consultant

Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.

Mountain Girl Press~Little Creek Books~Express Editions

PO Box 701

Johnson City, TN 37605

(423) 926-9983

 

 

Nimrod International Journal

35^th annual Nimrod Literary Awards:

The Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry and The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction. The Awards offer first prizes of $2,000 and publication and second prizes of $1,000 and publication, along with a trip to Tulsa to receive the Awards and take part in our annual writing conference. The postmark deadline for this year’s Awards is April 30th, 2013.

The Awards are among the most distinguished literary prizes in the country. Past judges include Stanley Kunitz, Marvin Bell, Mark Doty, Olga Broumas, W. S. Merwin, Denise Levertov, William Stafford, Ron Carlson, Linda Pastan, and John Edgar Wideman. Past winners include Sue Monk Kidd, Diane Glancy, Daniel Lusk, Felicia Ward, Ruth Schwartz, and Gina Ochsner.

One of the oldest “little magazines” in the country, Nimrod has continually published new and extraordinary writers since 1956. We are dedicated to the discovery of new voices in literature, and the Nimrod Literary Awards are a special way to reward talented poets and fiction writers.

For more information about Nimrod, please visit our website at www.utulsa.edu/nimrod.

 

FIRST PLACE: $2,000 and publication

SECOND PLACE: $1,000 and publication

Contest Rules

Contest Begins: January 1, 2012

Postmark Deadline: April 30, 2013

Poetry: 3-10 pages of poetry (one long poem or several short poems).

Fiction: 7,500 words maximum.

No previously published works or works accepted for publication elsewhere. Author’s name must not appear on the manuscript. Include a cover sheet containing major title and subtitles, author’s name, full address, phone & email. “Contest Entry” should be clearly indicated on both the outer envelope and the cover sheet. Manuscripts should be stapled, if possible; if not, please bind with a heavy clip. Manuscripts will not be returned. Nimrod retains the right to publish any submission. Include SASE for results only. If no SASE is sent, no contest results will be sent; however, the results will be posted on Nimrod’s Web site. Submitters must be living in the US by October of 2013 to enter the contest. Winners will also be brought to Tulsa for the Awards Ceremony in October. All finalists will be considered for publication.

Entry/Subscription Fee: $20 includes both entry fee & a one-year subscription (two issues). Each entry must each be accompanied by a $20 fee. Make checks payable to Nimrod.

Send to:

Nimrod Journal                                                           (918)631-3080

Literary Contest–Fiction or Poetry                            www.utulsa.edu/nimrod

The University of Tulsa                                              www.facebook.com/nimrodjournal

800 S. Tucker Dr.

Tulsa, OK 74104

 

$2,500 Awaits Winners of

Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

Writers of short fiction are encouraged to enter the 2013 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. The competition has a thirty-three year history of literary excellence, and its organizers are dedicated to enthusiastically supporting the efforts and talent of emerging writers of short fiction whose voices have yet to be heard. Lorian Hemingway, granddaughter of Nobel laureate Ernest Hemingway, is the author of three critically acclaimed books: Walking into the River, Walk on Water, and A World Turned Over. Ms. Hemingway is the competition’s final judge.

Prizes and Publication:

The first-place winner will receive $1,500 and publication of his or her winning story in Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts. The second – and third-place winners will receive $500 each. Honorable mentions will also be awarded to entrants whose work demonstrates promise. Cutthroat: A Journal of the Arts was founded by editor-in-chief Pamela Uschuk, winner of the 2010 American Book Award for her book Crazy Love: New Poems, and by poet William Pitt Root, Guggenheim Fellow and NEA recipient. The journal contains some of the finest contemporary fiction and poetry in print, and the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition is both proud and grateful to be associated with such a reputable publication.

Eligibility requirements for our 2013 competition are as follows:

What to submit:

* Stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and may not exceed 3,500 words in length. We have extended our word limit for the first time in thirty years to 3,500 words rather than 3,000. There are no theme or genre restrictions. Copyright remains property of the author.

