Eurobodalla Writers’ 2016 reflection

Writing is supposed to be about letters on a page, but sometimes it’s about numbers. The number of words needed for a story or an article. The number of days to make the deadline. The number of writing accomplishments. The number of sleeps until the end of the year.

As 2016 gears down and the bells toll for 2017, the Eurobodalla writers will be able to look back on their achievements with happiness and pride. Cat Sheely and Marisol Dunham, committee members of the Canberra based speculative fiction convention Conflux, helped orchestrate an event that gets bigger and better each year. Anke Ziergiebel and Debbie Richardson were successful in their pitching sessions to Harper Collins at Conflux 2016 and Cat Sheely successfully pitched to literary agent Alex Adsett. Suzanne Newnham will publish an article based on her family history in the BORAL News, and she’s being interviewed for a Masters in Investigative Journalism thesis based on her psychic reading ethics. She also writes a monthly health column on chronic pain in an international e-magazine. Five of our writers – Cassandra Webb, Debbie Richardson, Stafford Ray, Rhonda Casey, Rosie Toth – held court at the Batemans Bay Writers Festival in September to a room of local and visiting readers. Stafford Ray toured libraries up and down the coast with his novels in tow and the conviction of Charles Dickens. The Moruya Library co-hosted two literary salons where our authors read from published and unpublished works to a full capacity turnout of local literary lovers. We even had a successful fiction author from New York in the audience! The members of the night group wrote, edited, designed, and published a speculative fiction short story.

So as we raise our glasses to toast to our successes past, present, and future, let us take one last look at our To Do list and pat ourselves on the back for all we have achieved and all we are yet to achieve.

Words churned, pages turned. Poets delighted, authors ignited. Literature ruled, authors schooled. Writers met, deadlines set. 2016 was a great year. And it won’t be the last of its kind.

The ‘writers’ live on the Eurobodalla coast of NSW. They meet at the Mackay Centre in Moruya. The day group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month from 10.30am to 2.30pm and new members are welcome. Please contact Rosie on 0437 627 756 or you may show up on the day. The night group meets the third Tuesday of each month from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and new members are welcome. Please contact Louise on 4474 5771. Check the website for any changes to dates or meeting venue www.eurobodallawriters.org.

Our last meetings for 2016 will be Christmas celebrations in early December. Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas, and joyous religious, spiritual and holiday celebrations. Safe travelling and see you in 2017 with pens and typing fingers at the ready.

Rockin’ the Edits workshop 7th Sept

Do you write? Wish to write? Do you wonder how to turn ordinary words, a sentence, a paragraph into an exciting visual story leaving your readers wanting more?

Multi-published author Debbie Richardson is running her highly informative and creative workshop Rockin’ the Edits Wednesday 7th September.

This workshop is open to members of the public.

Venue: Moruya Golf Club, Evans Street, Moruya

Time:  10.00am (registration/tea & coffee), 10.30am – 2.30pm

Cost: $15 or  $10 members (member concessions available);

Lunch: the Golf Club offers a $10 lunch special menu; sandwiches etc available from the bar.

Bring paper, pen or laptop, a sense of fun and adventure as we explore the wonder of words.

I attended Rockin’ the Edits with Debbie earlier in the year and am really looking forward to next Wednesday’s workshop.

More info on the presenter: http://www.dlrichardson.com

Eurobodalla authors in Bay Post ‘Moruya Examiner’

Eurobodalla Writers (EWG) is a thriving group from novice writers to traditional and indie/self published authors. The Bay Post is writing a series of articles about the activities of local authors in the EWG. Here’s the first article dated 13th June 2016:

The Eurobodalla Writers Group is scribing away as 30 members chase their passion and dreams.

Stafford Ray is about to tour libraries and bookstores with his second thriller/love story, Australian Gulag. Cassandra Webb is promoting her second children’s picture book, Take Ted Instead, which bookstores can order through Scholastic. She has started a publishing company to help writers achieve their dreams. Debbie Richardson is pitching her science fiction to New York agents and getting requests for samples – an achievement on its own. She will hold a writing workshop on Saturday at the Sapphire Club, Merimbula, from 1pm to 4pm. All welcome. Visit http://www.writersfsc.org.au. Cat Sheely and Marisol Dunham are on the committee of Conflux, an annual speculative fiction event held in Canberra in October. Cat is pitching her speculative fiction novel to Australian publishers. Mavis Hayes and Louise Falcioni are judging the Mayor’s writing contest.

Click link to view original of Writer Group Chasing Dreams