Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Tables were laden with all sorts of goodies and treats... Cookies, cakes, pies, finger foods...even champagne and coffee!

Yep. You guessed it! This Wednesday was our Christmas Holiday Party!

 

This is a special day at Sarasota Writers.... We bring our loved ones and introduce them to the other folks who are helping us chase our dreams and pushing us to grow and be better in our writing.

 

The first part of our meeting was spent chatting, hugging, and sharing our best holiday wishes with one another....and then we got down to business.

 

Don Westerfield kicked us off with a Christmas poem he'd written that called to mind warmth, comfort and love.

 

Kitt Crescendo read a poem on behalf of George Collias, author of Myahmuh: a Novel of Miami, Florida and Sandspurs: Limericks by a Native Floridian. I'm posting it below for the enjoyment of those from the group who weren't able to be there to appreciate his playful wittiness.

 

The Night Before Christmas (with apologies to Clement Moore)

 

'Twas the night before Christmas and at the Nokomis F.D.
All the writers were stirring, except maybe me.

 

I had over-eggnogged it before the meeting,
And at the moment my head was taking a beating.

 

We had all ordered pizza as energy for the night,
And the growling of stomachs had grown to its height.

 

Kitt began speaking, I think about IMAX,

Or it could have been something that sounded like climax?

 

Peter had a new book and he gave a great talk,

I knew if I had to follow him I'd just have to walk.

 

JoAnne read some good stuff about sailing and boats,

I roused myself and began taking illegible notes.

 

When from the parking lot we heard a noise so shrill,

Had the pizza guy's car hit my Honda Fit's grill?

 

Then there crashed through the door a man who, for some reason,

Was dressed all in red - was Dominos observing the season?

 

Over his shoulder this bearded guy had a huge sack,

There was surely enough pizza there to feed our whole pack.

 

George shouted "Food!" and tackled the guy,

Rod ripped his bag open and yelled, "Where is the pie?"

 

We all crowded over him, looking for eats,

Any pizza would do whether vegetarian or meats.

 

We found dolls and trucks, zombies and plastic pheasants,

But there was no food inside, only lots of crummy presents.

 

Then the man in red bellowed, "I'm not the pizza guy with yummies!

Don't you know Santa Claus when you see him, you dummies?"

 

We were astonished and pleaded, "We're sorry!" and more,

But dragging his bag, he stormed through the door.

 

We saw him mount a sleigh and yell, "Go!" to his deer,

Then they all flew away - let me tell you, that was queer.

 

We were sure he'd be back with toy trains and fudge,

For Santa's not known for holding a grudge.

 

But we heard him exclaim as he clutched his torn cap,

"If you think I'll be back next year, you're all full of crap."

 

Megan Brown was back from college and read a peace she'd written for the holiday. Although it was untitled, it was definitely full of the Christmas spirit: Peace, the Christmas Tree and what it symbolizes, celebration, joy and gifts. It really was quite lovely.

 

Ernie Ovitz took us to his newest Work In Progress, a sequel to The Seventh King. In this piece we are introduced to Nicholas, Bishop of Myre. He's been teaching the young children of the Roman empire. He's looking on as they play, enjoying their innocence and joy...and very concerned about what lies ahead. Why was this appropriate for Christmas time? Because that Bishop later becomes Saint Nicholas.... We all thought it was a really cool historical tie to the night.

 

 

Jim Kelly, author of From The Ember and the Place shared some of the poetry from the 5th grade class at Englewood Elementary where he spends some time helping to draw out the out-of-the-box thinkers and poets in the fertile minds of the younger generation. Their work under his guiding hand is truly impressive.

 

 

Beth Rice, author of I'm Adopted, I'm Special and Animal Tales blog, made a triumphant return to our group after a several week hiatus. She announced that one of her pieces had been published in the Florida Writers Association's official publication, The Florida Writer! If you have a subscription, you'll find her poem (untitled) on page 33.

