TWA's President...
Michael Darling

 Please join me in thanking Sandra Kischuk, Michael Pleasant, Cathie Astl, Jim Young, and Robin Knowles for serving the TWA so wonderfully for the past two years. The other new officers, I am certain, and I look forward to the challenge of the next two years. I am confident that we will continue to offer the same benefits of membership as well as continuing to find new opportunities for the future.

            I suppose you might like to know a little about me. I am a married thirty-something with three dogs, but no children. I enjoy writing, reading, worship, sports, and strategy gaming when I can fit it in. I self-published a science fiction novel called Hoplite Renegades in mid 2006 via a POD publishing company. I am currently working on a science fiction novella, which I plan to self-publish as well, to complement my novel. There are also a crossover fantasy/modern/supernatural novella and another full-length science fiction novel in the works with ideas for a dozen more short stories and novels waiting for me to get to them one day. So, you can see that writing clearly is a major focal point in my life. I am striving to become a fulltime writer so that I can leave my day job (sound familiar anyone?) in the cigar business as an inventory manager. I have been a successful supervisor and manager for eight years now, so I like to think I am experienced adequately to provide leadership for the TWA.

            A goal of mine is to find more opportunities for TWA members to sell and market their books while still helping each other improve our writing skills no matter what level they are. Certainly, we all have full schedules and I am no different, which is why we need everyone to pitch in where they are able and willing.

Please join me in extending good tidings to the TWA’s current critique groups, novel pods, and poetry groups that meet around the Tampa area separately from the monthly general meetings. Al Lucas and Warner Conarton both deserve recognition for the services and leadership they provide these groups every month. Hats off to Jim Young for putting together the newsletter every month. Please give a large salute to James Durlacher and Sandra Kischuk for constantly updating the website. Additionally, I am certain there are more of you whose help is critical and noteworthy in these and other endeavors for the TWA. I hope to meet you soon. If there is anything they need, I will do whatever I can to assist.

President's Invitation...
 Here’s an open offer to listen to any member’s ideas or concerns about the TWA. Please e-mail any such or just a friendly hello to make contact with me at darling@HopliteRenegades.com. I encourage you all to do so at your convenience. Please let me know what resources (anything from moral support to volunteering to information) you can offer to the TWA. Or let me know what the TWA can do better for you. I really do want to know what you think.

The Tampa Writers Alliance is an organization of writers in the Tampa Bay area covering many genres and levels of experience. The Alliance membership includes published novelists, travel book authors, feature and newspaper journalists, and others who are just beginning to write or just have an interest in the literary world. All enjoy the networking opportunities, programs and peer critiques offered by the various work groups. Membership is open to all adults, and the public is invited to attend all general meetings. The Alliance supports the community as judges for the Hillsborough Teachers of English annual writing contest and through workshops and presentations to schools about writing.