Just Write

Meet many local authors at the Franklin Township Library/Community Center, 1584 Coles Mill Rd., Franklinville on Thursday, April 17 from 6:30 - 9:30 PM.  Author John Bond will speak at 7:30 PM.  He will discuss his book, You Can Write and Publish a Book:  Essential Information on How to Get Your Book Published.  Refreshments will be served.

This free event is offered in celebration of National Library Week by LOGICAL, a group of ten Gloucester County libraries working together to offer the most complete resources possible. 

Celebrate National Poetry Month with The Society for Poets of Southern New Jersey on Monday, April 28, 2008 at 7 PM at the Logan Library.  Bring a poem you wrote, a poem you need help with, and/or a poem by your favorite poet that you would like to share.  Society members will conduct a short poetry writing workshop.  All will be invited to participate in a poetry reading.

Advance registration is requested.  To register or to get more information, call the Logan Library at 856-241-0202.

More than 60 of the nation's top writers will gather in Philadelphia for the second Philadelphia Book Festival, the Free Library's annual celebration of reading and literacy.

The festival -- held Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18, at the Parkway Central Library, 19th and Vine streets offers two days of award-winning writers and poets in a lively atmosphere that combines stimulating book talks and celebrity signings with an eclectic blend of live music, children's entertainment, a new gaming gallery for all ages to enjoy, and a street fair with more than 80 literary exhibitors! The festival is a fun, free event that connects booklovers throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

For more information visit  http://libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival/

Catherine Sampson and Gwynne Scheffer attended the Rutgers-Camden hosted its 20^th annual Spring Writers’ Conference on April 12, 2008. It was a day of readings and workshops featuring poets, novelists and many other accomplished writers including Rutgers’ MFA faculty.

Some highlights from two sessions:

• Literary Magazine publisher, Painted Bride Quarterly, www.pbq.drexel.edu, is a 35 year old, not-for-profit publisher with two offices in Philadelphia (housed at Drexel) and New York (NYU). The co-editors, Kathleen Volk Miller & Marion Wrenn were both very entertaining as well as informative on the topic of publishing and literary portals.
• Creative Non-fiction with Jane Bernstein was a learning experience in critiquing writing.  Writers submitted work in advance of the conference which was distributed prior to the conference to the registrants to read in advance of the session. Jane gave an overview of creative non-fiction and some tips.  We were provided a few ground rules before the open critique of each writer's work.  It was amazing to listen as participants provided perspectives and input on the works of these aspiring authors.

This free conference was an extremely valuable experience and we would recommend it for writers at all levels.

The Logan Library Writers Group will welcome successful local author, John Bond, to their meeting on Wed., Sept.10, 2008 at 7 PM.  The public is invited to attend.

John's book, You Can Write and Publish a Book:  Essential Information on How to Get Your Book Published, provides detailed information on creating a proposal; finding an agent; finding a publisher; and marketing your book.  It includes valuable listings of publishing resources and suggested readings.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

John has over 20 years of experience on hundreds of publishing projects.  He has worked as an editor and now serves as vice-president for a medical publisher in New Jersey.  John is a proud member of PMA, the Independent Book Publisher Association; Small Publishers Association of North America; and the American Medical Publishers Association.

Whether you want to have a best-seller or just write as a hobby, join us for what is sure to be a fun and informative evening.