 

 

Author of Adventures of a Sea Hag, JoAnne Phillips, shared a poem she wrote entitled "My Perfect Man." This poem talked about the fact that the perfect man isn't always perfect in appearances, but in the way he treats her, the respect he shows her...and all the other intangibles that matter so much in a long termed relationship. It was quite romantic in the way that true unconditional love can be.

 

Kerri Dieffenwierth made the fantastic announcement that she'll be teaching at State College of Florida where she'll have the opportunity to create her own curriculum to inspire and teach in composition. We know she's going to be a rock star. (Some of us maybe even mentioned coming to sit in on her classes...)

After much discussion about our next meeting, we decided to forego our first meeting in January as everyone would rather be celebrating New Years Day watching football or enjoying family. We will reconvene on Wednesday, January 15, 2014.

 

Happy New Year, Everyone!



Congratulations Peter Frickel

Sarasota Writers Group member Peter Frickel's long awaited books are now available as eBooks on Amazon! “My Frog Sings,” may be found at http://amzn.to/NqqMgb and “Lotha and the Three Crosses” at http://amzn.to/Kt0CFk.

A synopsis of each work can be found on each Amazon page, as well as ordering information.

Our Congratulations to Peter!

My Frog Sings: Synopsis

“When change comes it brings an end. The past is replaced.
A new beginning rises: for some there is sunshine, for many the shadow of hopelessness, feelings of being unwanted and unloved.

For me only a buried past could open my gate; that is when I started to gather a garden piece by piece. There, I found a world that shared the weight of memories, spoke of a cure for each ill, showed the difference between imagination and reality. My emotions were comforted, my hurts accommodated.

I learned the demands of each season: they gave, they nurtured and taught me a new way. I became a provider, found new horizons, learned to stand alone on the platform of a new begining. Strengthened, I readied my new start–remembered salty tears that dried in the sunshine of time–discovered desires come before dreams and that intuition is the real guide.

Most of all I found I was something of value; that I could love again, deeply. Let me share this with you.”

Lotha and the Three Crosses” synopsis

“Do you know that Lotha is one of the most honored of men by God the Father for building the tomb for His son Jesus and given by Joseph of Aramathea.

When Lotha offered to carry Jesus’ cross what did Jesus do for him?
What did he tell Lotha to do? I learnt that answer from monks and priests who live in the mountains of Abyssinia.

You ask, what happened to the three wooden Crosses after the crucifixion.
I know.

Then the great mystery of the stone that sealed the tomb of Jesus. What happened to it?It just did not disappear. Do you know how the Romans unknowingly participated? I tell the true story of how today that stone still cures thousands of believers and pilgrims.

Do you know, in Europe wherever the Virgin Mary has appeared, parts of the great stone are buried exactly on the spot of her apparition?
It is because of the presence of that piece of stone believers and pilgrims who visit are cured of their ills and torments.
Many are converted. Many experience miracles.

After centuries there is one place remaining, still undiscovered, where the last of the stone is buried. It is where the Virgin Mary is still to visit. What a wondrous thought.

It’s area is known to me. I plan to to go there soon, in and about the Pyrenees.
Explore in the same manner, walk, walk as I walked the length and breadth of Africa, the Middle East and Europe for two years.
How long? I do not know. Yes, I will write for you and you can read of my great feelings and discoveries and the places I search.

Experience speaks of a lonely journey.”

Barringer Publications accepting manuscripts from members

Jeff Schlesinger, Publisher, Barringer Publications, has announced to the Sarasota Writers Group they are currently accepting manuscripts in all genres,  a very unique opportunity for our authors.  Please contact Jeff at js@barringerpublishing.com for more details, or please check their website at:

http://www.barringerpublishing.com/

Johazel Publishing Company will open its first writing contest June 1, 2012.

Chris Coad Taylor, a member of the FWA group in Tampa, has announced the Johazel Publishing Company will open its first writing contest June 1, 2012.

"The contest is open to any author in the country.  We will be selecting several authors for inclusion in the publication of a collection of true stories about ordinary women who have shown courage and strength while dealing with tragedy, loss of loved ones, or just the heavy burdens of everyday life.