Who may submit:

* The literary competition is open to all U.S. and international writers whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more. Writers who have been published by an online magazine or who have self-published will be considered on an individual basis.

Submission requirements:

* Submissions may be sent via regular mail or submitted online. Please visit our online submissions page for complete instructions regarding online submissions. Writers may submit multiple entries, but each must be accompanied by an entry fee and separate cover sheet. We do accept simultaneous submissions; however, the writer must notify us if a story is accepted for publication or wins an award prior to our July announcements. No entry confirmation will be given unless requested. No SASE is required. * The author’s name should not appear on the story. Our entrants are judged anonymously. Each story must be accompanied by a separate cover sheet with the writer’s name, complete mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, the title of the piece, and the word count. Manuscripts will not be returned. These requirements apply for online submissions as well.

Deadlines and Entry Fees:

* The entry fee is $15 for each story postmarked by May 1, 2013. The late entry fee is $20 for each story postmarked by May 15, 2013. We encourage you to enter by May 1 if at all possible, but please know that your story will still be accepted if you meet the later deadline. Entries postmarked after May 15, 2013 will not be accepted. Entries submitted online after May 15, 2013 will not be accepted. Writers may submit for the 2014 competition beginning May 16, 2013.

How to pay your entry fee:

* Entry fees submitted by mail with their accompanying stories may be paid — in U.S. funds — via a personal check, cashier’s check, or money order. Please make checks payable to LHSSC or The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition. Entry fees for online submissions may be paid with PayPal.

Announcement of Winners and Honorable Mentions:

Winners of our 2013 competition will be announced at the end of July 2013 in Key West, Florida, and posted on our website soon afterward. Only the first-place entrant will be notified personally. All entrants will receive a letter from Lorian Hemingway and a list of winners, either via regular mail or e-mail, by October 1, 2013. All manuscripts and their accompanying entry fees should be sent to The Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition, P.O. Box 993, Key West, FL 33041 or submitted online. For more information, please explore our website or e-mail: shortstorykw <at> gmail <dot> com

 

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Okay, so you think you are smarter than a Fifth grader,

but are you SMART?

The 2013 Sharp writ book awards NOW accepting submissions!

Genres of works accepted by the 2013 Sharp Writ Book Awards:

GENERAL FICTION: Action & Adventure, Graphical Novel, Family, Saga, Historical, Humor, Inspirational, Metaphysicial, Political, Western, and Romance. Other genres may be considered – contact for approval.

MYSTERY: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Sleuths and Crime. Other genres may be considered – contact for approval.

SCIENCE FICTION: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, and Supernatural.

POETRY: All categories of Poetry

GENERAL NON-FICTION: Career, Educational, History, Military, Psychology, Self-Help, and True Crime. Other genres will be considered – contact for approval.

BIOGRAPHY / AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Books that are biographical or autobiographical in nature, including personal memoirs.

YOUNG ADULT: Books specifically targeted at a teen audience. All genres (fiction, non-fiction, etc.) of young adult are placed in this category.

CHILDRENS: Books specifically targeted at a child audience. Examples include picture books or easy readers that combine text and illustrations.

NOTE: Other categories may be opened or categories combined depending on the number of submissions received at the discretion of the SWBA.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION

1. All entries must be in English and, if published, have a publication date of 2010 or later.
2. A separate SWBA 2013 Submission Form must accompany each unique entry (i.e. – 1 per title).
3. Printed Books: 4 printed copies must be submitted by mail.
4. Electronic submission are accepted in the following formats:
   • Electronic Publication (.ePub) – MUST have ISBN assigned
   • Kindle (.prc)
   • MobiPocket Reader (.mobi)
   • Adobe (.pdf)
   • MS Word (.doc)
5. Electronic entries that are LESS THAN 19.9 MB: Email submission form and entry to submissions@book-awards.org
6. Electronic entries that are MORE THAN 19.9 MB: Submit the submission form and a CD containing 4 copies of the entry to the shipping address below.
7. Payment of entry fee may be made by check (made out to A&E SIGs) submitted via mail or by Paypal. Paypal payments may be made directly by clicking here or sent to payments@book-lovers.net. Remember to complete the payment information section on the submission form so payments may be credited to the correct entry.
8. Received a discount code? Click Here to use the web form created specially for entering using a discount code. Payments for discounted entries is required to be submitted via web using a credit card. (Books can be mailed in)

