In order to succeed on Wall Street, one must be intelligent and dedicated. Jory Berkwits spent forty years there before he became an author. He applied his characteristic brilliance and work ethic to create his book, Death of the Dinosaur, that won First Place for Published Informational in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Jory discusses his transition to writing, his insider view, and writing tips on this week’s RPLA showcase. Jory’s Writing Journey I thought I would be a … Read More »

Incredible writer? Check. Multi-genre author? Check. Marketing master? Check. Dedicated volunteer? Check. There are few challenges John Hope hasn’t faced and come out on top. The soft-spoken yet hilarious author has been a key resource in the FWA as well as one of its treasured gems. John was recognized with the Kaye Coppersmith Award in 2018 for his service and dedication to the organization. He spends a multitude of hours helping other writers yet still has time to write many, … Read More »

Early influences are important, especially when they encourage a deep love of writing. Virginia Nygard has been on both sides: the eager student inspired by the skilled teacher and the passionate teacher passing on her love of words to her students. Virginia also enjoys watching her characters grow. She was struck with an opening scene and the rest of the story flew from her fingertips, creating her book Missing. It won First Place for Published Novella in the 2018 Royal … Read More »

From film critic to poet, Linda Kraus has an eye for detail. She enjoys shining a light on frequently unseen aspects of life and showing their worth. Her poem Redefining Beauty examines an ancient pottery practice that makes once unsightly broken shards into works of art, and naturally she uses her knack for detail to create masterful lines in this work. Redefining Beauty won First Place for Published Poetry in the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Awards. Learn more about Linda’s … Read More »

The journey to becoming an author isn’t always a straight path. Melody Dean Dimick has been pushed off course several times by lack of opportunity, tough critiques, and rejection. But she refused to let that deter her from her love of writing and her dreams of creating stories for young adults. She understands and connects with the emotional journey of that age group and harnesses that knowledge to write layered and impassioned stories high school students love. Melody is also … Read More »

Can your first book be an award-winner? It absolutely can! That was the case for Michael A. Gabriel with his biography The Force of Destiny. Inspired by his father’s fascinating life, Michael penned his work after he retired from his career as an airline pilot. He learned quite a bit during this first writing journey, most importantly that he truly enjoys being an author. His career has kick-started with a book that won First Place for Published Biography in the … Read More »