The collection reveals the stories of the unsung heroines who walk through life without the acknowledgment they so deserve. The working title of the collections is:

Extraordinary Woman Next Door

 The Extraordinary Woman

 For more information go to www.johazelpublishing.com, click on the contest tab, and scroll down to the link, Extraordinary Women Next Door, and click.

A window will open up with information on what the contest is about, details of submissions, and an application form. Four (4) pages total.

The three key things to remember for the submissions are:

1. Entry stories have to be true and about a living woman. 
2. You must have her permission (signed wavier to publish her story) 
3. A picture (jpeg of the woman of your story) must be available for publishing. 

I am excited about the publication because my vision is not just to publish a collection of beautiful stories of extraordinary woman, but for the book to be aesthetically beautiful as well. Printed with the stories will be original artwork of flowers sprinkled between the pages. Flowers will represent the emotions and qualities of the women. For example, the Gladiolus represents strength of character and the Jasmine presents grace and elegance.

Extraordinary Woman Next Door will mix the literary and art world in one publication. I hope your members will be as excited about this inspiring project as I am and will submit their writing entry for consideration. If you can announce this contest at your next meeting, newsletters, and later on add a few reminder announcements it will be greatly appreciated.

The contest is open from June 1 through September 30, 2012. Estimated publish date: Spring 2013. Word count maximum: 3500.

Details may be found on my web site: www.johazelpublishing.com
For questions, entrants should check the website contest pages or use our contest email address cctaylorcreations@hotmail.com."

Chris Coad Taylor

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

We welcomed Peter and Barbara Frickel back after an extended absence, and we also welcomed guest George Worl to our first meeting in May. After the usual pre-meeting “catch-up” session, we began with Rod DiGruttolo once again holding the proverbial gavel.

Rod took a collection we donate semi-annually to the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department as a thank you for the use of their facilities for our meeting room. We ask everyone who would like to contribute to donate $5.00, and this evening we collected $65 as several members were more than generous with their donations. The Fire Chief will address the group at our next meeting, May 16^th, and we will present him with the donation at that time.

Rod discussed getting published, from short stories and articles to novels, great information for everyone! Again, editing came up as the primary requirement for publication. The dangers of self-editing were discussed as well.

Susan Haley was honored for winning The “Fox and Quill” poetry award. Susan's poems are at: http://foxandquill.com/vol_7_issue_5_page_3.htm. Congratulations, Susan, really beautiful poems.

Speaking of Poetry, Linda Neckel White was selected to read “Fidelis,” by Adelaide Anne Proctor, May 11^th at the Florida Studio Theater. Congratulations, Linda! Linda started the evening by reading “Oh, the Irony!” then read “Fidelis,” just for us.

We also welcomed back Kerri Dieffenwierth who read another piece of her work, “Homemade Rodeos,” with writing that stands alone called “Dearly Beloved.” Great work, social commentary intertwined with reflections of an old, past Florida. (I have in my notes: “discussion – champagne.” Means great discussion and review.)

We welcomed Peter back who did not fail us. He announced his work, “My Frog Sings,” will be available on Amazon soon, and then treated us to a piece of his 18 part upcoming work named “Lilies of the Vlei.” This is Peter's third work, and again, we can't wait for more.

For the first time since I've been a member of the group, someone actually asked to read following Peter. Ed Ellis soon showed why by reading his science fiction piece set in 1933 called “Flight to Reality.” The piece was written specifically for, and dedicated to, Peter. Another great piece of writing. Or, was that an illusion of a good story? How long to the stroke of midnight?

After our 8:00pm break, Joanne Phillips regaled us with another chapter of her book, “Memoirs of a Sea Hag.” Once again we sailed away, but this time with a different destination. Ice is nice... The discussions following Joanne's readings are always unique and entertaining.

Don Westerfield again showed his flair with “Bryant Park, from his “dark” file of work. Don is always entertaining, and never fails to add the unexpected to his works.

