Editing the Way an Editor Sees It ~OR~ Don't Shoot the Messenger!

On August 24, Kat McMahon will share her insights on editing that got her first Young Adult paranormal novel named as a finalist in the GA Romance Writers 2013 Unpublished Maggie Awards.

Kat is a longtime member of Ancient City Romance Authors, a member of Romance Writers of America, Young Adult Romance Writers of America, and Savvy Authors. Kat has taken online courses through both these organizations, which have been integral to her success.

We're eager to have her share some of the valuable knowledge she's learned about editing from her studies in the last two years.

ACRA meets on the 4th Saturday of each month at the Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Phone (904)-996-0325. Bring your lunch and socialize from 12:30 - 1pm, followed by a workshop.

Major Tracy Provenzano - Air National Guard 125th Fighter Wing Medical Group

Major Tracy Provenzano
in her HazMat gear.
Photo by Sharon Drane.

Thanks to Major Tracy Provenzano of the Air National Guard 125th Fighter Wing Medical Group for a great workshop on Saturday, July 27, 2013. Major Provenzano brought pictures of the disaster drills in which her group has participated.

Also she discussed a multi-service humanitarian mission in which she participated. She discussed the conditions in which the military nurses live and work.

She tried on her complete hazmat gear and her alternate gear. She explained each piece of equipment and its function. She also answered questions about her military work and her civilian job.

What a great resource for writers! We appreciate Major Provenzano coming to speak to us, and we hope to have her back again.

Medical Q&A Workshop, July 27: Critical Care, Pediatric Intensive/Neonatal, Trauma, Hazmat

Join us this Saturday as Tracy Provenzano answers your medical/trauma/pediatric writing questions!

Tracy has worked as a nurse for 25 years.  During that time, she has worked in the following units: Pediatric Critical Care Team, Pediatric Emergency Center, Pediatric Intensive Unit/Trauma Unit, General Pediatric Unit, Hospital-based Gynecological/Infertility Practice, Neonatal Critical Care Unit, and Postpartum Unit. 

She holds the rank of Major in the Florida Air National Guard Unit, 125^th Fighter Wing Medical Group.  In the Guard, she serves as a Critical Care Nurse in the group responsible for pre-deployment and routine care of our nation’s airmen: The unit’s CERF-P (CBRNE Enhanced Response Force Package) Team is responsible for all state and federal disaster/hazmat response.

Major Provenzano is the director of the BLS program for over 600 personnel. As a CERF-P Team member, she is Hazmat certified and Hot Zone Triage trained.  She has completed the entire rescue training course and is qualified to provide nursing care for all triaged levels of Emergent Disaster Care.

She lives with her husband, Paul in Ponte Vedra.  Their son, Paul attends University of Central Florida.  Their youngest son, Christopher, recently enlisted in the US Navy.

ACRA meets on the 4th Saturday of each month at the Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Phone (904)-996-0325. Bring your lunch and socialize from 12:30 - 1pm, followed by a workshop.

PTSD & Service Dogs ~ June 22

Sheri & Lola.

Join us on June 22 for a heartfelt discussion with Marine Veteran and Army Combat Veteran Sheri Martinez of Jacksonville. She'll be talking about her life pre- and post-PTSD and how her Service Dog, Lola, and K9s for Warriors changed her life for the better.

Sheri served in the Marines from 1984 to 1986 and the Army from 2006 to 2009. During her 20-year break in service, she raised a family of three children and received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing with a minor in Writing and Rhetoric from Trinity College. Sheri is now medically retired from the Army and spends several hours per week volunteering at K9s for Warriors to give thanks for all that they have done for her.

Originally from Hartford, Connecticut, Sheri lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her best canine friend, Lola, and companion, Oscar Rodriguez. When she’s not volunteering, she keeps busy reading, playing online bingo, or watching NCIS.

ACRA meets on the 4th Saturday of each month at the Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Phone (904)-996-0325. Bring your lunch and socialize from 12:30 - 1pm, followed by a workshop.

Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice Awards

ACRA's Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice Awards contest is ON!

See that lovely trophy in the photo to the left? That could be on YOUR BOOKSHELF! But you can't win if you don't enter.

ACRA Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice Awards

Get your entries in now, as the deadline is June 15 and WILL NOT be extended.

New this year:
Self-published entries accepted. 
Digital entries accepted.
Print entries always accepted!

Contest is open to RWA members having an original copyright date of 2012, or First US printing date of 2012 from January 1 through December 13, 2012.

Find out more, and enter here:

ACRA Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice Awards

Get those entries in now. June 15 will be here before you know it!

Write The Perfect Query

"Some people spend more time on their synopsis than they do the query letter they send to an agent or publisher. Yet if your query doesn't get their attention, the synopsis won't be requested. I'll be presenting a workshop on "Getting the Most from Your Query." My query letter has been complimented by an agent at The Knight Agency for being very professional and told by another agent that it was exactly what they were looking for in a query letter." Kathyn J. Bain.

Yes, we know you'd rather suffer a migraine while dropping an anvil on your foot instead of writing a query, but you know it has to be done. Join us on May 25 as Kathy Bain guides us through painlessly writing the perfect query. You'll enjoy a great workshop, plus you'll have a lot of fun!

Kathryn J. Bain began writing more than twelve years ago. Her fifth book, Beautiful Imperfection, will be available September 29, 2012.

She is the former President of Florida Sisters in Crime and is currently the Public Relations Director for Ancient City Romance Authors.

To survive and pay bills, she has been a paralegal for over twenty years and works for an attorney who specializes in elder law.

She has two daughters and a dog named Gretchen. Her first grandchild, Hope, arrived on May 10, 2013. Kathryn grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In 1981, she moved to Boise, but it apparently wasn't far enough south, because two years later she headed to Jacksonville, Florida and has lived in the sunshine ever since.

ACRA meets on the 4th Saturday of each month at the Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Phone (904)-996-0325. Bring your lunch and socialize from 12:30 - 1pm, followed by a workshop.

Valerie Bowman Joins Us for the April 27 Meeting

Join us on April 27 for a fun workshop with author Valerie Bowman of Jacksonville. She'll be encouraging aspiring authors and sharing her experiences with the publication of her Secret Brides Regency series.

Valerie has a B.A. in English Language and Literature with a minor in History from Smith College and has been writing and editing professionally for over 15 years. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), and a member of The Beau Monde, Regency special interest chapter.

Originally from Rantoul, Illinois, Valerie lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her rascally dog, Roo. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or watching Hoarders.

Valerie is represented by Kevan Lyon of the Marsal-Lyon Literary Agency.

ACRA meets on the 4th Saturday of each month at the Southeast Regional Library, 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville, FL. Phone (904)-996-0325. Bring your lunch and socialize from 12:30 - 1pm, followed by a workshop.