DEADLINES AND ENTRY FEES (subject to change without notice):

Super Early Submission Deadline: April 15th Entry Fee: $40

Early Submission Deadline: June 15th Entry Fee: $50

Regular Submission Deadline: September 15th Entry Fee: $65

Late Submission Deadlline: October 15th Entry Fee: $80

Entry Fees waived through June 15th for books authored by members of recognized High IQ Societies:

*Recognized High IQ Societies: Mensa International, Advanced Elite, Intertel, International Society for Philosophical Inquiry, One-in-a-Thousand Society,  Triple Nine Society, Prometheus Society, Mega Society, Smart Generation Xers, Smart Young Ms, Pure Smarts, Channel IQ, Smart Dancers, Smartyz

What do winners receive?

1. A personalized plaque honoring the achievement

2. Access to 1200+ members of Smart Book Lovers and 5000 members of the Intelligent Expressions Consortium, including a 50 px X 50 px display image of the winning submission on the home page for 3 months.

3. Inclusion in a special category for winners at Smart Book Lover’s online book

store.

4. Opportunity to participate in joint PR activities such as press releases and

winners announcements in prestigious publications.

5. A free review posted on our Intelligent Expressions Blog. The judging panel will

provide the full review; in addition, the winning entity (author/publisher/agent) can

provide their own mini-review (less than 300 words).

6. 30 gold foil labels printed with the words “Sharp Writ Book Awards Winner” which

can be affixed to books. More labels may be purchased.

NOTE: A Category Winner may not be awarded if less than 5 entries are received for the category.

2nd and 3rd place receive:

1. Certificate of Achievement

2. A free review posted on our Intelligent Expressions Blog. The judging panel will

provide the review.

3. 20 gold foil labels printed with the words “Sharp Writ Book Awards Finalist” which

can be affixed to books. More labels may be purchased.

NOTE: 2nd and 3rd places may not be awarded based on overall judges scores at the discretion of the Sharp Writ Book Awards.

 

Finalists will be announced in December, 2013. Winners will be announced by the end of January, 2014.

Ready to submit an entry? Download and entry form in either fillable PDF or MS Word format. Entry form can be mailed with submission OR emailed to submissions@book-awards.org.

 

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Midlife Collage sponsors a weekly contest of midlife short stories. U.S. citizens and legal residents age 40 and older may enter. The Editor selects five stories for publication on their website each week. Readers leave comments and Facebook thumbs-up likes urging the panel of Judges to choose a contest winner. Readers also send the Judges their opinion of the best story on our Closing Arguments page. The contest period is Monday through Sunday noon PT. The first-place story enters the Winner’s Circle and receives a cash prize of $50. Winners of a $50 cash prize are eligible for a $100 contest, which we run quarterly.  ANYONE, worldwide, age 18 or older can comment on the stories in a contest.

www.MidlifeCollage.com

Classes

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Conferences

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Venice Book Fair and Writing Conference

Saturday, April 6, 2013
10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in Historic Downtown Venice.

FREE! Over 30 Author, Publisher and Vendor Booths Including “Books-A-Million!”
Browse our booths for FREE!

All day admission to author readings and workshops is $10.

New York Times Bestselling Author TIM DORSEY

Lisa Daily, David Hagberg, Ward Larsen and James Swain
Daniel Rubin, Kim Cool and many other authors!

Win a chance to pitch YOUR book to “Literary Spa” editor Camille Cline!

