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February
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Prize-Winning
Plays Will Be Performed at Tampa Writers Alliance Meeting February 4
Readers’
theatre performances of the four winning scripts in the Tampa Writers
Alliance 2003 Writing Contest will be presented at the next Tampa
Writers Alliance meeting, Wednesday, February 4, at 7 p.m. in the John
F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa. The public is invited
to attend free of charge.
Winners
are (first prize) Richard Aellen, “Writer’s Block”; (second
prize) Marc Yacht, “She’s on the Bus”; (third prize) Denis Patrick
O’Connor, “Best Tent”; and (honorable mention) Warner Conarton,
“The Bloody Pin.”
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March
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Staci
Backauskas helped TWA members and guests understand why
"every writer needs an editor."
The
March meeting was held in the Children's/Adult Fiction Section of
the Library instead of our usual space in the Auditorium.
Karen
McKinney, who became President when Bill Penrose's stepped down
for health reasons, turned the gavel over to incoming President
Jim Chaplin. |
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NEW
OFFICERS TAKE OVER
Writing
Teacher Staci
Backauskas to Discuss
‘Editing’ at Tampa Writers Alliance March 3
Writing teacher extraordinaire Staci Backauskas will discuss
"Editing" on Wednesday, March 3, at the monthly Tampa Writers
Alliance meeting in the John F.
Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa. (The meeting will be held in the Children's/Adult
Fiction Section, not as usual in the Auditorium.) The
public is invited to attend free of charge.
Owner of Triple Moon
Productions, Backauskas is a writer and consultant with nearly 20 years of
experience in marketing, advertising, training, and small business. She
has written seven books, as well as articles for numerous national and
local publications, including American Profile, Imprint, Entrepreneur
Start-Ups, and The Carrollwood News. She has been widely
published on the Internet as well, and currently teaches creative writing
for Life Enrichment Center in Tampa.
Backauskas is the
author of “Desiree's Dream Job—A Career Transition Fable” and
“Desiree's Dream Kit—A Practical Guide for
Intentional Career Transition.” She is also the author of a novel, The
Fifth Goddess, which details a woman’s journey toward
self-acceptance, examining what happens when we refuse to confront the
pain in our lives
In addition,
Backauskas is the founder of The Follow Your Bliss Foundation, a
non-profit organization distributing scholarships and providing a support
network to those living their dreams. Ten percent of all monies earned by
Triple Moon Productions go to the foundation.
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TWA's
new Treasurer is
Frank Cáceres (second from left).
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April
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Three Performance Poets Appear
at Tampa Writers Alliance on April 7
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Poets
(from left) Melissa Fair, Rhonda J. Nelson, and Stasja McFadyen
at Tampa
Writers Alliance meeting April 7, 2004
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Rhonda J. Nelson
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Three
of the busiest performance poets in Tampa Bay will give their takes on
poetry vs. performance poetry vs. the spoken word on Wednesday, April 7,
at 7 p.m. at the monthly Tampa Writers Alliance meeting in the
Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr., As
members of Irritable Tribe of Poets, a Tampa-based collective of
instrumentalists and spoken-word artists, they will include examples
of their performances with Irritable Tribe of Poets on CD and/or video. The
public is invited to attend free of charge.
Appearing
will be Rhonda J. Nelson, Stazja McFadyen, and Melissa Fair. The three
will share not only their poetry but their thoughts on how to write for
spoken word/performance venues, where to go to do it, who's doing it, what
works and what doesn’t, and who's coming to hear it.
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The
poets know whereof they speak.
Rhonda
J. Nelson is the creative director/lead poet for Irritable Tribe of
Poets and winner of Writers Exchange 2000, sponsored by Poets &
Writers, Inc. (NY). She was a Florida Division of Cultural Affairs Fellow
for the year 2000-2001 and a two-time recipient of the Hillsborough County
Arts Council Emerging Artist award, as well as a recent Individual Artist
Grant. Collections of her work include: The Undertow (Rattapallax
Press, 2001) and Shadows & Light (Tampa Bay Review Press,
1991). Nelson also has two audio collections on CD:
Empty Town, original poems set to music, and Live at the
St. Marks Poetry Project. Additionally,
she is featured on Vital Signs: Primal Sessions, and has a cut
included on an upcoming Southeastern Music Alliance compilation.
Nelson’s
poems have been published in such journals as Slipstream, The
Panhandler, Survivor Magazine, Asheville Review, Apalachee Review, The
Pedestal Magazine, Book of Hope, The Dexter Review, New CollAge, and
Sandhill Review.
