Writing dialogue is topic of writers group meeting
Writer, branding expert, speaker and humorist Erik Deckers returns to discuss writing compelling dialogue. Deckers will present “He Said, She Said: The Secrets of Writing Solid Dialogue” at the June 18 meeting of the FWA Ponte Vedra Writers group. The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at the Ponte Vedra Branch Library.
“Dialogue lets you illustrate themes and convey ideas through a character's verbal response to the situations and people they encounter,” said Deckers. “Your characters can express deep emotions with what they say, sometimes more than they can with unspoken actions and unvoiced feelings. Without dialogue, you don't have a story, you have an essay. But writing dialogue can be quite tricky, and it's an art unto itself.”
Deckers is the co-author of “Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself” along with other social media books. He’s recently published his first humor novel, “Mackinac Island Nation.” He’s been blogging since 1997 and been a published writer for more than 27 years.
The Ponte Vedra Writers group is part of the Florida Writers Association, a statewide, non-profit organization with nearly 1,500 members dedicated to the support of both aspiring and published writers in any genre.
The June 18 meeting is free and open to members and non-members alike. For information on FWA, go to floridawriters.org.
Municipal Service District announces meeting change
The Municipal Service District of Ponte Vedra Beach has given notice of meeting time change for the remainder of year 2022. The monthly meetings on the second Monday of the month will now begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be held at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. An agenda for the meeting can be obtained at www.pvmsd.org or by contacting Ann Jurenovich at pvmsd@comcast.net
Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in any of these meetings is asked to advise the district at least five days before the meeting by contacting Ann Jurenovich at pvmsd@comcast.net.
Library announces summer reading program
The St. Johns County Public Library System is encouraging youth and adults to participate in “The Best Summer at Your Library” summer reading program, June 13 through Aug. 6. The program includes virtual and in-person opportunities that are fun for the whole family.
Readers of all ages are invited to pick up their free reading logs from any library branch or track their progress virtually through the READsquared app. Participants may earn free books for every six days read on logs or 60 points reached on READsquared.
In addition, the library system is hosting the second annual “Amp up the Magic” show with magician Mark Alan at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. June 30 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre located at 1340C A1A South. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or beach towels and bug spray for this free outdoor event. Register at sjcpls.org/the-best-summer-22.
“The Best Summer at Your Library” is sponsored by multiple Friends of the Library groups.
To learn more about the summer reading program and how to register for the variety of programs, contact your local branch library or go to sjcpls.org.
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan
