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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260616T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260616T183000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20260406T175225Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T180216Z
UID:10000584-1781634600-1781634600@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:UNEXPECTED WARRIOR: Amanda Jones is THAT Librarian | An Online Advocacy Discussion with Meg Medina
DESCRIPTION:Amanda Jones is a middle school librarian\, an activist\, and the author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America. She has served as President of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians\, was distinguished as the 2021 School Library Journal Librarian of the Year\, and named to the 2025 TIME100 Next list. Amanda gained national attention for fighting book bans in her home state of Louisiana\, which led her to pen That Librarian\, to share about her experience. \nIn this James River Writers advocacy discussion\, Amanda will share about her unexpected journey to becoming a leading voice for intellectual freedom and anti-censorship. In an online conversation with Newbery Medalist and former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature\, Meg Medina\, Amanda will talk about how the book banning landscape has changed over the last few years\, the wider implications of these book bans\, and what part we can all take in countering censorship in our own communities. \nProceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship \nWhen: Tuesday\, June 16  | 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern | Online via Zoom \nCost:  $5 registration fee will be donated to Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship \nLocation: Online\, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform \nRegistrants will be emailed the Zoom link to join upon registraton. After the event\, registrants will be sent a link to the program\, and you may watch it at your leisure for thirty days. \n  \nThis Advocacy Discussion is sponsored by \n \n \n \n\nABOUT AMANDA JONES\n \n  \n  \nAMANDA JONES made national headlines in 2022 when she was targeted by extremists in her town for speaking out at a public library board meeting. She decided to fight back and took her harassers to court\, while continuing to speak out at both the local and national level against the pro-censorship movement. Amanda chronicles what it is like being the target of white Christian nationalists and the importance of standing up for intellectual freedom\, in her book That Librarian: Fighting Book Banners in Today’s America. \n  \n  \n  \n\nABOUT MEG MEDINA\n \n  \n\n\n\nMEG MEDINA served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She is the author of many notable works for young readers of all ages\, including the Newbery Medal-winning and New York Times bestselling book Merci Suárez Changes Gears\, the first in a triology. Meg Medina’s work examines how cultures intersect through the eyes of young people. She brings audiences stories that speak to both what is unique in Latino culture and qualities that are universal. Her newest middle-grade novel is Graciela in the Abyss. The daughter of Cuban immigrants\, she grew up in Queens\, New York\, and now lives in Richmond\, Virginia.\n\n\n\n  \n  \n\nABOUT LOUISIANA CITIZENS AGAINST CENSORSHIP \nLouisiana Citizens Against Censorship is an all-volunteer\, grassroots organization dedicated to fighting attempts to ban or restrict books based on subjective standards of inappropriate content. They believe that informed citizens are good citizens\, and access to information is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. To that end\, they oppose any legislation aimed at restricting citizens’ First Amendment Rights\, as well as the right to read freely.\nWebsite \n \n  \n \nThis programming is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly.   \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/unexpected-warrior-amanda-jones-is-that-librarian-an-online-advocacy-discussion-with-meg-medina/
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20260326T195255Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T182741Z
UID:10000291-1776794400-1776801600@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:ENGAGING READERS WITH EFFECTIVE PACING | April 2026 Writing Show (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:Pacing isn’t just about car chases and cliffhangers—it’s the rhythm that keeps readers engaged\, whether you’re writing historical fiction\, fantasy\, an essay\, or a poem. Our panelists will explore how to control the flow of information and how to create momentum that carries readers through your work. Learn techniques for varying sentence length\, managing white space\, balancing introspection with action\, and other structural choices that shepherd your reader’s experience from the first line to the last. \nSpeakers: John Copenhaver\, Nicole Glover\, Alethea McCollin\, and Moderator Melissa Scott Sinclair \n\n\n\nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the Visual Arts Center | 1812 W Main St\, Richmond\, VA 23220 \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site.  \nIf you are a Writing Show Member\, please be sure to register and claim your spot. This will ensure we have enough seats for all who wish to attend. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/engaging-readers-with-effective-pacing-april-2026-writing-show-in-person/
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260331T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260331T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20260226T165445Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T172901Z
UID:10000578-1774980000-1774987200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:CRITIQUE PARTNERS & BETA READERS | March 2026 Writing Show (In Person)
DESCRIPTION:One of the most common questions for James River Writers staff is\, “How do I find a critique partner?” Well\, our panelists can help you with that! Hear from four writers intimately familiar with the ins and outs of critiquing and beta reading. They’ll tell you how to find the right fit\, how to develop a thick skin (and when you shouldn’t have to)\, and how to improve your own skills in critical reading and feedback. As a special bonus\, we’ll have networking time after the show\, structured by genre\, so you can see if your perfect beta reader is in the audience. \nSpeakers: Kris Coronado\, Phil Hilliker\, Dr. DaNika Neblett Robinson\, and Moderator Katharine Herndon \nDate: Tuesday\, March 31\, 2026 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the Visual Arts Center | 1812 W Main St\, Richmond\, VA 23220 \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site.  \nIf you are a Writing Show Member\, please be sure to register and claim your spot. This will ensure we have enough seats for all who wish to attend. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/critique-partners-beta-readers-march-2026-writing-show-in-person/
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20260127T161508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260127T161730Z
UID:10000575-1771956000-1771963200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:FEBRUARY 24 | When to Break the Rules: Grammar\, Structure\, & Experimentation (Online Writing Show)
DESCRIPTION:Join our expert panelists for a discussion on the art of subverting writing conventions with purpose and skill. Discover when rule-breaking elevates your work versus when it distracts from your purpose\, and learn how successful authors create their distinctive voices and memorable narratives. Whether it’s telling a story in an unusual format or playing with the constraints of punctuation\, join us in exploring different ways writing can push the envelope. \nSpeakers: K-Ming Chang\, Rachel Kahan\, Amber McBride\, and Moderator Kris Spisak \nDate: Tuesday\, February 24\, 2026 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: Online\, via the Zoom platform \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members | $5 Students \n  \n \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive by 6:25 pm\, before the panel discussion begins. \nREGISTER NOW! \n  \nThis program is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts\, a federal agency. \n  \n  \n\nSPEAKERS\n \nK-MING CHANG\nK-Ming Chang is a Lambda Literary Award winner\, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree\, a Kundiman Fellow\, and an O. Henry Prize Winner. She is the author of the novel Bestiary (One World/Random House\, 2020)\, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize\, the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award\, and the Otherwise Award. In 2021\, her chapbook Bone House was published by Bull City Press. Her story collection Gods of Want (One World/Random House) won a Lambda Literary Award\, and her books have been translated into Spanish\, Chinese\, Korean\, German\, Turkish\, and other languages. Her most recent books are Organ Meats (One World\, 2023) and a novella titled Cecilia (Coffee House Press\, 2024). In 2026\, she will be making her YA debut with Straight to the Source\, a rom-com forthcoming from Holiday House. Her next novel for adults\, Needlemouth\, is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster on October 20\, 2026. \n  \n\n \nRACHEL KAHAN\nA passionate advocate for commercial fiction and non-fiction\, Rachel Kahan is VP/Executive Editor at William Morrow\, a division of HarperCollins. She acquires the kinds of books she loves most as a reader: literary and book clubby novels\, mystery/thrillers\, memoirs\, historical narratives\, and issue-driven non-fiction. In her nearly 30-year career\, Rachel has edited dozens of New York Times and international bestsellers. Rachel proudly publishes a diverse list of writers from around the world. Born and raised in Arlington\, Virginia\, she graduated from the College of William and Mary. \n  \n  \n\n \nAMBER MCBRIDE\nAmber McBride is a two-time National Book Award Finalist whose books have garnered over 25 starred reviews. Her debut young adult novel\, Me (Moth)\, won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent\, among many other accolades. Gone Wolf\, McBride‘s middle grade fiction debut\, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. McBride was an assistant professor at UVA for 4 years before resigning. She lives in Virginia and keeps bees. \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nKRIS SPISAK\nKris Spisak wrote her first three books—Get a Grip on Your Grammar\, The Novel Editing Workbook\, and The Family Story Workbook—to help writers of all kinds sharpen their storytelling and empower their communications. Her award-winning debut novel\, The Baba Yaga Mask\, was inspired by her Ukrainian heritage\, and her fifth book\, Becoming Baba Yaga: Trickster\, Feminist\, and Witch of the Woods\, explores the complex origins of this Slavic folktale character and her lingering lessons for empowering us all. Kris knows well-written words and well-told stories can change the world\, and she cannot wait to tell you her next story. \n  \n  \nREGISTER NOW!