Stazja
McFadyen's poetry has been published in anthologies, journals, and
magazines in the U.S., Canada, England, and Australia. Her poem
"Flirting With Crawfish” won the 1998 Christina Sergeyevna
Award. A book of her poems, Garland, was published by PoetWorks
Press in 2002, and her solo spoken word CD, Business As Usual, won
a 2002 Golden Headset Award. As a spoken word artist, McFadyen has read
her poetry on radio stations in Irvine, CA, Austin, TX, BBC Bristol (UK),
and Tampa. She has also performed at festivals and spoken word venues
throughout the United States and England. In the Tampa area, her
performances have included the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
"Weary Blues" program, St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading
at Eckerd College, the release of Vital Signs: The Primal Sessions
compilation CD at the Gold Dragon Gallery, Confessions in Poetry showcase
at the Globe Coffee Lounge in St. Petersburg, and a Frida Kahlo tribute
reading at Viva la Frida restaurant and gallery in Tampa.
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Melissa Fair
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Since
1997, McFadyen has published the Map of Austin Poetry e-newsletter,
which is funded by Austin International Poetry Festival and distributed to
approximately 1,000 readers in 12 countries. She also publishes Best of
MAP Featured Poetry chapbook anthology series. As a poetry e-newsletterist,
she was an invited panelist at the 2000 Texas Book Festival.
After moving to Clearwater in 2001, McFadyen began publishing the
weekly PoEmPath e-newsletter for the Tampa Bay area. For two years,
she hosted monthly poetry slams in St. Petersburg and she currently
co-hosts with Rhonda J. Nelson the Palabra Loca monthly reading series at
Viva la Frida.
Poet Melissa Fair's work has
been published in the British journal, X, and will appear in
forthcoming issues of the Appalachee Review, Kalliope, and Mind
Purge. As a performance
poet, Fair has appeared at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Skipper's
Smokehouse, and the State Theater, opening for Jim Carroll. She also
appears on the CD Vital Signs: The Primal Sessions, and
performs with Rhonda J. Nelson under the name "The Po-Its" with
a variety of.musicians at benefit events sponsored by WMNF radio.
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May
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Humor
Writer Dennis Fried to Discuss Writing and Publishing at Tampa Writers
Alliance May 5
Florida humor
writer Dennis Fried, Ph.D., will discuss his humorous books and his
independent publishing firm, Eiffel Press, on Wednesday, May 5, at 7 p.m.
at the monthly Tampa Writers Alliance meeting in the Auditorium of
the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr. The public is invited
to attend free of charge.
Memoirs of A Papillon: The Canine Guide to Living with
Humans without Going Mad, purports to have been written by Fried’s
tiny brown and white papillon, Genevieve, who may accompany him to the
meeting. Calling Genevieve’s Memoirs “the funniest book ever
written by a dog,” Fried advises, “Read this book before your dog
does.”
“Wonderfully witty,” enthused Pet Times in 2000.
“…a must for all dog lovers….”
“I got so jealous of Genevieve's success,” says Fried,
“that I wrote my own book, which just came out. A Tongue in the Sink:
The Harrowing Adventures of a Baby Boomer Childhood is a humorous look
at growing up in a small town in the 1950s, with reflections on the
changing nature of childhood and on aging (besides ‘ugh’).”
Fried has published both books through his Eiffel Press and
has done all promotion, marketing, and other chores. “I've learned a lot
about publishing and its challenges,” he says, adding, “I'll speaking
about the history of both books, why I decided to self-publish, the
challenges involved, and the economics of book selling.”
Holding
advanced degrees in physics and philosophy, Fried says he has “been
laughed out of numerous careers, including college teaching, marketing,
advertising, software development, and stand-up comedy.” He lives in
Sarasota with his wife, Katrina, and his “trainer,” Genevieve.
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June
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
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Motivational Speech Scheduled for
Tampa Writers Alliance Meeting Wednesday, June 2
"Throw Your Heart over the Bar," a motivational presentation showing
how individuals can use their gifts, including writing, to bring about the
changes they want, will be presented by Tampa writer, teacher, and speaker
Sandra Kischuk on Wednesday, June 2, at 7 p.m. at the monthly Tampa
Writers Alliance meeting in the
Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr. The
public is invited to attend free of charge.
Kischuk, who has had multiple sclerosis for over 26 years, uses real-life
examples to show the difference each person can make. At various times,
she has been blind, paralyzed, numb from the rib cage down, unable to
walk, unable to talk, and had no balance.
At one time, her neurologist told her she would never walk normally
again. Nevertheless, she
dances.
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Sandra
Kischuk addresses TWA |
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She also writes.
Kischuk writes résumés for Superior Writing and has been published
statewide and nationally. Her
first novel is currently with a New York agent.
