Three things are happening at First Coast Romance Writers this month, and one of them is this Saturday. Here is what readers and writers need to know, plus a first look at who is coming to speak in 2027.
This Saturday: Shakira R. Thompson and The Heart of a Romance Author
On Saturday, November 14, romance author Shakira R. Thompson joins us in person for The Heart of a Romance Author. Shakira is the founder of Love Story 365, a platform built around intentional love and emotional connection. She grew up in Fernandina Beach, graduated from Florida A&M University, and now lives in Orlando with her family.
Her session is interactive and comes from a faith perspective. She will explore how faith, love, and intentionality shape the stories we write and the lives we live. You do not have to be a published author to get something out of it. Writers, readers, and anyone who believes in a good love story are welcome.
When: Saturday, November 14, 2026. Doors open at 10:00 am. A short business meeting comes first, and the workshop begins at 10:45 am.
Where: West Regional Library, 1425 Chaffee Road South, Jacksonville, FL 32221
Cost: Members attend free. Guests may attend two in-person workshops free. Guests joining by Zoom pay $10. Sign up for the Zoom session here.
Read more about Shakira and her workshop.
Winter Wishes Is Available for Preorder
Our newest anthology, Winter Wishes: A Collection of Wintery Romances, releases Tuesday, November 17, and you can preorder it on Amazon now. Six FCRW authors wrote six stories about what happens when the snow starts falling and two people have nowhere else to go.
- Snow in California by Leah Miles. Ariana Parker is stuck in an ice crevasse with a broken arm and a storm on the way. Her rescuer is a vacationing SEAL who explains a pulley system she could rig in her sleep.
- Look What Snow Made Me Do by Elizabeth Edgar. To land her dream promotion, Addison has to survive a project road trip with Michael, the man who broke her heart weeks before their wedding.
- Baby It’s Snow Outside by Madeline Fortier. Snowed into a Montana cabin, a small-town vet and a guarded wildlife photographer fall hard. Then the storm clears.
- Written in the Snow by Scarlett Shaw. Merry and Nick are thrown together for their best friends’ wedding, with an old mystery still standing between them.
- Tails in the Snow by Lorah Jaiyn. Her dream job offered everything she had worked for. A snowy little rescue taught her what she actually needed.
- Angels Unawares by Sara J. Walker. Ten years apart, a mountain storm, a pastor, and two half-frozen children on his doorstep.
Proceeds from every copy benefit First Coast Romance Writers, an independent non-profit that helps writers hone their craft and learn the publishing business.
Preorder Winter Wishes on Amazon
The 2027 Workshop Lineup
Our program team has most of next year booked already. We meet on the second Saturday of every month at West Regional Library, with a Zoom option for members who cannot make the drive.
- January 9: Catherine C. Wu, author of The Moon Goddess’s Smile, on writing a vivid scene with striking sensory details
- February 13: To be announced
- March 13: Abigail Sharpe, contemporary romance author, with an unofficial look at the Save the Cat story method
- April 10: Kanika Bailey, who writes romance as Joi Jackson, on story bibles for romance writers
- May 8: Terena Bell, book publicist, on marketing your book to public, private, and university libraries
- June 12: Scott West, armorer and technical director for Thieves Guilde Productions, on pre-modern weaponry, armor, and tactics for authors
- July 10: Patricia Daly-Lipe, Ph.D., author and painter, with Myth, Magic, and Metaphor: A Journey into the Heart of Creativity
- August 14: Jaimie Engle, screenwriter and producer, with From Book to Hollywood From Anywhere
- September 11: Emily K. Michael, poet, on building characters through the senses and writing authentic characters beyond your own experience
- October 9: To be announced
- November 13: Christina Clark, who writes as C.M. Clark and Marie Lambert, on running two pen names and selling books at markets, signings, and reader events
- December 11: Holiday gathering for members
Dates and topics can change, so check the Workshops page before each meeting.
What Else Members Get in 2027
Three themed anthologies. Members are planning three collections for 2027: a summer anthology of cowboy and small-town romance, our first paranormal anthology for fall, and a new winter collection. Titles and deadlines are still being set. Only FCRW members can submit a story, and every contributor is published alongside authors who have done it before.
The 2027 NERFA contest. The National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards return in 2027 for romance published in 2026. If you released a book this year, start thinking about your entry. Dates and details will be posted on the NERFA site.
Renew or Join for 2027
Membership is $50 a year. That covers every monthly workshop in person or on Zoom, the members-only site with workshop recordings and handouts, the chance to submit to our anthologies, promotion of your book news in our newsletter and on our social channels, and a room full of writers who want you to finish your book.
Current members can renew now for 2027. If you have been thinking about joining, come to a workshop as our guest first, then make it official.