My News
FLORIDA WRITERS FOUNDATION PROMOTES LITERACY
According to Discover, “Reading fiction can show us different viewpoints–and shape how we relate to each other.” Have you ever identified with a character in a novel? Did an author ever transport you into another place and/or into the main character’s mind? Through reading fiction, we can experience from a perspective other than our own.
I accepted the invitation to be the Florida Writers Foundation President because I believe reading improves our lives and makes us kinder. Right now we may all need to be kinder. I’m not Black, but like former First Lady, Michelle Obama, I’m exhausted–exhausted by chaos in the streets, exhausted by violence and brutality, exhausted by the endless pandemic, and exhausted by my own grumpiness.
It’s time to read. Reading makes us empathetic, but it does more. Reading relaxes us, improves our memory, helps us solve problems, expands our knowledge, and according to a study published in the Economic Journal increases earnings. For those reasons and more, I’m pleased to be a part of an organization that supports literacy.
The Florida Writers Foundation provided a grant that helped a group of young mothers from the Chiles Academy in Daytona Beach publish the poetry and stories they wrote under the tutelage of Florida Writers Association Regional Group Leader, Veronica Hart. The cover of the book brightens this blog.
FWF would love to give a grant to a Florida group promoting literacy. Please go to the FWF website to learn how to apply for a grant.
A List of Literary Agents
Good morning. Thank you for visiting my blog.
The motto of the Florida Writers Association is Writers Helping Writers. My friend, fellow Florida writer, Gene Luke Vlahovic, author of The Artisan does just that. Gene Luke is a member of the Space Coast Prolific Authors, the Space Coast Writers Guild, and the Brevard Authors Society.
I owe Gene Luke a debt of gratitude. He traveled to Lake Helen to do a presentation on self-publishing for the Villa Writers, the FWA group I lead.
He organizes writers’ competitions, events for writers to sell books, and shares valuable information with those on his mailing list. Recently, he shared the list of literary agents and publishers supplied by Authors Marketing Guild LLC with me with the caveat it is up to the author to verify if any of the agents or publishers would be appropriate for their needs.
His efforts to provide valuable links to local literary artists is voluntary. If you wish to be included in his mailing list, I suggest you contact him at the link below:
Thanks to the efforts of Kevin Campbell, Slam Coordinator for the Florida State Poets Association, the exhibit featuring my ekphrastic poem and the artwork that prompted it, is now available for public viewing.
Visitors, wearing masks, may vote once per visit and are not limited in the number of times they may pop in and vote for the best poem written about one of the 34 works of art. Voting will run through to closing on Sunday, October 4th. There is a five-dollar fee for admittance to the Museum of Art in DeLand, Florida, located across from the beautiful Stetson University Campus on North Woodland Boulevard.
Note: If you travel to DeLand, plan to spend time in the small city, DeLand won the coveted award for being the best downtown in the nation. One of its shop owners sold my husband, Barry Dimick, and I on the city almost eighteen years ago. We moved from the Adirondack-mountain area of New York to Florida based on his recommendation.
We’re a two-writer family about to hit the road in our new RV. In the photo my husband, Barry Dimick, is standing next to our new RV. Barry’s memoir, Second Son: Growing Up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, is a coming of age story. Notice his shirt says Vermont. We met when we attended college in Vermont. I’m not sure if we’ll venture to Vermont in the RV or not, but you can expect stories, photos, and poems based on our RV adventures.
Next Step in 2020 Poetic Visions
Thank you for visiting my news. Yesterday, I received a bittersweet invitation from Kevin Campbell, Slam Coordinator of the Florida State Poets Association. What’s sweet is it’s this poet’s dream come true. The problem is it’s in the middle of our country’s worst health scare in one hundred years. A portion of the invitation appears below. Would you attend?
“An event is being planned at The Thin Man Watts Amphitheater, tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of September 19th. It is an outside open air venue and we will be observing CDC protocols for such outdoor events, including mandatory masks with proper and ongoing sanitation. In addition to a poetry slam and an open mic, there will also be a curated poetry reading comprised of only 2020 Poetic Visions Poets. At this event, you are welcome to read your contest entry. The most inspired reading (as chosen by museum personnel) will receive $25. This is not the contest itself, which will be judged by the general public. This is just a way to say an additional thank you to all the artists who submitted work. If you have returned a signed release waiver, you are encouraged to attend both the curated reading and to stick around for the open mic where you can share any poems… If you have books and merchandise you are welcome to bring them for sale. We will have a table set up for participating poets to display them. Thank you again.”