George read “Places, Everyone!” by Cynthia Mallick from The Florida Writer, the FWA magazine, and we closed the meeting with another nice reading by Peter.

Peter read “Nelly,” proving that friendship is a precious thing to have, even if one of the friends is a dog. Welcome back, Peter.

We wrapped up another great evening, said goodnight and turned out the lights. See everyone Wednesday, May 16th.

George

More...

More on the newly formed Sarasota Editors Association:
Patricia La Barbera mentioned the newly formed Sarasota Editors Group at the last meeting and has now announced their new web page at:
http://www.meetup.com/sarasota-editors-association

“Networking is an important tool for staying current with the publishing industry's standards. Join us to help sharpen your editing skills and share your knowledge. We'll have monthly lunch meetings at various Sarasota restaurants. Editors, guests, and those who'd like to learn more about editing are welcome. There's no charge, and the calendar includes our next lunch meeting (March 2 at 1 pm at Shakespeare's Pub in Sarasota). Let me know if you have any questions. Patricia La Barbera, patricialabarbera@live.com

Also...

Russ Heitz, author of Crosshairs, Dying in Deer Country, and Krazy Kritters of Florida, will do a presentation on publishing/uploading ebooks at the next meeting on Feb 15th. Several people at the last meeting seemed very interested in ebooks and Russ has graciously offered to share his expertise and experience.

Also...

The 2012 ROYAL PALM LITERARY AWARD COMPETITION is open for submissions February 15 through June 15, 2012.
The RPLA competition is a service of the Florida Writers Association established to recognize excellence in members' published and unpublished works while providing blind, objective, and constructive written assessments for all entrants. Entry fees are lowest at the beginning of the submission period, so don't delay. Download your entry package at..
http://floridawriters.net/RPLA.html

See you Wednesday, the 15th
George

Fair and Festival Update

Englewood’s Dearborn Street Book Festival is almost here!

DATE: February 18/2012 PLACE: Pioneer Park, W. Dearborn St.

We hope you are planning to participate. Here’s how to reserve a spot:

1. Make your check of $25 to: SUNCOAST WRITERS/BOOK FESTIVAL

2. Send your check to:

DIANA HARRIS

1760 PARKER DRIVE

ENGLEWOOD, FLA. 34223

We are really excited about our book festival drawing near. We feel there is great interest being generated in it. We have gotten good PR so far and will be getting more. This year we will have a large banner across SR # 776 for several days before the festival, thanks to our main sponsor The Englewood SUN. Englewood’s two libraries, Elsie Quirk and Englewood Charlotte, also sponsors, have printed fliers and they have been distributed around town. The Suncoast Writers Guild is sponsoring the Writers Contest. There will be music by “SAX on the Beach.” Cafes are nearby for food take out.

SET UP TIME for the Authors will start at 9 am. The Festival will go from 10 am to 3 pm. Authors will be furnishing their own table/chairs and are free to decorate their tables or space as they wish. Tents are acceptable as we have plenty of room. There will be Porti-Potties in the Park. Leashed dogs are permitted as long as they are picked up after.

LOCATION: PIONEER PARK, is on W. Dearborn Street in the 300 block located between Mango Bistro and the Amherst Train Station shop. You will see a sign saying Book Festival at the front of the Park but please circle the block and enter the rear of the Park from the next street over, GREEN STREET. There will be a volunteer there to direct you. There is ample parking at the rear of the Park. Look for the check-in table and you will be guided to your spot.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to e-mail me (diharris@comcast.net) or call me at (941) 474-5837. See you all soon.

Diana Harris

Venice Book Fair Date Changed

The Venice International Book Fair and Writers Festival has been changed from Feb. 11 to April 7. More information to come.

In Memory of Phil Dobrin

In Memory of Phil Dobrin

As writers we all celebrate the good writing of individuals who attend our writers groups on a regular basis to share their experiences and writing. Phil was exceptional, bringing quality writing and comment to both the Nokomis group and Suncoast Writers.

