Saturday morning at the Florida Writers Association annual conference found me starting off the workshops with a talk on “Book Promotion on a Budget.” Next I attended Penny Sansevieri’s presentation, “Help! My Book Isn’t Selling.” A buffet lunch followed with barbecue chicken and accompaniments. Awards were given to youth writers. After lunch, I had … Read more
This was my first time attending the Florida Writers Association annual conference. The theme was “What A Character.” I didn’t attend the Thursday all-day workshop with bestselling author David Morrell, but I did hear him speak later on. Instead, I checked into the hotel and went to faculty orientation followed by a general welcome for … Read more
I had a wonderful time at #RWA17, the Romance Writers of America national conference. The site rotates each year, and this time it relocated to Orlando, Florida at a hotel not far from our condo there. Thus I commuted to the Dolphin Resort on a daily basis. Sessions began at 8:30 every morning, although I … Read more
Here are notes from some of the workshops I’d attended at Mystery Fest Key West in 2017. Any errors are mine due to my misinterpretation. Friday started off with a talk by a representative from the Bomb Squad. The bomb squad in Monroe County gets about thirty calls a year. Lots of them involve old … Read more
In Getting an Agent – Part 1, we discussed how to find a literary agent. Let’s say you’ve made the connection. Here’s what to do next. Questions to ask a potential agent How many agents and staff work in your agency? How many clients does the agency represent? How many clients do you handle personally? … Read more
How do you get a literary agent? Here are some tips to start your journey from writer to published author. First, complete your manuscript in the proper format. Look online at literary agent sites for submission requirements. Where do you find an agent? Sign up for writers’ conferences with editor/agent appointments. If your group runs … Read more
SleuthFest 2017 was another stellar event held at the Embassy Suites in Boca Raton. This premier mystery writers’ conference is sponsored by the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Third Degree Thursday kicked off the weekend with a bunch of workshops and Dirk Wyle’s Readers’ Corner. That evening, co-chairs Victoria Landis and Joanne Sinchuk … Read more
Fun in the Sun Writers Conference on Independence of the Seas Sponsored by Florida Romance Writers February 16, 2017 As soon as we boarded Independence of the Seas, we headed to lunch in the Windjammer Café. Entrees were tempting. They had the grill with burgers and hot dogs inside here instead of out on the … Read more
Cruise with your Muse aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas. Fun-in-the-Sun Conference sponsored by Florida Romance Writers. Join us to see the beautiful blue seas of Cozumel with Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Hoyt and Special Guest Speaker Michael Hauge. Sail from Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, February 16th, 2017 and return to port on Monday, February … Read more
How to increase suspense in your novel was the topic of a Saturday panel at Sleuthfest. Speakers included Laurence P. O’Bryan, Chris Pavone, Charles Salzberg and Alison McMahan as moderator. What you want to do as a writer is to raise questions in the reader’s mind. You say things, but you don’t explain all of … Read more