FWA 2013 Spring Mini-Conference

Welcome to FWA’s second annual “Birds Nest” mini-conference, featuring Adrian Fogelin as keynoter, Vic DiGenti presenting an all-day workshop on crime writing, and a host of stellar faculty. Spring into an exciting year and take advantage of a bevy of workshops on such topics as mystery writing, poetry, memoir writing, e-publishing, editing, pitching agents, and more. You may also pitch your work to an agent. Lunch is included.
What:                         2013 Spring Mini-Conference

When:                                    Saturday, April 20, 2013
Where: Altamonte Chapel, 825 E. Altamonte Drive (Route 436) in Altamonte Springs

Who:                          Florida Writers’ Association

Cost:                           FWA Member : $59.00                  Non-Member: $79.00

Agent Interviews – booked prior to March 1, 2013: $25.00                                                                   after March 1, 2013: $40.00

Please sign up on-line at http://shop.floridawriters.net/category.sc;jsessionid=1A88BE52C2352EE967B943EA01B474BF.qscstrfrnt02?categoryId=27

Florida Writer’s Association is already planning another amazing conference for you!

The Greatest Writers Conference on Earth 12th Annual Conference

 October 18-20, 2013 10/17/13

For more information, click here!

 

Daddy’s Girls Weekend Conference

A little out of our area but great for a weekend getaway

Daddy’s Girls Weekend, so named for one of Carolyn Haines mystery series characters who’s a dedicated sleuth, is an intimate writers/readers weekend of classes, discussions, and good old fashioned fun. This year, the third annual conference, they feature two NYT bestselling writers, Chris Grabenstein, whose YA novel (written with James Patterson) is garnering national acclaim, and Dean James (writing as Miranda James), whose “cat in the stacks” mysteries are climbing the Times list with each new book. Ms. Haines is launching a new “alter-ego” with THE DARKLING, a gothic chiller by R.B. Chesterton. All genres are honored and classes on poetry writing and short fiction will be presented as well.

Editors and agents will be accessible to all attendees. This year Debbie Carter from Muse Literary Agency and Mallory Kass from Scholastic Books are special guests. Debbie Carter is not only looking for mystery and young adult authors, but is interested in memoir, non-fiction, and literary fiction. Mallory Kass specializes in young adult fiction.

Dates are April 5-7 (there is no finer time to see Mobile, Alabama with her frilly foliage and pleasant temperatures) at the Battle House Hotel. This is a recently renovated showcase hotel in the heart of downtown. (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mobbr-the-battle-house-renaissance-mobile-hotel-and-spa/)

DG Weekend is designed for all who love books. Some attendees are professional writers, some are just getting started, and some are readers who want to know more about their favorite characters. Love of books and reading is what brings us all together.

And then there are the Big Daddy candidates who will tempt you with lies and promises to get your vote (they are, after all, politicians).

Come and join them for a writers’ gathering focused on learning and sharing, with a little spice of fun.

For more information, check out our website: www.daddysgirlsweekend.com, or write to dgweekend@gmail.com to request a brochure. You may also call Sarah Bewley, the conference administrator – 917-226-2588.

 

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Marketing Options:

 

•           For writers who have already published their books there are a few local marketing options you should consider.

•           The first is Susan Klaus’ radio show, “The Author’s Connection”. “The Authors Connection” Radio Show is a one-hour, web radio show and can be heard every Tuesday from 11 AM to 12 PM and repeats on Thursdays from 9 to 10 AM on Radioearnetwork.com. The show consists of interviews with local authors as well as best-selling authors such as Michael Connolly, Tom Corcoran, David Hagberg, Tim Dorsey and others. If you have a book and would like to be interviewed, please contact Susan Klaus, the show director at furryklaus@aol.com

They are pleased to announce that Radio Ear Network now has a listening audience of 10 million in 142 countries worldwide.

Due to the closing of Circle Books, the Authors Connection is now being taped at the Coffee Loft, 5025 N. Tamiami Trail, a few blocks south of the Ringling Museum on US 41 Circle on the second Wed. of the month.

 

And then there is local author and publisher E. P. “Ned” Burke is hosting a Web site, Sarasota Authors Showcase, Sarasota.Authors.Showcase@gmail.com , on which local authors can post info about their books. The service is free. Send bio information along with the title of your book (s) and the book’s URL sales page address on Amazon.com or another location to authorepburke@gmail.com.

