**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Meeting via email.** 

Are you a writer -- or an aspiring writer -- looking for some support? The new Tewksbury Writing Group, which generally meets the third Tuesday evening of every month, is open to everyone who's interested in writing -- all genres, all skill levels. Each meeting -- which will take place via Zoom -- features a guest speaker (typically a published author or editor) offering some tips of the trade. Between meetings, members can share their work for reading and friendly critiquing via the group's list-serv.

The August 2021 guest speaker is Gabriel Valjan. Valjan is the author of the Roma Series and the Company Files with Winter Goose Publishing. His second book in the Company Files, The Naming Game, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery in 2020 at Malice Domestic, and for an Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original at Bouchercon. Dirty Old Town, the first of five books in the Shane Cleary series from Level Best Books, was published in January 2020. His short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Valjan has been listed for the Fish Prize three times, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and received an Honorable Mention for the Nero Wolfe Black Orchid Novella Contest in 2018. Learn more about Valjan HERE. Valjan's presentation will focus on editing, beta readers, etiquette for blurbs and on social media, and how to keep morale up.

The group is facilitated by author Dale T. Phillips, who has published novels, story collections, non-fiction, and over 70 short stories. Stephen King was Dale's college writing teacher. Dale has found time to appear on stage, television, radio, in an independent feature film, and compete on Jeopardy (losing in a spectacular fashion). He's a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Sisters in Crime.

Register directly on Zoom HERE. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.