Today is April 19th which means we are ONE MONTH away from the Northwest Georgia Writers Conference!!!!!!

We have a lot of great things happening this year. Here’s the rundown…

Our conference will again be held at the Harris Arts Center at 212 S. Wall Street in Calhoun. We will open the doors at 8 am. We’ll get you checked in and will have a goodie bag with your name on it! Be sure to dig around in that bag because your door prize ticket will be in there.

From 8-9 am we will provide a light, continental breakfast and will have our book sale tables open. We invite you to mingle and network with the many incredible authors and speakers that will have their books for purchase. Be sure to stop by the Calhoun Area Writers table to find out how to snag some extra door prize tickets!

During this time, we will also have our AGENT APPOINTMENTS going on. Our agent this year is Jeanie Loiacono. She represents authors who have published with houses such as Library Tales Publishing, Thomas Nelson, Clear Fork Publishing, and Native Ink Press. So, whether you are looking for representation or just some great feedback on your pitch and manuscript idea, I encourage you to register for an appointment today! These will go fast!!

Our lineup of speakers this year is phenomenal! We will kick off with author and poet Vickie McEntire presenting our welcome address. Then our KEYNOTE Presenter, Karin Gillispie will take the stage. Karin is the author of seven, national-bestselling novels including the Smart, Southern Sass Series. She has also written for New York Times, Washington Post, and Writer Magazine. And be sure to congratulate her on winning the 2016 Georgia Author of the Year award!

We have two WORKSHOPS being presented this year. The first is a workshop on marketing with Deborah Malone, author of Blooming in Broken Places. The second is with Nicki Salcedo who is the author of All Beautiful Things, a two-time recipient of the Maggie Award of Excellence, and a Golden Heart finalist.

Two activities are coming back from last year after we received stark reviews. The first is the AUTHOR PANEL. We will have our authors on stage for some Q&A. Be sure to submit your questions ahead of time by emailing CalhounAreaWriters@gmail.com, SUBJECT: Author Panel.

The second activity we are bringing back is our SPEED PRESENTERS. We have a great group this year.

Cheryll Snow- The Art of Dialogue

Lunch is being catered this year by The Calhoun Coffee Company and CAW will be providing snacks and beverages throughout the day.

And have you seen our DOOR PRIZES? We have gift baskets, advertising space with Southern Writers Magazine, a Kindle Fire, and more! We are constantly adding new prizes to our website so stay tuned!!

If you need a HOTEL, we have an incredible rate secured through Country Inn & Suites. Standard rooms with King or Double Queen are $85. Suites with King or Double Queen are $95.Includes Continental Breakfast, WiFi, and an indoor pool.

Here’s the link:  www.countryinns.com/calhounareawriters

Take a moment to visit our website.

This is where you will find more information about the conference and our group. You can purchase your tickets and a snazzy conference t-shirt on our BUY STUFF tab. While you’re there, check out our blog. I guarantee you’ll find some great writing tips.