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/february-24-when-to-break-the-rules-grammar-structure-experimentation-online-writing-show/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
GEO:37.5488768;-77.4638756
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Visual Arts Center 1812 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1812 West Main Street:geo:-77.4638756,37.5488768
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260127T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20251217T220229Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T201150Z
UID:10000573-1769536800-1769544000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:NOW ONLINE! JANUARY 27 | Get It Together! Harnessing Community to Energize Your Writing
DESCRIPTION:Sure\, writing can be a solitary pursuit\, but why make it harder on yourself? It’s so much easier to accomplish your writing goals with encouragement\, shared information\, and accountability. Join us for a celebration of community\, and hear from three panelists who do an excellent job of bringing people together in a variety of spaces for a plethora of purposes. Let’s make actionable plans to support each other’s goals in 2026. \nSpeakers: Gigi Howard\, Ty Phelps\, Kalela Williams\, and Moderator Phil Hilliker \nDate: Tuesday\, January 27\, 2026 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: NOW ONLINE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER! \nCost: $12 Members | $21 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive by 6:25 pm\, before the panel discussion begins. \n\nREGISTER NOW! \n  \nThis program is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts\, a federal agency. \n  \n  \n \n\nSPEAKERS\n \nGIGI HOWARD\nGigi Howard has been a public librarian for 15 years\, and is the host of the podcast “Drinks in the Library\,” where she interviews guests about their favorite books and pairs them with drinks. Passionate about supporting her community\, Gigi loves connecting with others who use literature to make a difference. A dedicated mom and wife\, she fancies herself a mixologist\, though her husband remains skeptical of her skills in this area. \n  \n  \n\n \nTY PHELPS\nTy Phelps’ work can be found at Poets.org\, Poet Lore\, Streetlight\, Zizzle\, and elsewhere. He won the 2022 Nancy Ludmerer Flash Fiction Fellowship\, Virginia Commonwealth University’s 2019 Catherine and Joan Byrne Poetry Prize. He holds an MFA from VCU and served as the 2021–22 Cabell First Novelist Award Fellow and the 2023–24 Writer-in-Residence at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. He is a co-founder of the Flying South Reading Series and helps plan the Richmond Poetry Fest. \n  \n  \n\n \nKALELA WILLIAMS\nKalela Williams is the author of the the YA coming of age story Tangleroot\, a 2024 Indies Introduce and Indie Next pick. She directs the Virginia Center for the Book\, part of Virginia Humanities\, which produces the Virginia Festival of the Book and other literary programs\, and has directed literary events for the Free Library of Philadelphia and Furious Flower Poetry Center. \n  \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nPHILLIP HILLIKER\nPhillip Hillker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. He has contributed to role-playing games such as Shadowrun and White Wolf’s World of Darkness\, written voiceover scripts for too many whiteboard explanatory videos\, and spent time as JRW’s membership coordinator. \n  \n  \nREGISTER NOW! ]
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/january-27-in-person-writing-show-at-the-visual-arts-center-of-richmond-get-it-together-harnessing-community-to-energize-your-writing/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2026,2026,Featured,Writing Shows
GEO:37.5488768;-77.4638756
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Visual Arts Center 1812 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1812 West Main Street:geo:-77.4638756,37.5488768
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251118T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251118T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20251014T173541Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251014T180348Z
UID:10000570-1763488800-1763496000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:SETTING AS CHARACTER November 2025 (In Person) Writing Show
DESCRIPTION:Setting is more than a backdrop–it can shape your characters’ experiences\, reveal hidden tensions and cultural nuances\, and influence your narrative trajectory. Hear from three authors who know how to create rich\, multilayered locations that impact a story well beyond physical description. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \nWhat: The Writing Show: Setting as Character \nWhere: The Innerwork Center | 213 Roseneath Rd\, Richmond\, VA 23221 \nWhen: Tuesday\, November 18\, 2025 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm \nPanelists: Nashae Jones\, Sarah Glenn Marsh\, SJ Sindu \nModerator: Annette Marquis \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-Members \nParking is available in a lot behind the Innerwork building or anywhere on the street. \n  \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\nNASHAE JONES is an author and an educator. Her books Courtesy of Cupid and As You Wish have received numerous honors including Kids’ Indie Next selection\, a KNEA Reading Circle selection\, an Indigo Book of the Month\, an Amazon Editor’s Pick\, a New York Times Year of Books pick\, among others. Her young adult debut\, The Beckett Effect\, will be out summer 2026.\n  \n  \n  \n  \n \n  \n\n\nSARAH GLENN MARSH has been an avid fantasy reader since the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life. She believes we all deserve happy endings and is an author of books for everyone\, including many young adult\, middle grade\, and picture book titles. She lives in Richmond\, Virginia with her family\, including one sweet daughter\, one slightly dull sword\, and the chaos of many pets\, like a turtle named Muffin who she definitely did not bring back from any haunted swamp. Our Rogue Fates\, coming out April 28\, is her first adult romance novel.\n\n\n\n  \n  \n \n  \n\n\n\nSJ SINDU is an award-winning Tamil diaspora author of five books. The most recent\, The Goth House Experiment\, won The Story Prize Spotlight Award. Sindu holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Florida State University and is a co-editor for Zero Street\, a literary fiction series featuring LGBTQ+ books published by the University of Nebraska Press. Sindu is an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.\n\n\n\n\n  \n  \n  \nMODERATOR\n \n  \nANNETTE MARQUIS is a community builder\, wanderer\, and author of Living into the Truth: A Daughter’s Journey of Discovery\, a serialized memoir\, Accidental Mentors: Inspirational Stories of Women Who Shaped My Life By Just Being Themselves\, and one short-form memoir\, Resistance: A Memoir of Civil Disobedience in Maricopa County. In her past life\, she co-authored twenty-five software books\, mostly about Microsoft Office. She recently retired from the Living Legacy Project\, Inc\, owns WordsWomen Press\, LLC\, and lives with her wife Wendy in Richmond\, Virginia.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/setting-as-character-november-2025-in-person-writing-show/
CATEGORIES:2025,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250826T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250826T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20250819T143647Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250819T143647Z
UID:10000566-1756231200-1756238400@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2025 AUGUST ONLINE WRITING SHOW | The Mind’s Eye: Writing Visual Imagery Across Genres
DESCRIPTION:Do you have trouble capturing the world around you in precise\, evocative language? This panel examines how effective imagery goes beyond simple description to engage emotions\, establish mood\, and bring specific places to life. Our three panelists will draw from their varied backgrounds to offer advice on using figurative language strategically\, engaging all five senses\, and selecting concrete details. Learn how powerful visual writing can create impactful experiences that linger in your audience’s minds. \nSpeakers: Yasmin Angoe\, Jeffrey Dale Lofton\, Junious “Jay” Ward \nModerator: Rosa Castellano \nDate: Tuesday\, August 26\, 2025 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \n \n \nThis project was supported\, in part\, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly.\n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\nYASMIN ANGOE is the author of the bestselling Nena Knight espionage thriller trilogy (optioned for TV series)\, and the #1 bestselling psychological thriller\, Not What She Seems. She is the recipient of the 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color and was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee. Yasmin crafts and delivers multi-layered suspense fiction\, rich in family secrets\, profound explorations of the human psyche\, and familial redemption.\n  \n  \n  \n\n \n  \nJEFFREY DALE LOFTON is the author of Red Clay Suzie\, which was Longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and twice named an Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association. He was also named Georgia Author of the Year for First Novel. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Red Clay Suzie go to support the important work of The Trevor Project and the Born This Way Foundation. \n  \n  \n\n  \n \nJUNIOUS “JAY” WARD is a poet and teaching artist. He is a National Slam champion (2018)\, an Individual World Poetry Slam champion (2019)\, author of Sing Me A Lesser Wound (Bull City Press 2020) and Composition (Button Poetry 2023). Jay currently serves as Charlotte’s inaugural Poet Laureate and is a 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. Ward has attended Breadloaf Writers Conference\, Callaloo\, The Watering Hole and Tin House Winter Workshop. His work can be found in Columbia Journal\, Four Way Review\, DIAGRAM\, Diode Poetry Journal\, and elsewhere. \n  \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \n\n\n\n  \nOriginally from Tampa\, Florida\, ROSA CASTELLANO is a poet and teacher living in Richmond\, Virginia. A finalist for Cave Canem’s Starshine and Clay Fellowship\, and co-founder of the RVA Poetry Fest\, her poems can be found or are forthcoming from RHINO Poetry\, Passages North\, Nimrod\, The Ninth Letter\, and Poetry Northwest\, among others. She has an MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University\, and her debut poetry collection\, All is the Telling\, is available from Diode editions.\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2025-august-online-writing-show-the-minds-eye-writing-visual-imagery-across-genres/
CATEGORIES:2025,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250729T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250729T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20250619T210212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T163504Z
UID:10000561-1753812000-1753819200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS July 2025 (In Person) Writing Show
DESCRIPTION:Sure\, you’re a creative\, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the business side of your writing life. Hear from both a lawyer and an accountant about the often-overlooked aspects of being a successful writer. We’re bringing back this super popular\, incredibly informative panel from the conference. With even more time\, there will be plenty of opportunities to get all your burning financial and legal questions answered on topics like LLCs\, business licenses\, protecting your best interests\, and more. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \nWhat: The Writing Show: Taking Care of Business (for Writers) \nWhere: The Innerwork Center | 213 Roseneath Rd\, Richmond\, VA 23221 \nWhen: Tuesday\, July 29\, 2025 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm \nFeaturing: Business/Entertainment Attorney Justin Laughter and David B. Robinson\, CPA \nModerator: Kristi Tuck Austin \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-Members \nParking is available in a lot behind the Innerwork building or anywhere on the street. \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\nJUSTIN LAUGHTER is a business\, intellectual property\, and entertainment attorney. He is also a community volunteer serving on numerous nonprofit boards and an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond Law School. For fun\, he is a songwriter and musician in Silly Bus (www.sillybus.music) and Flashlight Tag (www.flashlighttagmusic.com). Justin has been honored as a Virginia Super Lawyer\, a member of Virginia Business Magazine‘s Legal Elite\, and as one of Richmond’s Top 40 under 40 by Style Weekly Magazine.\n  \n  \n  \n  \n \n  \nDAVID B. ROBINSON\, CPA is the only Certified Public Accountant in the United States allowed to refer to himself as a GreatCPA®. He has built this trademarked\, original brand over 40 years\, specializing in personal tax preparation for individuals\, entrepreneurs\, and small Limited Liability Companies. He works with clients that desire passionate\, solutions-oriented\, collaborative assistance from him. He is very experienced with print and digital content creators\, authors\, self-publishers\, social media influencers\, vloggers\, and streamers. \n  \n  \n  \nMODERATOR\n \n  \nKRISTI TUCK AUSTIN helps authors increase their books’ discoverability\, build their platforms\, and turn new readers into loyal fans. She’s also worked in TV development for Can Do Entertainment and Gum Street Productions. She was a producer on the proof of concept for America’s Next Great Author and is earning a certificate in film and TV development from UCLAx. She served as board chair of James River Writers and conference chair.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/taking-care-of-business-july-2025-in-person-writing-show/
CATEGORIES:2025,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250429T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250429T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20250321T200149Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250328T200258Z
UID:10000557-1745949600-1745956800@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:April 2025 Writing Show (In Person): Literary Agent Intel
DESCRIPTION:Join Lisa Hagan\, literary agent extraordinaire\, with over two decades of experience\, and her client\, JRW member\, author\, and editor Kris Spisak\, in conversation about all things agenting. Find out what it’s like to work with an agent\, the questions you must ask when starting that relationship\, and what you can and can’t expect once you sign. Lisa will talk about what makes a book\, query\, or nonfiction proposal stand out; what questions you should ask when you get “the call;” and what you should expect (or not) from agent communication. With plenty of time for audience questions\, this will be an informative and inspiring evening! \nSpeakers: Literary Agent Lisa Hagan and Author/Editor Kris Spisak \nDate: Tuesday\, April 29\, 2025 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the Visual Arts Center | 1812 W Main St\, Richmond\, VA 23220 \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site.  \nIf you are a Writing Show Member\, please be sure to register and claim your spot. This will ensure we have enough seats for all who wish to attend. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/april-2025-writing-show-in-person-literary-agent-intel/
CATEGORIES:2025,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250225T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250225T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20250127T174350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T203100Z
UID:10000555-1740506400-1740513600@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2025 FEBRUARY ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Building Your Editing Toolkit
DESCRIPTION:Editing isn’t just fixing the commas and sending your work into the great beyond. It can include big picture changes\, smoothing out continuity issues\, eliminating repetitive words\, reworking sentence structure\, and more! Get actionable advice from three professional editors who will share concrete steps for taking your finished product to the next level. \nSpeakers: Athena Dixon\, Lori Gold\, and Sangeeta Mehta \nModerator: J.T. Glover \nDate: Tuesday\, February 25\, 2025 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\nAthena Dixon is the author of the essay collections The Incredible Shrinking Woman (Split/Lip Press 2020) and The Loneliness Files (Tin House 2023). She serves as the Nonfiction/Hybrid Editor for Split/Lip Press and as Consulting Editor for Fourth Genre.\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n \nLori Gold is the author of Romantic Friction (Harper Mira\, 2025)\, book club fiction that questions the use of AI in the writing world. Under Lori Goldstein\, she published the adult historical novel\, Love\, Theodosia (Arcade\, 2021)\, and four novels for young adults: Sources Say (Penguin Random House\, 2020); Screen Queens (Penguin Random House\, 2019); and the Becoming Jinn series (Macmillan\, 2015\, 2016). She is also a creative writing instructor and founder of Think Write\, which holds creative writing classes and writing retreats. \n  \n  \n  \n\n \nSangeeta Mehta worked for two literary agents and was an acquiring editor at Little\, Brown and Simon & Schuster before founding her own editorial services company\, Mehta Book Editing. As a developmental editor\, she focuses on middle grade\, YA\, and adult fiction. She also writes for Jane Friedman’s blog. Sangeeta has served on the board of the Editorial Freelancers Association and taught workshops with Inked Voices. She holds a master’s degree in comparative literature from UCLA. \n  \n\n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \n\n\n\nJ. T. Glover has published short fiction in Best New Horror\, Pseudopod\, and Nightscript\, among other venues. His “The Song Between the Songs” appeared in The Dark Corners of the Old Dominion\, a Virginia horror anthology supporting Scares That Care. His nonfiction has appeared in many publications\, including The Silent Garden and Thinking Horror. By day he’s an academic librarian specializing in the humanities\, and he lives in Central Virginia.\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2025-february-online-writing-show-building-your-editing-toolkit/
CATEGORIES:2025,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250128T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250128T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20241210T001123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T162335Z
UID:10000549-1738087200-1738094400@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:Jan 2025 Writing Show: Dreams to Deadlines - Navigating Your Writing Year
DESCRIPTION:Start your year with tips for making your writing dreams a reality. How do you set effective goals that you control and guide? What do you do when you hit roadblocks? Three inspiring writers will help you build the foundations you need to achieve creative success in 2025. \nSpeakers: Lisa Cooper Ellison\, Nick George the Poet\, and Rachel McRady \nModerator: Alethea McCollin \nDate: Tuesday\, January 28\, 2025 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the Visual Arts Center | 1812 W Main St\, Richmond\, VA 23220 \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site! \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/jan-2025-writing-show-dreams-to-deadlines-navigating-your-writing-year/
CATEGORIES:2025,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241119T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241119T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20241030T160244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241126T003527Z
UID:10000547-1732039200-1732046400@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2024 NOVEMBER ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Writing Unlikeable Characters
DESCRIPTION:Sometimes main characters who make questionable decisions\, stand up for themselves in unpopular ways\, or break with traditional molds are labeled “unlikeable.” Is that always a bad thing? How unlikeable can a character be before readers give up? How do you layer a character so that they’re well-rounded and believably flawed but not too flawed? Our trio of experts will talk about anti-heroes\, unpleasant character traits\, and pushing the envelope. \nSpeakers: John Copenhaver\, Alma Katsu\, Harry Szabo \nModerator: Karen A. Chase \nDate: Tuesday\, November 19\, 2024 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\nJohn Copenhaver won the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery for Dodging and Burning\, and the Lambda Literary Award for Best Mystery for The Savage Kind. He is a co-founder of Queer Crime Writers\, a board member of Mystery Writers of America\, and co-hosts the House of Mystery Radio Show. He teaches in the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Low-Residency MFA program and at VCU. His new novel\, Hall of Mirrors\, is the sequel to The Savage Kind.\n\n\nFACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\n \nAlma Katsu is the award-winning author of eight novels\, primarily horror and spy thrillers. She has three properties in development for television and is a contributing book reviewer for The Washington Post. \nTWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n  \n\n \n\n\n\nHarry Szabo is a writer and unionist from Richmond\, Virginia. They are the author of two YA novels: What Big Teeth and We All Fall Down\, the sequel to which will be published in 2026.\n\n\n\n  \nTWITTER \n  \n\n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nKaren A. Chase is an author\, speaker\, and brand designer. Her latest book\, Brand the Author (Not the Book) is a branding/marketing workbook for authors. Her first novel\, Carrying Independence\, is historical fiction about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was a nominee for the 2020 Library of Virginia Literary Awards\, and was awarded #12 of the 100 Best Indie Books of 2019. She also published Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log\, and a short food-themed story (with recipes)\, Mary Angela’s Kitchen. Originally from Canada\, Karen is now chasing histories from Richmond\, VA. \nFACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2024-november-online-writing-show-writing-unlikeable-characters/
CATEGORIES:2024,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240820T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240820T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20240730T144636Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240819T170213Z
UID:10000466-1724176800-1724184000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2024 AUGUST ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Writers (Not!) Behaving Badly
DESCRIPTION:With social media making it easy to instantly share everyone’s very worst behavior\, how do you avoid missteps for yourself and your writing career? A conference organizer\, a literary agent\, and an indie bookseller “spill the tea” on good intentions gone wrong and horrible intentions gone nuclear\, and share best practices for playing well with others. \nSpeakers: Katharine Herndon\, Sam Hiyate\, and Andi Richardson \nModerator: Phil Hilliker \nDate: Tuesday\, August 20\, 2024 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\nJames River Writers’ Executive Director since 2013\, Katharine Herndon has attended every one of JRW’s annual writing conferences\, over half in a leadership role\, and significantly more than a hundred Writing Shows. In addition\, she’s been an anonymous audience member at a variety of other writing conferences and festivals\, quietly noting which speakers she’d love to get on the JRW stage and which she’d . . . rather not. She’s been yelled at\, ghosted\, insulted\, and received so very many passive aggressive emails. On the flip side\, she’s met buckets of absolutely delightful writers she’d invite back in a second\, and she has tips on how to be one and not the other.\n\n  \n\n \n\n\n\nSam Hiyate worked at the literary magazines Blood & Aphorisms and The Quarterly in the 90s. He ran the edgy micropublisher\, Gutter Press\, from 1993 to 2002\, as publisher. He launched the literary division of The Lavin Agency in 2003\, where he built a list of clients and did his first deals.​ Sam’s projects for the agency have been in various categories\, including memoir\, literary and commercial fiction\, narrative non-fiction and graphic novels. He’s looking for works of all categories with distinct and compelling voices. He loved to discover and help new writers prepare their works for the market\, and to help them build a career with their talent. He is the host of the podcast Agent Provocateur.\n\n\n\nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n\n \n\n\n\nAndrea (Andi) Richardson left the corporate world for her dream job as an indie bookseller in 2018. She is the general manager and events coordinator for Fountain Bookstore and also works for the Southeastern Booksellers Association as Sales Coordinator. She is the most frequent author interviewer for Fountain events and often speaks at national and regional bookseller conferences on many topics.\n\n\n\nWEBSITE  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \n  \nPhillip Hilliker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. Formerly JRW’s membership coordinator\, he is currently a script writer for a video production and marketing firm in central Virginia. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2024-august-online-writing-show-writers-not-behaving-badly/
