Black Friday Specials

We have a great group of writers. They’re funny, talented and productive. We spend every Thursday night enjoying a sampling of the works in progress from these wonderful artists. And they are artists. Not only do they write, but many members pursue other artistic outlets. Photography is a common denominator, as is drawing, animation and public speaking. Individually and collectively First Coast Christian Writers are awesome.

It would be selfish to keep all this awesomeness to ourselves so here are a few things our members are up to right now:

Writer and humorist, Danny Murphy, is offering Friday Freebies until December 6. Here’s a great opportunity to sample his humor and share it with your family and friends – think office gifts.

Want to help shape the direction and marketing plan for a novel? Jaye Cherie is holding a focus group on December 7. Space is limited, so get those RSVPs in quickly.

Christine Miller Ramey is featured in the devotional anthology, The Journey Home: Romans 15:24. It is currently available on Kindle for less than a dollar.

Looking for a Christmas tale to ring in the holiday season? Linda Wood Rondeau has three: A Christmas Prayer, Joy Comes to Dinsmore Street, and last year’s delightful romance, It Really is a Wonderful Life.

Enjoy drinking from this talent pool, and then make a New Year’s resolution to see your writing goals come to fruition.

Happy Holidays

L.W. Rondeau’s Newest Book Now Available

Following unprecedented climatic changes, resultant
pestilence and war brought the world into chaos.
Eventually, each nation surrendered its sovereignty to
form a global democracy, initially known as The Accord.
However, the democratic government proved too weak and was soon replaced by a faux democratic rule.

The year is 2073, and current governor of Western America
Province, Edwin Rowlands, is poised to become the
Constitutional Government’s second president. Many fear
that the sweeping reforms found in his proposed
Preservation Act will set him up as a dictator. If enacted,
defection both past and present would become a crime
punishable by death, thus bringing all outlands into
crushing subjection.

While most believe reform is critical, factions disagree on
how to prevent the Preservation Act from becoming law.
Ahmed Farid, second President, believes reform can be
managed within the existing government. Leader of the
Revolutionary Army, Jimmy Kinnear, trusts only in military
intervention. However, Jacob Goodayle, Chairman of
Western America’s illegal outland government, favors
separatism.

As tensions rise, civil war seems imminent. Who will be the
voice of reason in a world on the verge of a third dark age?

This is our very own Linda Wood Rondeau’s second published book. Check Amazon.com and other online resources for the e-version or hard copy. 

TOP OF THE WORLD: A REPORT ON THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN WRITERS CONFERENCE 2012

If you attended this year’s event, then you understand when I say you laughed until you cried. Who will forget Torrey Martin’s Torrey Stories event with his Alaska escapade involving a can of pepper spray and a big bear. Steven James encouraged us, hilariously so, until our eyes watered, with why life foibles can become writing material.

This year offered a wonderful variety of classes, offerings from magazine writing, poetry, and improving our fiction as well as marketing ideas. Yours truly focused on the marketing classes, and found great helps to focus my time and energy on more positive results.

As always, faculty members were of highest caliber, always gracious and ready with an encouraging word.

If you’ve never attended a writers’ conference, I highly recommend this one. Set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, the vista alone will bring you closer to the Lord. The worship services gave us a little taste of what heaven will be like as voices blended in harmonious thanksgiving to the Author of Creativity.

Ridgecrest Lifeway Center bathes all its events in 24/7 prayer vigils. I attended my first conference here in 2001. Since that time, God has never failed to encourage me in my writing. And this year was no exception.

Thanks Linda for that report and congratulations on your Selah Award for The Other Side of Darkness.

As you can see from Linda’s experience, conferences can be educational, fun and just the kick to recharge your writing. I encourage you to find one to attend in the next 12 months, especially if you have a manuscript completed or nearing completion. Conferences are an excellent place to pitch your work to agents and acquisition editors.

There are conferences all over the country and even abroad so pick your dream vacation spot. This is a mere sampling of upcoming conferences:

Romance Writers of American (RWA) - July 25-28, 2012 in Anaheim, California

University of North Florida (UNF) – August 4-5, 2012 in Jacksonville, Florida

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) – September 20-23, 2012 in Dallas, Texas

Florida Writer’s Association (FWA)  – October 19 -21, 2012 in Lake Mary, Florida

American Christian Writers (ACW) – Multiple dates and locations for 2012 and will switch to mentoring sessions in 2013 – visit website.

Florida Christian Writers – March, monitor website for 2013 dates

Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference – May, monitor website for 2013 dates

FCCW Author Linda Wood Rondeau Debuts

Three lives intertwined, tied together by dangerous circumstance and the faint echoes of an elusive hope.  To make it through, each must find their way to the Light that's found only on the other side of darkness. 

After setting out on a forced vacation, and literally running into a moose, Manhattan Assistant D.A. Samantha Knowles finds it's not so bad being stranded in a quirky, but intriguing Adirondack town.  But when her three-year prosecution against a convicted killer begins to unravel, she's thrust into a whirlwind of haunting memories, fear, and danger...and suddenly, Haven isn't so safe, after all. 

With no future in Haven, and no way to escape the small town, teacher Zack Bordeaux fears he's doomed to a life of mediocrity.

Haunted by the deaths of his wife and son, landscape artist Jonathan Gladstone feels bound to an estate he both loves and loathes.

When Zack and Jonathan meet Samantha, their lives take on a different course.

Pelican Ventures Book Group releases The Other Side of Darkness by Linda Wood Rondeau.  It is available in paperback or ebook at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.booksamillion.com

Watch for opportunities to meet the author at upcoming book signings.