Thanks to Linda

ABC 2016 Anthology of Florida Authors & Poets    ~ Writers Wanted ~    Can you tell an exciting story in 1,000 words or less? Can you sculpt a poem limited to one page?
  
Guidelines    Open to all Florida writers and poets.       Genre: Short Story (SS)       Cover page to contain: Author's name, address, phone, email address and title of the work.      Submission pages contain only the title and the work. No author name or information.    

Any subject / Double spaced / Max: 1000 words.      Multiple submissions are acceptable but each must include its own cover page and  submission, and one check covering the total of submissions.      Poetry (Po)    

Cover page to contain: Author's name, address, phone, email address and title of the work.      Submission page contains only the title and the work. No author name or information.      Any subject, any format, single spaced and one poem per page.     

Multiple submissions are acceptable but each must include its own cover page and submission, and one check covering the total of submissions.      Entry fees:  Short Stories         ABC Members        $10 - 1st submission / $5 each additional entry.         Non-Members           $15 - 1st submission / $5 each additional entry.        Poems         ABC Members        $6 - 1st submission / $4 each additional entry.        Non-Members          $8 - 1st submission / $5 each additional entry.  Judging   Participating judges may not enter the competition. Entries will be evaluated by a team of 5         Timeline  judges and their decisions are final.      Entries to be submitted by regular mail to: ABC 2016 Anthology, #209 1532 US Highway 41 BP S,       Venice FL 34293-1032      Deadline for entries - midnight Sept 15, 2015     

Notification of finalists by email: Oct 15, 2015      Winners will be announced: Dec 16, 2015 - ABC Awards Meeting, 1pm - Selby Library, 1331 First       Street, Sarasota FL

Awards In Each Genre:    1st Place:     $100    2nd Place:     $50    3rd Place:    $25    2 Honorable Mention   Certificate    All entries reaching the final round will be included in the ABC 2016 Anthology of Florida Authors & Poets.     

Submission must be your own work and not previously published. Send copies - not your only original. Submissions will not be returned. By entering this competition you are giving ABC permission to reprint your work as received (first time North American rights) and used in any promotion of the anthology. No editing once we receive the submission. Winners' names will be included in the book. We anticipate the anthology to be out in the winter of 2016. Contributors to the anthology may purchase copies at a discounted rate TBD in 2016. 

Thanks to Linda

Preview of coming attractions 
  
Venice arts and craft fair – August 1st $40 for two 8' tables. Our square is full 

Fishermans Village – September 12, 10am – 4pm, 8x8 Table is $100 plus tax, deadline is August 24th. I have applications, request if needed.

Cracker Storytelling Festival – Oct 9th & 11th, Homeland Heritage Park, Polk County, $25 per space. 863-534-3766, DanielGornodki@polk-county.net
 
Coral Gables Fall Festival  - Oct. 24, 25 Miami Fl. $395 for 10 x 10 space. Outside will need tent, table and chairs. Contact 786-558-5234, mrp2001@bellsouth.net
 
Port Charlotte Bazaar – Nov. 11, 12, 13, Charlotte cultural Center, inside, $99 for all three days contact 941-625-4175
 
Perida Arts and Craft fair - Nov. 14, Bradenton, $35 for inside or outside spaces. This may be already sold out. Contact, 941-799-7608
 
Kings Gate craft Fair – Nov. 17, Tuesday Port Charlotte, $25 for 6’x8’,  941-467-0518, mgerstmann@melrosemanagement.com
 
Venice Arts and Craft fair -  Dec. 5, Venice community Center, We will book a square, first come first served. Fees TBD 

Englewood Arts and Craft Fair  - Englewood sports complex, Dec. 12, Jan. 23, March 19,  $20 per table, you can share. 1300 River Rd. Englewood, 941-861-1980 This fills up fast. We try to be placed together so let me know you are planning on going  
Looking forward to 2016

Cracker Fair -  Feb. 13th, Dearborn St. Englewood , no details yet ,contact - cetgarrett@aol.com    We try to be placed together so let me know you are planning on going, Tents, tables and chairs required. We can share spaces

Dearborn St. reading Festival  - Feb. 20th, Dearborn St. Englewood contact Diharris@comcast.net   We try to be placed together so let me know you are planning on
going. Tents, tables and chairs required. We can share spaces

Venice Book festival – March 19th, Downtown Venice in the park, Tents provided, details coming later. 