CATEGORIES:2024,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240730T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240730T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20240617T161621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240723T215011Z
UID:10000457-1722362400-1722369600@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:Dust Yourself Off: Navigating "Failures" with MEG MEDINA: July 2024 In Person Writing Show
DESCRIPTION:Award-winning author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature MEG MEDINA shares insights from her writing journey\, reflecting on valuable lessons learned from failures along the way. She’ll discuss what rejections can teach about improving your craft and understanding varying tastes. Hear her tips for challenges like lackluster sales and books going out of print\, including advice on active marketing and building community connections. She’ll talk about abandoned projects and low event turnouts\, and how it’s ok to let some things go until the right ingredients align and how innovative formats can engage your audience. If you’ve ever suffered the (totally normal) pangs of self-doubt\, professional comparisons\, and envy\, you’ll want to join us for an invigorating and inspiring evening with Meg learning how failures can be catalysts for growth. \n  \nDate: Tuesday\, July 30\, 2024 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the New Market Building | 330 S 4th St\, Richmond\, VA 23219 \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required and space is limited. Ample parking is available on site! \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \n\n\n\n\nThis Writing Show is sponsored by Podium. \n \n \n  \n \n \nABOUT MEG MEDINA\n\nMeg Medina is the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears\, which was followed by two more acclaimed books about the Suárez family: Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool. Her young adult novels include Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass\, which won the 2014 Pura Belpré Author Award; Burn Baby Burn\, which was long-listed for the National Book Award; and The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind. She is also the author of numerous award-winning picture books: Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away\, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez; Mango\, Abuela\, and Me\, illustrated by Angela Dominguez; Tía Isa Wants a Car\, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz; and her recently released No More Señora Mimi\, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese (Sept 2024.) The daughter of Cuban immigrants\, she grew up in Queens\, New York\, and now lives in Richmond\, Virginia. \n  \n  \n  \n___________________________________________________________________________________________________ \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/dust-yourself-off-navigating-failures-with-meg-medina-july-2024-in-person-writing-show/
CATEGORIES:2024,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240514T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240514T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20240413T163717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240506T174122Z
UID:10000545-1715709600-1715716800@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:AI in PUBLISHING featuring JANE FRIEDMAN: The Good\, the Bad\, and the Ugly (Online Advocacy Series)
DESCRIPTION:Like it or hate it\, artificial intelligence is an inescapable feature of work and life for writing and publishing today. The tools and services you use already include AI technology\, including Microsoft Word\, Grammarly\, Gmail\, and Google Docs. Eventually\, AI will be an accepted and normal part of the writing and publishing process. \nJane Friedman will discuss how AI is being used by authors and publishers for positive and creative ends. There are legal\, safe\, and effective ways to use free and paid AI tools to help you with marketing\, research\, brainstorming\, and deciphering the latest contract you’ve been sent. Of course\, there are plenty of bad actors using AI\, too\, and Jane will describe the most prevalent types of fraud or infringement\, and what you can do if you find yourself affected. We’ll look at how to talk with your agent and publisher about use of AI in connection with your work\, plus other steps you can take to protect your rights and intellectual property. \nProceeds from ticket sales will be donated to The Authors Guild Foundation. \nFeaturing  JANE FRIEDMAN \nWhen: Tuesday\, May 14  | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern | Online via Zoom \nCost:  $5 registration fee will be donated to the Author’s Guild Foundation \nLocation: Online\, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform \nRegistrants will be emailed the Zoom link to join upon registraton. After the event\, registrants will be sent a link to the program\, and you may watch it at your leisure for thirty days. \n \n \n\nABOUT JANE FRIEDMAN\n \nJane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry\, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet\, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors\, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press)\, which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund\, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing. \nWebsite  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\nABOUT THE AUTHORS GUILD \nWith more than 14\,000 members\, the Authors Guild is the nation’s oldest and largest professional organization for published writers. Their mission is to support working writers by advocating for their rights\, fighting for fair contracts and a living wage\, and creating community.\nWebsite
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/ai-in-publishing/
CATEGORIES:2024,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240430T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240430T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20240408T170552Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240410T223255Z
UID:10000544-1714500000-1714507200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:ASK AN AGENT! April 2024 Special Edition (In Person) Writing Show
DESCRIPTION:Do you have questions you’d like to ask a literary agent\, but you’ve never had the opportunity to do so? Well\, we’ve got you covered! \nThis special edition of the Writing Show features literary agent RICK LEWIS of Martin Literary & Media Management and offers writers a chance to get their burning questions answered by a seasoned literary agent with multi-genre experience. Join us in person at the Innerwork Center for a unique opportunity to hear things straight from an expert in the trenches! \nWhen you register for this program\, you will be asked to submit your top two questions ahead of time\, so please be prepared to do so. While we cannot guarantee we will get to every question submitted\, we will do our best. Preference will be given to questions that are applicable to wider audiences. Note that even if Rick doesn’t represent your particular genre\, the majority of questions asked of agents can apply to all genres. If we have time\, we will also take questions from the audience\, but we’ll choose from our pre-submitted questions first. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \nWhat: Special Edition of the Writing Show: Ask an Agent \nWhere: The Innerwork Center | 213 Roseneath Rd\, Richmond\, VA 23221 \nWhen: Tuesday\, April 30\, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm \nFeaturing: Literary Agent Rick Lewis | Moderated by Phil Hilliker \nCost: $15 Members | $22 Non-Members \nParking is available in a lot behind the Innerwork building or anywhere on the street. \n \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nLITERARY AGENT\n\nRICK LEWIS is a literary manager representing fantasy\, science-fiction\, and horror authors\, as well as comic book and graphic novel creators. He kicked off his career writing local TV newscasts before escaping into corporate marketing while editing novels on the side. In 2018\, he followed his passion for speculative fiction to Uproar Books\, where he served as editor-in-chief until becoming an agent in 2022\, when he moved to Charlottesville with his spouse and two children. \nWEBSITE  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n  \nMODERATOR\n \nPhillip Hilliker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. Formerly JRW’s membership coordinator\, he is currently a script writer for a video production and marketing firm in central Virginia. \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/ask-an-agent-2024/
CATEGORIES:2024,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240227T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240227T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20240208T214956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240209T183752Z
UID:10000538-1709056800-1709064000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2024 FEBRUARY ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Writing for Younger Audiences
DESCRIPTION:What’s it like writing for younger readers? When it’s more important than ever to empower young readers\, how do you make sure you’re writing the most authentic and engaging work possible? What faux pas are most common when writing about the ever-evolving social scene for young people? Three superstar authors will share their ideas for connecting with audiences. \nSpeakers: Dr. Kelly Ann Jacobson\, Rhonda Roumani\, and Julian Winters \nModerator:  Alethea McCollin \nDate: Tuesday\, February 27\, 2024 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\n\n\nDr. Kelly Ann Jacobson is the author of the queer young adult retelling Tink and Wendy\, which won the Foreword Reviews Gold Medal for YA\, as well many other books. Her short pieces have been published in Boulevard\, Southern Humanities Review\, Daily Science Fiction\, and many other literary magazines. She is an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Lynchburg\, and she also teaches “Completing the Novel” for Johns Hopkins University’s online MA program.\n\n\n\nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\nRhonda Roumani is a Syrian American journalist who has covered the Arab world and Muslim issues for more than two decades. She is the author of the Middle Grade novel Tagging Freedom (Union Square); the picture book Insha’Allah\, No\, Maybe So (Holiday House; May 14\, 2024) and a non-fiction picture book\, Umm Kulthum: Star of the East (Interlink\, Fall 2024.) She lives in New Haven\, Connecticut with her family. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\n \n\n\n\nJulian Winters is the author of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award-winning Running With Lions; the Georgia Peach Award nominated Right Where I Left You; Junior Library Guild Selections How to Be Remy Cameron\, The Summer of Everything\, and As You Walk On By; and the upcoming Prince of the Palisades. A self-proclaimed comic book geek\, Julian currently lives outside of Atlanta where he can be found watching the only two sports he can follow—volleyball and soccer.\n\n\n\nTWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nAlethea McCollin is a playwright\, director\, actor\, producer\, and founder of Orange Stilettos Productions. She has written over twenty plays\, including three musicals\, as well as other works of fiction\, and the children’s book The Cloud Catcher. Her plays include The Stilettos Monologues\, Styx and Gunz\, Re-naming Shaim and Pastor Willie. She is currently producing and starring in her original play – The Stilettos Monologues. Alethea serves on the board of James River Writers\, is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Virginia Screenwriters Forum\, and is an unabashed shoe addict. She enjoys gardening and baking. \nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2024-february-online-writing-show-writing-for-younger-audiences/