Phil's book, Adventures of a Surgical Resident, is a must read for anyone interested in the memoir's of a very successful medical doctor. Phil's ability to take very dry subject matter and turn it into a book full of information you should know, in a way the layman can understand. His stories are told well and bring a smile and laugh.

My life has been touched in very special ways knowing Phil. I'm sure yours as well. When I drive home from our meetings from Nokomis and look over and see the car seat empty my mind sees Phil sitting there helping me drive in the dark. I once told him if he sat in the back seat he could see better. The drive home was always interesting with Phil telling me more and more stories. We also had additional conversations about the meeting and Phil helped me see things in a different light and perspective. The secret we kept from our wives was the stop for three taco's and a senior drink.

For some strange reason, Phil stayed slim and trim and I added to my weight. Taco Bell will always remind me of Phil.

Phil left me with a treasure for my personal library, a signed copy of his book.

"With best wishes for a great friend" Phillip.

I know we all miss Phil.

Ed Ellis

Newman Featured In Herald-Tribune

Our own Irv Newman was featured in the December 11, 2009, issue of the Sarasota Herald Tribune with a nearly-half-page spread about his WWII experiences. There's even a picture of a young, muscular Irv toting around a couple training bombs.

Commissioned as a second lieutenant bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress, Irv and his crew were scheduled to go to the European campaign. During his final flight training sessions, however, Irv was hospitalized for an ear problem. As a result, the crew he trained with was sent off to Europe without Irv.

Irv recaptured this series of events in a book he called Courage Never Known. He says, "I was this well-trained individual who never had a gun fired at me face-to-face."

Irv has also published a very humorous and thoughtful memoir called Living on House Money and has read from it at several of our local FWA meetings.

Congratulations, Irv! We hope the newspaper article will bring a pleasant spurt in sales!

Posted by
Russ Heitz

Reading Meeting Update

Our "Reading Meetings" seem to be developing into a small but very committed collection of some of our best and most diverse writers. Each brought and read examples of their own eclectic works. Oddly, there were no poets this time; although there was plenty of poetic and emotion-packed prose.

Peter Frickel, who also brought his wife, Barbara, treated us with the opening segment of a new four-part allegory he is working on. As usual, Peter's prose is nothing short of poetic, even when he is writing about such mundane events as planting seeds, talking with frogs, feeling the wind, and smelling the sun-warmed soil. Peter has the ability to turn each of his many and varied life experiences into a finely wrought piece of art.

Gayle Harpan was a teacher for 30 years in the gnarly, profane, and hope-deprived inner-city area of Detroit. What she shared with us was the opening chapter of her memoir about the highs and lows, the satisfactions and disappointments, and the uplifting rewards that came from those three decades of experience. The opening chapter that she read from is titled "The Interview" and it illustrated both the uncertainty and the determination she felt as she applied for her first teaching position in Detroit. Gayle also writes books for children.

Dewey Steele loves the water and loves being on the water in a sleek and wind-steered sailboat. But there was a time when boating was new to him. It was a time when he didn't know a cleat from a jib, an aft from a starboard. But he was willing and eager to learn. That's what Dewey's story was about: that first thrilling sail up the Intracoastal Waterway. It, too, was a learning experience that probably set his life on a slightly different course. Dewey expects to write a collection of similar stories, all about sailing, and publish them in a book.

Irv Newman shared another one of his humorous and "down-to-earth" observations that he has compiled in a book that is now available for sale. This vignette had to do with funeral directors, and end-of-life decisions. You say that doesn't sound very funny? Well, you really had to be there and hear it for yourself. As an addendum to his essay, Irv also read to us his very appropriate Letter to the Editor that was published by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The letter was a tribute to another noted humorist, Art Buchwald, who died some time ago. You say that doesn't sound funny either? Too bad you missed it.