Burke also invites submissions and free subscriptions to his online magazines: www.theperspiringwriter.comand www.yesterdaysmagazette.com. See guidelines on site.

 

Of Writing Interest

* * * *

Children’s Literary Event

April 6^th, 2013 Children’s Authors will be reading, signing, and selling their books throughout the Village of the Arts in Bradenton from noon until 3pm. Wander through the Village Gardens open for their annual Garden Walk and listen in as authors entertain our future readers, writers, and leaders. After checking out the events in the Village, hop on the free trolley and travel over to the Heritage Seafood Festival, check out the award winning Riverwalk, and listen to the free concert.

For more info contact Dona Lee:  DGould497@aol.com or call 941 748-6865

The Peppertree Press Bookstore has opened their doors.

Julie Ann Howell advised:  “Just a few short years ago when the first seed was planted here at The Pepper Tree as a literary magazine which is dedicated to writers and illustrators in our fi ne community. Then another seed was planted a short while after, which took root when Peppertree Press became an independent book publishing company, offering to publish manuscripts for writers from all over the globe. Now we offer over 500 titles, published in all genres—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, educational, children, inspirational, religious, self-help and even coffee-table style books. Dreams are coming true for those aspiring writers each and every day. Now it is only fitting that Peppertree comes full circle and plants just one more seed.

We will be opening our very own bookstore, yes indeed, a bookstore offering that personal touch to our community and Peppertree Press authors who have published their books with us. The Peppertree Press Bookstore shelves will be filled with titles of books we have published here at Peppertree Press since fruition in 2006. In addition, we will feature many creations from local artisans, such as artwork, notecards, pottery, jewelry, and stained glass.

Our grand opening took place January 26th and we look forward to welcoming you into our cozy retreat set next door to our endearing office in downtown Sarasota at the corner of Cocoanut and Palm Avenue. We are very excited to be planning many book launches, events, lectures, book signings and fundraisers dedicated to our authors and their awesome work.

* * * *

Running Out of Ink.

 

We are a new webzine that just launched its third issue on the 1st January at

www.runningoutofink.com. We accept short stories of all genres as variety is going to be a focus of our webzine – no story too short, no plot too off the wall as we counter balance it with other stories within the issue. The only rules are that the story is previously unpublished

and under 2500 words.

We don’t yet pay our writers unfortunately, but feel this is a fantastic opportunity for new writers to gain a voice and experienced writers to add to their CV. One thing that does pull us apart from other markets and may make your followers keen is that we are interested in having recurring writers throughout our issues, so if we really like you

we will request you back. This can really help in building a following for writers as readers from the site will go on to see Joe Bloggs’ latest story and knowing that they consistently enjoy them, they may look elsewhere to see what he’s done.

Submissions are emailed to: submit@runningoutofink.com.

We are located in Scotland but have a worldwide readership with an especially large US base. We seek a range of short stories, aiming to create an eclectic mix in each issue, but it is only fiction we accept for the time being. We want to build a magazine that unites all fiction lovers without prejudice, quality is the only issue and our Facebook fans are already responding
to this. Judging from Facebook, our readership is both male and female (though a higher emphasis on female readers), and ranges from mid-twenties to retirement age, though most our readers are in their forties or fifties.
It’s early days, but we currently receive just under 1000 views a month, mainly from the UK and US, but a decent sized base in Australia and Canada and regular views in Greece and France.
In the future we plan on expanding the site to have a separate section for our recurring writers with 3 stories or more on the site. These pages will have an extended biography advertising how else to read work from them as well as links to each of their stories, and a photo if the writer wishes. Other plans include future competitions and possible an E-book compilation somewhere down the line. The webzine is completely free to read, just go to the current or past issues and click on the cover to view the stories.