Good OL' Days Festival – April 16th, 2016, $25 per space or raffle gift of same value, Homeland Heritage Park, Polk County. Tents, tables and chairs required. 863-534-3766, DanileGornoski@polk-county.net 
I have flyers and applications for most of the events listed. brendaspalding@abcbooks4children.com 
stores and book signings to check out.

Book signings at Parkers Books,  Main St. Sarasota, the first and third Saturday of every month all year long.  Please remember do not block entrance to store. Keep tables on one side. Contact Carole Stevens Bibisi    caroleart@hotmail.com or Brendaspalding@abcbooks4children.com

Sandman book store – Punta Gorda, will do book signings and take books on consignment.  Please check this one out as they are really promoting local authors

NYE discount books – will take books on consignment and arrange for book signings. 607A Spur St., Venice. 941-416-2411,  nyediscountbooks@gmail.com
  
coffee shop in port charlotte that will host book signings.  Mercer's Micro Roastery and Coffee House,  4678 Tamiami Trail contact Valerie 661.6983 and mercersfrc@yahoo.com
 
Copperfish Books – 1205 Elizabeth St., Punta Gorda, FL 33950, 941-205-2560

village Voices –  1010 10th Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205 · (941) 748-6865 can arrange book signings on the first friday of the month during Art Walk evenings.

Writers Read

The next meeting of Writers Read will be Tuesday August 4th from 11:00 -1:00. In the Punta Gorda Library on West Henry Street.

This is an opportunity for writers to obtain help with ideas, and constructive criticism from their fellow writers.  We are not experts, but I promise that together we will help you improve your work, or at the very least assure you that it's perfect!

The meeting is free and open to everyone, you don't have to join, or be a member of anything, just turn up.

Should you need any further information, e-mail me at pgholmes@comcast.net.

 Paul Holmes. 

Featured Story - The Man by Kari Burgess

The first I noticed about the man across the seating area at the train station was that he could not sit still. His constant motion drew my attention.  First he would cross his legs then put both feet on the floor and sit erect. 

I was supposed to be reading a book; however, I could not take my eyes off of him.  Peaking from behind the pages of my book I took a better look.  He was immaculately dressed in dark pressed trousers and a crisp white dress shirt open at the throat, his dark leather jacket carelessly tossed across the back of the adjoining chair.

His face was dark, with a day’s growth of beard, his salt and pepper hair was tousled where he constantly ran his fingers through it.  His eyes were a startling aqua blue, made more apparent as they were constantly darting across the room.  His face should have been strikingly handsome, but the worry lines, pinched lips and scowling brow nullified any trace of welcome or contemplation of handsome.   He was not approachable.

Suddenly he grabbed a briefcase and his jacket and began to pace through the aisles and around the milling people.  Each time a train arrival or departure was announced, the man would pause to listen then resume his pacing.  He was a tall, over 6’2” or better, broad at the shoulders, narrow hips, slim but not skinny.  He moved with a military erectness.  Pacing with a lithe, smooth movement as the expressions on his face would tense and then smooth out with a shake of his head much like a caged lion.

He constantly looked at the watch on his arm, then pulled out his phone-glance at it and then put it back.   Something was up---but what?

 

Marketing Opportunity

Barnes & Noble Sarasota wrote:

 

As a lover of the arts we thought you might find this upcoming celebration of a literary icon of interest.

As you may all be aware, Harper Lee, the bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, has a new novel being released on July 14th called Go Set a Watchman.

This highly anticipated new book is a historic literary event as it is the earliest known work from Harper Lee.