CATEGORIES:2024,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240123T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240123T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20240108T203348Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240108T212701Z
UID:10000536-1706032800-1706040000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2024 JANUARY IN PERSON WRITING SHOW | The Inside Scoop on Bookselling
DESCRIPTION:If you’ve ever wondered how books get into brick and mortar bookstores and if there are any strategies for helping them sell\, this Writing Show is for you! JRW invites three area booksellers to the stage to talk about best practices\, how and why books get ordered and returned\, and tips for making the bookseller/author relationship the best it can be. \nSpeakers:  Krystle Dandridge\, Berkley McDaniel\, and Katarina Spears \nModerator:  Dr. DaNika Neblett Robinson \nDate: Tuesday\, January 23\, 2024 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN PERSON at the New Market Building | 330 S 4th St\, Richmond\, VA 23219 \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight\, January 22. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive in time to find parking and be seated before the panel discussion begins at 6:30 pm. \nThis Writing Show is sponsored by Podium. \n \n\nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\n\n\n\nKrystle Dandridge is an avid reader who has learned to value the importance of self-care. The pandemic presented numerous obstacles\, and Krystle felt the need to shift gears to focus more on self-care as that became the focus of coping with the constant isolation that was society. Krystle turned to reading more and was eventually pushed to pursue a lifelong dream of owning a bookstore. She created the RVA Book Bar\, a space that centers BIPOC authors and brands.\n\n\n\nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\nBerkley McDaniel is an owner\, buyer\, and feeder of store cats Page and Mylar for Shelf Life Books in Carytown\, a community favorite for its curated selection of new and used books and for its fun and quirky vibe. Berkley loves reading crime\, southern noir\, and literary fiction from around the world. In his spare time\, he naps. \nWEBSITE \n  \n  \n  \n\n \n\n\n\nKat Spears is a librarian\, former bookseller\, and author. She also serves as the volunteer bookseller for the James River Writers annual conference.\n\n\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nDr. DaNika Neblett Robinson is the author of The Metamorphic Journey\, a novella that explores three teenage mothers’ quest to succeed. This fictional work is based on her experiences of becoming a teen mom\, first-generation college student\, and ultimately the recipient of multiple academic degrees\, including master’s and doctoral degrees. The Metamorphic Journey is also the name of a movement that DaNika founded to foster individuals’ personal growth. Additionally\, she is the founder of Wailing Women Ministries\, a nonprofit organization that provides book scholarships to female high school seniors. DaNika is a higher education administrator and expert in transformational leadership who speaks widely about the benefits of diversity\, equity\, inclusion\, belonging\, justice\, and leadership in the workplace. She also coauthored an anthology\, On Womanhood: Connecting and Thriving in Every Season\, featuring personal essays penned by women ages 21 to 72. \nWEBSITE  | TWITTER  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2024-january-online-writing-show-the-inside-scoop-on-bookselling/
CATEGORIES:2024,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231114T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231114T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20231026T183058Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231026T191512Z
UID:10000531-1699984800-1699992000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:2023 NOVEMBER ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Time as a Story Element
DESCRIPTION:In writing\, time can create or postpone urgency\, define your setting\, and impact your characters’ actions—regardless of genre. Let’s talk flashbacks\, time leaps\, time-travel\, using historical events\, and making/breaking the space-time continuum. Our panel will provide guidance on managing chronology\, establishing anchoring points\, and utilizing time to enhance and propel your narratives. \nSpeakers:  Denny S. Bryce\, Mike Chen\, Kosoko Jackson \nModerator:  Karen A. Chase \nDate: Tuesday\, November 14\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on November 13 \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\nDenny S. Bryce is a best-selling\, award-winning author of historical fiction. A former dancer and public relations professional\, Denny is an adjunct professor in the MFA program at Drexel University\, a book critic for NPR\, and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in USA Today and Harper’s Bazaar. She is also a member of the Historical Novel Society\, Women’s Fiction Writers Association\, and Tall Poppy Writers. Originally from Ohio\, she likes to call Chicago her hometown but currently resides in Savannah\, Georgia. \nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\nMike Chen is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Brotherhood\, Here And Now And Then\, and the upcoming A Quantum Love Story. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and thinks dogs are the very best. \nWEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n  \n\nKosoko Jackson is a USA Today Bestselling author of The Forest Demands Its Due and a Lambda Award-winning author for his queer rom-com I’m (So) Not Over You. He writes science fiction\, dark fantasy\, horror\, and contemporary romances that center queer Black characters in a variety of lights. He lives in the New York Metro area with his Golden Retriever\, Artemis. \nWEBSITE |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nKaren A. Chase is an author\, speaker\, and brand designer. Her latest book\, Brand the Author (Not the Book) is a branding/marketing workbook for authors. Her first novel\, Carrying Independence\, is historical fiction about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was a nominee for the 2020 Library of Virginia Literary Awards\, and was awarded #12 of the 100 Best Indie Books of 2019. She also published Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log\, and a short food-themed story (with recipes)\, Mary Angela’s Kitchen. Originally from Canada\, Karen is now chasing histories from Richmond\, VA. \nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/2023-november-online-writing-show-time-as-a-story-element/
CATEGORIES:2023,2023,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230829T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230829T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230725T134113Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230731T204552Z
UID:10000525-1693332000-1693339200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:AUGUST 2023 ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Writing Conference Confidential
DESCRIPTION:A writing conference planner\, a literary agent\, and a conference guest walk into a (Zoom) room… \nAs the 21st Annual James River Writers Conference approaches\, we will hear key perspectives about what to expect from a writing conference\, how to get the most out of your time there\, and a rundown of dos and don’ts to help you make sense of it all! Here’s what we’ll cover: \n\n\n\n\n\nJRW Director of Programs & Communications\, Brynn Markham\, will share an overview of our upcoming fall conference\, including the inside scoop on new and returning opportunities\, and help you plan to be your most comfortable\, authentic self.\nLiterary Agent Saritza Hernandez will reveal the greatest hits and catastrophes they’ve experienced on the receiving end of agent meetings and provide tips to make the most of your one-on-one appointment\, no matter where you are on your writing journey.\nJRW Executive Director\, Katharine Herndon\, will pull it all together\, pairing her behind-the-scenes perspective from her involvement in the JRW Annual Conference for nearly two decades\, with her experience as an attendee at non-JRW writing conferences and agent meetings. She’s been there\, done that!\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator Bill Blume has also been around the conference block\, and as he guides the discussion\, he’ll share his insights as a speaker\, moderator\, teacher\, and one of a handful of people who has been to every one of JRW’s conferences. \nWhether you’re planning to attend our conference in October or are just curious\, this Writing Show will reveal the ins and outs of successful conference attendance\, leaving you better prepared to rock a weekend of community\, inspiration\, and education! \nNote that we’re offering this Writing Show at a special discounted rate!  \nSpeakers:  Literary Agent Saritza Herndandez\, Katharine Herndon\, Brynn Markham \nModerator:  Bill Blume \nDate: Tuesday\, August 29\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $5 Members | $7 Non-members \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on August 28 \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\nSaritza Hernandez of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency came to agenting from a publishing industry background and has been a literary agent for 12 years. Based in Orlando\, Florida\, she is a passionate advocate of the BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ communities. She enjoys fresh voices in Children’s and Adult commercial fiction and select non-fiction. \n  \nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n\n \nKatharine Herndon was a fan of James River Writers even before they hired her. She has attended every conference and well over a hundred Writing Shows. She served on the JRW board in a variety of roles\, including executive secretary\, co-chair of the 2011 conference committee\, and membership chair. She has earned a 120-hour certificate in Nonprofit Management and completed the Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Program. Throughout her time with JRW\, she has prioritized service to the literary community\, and has served as a judge for the Virginia High School League and the local Scholastic awards\, as well as being a panelist for selecting the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s first Writer in Residence\, Richmond’s first Poet Laureate\, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Artist Fellowship in Poetry. Katharine’s work has been published by RVA indie press Sink/Swim in The Great Richmond Zombie Book and appears in the anthology River Town\, and the Richmond-based anthology River City Secrets. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida\, Davidson College\, and St. Catherine’s School. \nWEBSITE \n\n \nBrynn Markham is passionate about connecting people and organizations in ways that strengthen communities and amplify the strengths and talents of everyone involved. She joined James River Writers in February 2020\, as Director of Programs and Communications and was tasked with leading efforts to move the annual conference online to continue to meet the needs of the JRW writing community in the virtual space. She has enjoyed planning two online conferences and is currently planning her second in-person writing conference. Brynn has also taught several JRW classes on marketing and audience engagement for writers. Prior to joining James River Writers\, she spearheaded nationally recognized and award-winning marketing campaigns and events in her communications and outreach role at VPM\, Richmond’s PBS and NPR affiliate. Projects she’s especially proud of include: The Great American Read; Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War; Great Performances’ Hamilton’s America; PBS KIDS Summer Challenge; and the nation’s largest screening events for series premieres of Downton Abbey two years in a row. Prior to her tenure at VPM PBS/NPR\, Brynn worked with First Book\, helping children in underserved areas gain access to books to tackle the literacy gap. Before having her son and changing her career path\, she worked as a Senior Accountant in Orlando\, Florida\, for a national Real Estate Investment Trust\, for 8 years. She studied accounting at the University of Central Florida\, and then Nonprofit Management at Virginia Commonwealth University. \nWEBSITE   \n\nMODERATOR\n \nBill Blume discovered his love for the written word while in high school and has been writing ever since. His latest book West of Apocalypse comes out August 2023. His short stories have been published in many fantasy anthologies and various ezines. Like the father figure in his debut novel Gidion’s Hunt\, Bill has worked as a 911 dispatcher for more than 20 years. \nWEBSITE  | TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/august-2023-online-writing-show-writing-conference-confidential/