Last year, she won first place in fiction in the Tampa Writers
Alliance annual writing contest, and she has won numerous awards in fine
arts. In addition, she has written many speeches, including one for the
Indiana Lieutenant Governor.
As an artist, Kischuk had a scholarship in fine arts at Indiana
University and did courtroom art for a CBS affiliate, along with technical
writing, advertising copy writing, and architectural rendering. A licensed
life insurance agent and a certified project manager, she holds an
Associate Degree in Interior Design, a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Business Administration, a Master of Science Degree in Management
Information Systems, and a Masters Certificate in Project Management.
Kischuk’s newest career is as a coach and motivational speaker. She has
been a coach for the past 18 months, teaches classes for Baywinds, is
scheduled to teach with the Suncoast Girl Scouts, and is an executive
coach at the University of Tampa. She
has been the featured speaker at the Transitioning Professionals of Tampa
Bay, Business Network International, the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce,
and Aston Gardens. Her coaching newsletter is distributed to over 1,000
people weekly, and information about her coaching activities is available
on her website, www.LivingBeyondLimits.com.
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July
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Warner
Conarton explains the "Drama Circle," which
he developed to help writers add drama and suspense
into their fiction, based on the famous Karpman
Drama Triangle. His presentation was given at the
July 7 Tampa Writers Alliance meeting |
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Increasing Drama and Suspense Is Topic of
Tampa Writers Alliance Meeting July 7
"Doctor Karpman's Magic Formula for Drama and Suspense" will be
the title of Zephyrhills-based writer and writing coach Warner
Conarton’s presentation to the Tampa Writers Alliance on Wednesday, July
7. The group’s monthly meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in
the Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr.
The public is invited to attend free
of charge.
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According to Conarton, who is coordinator of the
twice-monthly Tampa Writers Alliance Critique Group, understanding a
common pattern which runs through many relationships can help writers
build drama and suspense. Called the Karpman Drama Triangle, the pattern
is based on the work of California psychiatrist Stephen B. Karpman, M.D.,
Ph.D. It holds that one individual often rescues another from his or her
responsibilities, then feels victimized and persecutes the rescued person.
One observer has described the “dysfunctional dance” of persecutor,
rescuer, and victim, as “so sneaky and ambiguous that it is sometimes
very hard to recognize and acknowledge."
Conarton
has had advanced training in Transactional Analysis (which includes the
Karpman Drama Triangle as a key concept) and is a Certified Practitioner
of Neural Linguistic Programming (NLP), an advanced system of
psychotherapy. He also studied psychology and creative writing at Michigan
State University. Currently still in contact with Dr. Karpman, Conarton is
the creator of the “Drama Circle,” which he developed to make the
triangle more useful to writers.
A
former staff writer for the Miami-Dade County New Bureau where he set
several records for articles picked up by newspapers and magazines
internationally, Conarton was the coordinator of Scriptwriter's Roundtable
at Barnes & Noble on South Dale Mabry in Tampa for two years and was
thrice president of Lansing (Michigan) Writers.
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August
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Writing and Selling One-Liners Is Topic of
Tampa Writers Alliance Meeting on Wednesday, August 4
"Novelty Writing — or Don't Give Me a Byline, Just Send Me a
Check" will be the subject of a presentation by former newspaper
reporter and columnist Sasha Tomey at the monthly meeting of the Tampa
Writers Alliance on Wednesday, August 4, at 7 p.m. in
the Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr.
The public is invited to attend free
of charge.
“Somebody wrote the
bumper sticker that made you smile this morning. Another somebody wrote
the cute line on your favorite coffee cup.
If you're the queen or king of one-liners, there's money to be made
in the novelty writing market,” says Tomey, who began writing one-liners
for greeting cards and novelty buttons in the early 1980’s. “For a
woman with two babies at home and very little writing time, it was the
perfect writing job,” she says, adding, “Best of all, it brought
checks to my mailbox, and oh, I do love receiving checks!”
The Tampa resident and
Tampa Writers Alliance member will explain how to ease into the novelty
writing market, giving examples of ideas that sell and describing some of
the pitfalls.
When her children grew
older, Tomey says “by some amazing cosmic miracle I managed to parlay my
greeting card writing into newspaper reporting. Within a few weeks,” she
recalls, “my editor decided I was just the type of person (totally loopy
and living a wild and crazy life) who should be writing a weekly
column.”
For nine years, Tomey
was a reporter and columnist — first, for three newspapers in
Virginia, then for a military newspaper on Guam. In 1998, she began
writing for confession magazines. Her most recent story, "I Killed
for Thrills," will be in the October issue of True Love
magazine.