Go Set a Watchman features many of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird some twenty years later.

On Monday July 13th, all Barnes & Noble stores across the country will be hosting an all day Read-a-Thon of To Kill a Mockingbird.

To read the novel from start to finish will take about 12 hours.

We are looking for local community members to be guest readers in our store.

We would love for you to take a 30 minute time slot if you are available on that day.

Are you interested? If so, let’s discuss what time of the day would work for your schedule.

I would also welcome any suggestions you may have on getting volunteers to help us with the celebration of this classic novel...

Thank you for your consideration.

 

 

Donna DeTeresa

Community Business Development Manager

4010 S. Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34231

p 941-923-9907 f 941-923-9510

Crm2737@bn.com | bn.com | nook.com

 

Englewood Sports Complex - Thanks Linda S.

Englewood Sports Complex

 

Dec 12

Jan 23

March 19

 

Table $20 each

 

All the authors at this craft event will be in one section.  Off the top of my head, they may have been l0 to l5 author tables at the last event I covered.

Marketing Possibilities - Thanks Linda Schell

Thank you Linda, you have a keen eye for opportunities for our members.

46th Annual Christmas in July (Cultural Center of Charlotte County), July 10 & 11 (9a-3p), and July 12, 2015 (11a-3p). For more information, contact Amanda Segur: marketing@theculturalcenter.com.

Arts and Craft Show, Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis, August 1, 2015, 10 am - 3 pm. Deadline to register: July 20, 2015. $40 for two, 8 foot tables, 2 chairs; electricity $10 extra. We can share. Brenda Spalding is coordinating. Let her know ASAP if you are interested.

Peridia Christmas Arts & Craft Festival – Nov. 14th - Sandy Miles (941)799-7608

Brenda Spalding recalls cost about $35 last year. Inside and outside spaces.

Englewood Sports Complex Craft Shows: Dec 12, 2015, Jan. 23 and March 19, 2016. Contact Kate Nixon for more info. Venue sells out fast. Tables are $20 each per date and you can share. Info, call: (941) 861-1980

Cracker Storytelling Festival- October 9 – 10, 2015. Theme and age-appropriate vendors needed since Friday is the school day. Contact Daniel Gornoski: DanielGornoski@polk-county.net, Polk County Parks and Natural Resources

Good Ol' Days Festival - April 16, 2016, celebrates Polk County history with local bands, hand-made crafts, historical groups, etc. $25 vendor fee may be waived for a gift drawing donation of the same value. Contact Daniel Gornoski: DanielGornoski@polk-county.net, Polk County Parks and Natural Resources

 Book Signings and Other Possibilities

 Gulf Coast Bookstore at the Butterfly Estates in downtown Fort Myers puts local authors "on the top shelf." Charge is $60 for three months’ of display time.

Check out this story on news-press.com: http://newspr.es/1FG5vbh

Copperfish Books – 1205 Elizabeth St., Punta Gorda, FL 33950, 941.205.2560

Echo International headquarters (17391 Durrance Road, North Fort Myers) – Gift shop carries books! 239.543.3246, info@echonet.org or http://echonet.org

 Mercer’s Micro Roastery and Coffee House (Port Charlotte) will host book signings. Contact Valerie 941-661.6983 or mercerfrc@yahoo.com

NYE discount books – will take books on consignment and arrange for book signings. 607A Spur St.,

 Venice – 941.416.2411, nyediscountbooks@gmail.com

 Sarasota’s St. Paul Early Learning Center is seeking children’s book authors to read their stories to promote literary. Contact Lisa McLean at 941-779-7009.

 Sandman Book Store on Burnt Store Road in Punta Gorda will schedule book signings and take books on consignment.

 Spanish Point gift shop carries books. Contact: Kara Pallin, Programs Director, Ext. 2600 or kara@historicspanishpoint.org

 Village Voices – Bradenton Village of the Arts First Friday Art Walk Book signings and consignment. Email DGould497@aol.com or call (941) 748-6865