Amy Kinmond

Senior Editor

Running out of Ink

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Leodegraunce (http://www.leodegraunce.com), founded in 2010, is a site for quality flash fiction funded entirely by its owner, author and editor Jolie du Pre. Every author is paid for their work. Jolie also has an associate editor on staff who she pays once a month. Jolie is hoping to keep Leodegraunce online for 2013. All donations are greatly appreciated to keep Jolie’s labor of love up and running for 2013!

 

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Local author and publisher E. P. “Ned” Burke is hosting a Web site, Sarasota Authors Showcase, Sarasota.Authors.Showcase@gmail.com , on which local authors can post info about their books. The service is free. Send bio information along with the title of your book (s) and the book’s URL sales page address on Amazon.com or another location to authorepburke@gmail.com.

Burke also invites submissions and free subscriptions to his online magazines: www.theperspiringwriter.comand www.yesterdaysmagazette.com. See guidelines on site.

 

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GATORS AND GLADES
A Gathering Places for Florida Writers

On January 1, 2012, a new resource and reference for Florida writers debuted entitled

Gators and Glades.
This blog celebrates creative writers living, working or writing about the great state of Florida. The blog is in beta test now; readers are able to access and read the blog immediately. We encourage your recommendations and ideas while we are in beta.

Gators and Glades publish new writing related articles every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Tweets are added daily.

We invite individual writers and group leaders to contact us with news, features, events and other information of value to the Florida writing community.

Writers — if you are about to release a title, have a magazine article or other publishing news, please share with a short posting (under 400 words) with the key information on who, what, when, where and how.  We cannot guarantee every submission will be posted, but we will try.

Florida Publications — if you are seeking submissions for fiction, non-fiction, and/or poetry, let us know.  If you have writing guidelines, we’ll link them or offer as PDFs.

Reader comments are always welcome.

Guest writers are encouraged to submit their own blog entries to broaden interest in creative writing, share insights, knowledge and references.

The site offers several resources, such as Community Chatter, Events, Florida Writer’s Group Directory, Links & Blogs and other resources.
A Twitter feed brings a wide spectrum of tweets and retweets on writing, publishing and other content of interest to writers.

Visit www.GatorsAndGlades.wordpress.com to visit the blog.
Follow @GatorsAndGlades on Twitter to connect to our tweets.
Find us on Facebook at Gators and Glades Writers Group .

Email us at GatorsAndGlades@gmail.com .

Writer’s Retreats

Blue Mountain Beach, FL

We’d like to invite your members to apply for a spot at our upcoming March writing retreat in Blue Mountain Beach, FL.

Our domestic retreats are designed to provide the writer with both solitude and time to create. We strive to bring together like-minded people in a communal space where encouragement and inspiration abounds.

No one leaves our retreats unchanged, and always, the work gets done. Many times, much more than expected. Authors, poets, writers of all genres are welcome, in any phase of their work.

We also offer international workshops. All are by application only, with limited attendees.

Please visit our website for more information. http://writebythewater.com/

Write By The Water: retreats designed to let your writing flow.

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/writebythewater

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Kames Castle, Isle of Bute, Scotland

We are a small, Scottish estate on the Isle of Bute. We are family owned and this is where we live and work. Currently, our 20-acre estate offers several cottages to guests who wish to holiday here and sample the slow pace of island life.

Given the private nature of our grounds, we find that more and more of our guests choose Kames Castle as a retreat to convalesce, find peace of mind or to escape from the rigours of modern life. This is a very special place. There is no noise pollution, the air is pure and the scenery stunning. Our medieval keep stands central to the grounds and all our cottages are old and stone-built. For the epitome of peace, we have a 2-acre Georgian walled garden which offers a haven of tranquillity and beauty.

Those who wish to retreat to write or paint; to find their muse in the most congenial of surroundings, would be welcome to come to our home and live alongside us in a place where the old principles of community spirit still exist.

Currently, our guests choose Kames Castle because of the privacy they enjoy. With automated gates by the Gate Lodge entrance, we are surrounded on two sides by the original castle moat which has flowed for centuries. Kames Castle keep is over 650 years old and stands as it was originally built; a fine example of medieval architecture.

We write to you now, as we feel we would be the perfect venue for those who seek this sort of rare atmosphere in which to find inner peace and allow natural impetus to shine through.

We ourselves, and our family, live very quietly here by choice, and know that like-minded people would also enjoy our way of life too.

Please take a look at our website- www.kamescastlecottages.co.uk and at the attached image.

We would very much like to be contacted by you. Please bear in mind that we would offer a bespoke arrangement, less structured than by our holiday guests, where we could offer something tailored particularly to the needs of your group.

We are certain that this is a place where you would lose yourselves in the history of Kames Castle and feel the slow pace of life slowly seep into your very being. A glass of chilled white wine in the walled garden could help this along the way!

Please contact us via e-mail; we would love to hear from you.

Stuart & Lesley Scott and family,

Kames Castle, Isle of Bute, Argyll, Scotland.

 

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As the Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, I am delighted to announce that the MVICW is now open for registration and financial aid applications for the 2013 Summer Writing Program. A detailed description of the 2013 Summer Writing Program, along with registration and scholarship application information is available at our website http://mvicw.com/

This year we have an amazing faculty line-up, including award-winning authors and poets, Michael Martone, Rebecca Gayle Howell, Phong Nguyen, Christopher Citro, and Keith Leonard. The Summer Writing Program will run from July 7th-12th on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

The MVICW was founded in order to give writers the opportunity to develop their craft among established authors. The Institute offers a comprehensive week-long focus on writing, providing writers with the necessary time to devote to their art. Each summer, the institute invites published authors and poets, literary journal editors, and university creative writing faculty from around the country to lead writing workshops, work one-on-one with individuals, and provide the necessary tips and tools for editing and publishing their work.

I hope you will join us this summer on the Vineyard!

Sincerely,

Alexander Weinstein: Program Director

The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing

Website: http://mvicw.com

Email: mvicwdirector@gmail.com

Telephone: 954-242-2903

 

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Self-Promotion Page

I host a weekly show on Radioearnetwork every Thursday at 2pm called Culture Coast. I interview musicians and artists on alternating weeks. Check it out online at Radioearnetwork.com, 2 pm on Thursday. Help my numbers improve by listening in while you learn about local musicians and artists and their exhibitions and appearances in our area.

At the book gallery, Village Voices, we are celebrating the launch of a few new books. In April we are hosting the Children’s Literary Event. Stop in and meet local authors who have published children’s books. Village Voices offers books written exclusively by Florida residents, as well as some unique gifts for people who already have everything. Please join us for the celebration onApril 6^th from 11 am until 2pm. There will be a free trolley between the Village of the Arts, the Heritage Seafood Festival, Riverwalk, Farmer’s Market, and the city parking garage.

And I can’t forget to promote the book we worked so tirelessly on. If you have finished or are close to finishing your manuscript, it would behoove you to buy a copy of my book, Published! A Complete Guide to Nontraditional Publishing.

The book helps every writer decide whether to follow the path to traditional publishing, use a subsidy, or self-publish, and if the decision is subsidy or self-publishing, how to choose the best option for your manuscript. It includes sections on editing, formatting, and marketing as well.

With this research under my belt, I have been selected to teach Publishing 101 at State College starting in October. If you are interested in taking the course, please sign up online. More information is in the section on Classes. If you know any other writers contemplating self or subsidy publishing, please tell them about the class, it is designed to save them money. Lots of money.

I am also presenting “Intro to Publishing,” a one hour discussion on publishing choices and the opportunity e-books present to the new author, at two local libraries in April. I will be presenting the workshop at the Manatee Central Library on Saturday, April 13, at 3 pm. And then again at the Manatee Island Library on Tuesday, April 23^rd, 2013 at 2 pm. There is no charge, books will be available for sale after the workshop.

For more information on any of the above feel free to contact me at DGould497@aol.com .

That’s it for this month!

“Writers Helping Writers”

Dona Lee

Florida Writer’s Association Manatee group leader