Ed Ellis has a scientific turn of mind. He feels comfortable talking about Einstein's Theory of Relativity, the speed of light, the inconsistencies of time, and all sorts of other physics-related topics. But Ed, like Dewey, is also a sailor and a water lover. His story about floating in space and time on a bobbing raft just off the beach, however, illustrated a different side of Ed's writing. It also reminded us locals of some of the things we tend to take for granted: the beach, the waves, the fresh air, the blue skies, and the ambiance of the southwest coast of Florida.

Cecile Bell gave us another peek into the book she is working on. It is a labor of love dedicated to her son who was diagnosed with diabetes at an early age. With the help, support, encouragement, and love of Cecile, her son went on to excel in numerous ways, despite the illness. Cecile's reading was a brief but touching and poignant letter that her young son wrote when he first learned of his illness. Cecile hopes her book will help other parents who have children with chronic illnesses.

I brought another flash fiction piece to read but, alas, we ran out of time. For those interested, you can find it at http://www.alongstoryshort.net/. It's the second on the list of flashes and the title is "Star Power." Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks to Peter, Barbara, Gayle, Dewey, Irv, Ed, and Cecile for making our meeting an enjoyable time of sharing.

Posted by
Russ Heitz

Grammar Questions? Ask Grammar Girl

Want to know about capitalization rules? Single quotation marks versus double quote marks? Semicolons? Active versus passive? Serial commas? Subject-verb agreement? Troublesome contractions? Redundancy? Which versus that?

Grammar Girl has the answers for these and many other grammar questions. In fact, http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com has 187 different articles about the tools that all of us need to (or at least SHOULD) know whenever we sit down at the keyboard. Best of all, the articles are available for free. Grammar Girl will also answer any question you send her, if she hasn't already answered that question with an article.

Check it out. You'll definitely learn something. And also send a "Thank You" email to our inhouse expert, John McCafferty (erlangen01@comcast.net). He's the one who found the site and decided to share it with all of us. Thank you, John!

Posted by
Russ Heitz

Self Publishing Conference

The Florida Publishers Association, Inc. will hold its 2009 Publishing Ed-U-Conference on September 26 at the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel on Sarasota's Lido Beach. Speakers include Eric Kampmann, Midpoint Trade Books, who will talk about publishing options; Pam Lontos, who specializes in author public relations and publicity, Frank Gromling, publisher at Ocean Publishing; and Dr. Dennis Fried, publisher at Eiffel Press and a local author who sold his self-published book to Simon & Schuster.

To receive a brochure about this conference and registration information, email Betsy Lampe at FPAbooks@aol.com. Additional information is also available at
www.FLbookpub.org.

Posted by
Russ Heitz

Next Meeting

As Sue said in her last post, she'll be away for awhile so Sharon and I will be trying to fill her shoes till she gets back in October. The first thing I have to do now is remind everyone about our meeting this coming Wednesday night, Sept. 2nd.

This will be our sub-group meeting where we'll be breaking up into small groups. As we did in our first sub-group meeting, we'll continue randomly assigning members to various groups for this meeting, too. Later on, as we get to know each other and the types of writing each of us is interested in, we may switch to a more 'permanent' membership arrangement. That may be especially helpful for those who are working on book-length projects. A more permanent membership in a sub-group would allow for ongoing readings as the book-length project progresses.

In the meantime, those who want to bring something to read for your sub-group, please feel free to do so. You might also want to bring two extra copies for anyone in your group who might have a hearing problem.

Our meeting times will be the same as before. For those who want to come early, we'll have a time for chit-chat from 6:00 to 6:30. The meeting will start promptly at 6:30 and there will be a 15 minute break at 7:30. Those who prefer to leave before dark may leave at anytime. Our meetings will end no later than 9:00.

If you have any questions before then please email me at rlh3738@msn.com. The suggestion box will be on the table at the front of the room. Suggestions and items for discussion are welcome anytime.

See you Wednesday night!

Posted by
Russ Heitz

Writers Versus Scammers

To say the "self publishing" concept is growing rapidly is an understatement. This past year, for instance, more writers than ever before--300,000 in fact!--published their books via the self publishing route. Next year, the numbers will go even higher. And there is no end in sight.