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September
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Tampa Writers Alliance to Hear About
Detective Work at September 1 Meeting
An insider’s look at police detective work will be offered by Tampa
Police Detective Chuck Massucci at the monthly meeting of the Tampa
Writers Alliance on Wednesday, September 1, at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr.
The public is invited to attend
free of charge.
Talks by crime
specialists have been among the Tampa Writers Alliance’s most
successful programs in recent years, popular with both mystery writers
and writers in other genres. Massucci’s wife, Julie, also a Tampa
police detective, has previously addressed the group.
Massucci has been a
member of the Tampa Police Department for 15 years and a detective for
nearly six years and has had major experience with the Narcotics Bureau.
He worked with the QUAD Squad for six years and with the Federal
Narcotics Task Force for four years. Operating undercover during this
10-year period, he worked on several cases that involved wire taps,
national distribution groups, and international suppliers. Since June of
2003, he has been assigned to the Homicide Bureau where, as he puts it,
“I have gained extensive experience in the investigation of death!”
Massucci holds a
bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in history
from the University of South Florida.
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October
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
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Tampa
Writers Alliance Plans
"An Informal Members Night"
at October 6 Meeting
At
right TWA member Martha McIntosh of Tampa reads from a manuscript
for children
sharing memories of a Depression-era childhood. Below, visitor
Debbin Smith of Clearwater reads her poem "I Dance to Life.
"Other contributors included President Jim Chapin, Vice
President Sandra Kischuk, Joan Strauman, and Warner Conarton. |
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"An Informal Members Night" at the monthly meeting of the Tampa
Writers Alliance on Wednesday, October 6, will offer an opportunity for
anyone who wishes to take the floor and do whatever he or she would like
to do...i.e., read their poetry, discuss the state of TWA, pass
on to others something they have learned or heard about, conduct
quizzes, tell jokes, socialize and get to know one another. The
meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr.
The public is invited to attend free
of charge.
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November
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Kevin
Astl to Explain "Why Does A Writer Need A Lawyer?"
on November 3 at Tampa
Writers Alliance
Entertainment attorney Kevin D. Astl of Wesley Chapel will discuss legal
issues for writers in a talk on "Why Does A Writer Need A
Lawyer?" at the monthly meeting of the Tampa Writers Alliance on
Wednesday, November 3. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the
Auditorium of the John F. Germany Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr. The
public is invited to attend free of charge.
A graduate of the University of South Florida, Astl earned his a law
degree from Mercer University in Macon, GA. He specializes in music
industry law; however, his practice includes many areas of entertainment
law, including film and television. He also works as a writers’ agent.
His talk will cover what he does as an agent, what happens when a writer
is presented with a contract, and other ways an attorney assists writers.
His wife is writer Cathie Astl, member-at-large on the Tampa Writers
Alliance Executive Committee.
A
frequent speaker at professional meetings, Astl has appeared several times
on WTVT-FOX 13’s, “Ask-A-Lawyer,” a televised, on-air
question-and-answer session, and on radio call-in shows.
In addition to his legal
practice, he is a musician, songwriter, and drummer. He is a member of
various legal associations, as well as the National Academy of Recording
Arts & Sciences (NARAS); the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP); and the
Florida Motion Picture & Television Association (FMPTA), where he
serves as a member of the Board of Directors and legal advisor to the
Tampa Chapter,
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December
2004
TWA PROGRAM ARCHIVES
Popular Florida Novelist Tim Dorsey to Speak at
Tampa Writers Alliance Meeting December 1
“Vulgar, violent and gaudier than sunsets on the Keys,” says the New
York Times about best-selling Tampa novelist Tim Dorsey’s books, while
the Chicago Tribune discovers in Dorsey’s hilarious Florida tales
“…some of the most wacky villains and situations since Hiaasen stuck a
plastic alligator down a stranger’s throat.” In February, a seventh
Dorsey novel, Torpedo Juice, is scheduled for publication, and the
author will discuss his new book and his writing career at the monthly
meeting of the Tampa Writers Alliance on Wednesday, December 1. The
meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium of the John F. Germany
Main Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr. The public is invited to attend free of
charge.
A lifelong Floridian, Dorsey is a former Tampa Tribune reporter who left
the paper in 1999 to write full time. His outrageously funny crime novels
include, in order of appearance, Florida Roadkill. Hammerhead Ranch
Hotel, Orange Crush, Triggerfish Twist, Stingray Shuffle, and
Cadillac Beach. However, the story chronology does not follow the book
publication chronology, Dorsey explains, which is way “dead people show
up in the later books.” Dorsey’s novels have been published in five
countries, and he now writes a monthly column, “At Bay,” for Tampa
Bay Illustrated magazine. Dorsey lives in Tampa with his wife and two
daughters.
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