Flightless Goose Featured at BookExpo America

The 2009 BookExpo America hits New York City this weekend — the largest and most important book event in North America. And Flightless Goose will be there!

Flightless Goose author and illustrator Eric & Nataliya Goodman will be giving away copies of their new hardcover, full-color story book for children at the big event. Other authors doing the same at BookExpo America include Julie Andrews, Joyce Carol Oates, Nicholas Sparks, Omar Tyree, Dave Barry, R. L. Stine, Craig Ferguson, Jan Brett, Berkeley Breathed, Julianne Moore, Kathy Lee Gifford, Emeril Lagasse, Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark, Ridley Pearson, George Pelecanos, Robert McNeely, Paul F. Wilson, Tim Wendell, Kwame Alexander, M. J. Rose, Lizzie Skurnick, Meg Cabot, Lev Grossman and Chuck Klosterman.

Join these authors and thousands of attendees at the new and reformatted BookExpo America — the premier event for the North American publishing industry.

This year, you'll benefit from quality over quantity, seeing and learning exactly what you need to survive today's changing industry and challenging economy. Meet 500+ authors and discover hundreds of new titles on a Show floor bristling with 1,500 exhibitors (check out BEA Exhibitor Show Specials) and featuring the NEW Downtown Stage and Uptown Stage and the ever popular BEA Autographing Area. Learn the trends during 60+ focused sessions at the NEW "Big Ideas at BEA" Conference and don’t miss this year’s Global Market Forum: Books & Publishing in the Arab World. Experience the buzz of the book business at dynamic Special Events (buy your Special Events Tickets now). Conduct rights business at the largest North American International Rights Center. And enjoy NEW Show floor amenities such as more seating and places to eat. All of this, plus all of New York City — the publishing capital of the world.

Flightless Goose will be featured in the autographing area on Friday. See the full schedule of Friday’s autographing authors at this link.


And learn more about Book Expo America — including how to register and attend — at the BEA website.



www.bookexpoamerica.com/en

Fitzgerald Wants Your Stories

Do you have a Great Gatsby of a short story that you’d like to share with the world? Now is the time. The F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference is sponsoring its 14th annual short story competition. The F. Scott Fitzgerald Short Story Contest is open to residents of Maryland, Washington D. C. and Virginia.


Send in your polished and unpublished stories of no more than 3,000 words. First prize includes $1000, presented at the 14th Annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, and publication in The Potomac Review. Three runner-ups will receive $200 each at the conference. There is a $25 entry fee, and the deadline to enter is July 17, 2009.


The F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc. promotes appreciation for the literary arts and appreciation for the literature of F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of America's most celebrated writers.

The F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference is held every year in Rockville, Maryland, the resting place of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The conference includes workshops and panels for writers of all skill levels. Past honorees featured at the conference have included John Updike, Norman Mailer, Edward Albee, E. L. Doctorow, Joyce Carol Oates, and Elmore Leonard.


Support comes from the City of Rockville, Montgomery College, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Gazette Newspapers, the Rockville Cultural Arts Commission, Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., Chase Hotel Suites, Vermont Coffee Company and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society.


For more information about the F. Scott Fitzgerald Short Story Contest and Conference, visit www.peerlessrockville.org/FSF and visit the “Short Story Contest” link on the left of the page. Or call (301) 309-9461.


And be sure to make plans to attend the next F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference on October 17, 2009. You can learn more by visiting the conference website at www.peerlessrockville.org/FSF.

Goose Soars at Maryland Writers Conference

This weekend is the 21st Annual Maryland Writers’ Conference. There’s a full list of sessions and speakers. One of the featured sessions is called From Quill To Flightless Goose: Making a Childrens’ Book Soar, presented by yours truly.

Here’s how the Maryland Writers’ Conference program describes it:

"In this session, Children's author and public relations expert Eric D. Goodman will share his experiences from first lines to final publication. Drawing on his experience, he will talk about the long and winding road to publication, and the bumpy path beyond it to successful sales. Learn about writer-publisher relations, writer-illustrator relations and about working on a children's book as a husband-wife team. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask your own burning questions about the challenges and rewards of being a published children's author.

"Eric D. Goodman is a full-time writer and editor. National Public Radio's WYPR called him "a regular on the Baltimore literary scene." His work has been published in The Washington Post, Baltimore Review, Writers Weekly, The Potomac, Slow Trains, Freshly Squeezed, JMWW, Grub Street, and New Lines from the Old Line State. His children's book, Flightless Goose, is available in bookstores, at http://www.amazon.com/, and at http://www.rungoose.com/. Eric is also the Public Relations Director for MWA and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, and makes his living as a PR writer. You can learn more about Eric's creative writing or contact him at http://www.writeful.blogspot.com/."

Visit www.marylandwriters.org/conferences-2009list.html for more about this session, and a full list of all the sessions, speakers, agents, and editors at this year’s Maryland Writers’ Conference.

Maryland Writers conference Serves Writers This Weekend

For 21 years, the Maryland Writers’ Association has served local writers of all levels—from novice to expert—with the Annual Maryland Writers’ Conference.


The big event for 2009 takes place on Saturday, May 9 from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights.


Keynote speaker Robert L. Booth is one of many professional, successful writers planning to spend the day helping writers reach their own goals. Booth was managing editor for National Geographic and has recently retired after a 35-year career with the magazine.


Other speakers include Kevin Bolk, David E. Booth, A. C. Crispin, Michael Downs, Joya Fields, Eric D. Goodman, Gary L. Lester, Vicki Meade, Ally Peltier, Angela Render, Cynthia Blake Sanders, Linda Shertzer, Christine Stewart, David Warfield, Elissa Brent Weissman, Richard White, Gregg Wilhelm and Betsy Greenleaf Yarrison.


Topics range from writing for children to the various aspects of writing adult fiction (literary, genre, commercial), from the business side of writing to the creative side, finding a publisher, avoiding scams, polishing your work, resurrecting your poetry and organizing your work station. There’s a little something for everyone.


Literary agents and editors on hand include Brian Michael Lawrence, Dan Patrell, Allisa D. Davis, Chelsea Gilmore, Carla Jablonski, Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Andrea Barzvi, Jenny Brent, and Jennifer Sinsheimer.


Join local and national experts and established writers at the 21st annual Maryland Writers' Association's conference. You’ll have the opportunity to hone your craft in sessions led by established authors, instructors, and experts. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, there’s plenty for you at the conference. Come write your own success story.


Visit www.marylandwriters.org/conferences-2009list.html for a full list of sessions, speakers, agents, and editors.


To register, or for more information, visit the conference website at www.marylandwriters.org/conferences.html.


Or, if you don’t find time to register but still want to attend, just show up! The Maryland Writers’ Association will make room for walk-ins.


In addition to the conference, there will be a Writers’ Banquet on Friday, May 8 at the same location from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Join fellow writers for a buffet dinner and join a discussion with Brian Michael Lawrence, editor-in-chief and director for Style magazine, and Dan Patrell, editor of Maryland Life magazine, on the current state of magazine publishing and what it means for writers.


Though the Banquet is presented in conjunction with our Annual Writers’ Conference, you do not have to be registered for the Conference to attend.


Learn more about the conference and the banquet at
www.marylandwriters.org/conferences.html