CATEGORIES:2023,2023,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230725T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230725T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230706T174632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230706T174633Z
UID:10000524-1690308000-1690315200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:JULY 2023 ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Growing Your Writing Resume: It's About More Than Just the Money
DESCRIPTION:Writers often think of the importance of growing their writing resume primarily in the context of increasing their income stream. While a bigger paycheck may result\, we’ll talk about how expanding your writing profile can better position you as a seasoned professional or subject matter expert\, helping you secure increasingly significant opportunities. Whether you’re interested in landing a writing-related job or speaking gig\, writing an in-depth piece for a prestigious journal\, hooking an agent\, or landing a book deal\, having a breadth and depth of experience can help. Our panel of experts will discuss how their diverse writing resumes helped sell their work\, build their audiences\, and achieve overall success. \nSpeakers:  Audrey Burges\, Athena Dixon\, and Sushma Subramanian \nModerator:  Phil Hilliker \nDate: Tuesday\, July 25\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on July 24 \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\nAUDREY BURGES writes novels\, humor\, short fiction\, and essays in Richmond\, Virginia. Her first novel\, The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone\, was released in 2023\, and is forthcoming in numerous translations around the world. Her second book\, A House Like an Accordion\, will be published by Berkley in May 2024. Audrey is a frequent contributor of humor to McSweeney’s\, The New Yorker\, and other humor outlets\, and her stories and essays have appeared in several literary magazines and in the overstuffed Notes app of her phone. Audrey was born and raised in Arizona by her linguist parents\, which is a lot like being raised by wolves\, but with better grammar. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  | TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n\n\nBorn and raised in NE Ohio\, ATHENA DIXON is the author of the essay collections The Loneliness Files (Tin House Books) and The Incredible Shrinking Woman (Split/Lip Press)\, as well as the poetry chapbook No God In This Room (Argus House Press). Her work also appears in The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 2: Black Girl Magic (Haymarket Books) and Getting to the Truth: The Practice and Craft of Creative Nonfiction (Hippocampus Books). \nWEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\n \nSUSHMA SUBRAMANIAN is the author of How to Feel: The Science and Meaning of Touch. She is a science and health journalist whose writing has appeared in Slate\, The Atlantic\, Elle\, Scientific American\, Discover and many others. Subramanian teaches journalism as an associate professor at the University of Mary Washington and advises the student newspaper\, The Weekly Ringer. \nWEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nPHILLIP HILLIKER is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. Formerly JRW’s membership coordinator\, he is currently a script writer for a video production and marketing firm in central Virginia. \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/july-2023-online-writing-show-growing-your-writing-resume-its-about-more-than-just-the-money/
CATEGORIES:2023,2023,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20230712T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20230712T193000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230629T212149Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230629T212625Z
UID:10000523-1689183000-1689190200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:ONLINE WRITERS WEDNESDAY July 2023 - Socialize & Network
DESCRIPTION:Community is at the core of everything we do\, and Writers Wednesday is the perfect place to strengthen that. Writers Wednesday brings together writers of every experience level and genre in a casual atmosphere to connect\, laugh\, and revel in a well-deserved break. While hosting this program online\, we create rotating\, intimate groups of 3-5 people in breakout rooms\, to allow attendees to have manageable conversations with others. JRW staff is always on hand to answer any questions you may have about James River Writers\, or writing in general. This is a great entry point for those that are new to the James River Writers community. \nDate: July 12\, 2023 \nTime: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada) \nLocation: Online\, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform \nCost: FREE! \nRegistration closes at midnight\, July 11. Your link to join will be emailed to you the morning of the program. \nJames River Writers is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.   \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/online-writers-wednesday-july-2023-socialize-network/
CATEGORIES:2023,2023,Featured,Writing Shows
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://jamesriverwriters.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/JRW-Logos-Thumbnails-3-e1606933296711.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230627T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230627T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230605T220137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230619T142430Z
UID:10000522-1687888800-1687896000@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:JUNE IN-PERSON WRITING SHOW | Structuring Your Memoir
DESCRIPTION:JRW IS PLEASED TO HOST THIS WRITING SHOW IN-PERSON AT THE VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF RICHMOND \nWhile an autobiography encompasses an author’s entire life\, a memoir is a smaller slice—maybe a series of connected moments or a period of particular significance. How do you choose your focus for a memoir\, and how should that affect how you tell it? Three memoirists will discuss a variety of possibilities for structuring your personal story. \nSpeakers: Lisa Cooper Ellison\, Sharon Harrigan\, Jon Pineda \nDate: Tuesday\, June 27\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN-PERSON! Visual Arts Center of Richmond  \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on June 26\, or when capacity is reached. We will not be taking walk-ins at the door. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided during this time. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive by 6:20 pm to allow time to find your seat before the program begins. \nFree parking is available in a lot behind the Visual Arts Center. Follow the alleyway to the back of the building. You may then enter the building through the back entrance. Additional parking may also be available at Binford Middle School. See details HERE.  \nOur program will be hosted on the second floor at the top of the stairs. An elevator is available behind the staircase. \n  \nThis program is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts\, a federal agency. \n  \n \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/june-in-person-writing-show-structuring-your-memoir/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2023,Featured,Writing Shows
GEO:37.5488768;-77.4638756
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Visual Arts Center 1812 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1812 West Main Street:geo:-77.4638756,37.5488768
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230530T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230530T203000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230425T173953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230518T134120Z
UID:10000436-1685473200-1685478600@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:We STILL Need Diverse Books: An Advocacy Panel Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Begun around a Twitter conversation in 2014\, the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books “advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.” This panel will help us understand what the publishing industry looks like today—both how far we’ve come\, and how far we need to go. Join three representatives from We Need Diverse Books to learn more about what we as writers and book lovers can do to help move the needle on diversity in publishing. \nProceeds from ticket sales will be donated to We Need Diverse Books. \nPanelists: Minh Lê\, Kaitlyn Patterson\, and Caroline Tung Richmond \nModerator: Rosa Castellano \nWhen: Tuesday\, May 30  | 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern | Online via Zoom \nCost:  $5 registration fee will be donated to We Need Diverse Books. \nLocation: Online\, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform \nRegistration closes at midnight\, on May 29. The link to join will be emailed to you the the morning of the program. \n \n \n\nPANELISTS:\n \nMinh Lê is the award-winning author of picture books including The Blur\, Real to Me\, Lift (an Eisner Award nominee)\, Drawn Together (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature)\, and graphic novels such as Green Lantern: Legacy and Enlighten Me. In addition to writing books\, he serves on the Board of We Need Diverse Books\, is on the faculty of the Hamline MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults\, and has been a contributor to a variety of publications\, including The Horn Book\, NPR\, HuffPost\, and The New York Times. Outside of spending time with his wonderful wife and children at their home in San Diego\, his favorite place to be is in the middle of a good book. \nWebsite  |  Twitter  |  Instagram \n  \n \n\n\n\nKaitlyn Sage Patterson grew up with her nose in a book outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After a ten year stint in West Tennessee\, she’s once more happily living at the feet of the mountains that raised her. Her debut novel\, The Diminished\, was published by HarlequinTEEN in 2018. Its sequel\, The Exalted\, followed in 2019. Her next series\, The Windy Creek Stables series will be published by Feiwel and Friends beginning in 2025. She is proud to spend her professional time raising money for We Need Diverse Books.\n\n\n\nWebsite  |  Instagram \n  \n \nCaroline Tung Richmond is an experienced nonprofit director with an emphasis on diversity\, inclusion\, and the power of diverse literature. She began her career at the Smithsonian Institution and segued into the nonprofit world in 2017\, starting at the entry level and taking on an executive role in less than four years’ time. As Executive Director of We Need Diverse Books\, Caroline oversees over a dozen initiatives united under the same goal – to create a world where everyone can find themselves in the pages of a book. Caroline is a member of various advisory boards\, including the Little Free Library and Mayo Clinic Press. She is also an award-winning young adult author of five novels and one anthology. \nWebsite  \n  \nMODERATOR:\n \n  \nRosa Castellano is a poet whose work was recently supported with a year-long fellowship from the Visual Arts Center of Virginia and by Tin House. In 2021\, she was a finalist for Cave Canem’s Starshine and Clay Fellowship and her work can be found or is forth coming from RHINO Poetry\, South Hampton Review\, EcoTheo Review and Passages North. \n  \n  \n  \nAbout We Need Diverse Books (WNDB): \nWe Need Diverse Books™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people. WNDB recognizes all diverse experiences\, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA\, Native\, people of color\, gender diversity\, people with disabilities*\, and ethnic\, cultural\, and religious minorities.
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/we-still-need-diverse-books-an-advocacy-panel-discussion/
CATEGORIES:2023,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230227T191246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230308T130647Z
UID:10000433-1680026400-1680033600@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:MARCH  IN-PERSON WRITING SHOW | Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? What Services Should Writers Pay For?