Snap to it! Make a Difference
Good Morning,
Followers, thank you for visiting my page. Do you enjoy writing and reading poetry? What are your favorite poetic devices?
I love onomatopoeia. Words that sound like their meanings stand out on the pages of our favorite comic strips and manga books. They work in poetry and advertising. Try using this great form of sound imagery in your poems and advertising.
Before Covid, I visited Pine Ridge High School in Deltona, Florida. After I read my first poem from Backpack Blues: Ignite the Fire Within, the students snapped their fingers in unison. It was the first time I’d ever heard teens snap their fingers to say they enjoyed and related to my poems. I was thrilled.
I learned snapping had replaced clapping. Cool!
Backpack Blues: Ignite the Fire Within is available online. If you purchase it from smile.amazon.com, you will be able to read my poetry, learn about other techniques poets use, and contribute to the Florida Writers Foundation all for the same price as just purchasing the book. Amazon contributes to charities.
I’m the president of the Florida Writers Foundation, a not-for-profit organization supporting literacy. Most recently, we contributed 1,500 dollars to a library in Mt. Dora as a sponsor of its “1000 Books Before Kindergarten” program.
If you know a Florida group with a project promoting literacy, please tell the organizer to visit our website at floridawritersfoundation.net. The application for a grant is available on the site. Tell the leader to SNAP to it! We have funds available to provide grants to worthy organizations promoting the ability to read and write.
If you are a teacher, writer, librarian, reader, or promoter of literacy, please consider making AmazonSmile your way to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. I’d be thrilled if you select the Florida Writers Foundation as your charity. Thank you.
If you question the importance of reading, imagine the loneliness of those not able to read and write during this coronavirus lockdown–what a nightmare it would be. How could you have survived during the lockdown. OMG! BOO!
Thank you for visiting My News. Hope I’ve provided you with a link for you to help a charitable group in your neighborhood.
My Novel in Verse Won an RPLA
Last night I learned No Parents Allowed, my most recent YA novel, published by PAL publisher Taylor and Seale is a finalist for the 2020 Royal Palm Literary Award to be delivered on October 17.
The link at the end of my blog takes you to an interview after What Lies Beneath won First Place in the general catch-all category for an RPLA. (Because novels in verse are rarely above 35,000 words, the Florida Writers Association does not allow them to be entered as Young Adult novels, but the novel in verse is my favorite genre.) My agent Joyce Sweeney is currently seeking a publishing house for What Lies Beneath.
Learn more about me, my writing, and my award-winning What Lies Beneath by clicking this link: https://floridawriters.net/emotions-flow-like-hormones-rpla-showcase-melody-dean-dimick/
My Young Adult novel No Parents Allowed is a finalist for a Royal Palm Literary Award sponsored by the Florida Writers Association. The winner will be announced in October.
It’s a little ironic. This year’s awards ceremony will be virtual. No Parents Allowed is young adult novel set in a virtual online chat room.
Jetpack Help
Hi,
Happy Girlfriend’s Day.
Can’t believe we have a hurricane emergency during a pandemic.
Unfortunately, Duke Energy has informed us we may lose power. That is going to stink. Literally. I purchased extra fish to prepare for the coronavirus. We don’t have a generator. We need to find an inexpensive, easy-to-use generator.
We thought we had a jetpack to use for internet service. Sadly, it did not get activated, even though I’ve been paying for it for months. Can’t get through to Verizon support.
If you know a secret to activate a jetpack, let me know. Otherwise, I won’t be able to post until our power and internet are restored.
Stay safe. Read a good book.
Running on Air
Running on air to get to you.
The quarantine has ended, and my feet won’t touch the ground.
Did you wait for me?
Running on air to be with you.
Been confined and lonely way too long.
Did you wait for me?
Running on air to kiss your heart-shaped lips.
Anticipation propels me—on Mercury’s wings.
Did you wait for me?
Running on air to tell you “I love you”
before you can bid me adieu.
Did you wait for me?
Running on air to get to the wedding chapel—
in flight mode—airborne—can’t wait to say “I do.”
Elated you waited for me.