SOUTH FLORIDA
writers association
Welcome to SFWA
The South Florida Writers Association conducts programs, activities and special events that are in accordance with its mission and purpose. Our monthly hybrid meetings are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC with educational presentations about writing, publishing, marketing or award-winning or best-selling authors, agents or publishers.
Membership Benefits
Among others boons, we award four semi-annual grants of $500: for marketing and publishing, awarded at our June meeting along with the installation of the new Board, another pair in December at our annual Holiday Party.
All members can apply and winners are selected by random lottery.
The next General Meeting of the South Florida Writers Association will be on
Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM at
Pinecrest Library
5811 SW 111th Street
You can also join us on Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83899718493
Junior Orange Bowl
Creative Writing Competition
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We're thrilled to have recently celebrated the finalists of the 36th annual Junior Orange Bowl & South Florida Writers Association Creative Writing Contest, and honored first-place winner, Kirsten Hug from Gulliver Preparatory, along with her teacher, Ms. Maria Gonzalez.
Open to South Florida 8th graders, the prompt for the competition was:
“In an age characterized by sea level rise and rising temperatures, write an essay inspired by Miami’s ocean and its sea creatures.”
Chair Sophia Espaillat led the Creative Writing Contest with South Florida Writers Association as lead sponsor. Out of more than 100 submissions received this year, the finalists, three winners, and their teachers were honored at an awards ceremony held at the Newman Alumni Center at the University of Miami on May 18. Second-place prize went to Jessica Portnoy of Gulliver Prep, and third-place to Rafael Moro of Riviera Prep.
At the award ceremony, guest speaker Colin Foord, marine biologist, filmmaker, and co-founder of Coral Morphologic, gave a rousing presentation on his innovative work and shared Coral Morphologic’s mission to raise environmental awareness through creative expression with a spotlight on Miami’s unique biodiversity. Coral City Camera, a 24/7 underwater livestream from a coral reef along PortMiami, played on in the background. The Coral City Camera served as inspiration for the entrants.
Connie Goodman-Milone, South Florida Writers Association member and Junior Orange Bowl Creative Writing Committee past chair said;
"I’d like to congratulate our finalists. We’re here to honor your writing and encourage you all to continue down this path. Teachers, thank you for sharing our contest with your students and providing them with this opportunity. Today,
we honor your students’ imagination, dedication, and art of storytelling. These young writers have transported us to a new world and offered fresh perspectives."
The top 10 finalists will all receive Certificates of Achievement, prize bags, and - most importantly- the Golden Quill pin. The top 3 award-winning essays will
appear in the Author’s Voice newsletter of the South Florida Writers Association and will be announced in the Miami Herald. The top 3 prize winners will also be invited to appear on the Junior Orange Bowl float during the
parade in December.
From left to right, Kevin Arnoux, Sophia Espaillat, Jessica Portnoy, Kirsten Hug, Rafael Moro, Jennifer Forbes, Colin Foord.
Join us on August 2nd,
at Pinecrest Library
Our Guest Speaker is:
Dr. Myron S. Lubell
REMEMBERING HOLY JOE AND SILVER DOLLAR JAKE
A presentation by Dr. Myron S. Lubell, former professor
at FIU and columnist for the Miami Herald
Based on his satirical essay THE WORLD WAS OUR OYSTER - which has been published in the current issue of “Wilderness House Literary Review.” https://www.whlreview.com/no-20.2/essay/MyronSLubell.pdf
In addition, Dr. Lubell will talk about writing “Creative Non Fiction,” a literary genre that is “almost” non fiction, but not quite. However, it definitely is not fiction. He will also discuss the process of getting published - how he has had 9 of his articles published in the last two years.
About the Author:
Myron S. Lubell was born in Chicago and moved to Miami Beach at age 12. He is a CPA (retired), received a BBA and MBA from the university of Miami, and a PhD from the university of Maryland. He was a Tax professor at Florida International University for 32 years and also wrote a weekly tax column for the Miami Herald. In recent years he has turned his talents to writing satire.
Free and open to the public.
Coffee, tea, and light Refreshments will be served.
Watch Authors Showcase,
Interviews with our members,
on their writing
David Rolland hosts the Authors Showcase. He is a freelance journalist, filmmaker and author of novels "Yo-Yo" and "The End of the Century"
If you’re a member interested in being featured, contact Rolland.
Memories and photos
Poet Howard Camner reads his select works at the SFWA Poetry Month Celebration. 4/6/2019