DESCRIPTION:JRW IS PLEASED TO HOST THIS WRITING SHOW IN-PERSON AT THE VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF RICHMOND \nThere are as many different services writers can pay for as there are ways of getting your writing in front of your audience. What’s worth the expenditure\, and what are the red flags? If it’s worth it to pay for editing\, graphic design\, illustration\, and formatting\, how much is too much? If you pay for any part of your work’s publication\, how soon (if ever) will you recoup those costs? Come talk nickels and dimes with our experts. \nSpeakers: Karen A. Chase\, J.C. Kang\, Heather Weidner \nModerator: DaNika Neblett Robinson \nDate: Tuesday\, March 28\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN-PERSON! Visual Arts Center of Richmond | 1812 W. Main Street \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on March 27\, or when capacity is reached. We will not be taking walk-ins at the door. \nClick HERE for COVID-19 Guidelines. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided during this time. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive by 6:20 pm to allow time to find your seat before the program begins. \nFree parking is available in a lot behind the Visual Arts Center. Follow the alleyway to the back of the building. You may then enter the building through the back entrance. Additional parking is available at Binford Middle School. See details HERE.  \nOur program will be hosted on the second floor at the top of the stairs. An elevator is available behind the staircase. \n  \nThis Writing Show is sponsored by: \n \nRegister Now \n  \nThis program is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts\, a federal agency. \n  \n  \n \n\nSPEAKERS\n \nKAREN A. CHASE \nKaren A. Chase is an author\, speaker\, and brand designer. Her latest book\, Brand the Author (Not the Book) is a branding/marketing workbook for authors. Her first novel\, Carrying Independence\, is historical fiction about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was a nominee for the 2020 Library of Virginia Literary Awards\, and was awarded #12 of the 100 Best Indie Books of 2019. She also published Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log\, and a short food-themed story (with recipes)\, Mary Angela’s Kitchen. Originally from Canada\, Karen is now chasing histories from Richmond\, VA. \n Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram \n\n  \n \nJC KANG \nJC Kang‘s unhealthy obsession with Fantasy and Sci-Fi began at an early age when his brother introduced him to The Chronicles of Narnia\, Star Trek\, and Star Wars. As an adult\, he combines his geek roots with his professional experiences as a Chinese Medicine doctor\, martial arts instructor\, and technical writer to pen epic fantasy stories. His Legends of Tivara series has sold 85\,000 copies. \nWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram  \n  \n\n  \n \nHEATHER WEIDNER \nThrough the years\, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid\, technical writer\, editor\, college professor\, software tester\, and IT manager. In addition to the Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries\, Heather writes the Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries and the Delanie Fitzgerald mystery series set in Virginia. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series\, 50 Shades of Cabernet\, Deadly Southern Charm\, and Murder by the Glass\, and her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series. Originally from Virginia Beach\, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers. \nWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram  \n  \n\n\nMODERATOR\n \nDR. DANIKA NEBLETT ROBINSON \nDaNika Neblett Robinson is the author of The Metamorphic Journey\, a novella that explores three teenage mothers’ quest to succeed. This fictional work is based on her experiences of becoming a teen mom\, first-generation college student and ultimately the recipient of multiple academic degrees\, including master’s and doctoral degrees. The Metamorphic Journey is also the name of a movement that DaNika founded to foster individuals’ personal growth. Additionally\, she is the founder of Wailing Women Ministries\, a nonprofit organization that provides book scholarships to female high school seniors. DaNika is a higher education administrator and expert in transformational leadership who speaks widely about the benefits of diversity\, equity\, inclusion\, belonging\, justice\, and leadership in the workplace. She also coauthored an anthology\, On Womanhood: Connecting and Thriving in Every Season\, featuring personal essays penned by women ages 21 to 72. \nWebsite | Facebook |  Twitter | Instagram \n  \nRegister Now \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/march-in-person-writing-show-at-the-visual-arts-center-of-richmond-is-the-juice-worth-the-squeeze/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2023,Featured,Writing Shows
GEO:37.5488768;-77.4638756
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Visual Arts Center 1812 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1812 West Main Street:geo:-77.4638756,37.5488768
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230228T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230228T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230130T180930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230221T155934Z
UID:10000431-1677607200-1677614400@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:FEBRUARY 2023 ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Switching It Up: Writing in Multiple Genres
DESCRIPTION:Writers are often told to devote themselves to a single genre and audience to build a following and sales. But what if you contain multitudes? Can you be successful without pigeonholing yourself? Get some ideas and learn best practices from a panel of literary professionals who like to keep their options open. \nSpeakers:  Remica Bingham-Risher\, Lisa Hagan\, Sarah Glenn Marsh \nModerator:  Rebekah Pierce \nDate: Tuesday\, February 28\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on February 27 \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:25 pm to keep from interrupting the panel discussion once it begins at 6:30pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \n \n \nSPEAKERS\n\nREMICA BINGHAM-RISHER\, a native of Phoenix\, Arizona\, is a Cave Canem fellow and Affrilachian Poet. Her work has been published in The New York Times\, The Writer’s Chronicle\, Callaloo and Essence. She is the author of Conversion (Lotus\, 2006)\, What We Ask of Flesh (Etruscan\, 2013)\, Starlight & Error (Diode\, 2017)\, and Soul Culture: Black Poets\, Books and Questions That Grew Me Up (Beacon\, 2022). She is the Director of Quality Enhancement Plan Initiatives at Old Dominion University in Norfolk\, VA\, where she resides with her husband and children. \nWEBSITE  | FACEBOOK |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\n \nLISA HAGAN has been a literary agent for over 20 years and has worked with a varied list of authors who have published a diverse array of books. Ms. Hagan continues to build her client list and looks for non-fiction book proposals and manuscripts that have a clear benefit for readers’ lives. Her focus is on the genres of health\, spirituality\, metaphysical studies\, travel\, and wisdom. She is especially interested in fresh takes on how to grow spiritually. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  | TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\n \nSARAH GLENN MARSH is the author of several young adult and middle grade novels including the Reign of the Fallen series. She is also the author of award-winning picture books including Ninita’s Big World: The True Story of a Deaf Pygmy Marmoset and Dragon Bones: The Fantastic Fossil Discoveries of Mary Anning. She lives with her husband\, daughter\, and menagerie of pets in Richmond\, Virginia. \nWEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nA veteran of the armed forces\, educator\, and prolific writer\, REBEKAH PIERCE is a lover of mystery novels that feature protagonists fight their personal demons as they save the day. She is the author of two historic fiction novels\, Murder on Second Street and The Secret Life of Lucy Bosman. In February 2019\, Rebekah released\, I Love Me More\, her memoir on the freeing power of self-love. She bakes cupcakes and cookies too! \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/february-2023-online-writing-show-switching-it-up-writing-in-multiple-genres/
CATEGORIES:2023,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230131T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230131T200000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20230113T180631Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230125T135518Z
UID:10000428-1675188000-1675195200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:JANUARY 31 IN-PERSON WRITING SHOW at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond | Putting in the Work: Taking Your Writing to the Next Level
DESCRIPTION:JRW IS PLEASED TO HOST THIS WRITING SHOW IN-PERSON AT THE VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF RICHMOND \nAuthors in different stages of their writing lives will share the steps they’ve taken along the way and how they’ve moved past roadblocks and setbacks\, both internal and external. This panel will help you define success for yourself and give you tips to keep you moving forward. \nSpeakers: Stacy Hawkins Adams\, Catherine Baab-Muguira\, SJ Sindu \nDate: Tuesday\, January 31\, 2023 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: IN-PERSON! Visual Arts Center of Richmond | 1812 W. Main Street \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on January 30\, or when capacity is reached. We will not be taking walk-ins at the door. \nClick HERE for COVID-19 Guidelines. \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided during this time. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please arrive by 6:20 pm to allow time to find your seat before the program begins. \nFree parking is available in a lot behind the Visual Arts Center. Follow the alleyway to the back of the building. You may then enter the building through the back entrance. Our program will be hosted on the second floor at the top of the stairs. \nRegister Now \n  \nThis program is supported [in part] by the Virginia Commission for the Arts\, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts\, a federal agency. \n  \n  \n \n\nSPEAKERS\n \nSTACY HAWKINS ADAMS \nStacy Hawkins Adams is an author and inspirational writer whose body of work infuses readers with confidence in their own stories. She has penned nine women’s fiction novels and two nonfiction books. Her novel Watercolored Pearls has been a featured title in college coursework​;​ Lead Me Home was ​a Target stores “​Recommended Read”​ and ​The Someday List was an Essence magazine bestseller. Stacy is at work on a new novel and regularly mentors aspiring authors through an online community she leads called Focused Writers. \n Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram \n  \n\n \nCATHERINE BAAB-MUGUIRA \nCatherine Baab-Muguira is a writer and journalist who’s contributed to the Wall Street Journal\, Lit Hub\, Slate\, CNBC and NBC News\, among others. Her first book\, Poe for Your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History’s Least Likely Self-Help Guru\, was published by Hachette in 2021. In 2022\, it was a finalist for the Library of Virginia’s People’s Choice Award\, and it won the International Poe Festival’s Saturday “Visiter” Award. Catherine lives in Richmond with her family. \n Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram   \n  \n\n \nSJ SINDU \nSJ Sindu is a Tamil diaspora author of two literary novels (Marriage of a Thousand Lies\, which won the Publishing Triangle Edmund White Award; and Blue-Skinned Gods\, which was an Indie Next Pick and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award)\, two hybrid chapbooks (I Once Met You But You Were Dead\, and Dominant Genes)\, two forthcoming graphic novels (Shakti\, and Tall Water)\, and one forthcoming collection of short stories (The Goth House Experiment). Sindu holds a PhD in English and Creative Writing from Florida State University and teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University and Vermont College of Fine Arts. \nWebsite | Facebook | Twitter  | Instagram \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nJ.T. GLOVER has short fiction in Best New Horror\, Pseudopod\, and Nightscript\, among other venues. He’s published nonfiction in Postscripts to Darkness\, The Silent Garden\, and Thinking Horror. By day he’s an academic librarian specializing in the humanities\, and he lives in Central Virginia. \nWebsite | Twitter \n  \n  \n  \nRegister Now
