| GENERAL PROGRAMS 2009 |
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PROGRAMS |
2009 |
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January 2009 Wednesday, January 7January’s guest speaker was Andy Bowen. Mr. Bowen has recently completed a children’s Christmas book: The story of a talking Christmas tree, A Tree’s Christmas is a limited edition children’s book that will make a meaningful, lasting gift for the young ones in your life. Personally autographed by the author, Andy Bowen, the numbered 2008 commemorative edition is available only online at www.atreeschristmas.com. At $9.95, the gold-leaf embossed hardback is a true Christmas value. Visit www.atreeschristmas.com to buy yours today. Back to Top February 2009 Wednesday, February 4February’s general meeting featured readings from the 2008 TWA Contest entries. The readings were performed by members of the Carrollwood Players. It was a great time to hear the scripts in action by these talented actors. We look forward to having them back again next year! Maybe YOUR script will presented live by the Carrollwood Players, only if you enter our annual writing contest. (www.carrollwoodplayers.com). Back to Top March 2009 Wednesday, March 4March’s TWA general meeting will be one of our two yearly mixers where new and long time TWA writers can meet to whoop it up. Sandra Kischuk has once again agreed to turn her home into Party Central for the evening. Festivities begin at 7pm on Wednesday, March 4th. Please contact Sandra Kischuk at 813-935-7760 to RSVP or if you wish to help with the set up.
Meeting is at Sandra Kischuks' Home - Map Link April 2009 Wednesday, April 1Guest Speaker: Molli Nickell (www.getpublishednow.biz) Topic: Queries and First Pages The publishing business, in light of changing and challenging financial times, is more tightly scrutinizing material (queries and first pages) than ever. This means your first page becomes a make-or-break situation. Agents and editors can discern, in less than your first six sentences, if you write well and if you have a compelling story to tell. This is why you want to re-vise and re-write your first page until it is so beautifully written and compelling that the reader will turn the page and keep on reading. Former publisher, now publishing coach, Molli Nickell, will evaluate as many first pages as possible and lead us in a writing adventure to search out and re-write the “bad guys,” i.e., words which diminish your chances of attracting the attention of an agent/editor. Bring two copies of your first page (max 225 words) and one copy of your second and third pages, along with three different-colored highlighting pens. Also bring along a sense of adventure about discovering insider tips about how to make your first page (and your entire manuscript) irresistible. Back to TopMay 2009 Wednesday, May 6Guest Speaker: Paula Stahel Topic: Memoirs Paula Stahel has been an independent writer based in Tampa, Florida, since 1983, after a career with magazines and the Tampa Tribune. She began specializing as a personal historian in the late 1990s, and joined the Association of Personal Historians after a chance Google discovery of that organization in 1998. At the time, APH had approximately 60 members in North America. Today, she is president of APH, which has now has more than 600 members around the world. This February, the association published an anthology titled My Words Are Gonna Linger: The Art of Personal History. Through her company, Breath & Shadows Productions (www.breathandshadows.com), she writes and publishes high-quality legacy books, produces audio histories, consults with and edits authors, teaches life-writing courses and workshops, and is an active public speaker. Back to TopJune 2009 Wednesday, June 3Guest Speaker: John Porter, M.Ed., Ph.D., C.G.W. Topic: Grant Writing June's guest speaker: Dr. John Porter is a Certified Grant Writer and Executive Director for the American Grant Writers’ Association. He is a National Speaker and Consultant on topics including Non-Profit Business Development, Strategic and Business Plan Development, and Grant Proposal Research and Design. In addition to holding a M.Ed. in Education and a Ph.D. in Business Psychology, Dr. Porter is a member of Who’s Who in Business, and Outstanding Business Person of the Year and served on the Small Business Development Council for the State of Ohio. He has over 20 years of grant proposal writing experience. Visit his website at http://www.agwa.us/ Back to TopJuly 2009 Wednesday, July 1Guest Speaker: Nicholas Brown, author of Norman’s Assault and Norman Bereft Topic: “HOW, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY OF WRITING.” Nicholas Brown, author of Norman’s Assault and Norman Bereft will be moderating “HOW, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY OF WRITING.” This meeting will help the TWA find its identity. Sounds important—well, it is! I am asking that everyone attend so that the TWA can benefit as much as possible from the meeting. Visit Nicholas's web site at: http://www.nicholasdbrown.com Back to TopAugust 2009 Wednesday, August 5Guest Speaker: Author, Kathy L. Nappier Topic: E-publishing, the Internet, and how to keep out there during these tough times with conventions, events, and self-promotion. The TWA General Meeting is proud to present another incredible TWA member and published author, Kathy L. Nappier! I can hear the cheers now. She will be our honored presenter at the August 5th TWA general meeting. Kathy is author of the novels: Full Wolf Moon, Bitten, and Voyagers. She has also published several short stories in the Horror genre. Kathy will present to the TWA on e-publishing, the Internet, and how to keep out there during these tough times with conventions, events, and self-promotion. Please don’t miss Kathy. She is a genuinely great person and excellent author to boot. Back to TopSeptember 2009 Wednesday, September 2Guest Speaker: Author, Barbara Harrington Topic: 20 Most Common “Don’ts” In Fiction Writing Everyone is invited to attend the September TWA General Meeting where Barbara Harrington, author of Give Him Back to God and Nothing is Forever…Darling, will present the 20 Most Common Don’ts in Fiction Writing. If time allows, she may be able to also touch on writing Dialogue, and how to handle View Point. All three subjects and much more come from ABC’s on How to Write a Book by Barbara. Bring some money with you, because her books will be available for purchase at the meeting. Back to TopOctober 2009
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00 p.m. November 2009 Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 pmGuest Speaker: Dr. Max Courson Topic: Dangerous Words for Discriminating Writers Location: Carrollwood Barnes and Noble bookstore The meeting will feature guest speaker Dr. Max Courson. Dr. Courson teaches journalism at the School of Mass Communication, University of South Florida, Tampa campus. Topics include erroneous use of criminal terms such as “robber” and “thief;” often-misused words and terms like “could care less” and “first annual;” clichés; misuse of absolutes like “unique” and “everybody;” casual numbers; Roman numerals; trademarks; academic titles; effective use of modifiers; modifier placement; conjunctions; collective nouns; and confusing homonyms. Back to TopDecember 2009 Wednesday, December 2nd at 6:30 pmGuest Speaker: Janet Connor Topic: The Sausage: writing a book is like making sausage Location: North Tampa Regional Library 8916 N. Boulevard, Tampa, Florida, 33604-1299 Janet Connor's book Writing Down Your Soul from Conari Press Turns out writing a book bears great resemblance to making sausage. And you know that saying about not wanting to see how sausage is made? Well, ready or not, Janet is going to show you how her book evolved from the never-mentioned but essential first step—intention—through dozens of stages with samples of the actual book at each point and insights into the endless surprises along the way. Back to Top |