This phenomena was accomplished, for the most part, with the help of the rapidly growing list of "print on demand" (POD) publishers. Incidentally, there are many different terms used for these publishers: subsidy publishers, vanity publishers, self publishers, etc. Regardless of what they call themselves, they all do basically the same thing. If you send them money, they will print up your book. No questions asked.

Reality, however, always rears its head sooner or later. Despite the glowing "sure-fire Best Seller" predictions that some of these publishers make in their advertising--and despite the glowing hopes and dreams of the authors who buy into those lofty projections--most books printed through one of these publishers sells less than 200 copies. Quite often, it is far less than 200 copies. And it is the writer him/herself who has to sell every one of those 200 copies or less.

The number of copies sold, however, is irrelevant to these publishers because they've already made their money from the writer who bought their services.

Sometimes these publishers make a lot of money from those writers. And they do it by requiring the writer to buy 1,000 copies (or more) of his/her own book. They offer the writer a "discount" of course. But even with 20% to 50% knocked off the cover price, the writer in many cases is still required to hand out five to ten thousand dollars up front! In return, the writer receives several large cartons of books that stack nicely in the garage.

It is no small wonder, then, that the self publishing industry has also been infiltrated by countless scam artists whose schemes are casting a wider and wider net to rake in more and more of the writer's money. In fact, there are now so many self publishers out there that no one person can keep track of them all.

Luckily, there are also a number of websites that have dedicated themselves to turning over the rocks under which these vermin live. And they don't just turn over the rocks. These sites also shine a clear bright light on some of their seductive schemes.

One of the most reliable of those clear bright light sites is: http://www.sfwa.org/beware.

So if you're thinking about using one of the zillion or more POD publishers now available for your next (or first) book, research this site before you do anything else. It's loaded with information on a variety of topics, all of which relate to writers and to the wide, diverse, and rapidly growing world of self publishing, and the scams connected thereto.

Posted by
Russ Heitz
http://www.russheitz.com

Walking Home

While you're perusing the current issue of THE PEPPER TREE LITERARY MAGAZINE, don't forget to read Gaile Harpan's story, WALKING HOME. It just might remind you of those carefree days of yesteryear when you walked to school, hand in hand, with your little brother or sister. Yes, I know, I'm showing my age but I can't be the only person in our group who actually walked to school.

Congratulations, Gaile! We'll expect to see more stories in future issues! And don't forget to share some of them with us at our FWA meetings.

(PS: I hope I haven't forgetten any other group member who has a story in the current issue of PEPPER TREE. If I have, I apologize.)

Russ Heitz

Jacuzzi Romance

As most of you know, Ed Layman is the oldest member of our group and we are proud to have him with us. At 97 he is still cranking out story after story. Continuing his tradition of having a story in every single issue of THE PEPPER TREE LITERARY MAGAZINE since its inception, Ed has another one in the August/September issue. THE PEPPER TREE is a free publication that is available at numerous sites around Sarasota County, including the libraries.

Ed's stories always bring a chuckle. His insight into human nature and his clever use of the language assures us of a treat every time we read or hear one of his stories. They are usually quite funny and cleverly written.

The story in the current issue of THE PEPPER TREE, however, is a departure from Ed's usual light-hearted look at the world. As its title suggests, JACUZZI ROMANCE, is a love story about a man and a woman and it is written with a gentle hand and a warm heart. As Ed's stories are wont to do, this one also has a tender little twist at the end.

Pick up a copy of THE PEPPER TREE at the nearest library or one of the other distribution points around the county. JACUZZI ROMANCE is on page 14 of the August/September issue.

After reading it, if you want to send Ed a note about the story his email address is elyman24@comcast.net.

Posted by
Russ Heitz

Reads for the Next Meeting

Don't forget, at the meeting this Wednesday night we'll be splitting into groups and each group can read as many stories as its members agree to. So bring a story if you have one you'd like to read. Each group will also be doing some critiquing of the stories that are being read. Each group member should also make an effort to get to know each other, and the kind of writing each member is most interested in.