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/january-31-in-person-writing-show-putting-in-the-work-taking-your-writing-to-the-next-level/
LOCATION:Visual Arts Center\, 1812 West Main Street\, Richmond\, VA\, 23220\, United States
CATEGORIES:2023,Featured,Writing Shows
GEO:37.5488768;-77.4638756
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Visual Arts Center 1812 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1812 West Main Street:geo:-77.4638756,37.5488768
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20221115T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20221115T203000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20221028T172738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221028T172820Z
UID:10000519-1668535200-1668544200@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:NOVEMBER 2022 ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Killing Your Darlings: Editing Ruthlessly...Or Not
DESCRIPTION:It’s common writing advice to ruthlessly cut any storyline\, character\, or sentence that doesn’t pull its weight\, even if you love its beauty or wit. But how do you know when your writing is indulgent rather than propulsive? Can you go too far and sacrifice your voice? What if you really want to keep that beautiful phrase or witty piece of dialogue—is there any wiggle room? Our writing and editing experts will talk about when it’s necessary to lose your precious words and when you might be able to fix them. \nSpeakers:  Soniah Kamal\, Liz Long\, and Zachary Steele \nModerator:  Alethea McCollin \nDate: Tuesday\, November 15\, 2022 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on November 14 \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:40 pm to keep from interruping the panel discussion once it begins at 6:45pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \nSPEAKERS\n\nSONIAH KAMAL is an award-winning novelist\, essayist\, and public speaker. Her recent novel\, Unmarriageable\, is a Financial Times Readers’ Best Book\, a People’s magazine and NPR Code Switch pick\, a “Book All Georgians Should Read” (according to the Georgia Center for the Book)\, and was shortlisted for the Townsend Prize for Fiction. Soniah’s TEDx talk is about second chances and ‘We are the Ink’\, her  U.S. Citizenship Oath Ceremony address\, is about  immigrants and the American Dream. Her work has been published in the New York Times\, Guardian\, Buzzfeed\, Catapult\, Normal School\, Georgia Review and more. \nWEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n\n \nLIZ LONG is the editor of The Roanoker and bridebook magazines\, as well as the Virginia Travel Guide. She is a USA Today bestselling indie author of over 20 fantasy and romance titles\, a freelance fiction editor\, and the director of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference held annually at Hollins University. She is grateful to call Roanoke home\, and can often be found walking the greenway with her dog and supporting local businesses (especially the restaurants!). \nWEBSITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n\n \nBroadleaf Writers Association Founder & Executive Director ZACHARY STEELE is the author of four novels\, including The Weight of Ashes and Perfectly Normal (July 2023). He has been featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution\, Publisher’s Weekly\, Writer’s Magazine\, Shelf Awareness and City Lights with Lois Reitzes on NPR. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \nALETHEA MCCOLLIN is a playwright\, producer\, director\, and shoe addict. She has produced her work locally and has presented them at various theatre festivals nationally. Her most recent production of The Stilettos Monologue – a show that celebrates women – ran for three nights September 30 – October 01\, 2022. Alethea is a member of the Dramatist Guild\, and Virginia Screenwriters Forum\, and also serves on several local boards. Alethea loves working out\, is a passionate gardener\, and loves to bake\, though she says\, she still hasn’t mastered either pastime. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK   \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/november-2022-online-writing-show-killing-your-darlings-editing-ruthlessly-or-not/
CATEGORIES:2022,2022,Featured,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220920T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220920T203000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20220627T195601Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221010T204555Z
UID:10000513-1663696800-1663705800@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:SEPTEMBER 2022 ONLINE WRITING SHOW | INDIE PUBLISHING MYTHS: Get the Truth About Self-Publishing
DESCRIPTION:Bypassing the traditional Big Five (Four?) publishing houses is easier and more profitable than ever\, but what can you really expect if you go the self-publishing route? Is it true only certain genres are successful? Can you make it work on a shoestring\, or is it more expensive than traditional publishing? Will your book be available in brick-and-mortar stores? Our experts will shed light on the aspects of self-publishing that have been puzzling you. (This Writing Show was originally scheduled in July\, but had to be moved to September.) \nSpeakers: Hollee Freeman\, David Kazzie\, and Sharvette Mitchell \nDate: Tuesday\, September 20\, 2022 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: ONLINE\, via Zoom \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \nRegistration is required and closes at midnight on September 19. \n(This Writing Show was originally scheduled in July\, but had to be moved to September. If you already registered for the original date in July\, and indicated you wanted your registration to be applied to the rescheduled September 20 date\, you do not need to do anything further. You are already on our registration list!) \nThe Writing Show includes a social time from 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm. This portion of the evening is optional. If you choose to only attend the panel discussion\, please sign in to Zoom by 6:40 pm to keep from interruption once the panel discussion begins at 6:45pm. \nThis program is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. \n  \n  \nSPEAKERS\n\n  \nHOLLEE FREEMAN\, Ph.D curates nature-based\, educational programs for adults and students which leverage community\, creativity and critical thinking. She is the author of eighteen children’s books and has had her academic work published in peer-reviewed books and journals. Hollee has also shared her work around creating space for learning as a TEDx speaker. Through her beekeeping\, photography and nature-based experiences\, Hollee brings people into a closer relationship with nature\, each other and themselves. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM \n\n \n  \nDAVID KAZZIE is the author of eight published novels and the creator of a series of viral animated films that were featured in national media. His books have appeared in the Amazon Top 100 charts in the United States and United Kingdom. He lives in Richmond. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n  \n\n \nSHARVETTE MITCHELL helps high achieving service based women entrepreneurs position their expertise with a polished visual brand\, increase visibility with speaking opportunities\, build authority with a published book and convert more customers with elevated content marketing. She does this with her signature Platform Builder group coaching program. Sharvette is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. For over 14 years she has hosted a weekly internet talk radio show – The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show. She has been seen on CBS 6\, The CW Network and featured in publications such as Huffington Post. She is the visionary author of four book collaborations:  PROPEL – The Essential Handbook for Emerging Women in Business & Leadership; POUR – The Secret Effects of Serving and Giving in Business & Leadership; PURSUE – Chase Your Goals and Run After Your Passions in Business\, Life and Leadership; and the upcoming PEARLS – Wisdom and Advice from Emerging Women Leaders. \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n\nMODERATOR\nA veteran of the armed forces\, educator\, and prolific writer\, REBEKAH PIERCE is a lover of mystery novels that feature protagonists fight their personal demons as they save the day. She is the author of two historic fiction novels\, Murder on Second Street and The Secret Life of Lucy Bosman. In February 2019\, Rebekah released\, I Love Me More\, her memoir on the freeing power of self-love. She bakes cupcakes and cookies too! \nWEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/july-2022-in-person-writing-show-indie-publishing-myths-get-the-truth-about-self-publishing/
CATEGORIES:2022,2022,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220830T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220830T203000
DTSTAMP:20260716T130628
CREATED:20220727T193302Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221010T204602Z
UID:10000515-1661882400-1661891400@jamesriverwriters.org
SUMMARY:AUGUST 2022 ONLINE WRITING SHOW | Voice\, Cadence\, & Rhythm
DESCRIPTION:Writers are often urged to get their voice on the page\, but what constitutes voice\, and how do you capture something that is so hard to nail down? Our panel of experts will share how your language\, sentence structure\, and even punctuation can add up to an on-page whole that is recognizable to your readers\, no matter what you’re writing. \nSpeakers:  Elle Cosimano\, Agent Cherise Fisher\,  and Amber McBride \nModerator:  Phil Hilliker \nDate: Tuesday\, August 30\, 2022 \nTime: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern Time \nLocation: Online\, in the comfort of your own home. Via the Zoom Platform \nCost: $12 Members | $17 Non-members | $5 Students \n  \nRegistration closes at midnight August 29; your unique link to join the online Zoom program will be emailed to you the the morning of the Writing Show. \nRegister Now! \n\nSPEAKERS\n \n  \nELLE COSIMANO is a USA Today bestselling author\, an International Thriller Award winner\, a Bram Stoker Award finalist\, and an Edgar Award nominee. Elle’s debut novel for adults\, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It\, was a People magazine pick\, was named one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021\, and has been optioned for TV by 20th Television Studios. \nFacebook  |  Twitter  | Instagram \n  \n  \nCHERISE FISHER began her career in publishing more than 25 years ago. Over the course of her career as an acquiring editor at Simon & Schuster and Editor in Chief of Plume (an imprint of Penguin Random House)\, she has edited and published several national bestselling and award winning authors. As an agent\, she is interested in working with novelists who have multiple compulsively readable yarns in their head (both historical and contemporary)\, memoirists who showcase the diversity of human experience\, and non-fiction writers who seek to provoke\, inspire\, and educate. \nWebsite \n  \n  \n \n  \nAMBER MCBRIDE teaches English literature at the University of Virginia and has a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Me (Moth) is her debut novel which was a finalist for the Morris Award and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. She is the winner of the Coretta Scott King/ John Steptoe Award\, McBride lives in Charlottesville\, VA. \nTwitter  | Instagram \n  \n  \n\nMODERATOR\n \n  \nPhillip Hilliker is a creatively restless writer and illustrator with credits spanning many fields and genres. Formerly JRW’s membership coordinator\, he is currently a script writer for a video production and marketing firm in central Virginia. \nWebsite \n  \n  \nRegister Now! \nJames River Writers is partially supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://jamesriverwriters.org/event/august-2022-online-writing-show-voice-cadence-rhythm/
CATEGORIES:2022,2022,Writing Shows
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR