2016 Southeastern Writers WorkshopJune 17-21, 2016Epworth by the Sea, St. Simons Island, GA

Our annual 4-day/5 night workshop features classes in both fiction and non-fiction

with special guest Keynote Speaker Janet Sheppard Kelleher

2016 SWA Workshop FacultyNonfiction: Jedwin SmithYoung Adult: Michelle RoperNovel: David FulmerMarketing: My Write PlatformPublisher: Bob BabcockAgent: Jeanie LoiaconoScreenwriting: Michael LuckerCommercial Writing: Peter Bowerman

Full conference tuition includesentry to all sessions for all 4 days,3 FREE manuscript evaluations with one-on-one feedback from our faculty, and access to an agent and a publisher (2-day minimum registration for evaluations). Plus multiple contests with CASH PRIZES!

Register now! southeasternwriters.org

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR“The Merry Month of May” is the title of the poem written by Thomas Dekker. To most, May is the month of awakening in nature and in us. Flowers and trees are blooming, and daylight lasts longer––all of which give way to beautiful scenes supplying the writers with new sights and sounds to fill their pages.

Spring fever means love is in the air. Southern Writers Magazine delights in showcasing in this issue two of the co-founders of Romance Writers of America, Rita Clay Estrada and Parris Afton Bonds. They will take you behind those early beginnings and share their writing stories. We also are showcasing RWA’s current President, Diane Kelly, who shares the present-day RWA and her writing journey.

In this issue you will find authors you know and love as well as introductions to others who you will come to know and love. They each have a story to share with you about their writing and how they have been able to create a niche for themselves in the literary landscape. You will find tips on techniques for dialogue, scenes, poetry, screenplays, social media, and creating characters, just to name a few. So sit back and enjoy this issue.

For those who like to read on their tablets or phones, we’re excited to announce that digital editions of Southern Writers are now available. Look for the “Digital Copies” link on our websites. Check out the authors on all the covers of current and back issues. You can immediately download a digital copy of any you have missed through the years.

And be sure to check out our Fifth Annual Short Story Fiction contest, beginning May 1 and ending June 1. Details are also on our website at www.southernwritersmagazine.com.

Enjoy May and June, and spend time putting pen to paper all those thoughts bouncing in your head. Why? So others can come to know your writing voice and find pleasure in their days of reading. When I finish a book written by my favorite authors, I always wish I didn’t have to wait for their next one. Happy Writing,

Susan Reichert Editor-in-Chief