For the first meeting, we'll be randomly assigning people to groups. We'll want to keep the groups relatively small, five or six people in each. But that, and the number of groups, will depend on how many people come to this first meeting. This is an experiment so we'll see how it goes. Once we get an idea of how many genres are represented by the various groups, we may be able to divide the groups according to genre, if that seems to be something that most of us want.

Posted by Russ Heitz
www.russheitz.com

Short Stories Wanted!

Hey, all you short story writers! Venice Magazine has a call out for stories up to 2,000 words in length. Go to this address for more info, and do it NOW!

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/wrg/1282308881.html.

Posted by
Russ Heitz
http://www.russheitz.com/

New Venue, New Equipment

Most of the comments we have gotten regarding our new venue at the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department have been positive. It is certainly roomier than our old library digs and we have a lot more flexibility about the number of meetings and the length of our sessions. Hats off to "chief facility negotiator" Howard, and also to his staff.

We quickly decided, however, that one of the few drawbacks of this larger room was the lack of a public address system. This was an especial problem for those of us who are hearing impaired. We have now remedied that issue by purchasing a used public address system which we will now donate to the fire department. That way we can use it for our meetings and the fire department can use it for their weekly training sessions.

Before the purchase, I did some research of the local music stores and sound-related electronics shops, as well as the Internet, regarding prices. What I found was that the price for a new unit that would be appropriate for our purposes would be between $300 and $400. All of the vendors had basically the same prices and the same equipment. Those amounts were more than we as an organization could afford since we don't have membership dues or ways of generating income beyond personal donations. I did, however, find a used public address system at a Sarasota electronics repair shop for $150. After a demonstration, I decided to purchase the equipment using, in part, the additional $75 we have recently collected from most of you. The other $75 came from my own personal funds. Additional contributions for the PA system, from those who can and want to donate, will be accepted at our next two meetings, which will be on August 5th and August 19th. Sharon Baker has volunteered to be our "tax" collector so you can give your donations to her. Thanks, Sharon!

Now, a personal toot of my own horn: one of my flash fiction stories has been accepted by the online ezine LongStoryShort (http://www.longstoryshort.com). The title of my 571-word flash is War. It is scheduled to appear in the September 7th issue. Comments or criticisms are always appreciated.

Posted by
Russ Heitz
http://www.russheitz.com

New Words = New Ideas

As writers, we have a special love for words. All sorts of words. Words that generate all sorts of meanings, colors, shadings, definitions, emotions, and images. If we didn't love words, we probably wouldn't be writers. So it is always exciting to discover new words, unusual words that we can use in our stories and articles.

Thanks to John McCafferty, one of our group's most experienced professional writers, we can now add a whole passel of new and scintillating words to our writing and speaking vocabularies. All we have to do is click on the link listed below and we'll be whisked away to a preview of some of the words that Mirriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition has added to their new collection. Words like:

Acai -- a small, dark purplish fruit from Central and South America

Fan fiction -- stories involving fictional characters that are written up by fans and posted on the Internet

Locovore -- one who eats only foods grown locally

Missalette -- a shortened form of a missal published periodically for congregational use

Webisode -- an episode of a TV show that may or may not be telecast but can be viewed at a Web site

Your homework assigment for this week is to look up the following words and work each of them into at least one conversation every day this week. Piece of cake.

Pharmacogenetics, flash mob, green-collar, reggaeton, shawarma, viog, and naproxen.

We will NOT be grading on a curve. However, all of these words and their definitions can be found on this link. So it is, in effect, an OPEN BOOK QUIZ. This site will also give you the correct audible pronunciation of every word, so you won't have to sound like an illiterate bumpkin every time you use them. The link is:

www.Merriam-Webster.com/info/newwords09.htm.

Good luck on the Quiz!

Posted by
Russ Heitz
www.russheitz.com