West Regional Library, 1425 Chaffee Road, Jacksonville, Fl 32221
When: Sign in begins at 10:00 AM unless otherwise posted.
* OUR MEETINGS *
We LOVE visitors! Unless otherwise stated, our meetings are held on the second Saturday of every month at the West Regional Branch Library in Jacksonville, Florida. The address is 1425 Chaffee Rd S, Jacksonville, Fl 32221.
Our Membership Dues is only $50 annually which includes all the workshops or you can pay $10 for any individual workshops throughout the year on Zoom. The public is welcome to come to the in-person workshops for Free for 2 learning sessions after which we ask that you pay the annual fee to join. To Pay for a Zoom Session CLICK HERE. Once payment is received you will receive an email with the Zoom link to attend the meeting you have selected.
Typically, we have a business meeting where you’ll learn about what we’re doing, followed by two workshops. When in person, we usually have lunch together at a nearby restaurant afterward. Romance writers know how to combine business and fun!
9:45AM log in to socialize and catch up with your fellow writers
10:00AM meeting called to order
10:40AM Meeting ends if it hasn’t already adjourned
10:40 5-minute break
10:45 First workshop (approx. 50 min)
5-minute break in there somewhere
Second workshop (approx. 50 min)
MEMBERS: If you need the Zoom link to attend, email the chapter president: president@firstcoastromancewriters.com You will be provided with a link. It is helpful if you have a free Zoom account prior to attending any of the ZOOM sessions as they can be viewed on your smartphone, tablet as well as through your laptop/computer. You can log in virtually for social time at 9:45am, and our business meeting will begin promptly at 10:15am.
Meetings Below
Don’t forget to share the upcoming workshops with your friends, family and fellow authors out there. We have a Facebook and a Twitter (X) button below each one that will allow you to share quickly and easily!
Writers Workshop with JD Allen
From 10:45 am until 1:00 pm
At Hybrid session On Zoom - and at the library
1425 Chaffee Road S - Jacksonville, Florida 32221
Julie writes mysteries as JD Allen and romance as Mari Freeman.
JD Allen, is the author of the Shamus Award–nominated Sin City Investigations series. She holds a degree in forensic anthropology with a minor in creative writing from OSU. JD has led the Florida MWA chapter, the North Carolina SinC chapter, and served as chair of both the Bouchercon National Board and co-chair of SleuthFest 2025.
Under her Mari Freeman pen name, Julie writes paranormal romance featuring demons, vampires, werewolves, and fae—stories where supernatural politics collide with scorching chemistry and hard-won happily-ever-afters. Her paranormal romance includes the Birthright and the Hot, Hard series, with multiple new releases planned for 2026.
With experience in both traditional and indie publishing across two genres, Julie brings a unique perspective to craft discussions. Whether writing murder mysteries or fated mates, she believes that strong voice and authentic dialogue are what make readers connect with characters and keep turning pages long past bedtime.
Sparks Flying: Crafting Dialogue That Sizzles
Learn to write dialogue that crackles with tension and reveals character in every exchange. From first-meeting banter to bedroom confessions, discover techniques for crafting authentic conversations that pulse with emotion and subtext.
How’s this: Deep POV and show-don't-tell can be the difference between readers just breezing through your story and living inside it. In this workshop, we’ll strip out filter words, show emotion through body and behavior rather than naming it. We’ll use Deep POV to make every charged silence and almost-kiss feel unbearable, leaving your reader kicking their heels.
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Lana McAra Building Your Brand
From 10:45 am
At West Branch Regional Library
1425 Chaffee Road S. Jacksonville, FL 32221
Lana McAra is an award-winning author and ghostwriter of 48 titles with a million books sold. She has been teaching how to write fiction for 20 years. She is the founding president of Vendela Publishing, LLC, a publisher that helps indie authors go from online to on shelves in bookstores and libraries. Lana is the president of the Northeast Florida Chapter of Sisters in Crime and host of The Fiction Writer's Podcast.
Lana won The Christy Award, The Book Excellence Award and The Literary Titan Silver Book Award for her historical novel Reaping the Whirlwind by Rosey Dow and her mystery series, Colorado by Rosey Dow, sold more than 250,000 copies. This year she released How to Write a Novel That Sells: From Concept to Publication by Lana McAra, a training manual for aspiring novelists.
Go to https://www.LanaMcAra.com to download your free video and ebook: “Your Novel Notebook: How to organize your materials and take your novel to the next level.”
Building Your Author BrandSuccessful authors have both a writing style that is unique to them--their genre, the tone of their stories, and even whether they write Happy Ever After or Heartbreaker Books (like Nicholas Sparks). Attendees will work through a checklist that will help them identify their brand.
Live Editing WorkshopSubmit 500 words of your writing, and Lana will go through it (kindly) in the group, so we all learn together. This is her most popular session.
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