November 16 - 10 am - 12 pm - Guest Speaker - William Sudah from Expert Subjects, LLC

Our guest speaker for our November 16 meeting will be William Sudah from Expert Subjects, LLC. He will discuss publishing and distribution.

His company’s services include Book Editing, Book Marketing, Book Distribution, Book Formatting and Conversion, Book Cover Designs, Press Releases and more.  In addition, they provide educational material for authors and will soon be launching a new Workshop Program (for beginner, intermediate and advanced writers).  They offer a Weekly Podcast and Article to discuss writing challenges and provide insight.

For more information about the company, go to http://www.expertsubjects.com/. 

Please join us on Saturday, November 16, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm with lunch afterwards at a nearby restaurant for those interested.

New Guest Speaker for September 21 meeting - Larry Kokko

Mr. Rawls had to reschedule, but we are fortunate to have Larry Kokko as our guest speaker.  He will discuss "Writing as a Process" and "5 Elements of Writing".  Please join us for this informative topic and the opportunity to network with other writers.

Randy Rawls, Guest Speaker, September 21 meeting, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.

Our guest speaker at the September 21 FWA meeting will be Randy Rawls, author of mysteries and thrillers. The topic will be “Writing Experiences A-Z”. He has published several novels including Joseph’s Kidnapping, Jade’s Photos, Jingles Christmas to name a few. His latest book, Best Defense, will be available in stores and as an ebook in November.

John Hammonds is a defense lawyer who has everything. When his five-year-old daughter is kidnapped, the police vow to do whatever is necessary to recover her. Hammonds has other ideas. He demands they step aside and allow Beth Bowman, local Private Investigator, to take the lead. Furthermore, the police must assist her or stay out of her way, whichever she decides. Beth and a bevy of friends know they must move fast and discreetly before the worst can happen.


For more information, go to http://randyrawls.com/.


Please join us at the meeting from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm with lunch at a nearby restaurant afterwards for those interested.  You do not need to be a member of FWA to attend.  Our meetings are open to the public.  We meet at the Barnes & Noble, Carrollwood, at 11802 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa.  We hope to see you there!

August 17 - Guest Speaker - Sandy Huff

Our guest speaker for the August 17 meeting will be Sandy Huff. She will share her insights with us on being an outdoor communicator. Sandy is a freelance photojournalist who has over 1,700 published credits. She is a past president and current Chairman of the Board of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association, and is a member of the PenWomen (NLAPW.org). She holds a Masters degree in Communication UNC-Chapel Hill. She teaches non-fiction and memoir writing, canoeing, sailing, gardening, and campcraft. Her book Paddler's Guide to the Sunshine State has sold over 7,000 copies.

Please join us Saturday, August 17, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.

Guest Speaker - Alex Hinojosa - VP Media Operations - July 20 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

One of the keys to selling your book is marketing. You can have a great book, but it won't sell if no one knows about it.

Please join us Saturday, July 20, for our monthly meeting. Our guest speaker will be Alex Hinojosa - VP of Media Operations . The topic is The Power of Publicity, and will cover getting print and radio interviews, TV appearances, and social networking.

The meeting will be held from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm with lunch at a local restaurant afterwards for those interested in networking with other writers/authors.

Lucy Tobias - Guest Speaker - June 15 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

So, you’ve finished the book, now what? Whether traditional publishing, e books, or print on demand, Lucy brings fresh ideas to selling books.  Since 47 percent of Americans now own some kind of electronic reading device, you’ll want to hear what Lucy has to say.  For more information about Lucy, go to http://www.lucytobias.com. 

Please join us Saturday, June 15, from 10:00 - 12:00 pm for an opportunity to meet other writers/authors and to learn from interesting guest speaker.

Julie Ann Howell of Peppertree Publishing - Guest Speaker - May 18 - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Julie Ann Howell of Peppertree Publishing will discuss publishing in her talk entitled "From Manuscript to Masterpiece". She'll bring packets and door prizes as well.  For more information about Peppertree Publishing, go to http://www.peppertreepublishing.com.

Please join us May 18, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm for an opportunity to meet other writers/authors and to learn from interesting guest speaker.  

Fran Orenstein - Guest Speaker - April 20, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon

Fran Orenstein, author, poet, presenter will be our speaker on Saturday, April 20th from 10:00 -noon at the Carollwood Barnes & Noble on North Dale Mabry. She will address the topic of character development and, as part of the workshop, participants will have an opportunity to create their own character. Fran has written novels for both adults and young adults, and has often remarked: "There are only so many ways to develop a plot, but there are 8 billion ways to develop a character."  For more information about Fran, go to http://www.franorenstein.com/.

Sharon Belcastro - Belcastro Agency

Please join us on Saturday, March 16^th at the Carrollwood Barnes & Noble on N. Dale Mabry from 10:00-noon for an informative and engaging meeting. Our speaker, Sharon Belcastro of the Belcastro Agency, will offer a publishing perspective from the other side of the aisle. A number of our members have expressed interest in the subject of how to sell their manuscripts to a literary agency…or whether it’s worth making the effort at all. Should be fun!

2013 Spring Mini-Conference

The 2013 Spring Mini-Conference will be held Saturday, April 20 from 8:00- 5:00 at the Altamonte Chapel, 825 E. Altamonte Drive (SR 436), Altamonte Springs, Fl. 32701 (outskirts of Orlando). Choices are many: crime writing seminar with Vic DiGenti, 12 other workshops, interviews with agents/acquisition editors, lunch, door prizes etc.

Check website for details: http://www.floridawriters.net/2013_FWA_Conferences.html Unfortunately, it’s the same day as our monthly meeting here at Barnes & Noble when we, too, will have a fascinating speaker.

Madeleine Kuderick

Please join us this coming Saturday, February 16^th, when published author Madeleine Kuderick will share her secrets for translating the ingredients of fiction writing into marketable submissions. Her interactive session will also examine the pitfalls that lead to automatic rejection. As always, 10:00- noon with lunch after. Madeleine has been very well received at previous FWA conferences. Hope to see you Saturday!

Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna Campbell Slan, a published author, has written in several genres since her first novel---Paper, Scissors, Death. She’ll share her techniques with us and address our questions in a one-on-one discussion.