Oceanview authors featured at mystery writer conference
At work in the Longboat Key office, Oceanview Publishing Manager Frank Troncale with author/publisher Patricia Gussin’s soon-to-be-released mystery, “And Then There Was One.” CREDIT: Karen O’Dowd
Local author Terry Griffin, president of Mystery Florida Inc., uses Longboat Key as a setting for his Matt Royal mystery series. “Bitter Legacy” is coming up soon. CREDIT: Karen O’Dowd
KAREN O’DOWD
Contributing Columnist
odowd@lbknews.com
“Mystery Florida, A Conference to Die For!” is being held this weekend at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1000 Blvd. of the Arts.
The Friday and Saturday gathering attracts both mystery readers and writers, and it offers a free ‘Mystery Mingle,’ the largest single book-signing event in Florida, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday evening. Everyone is welcome to come meet the authors, purchase their books and get them autographed.
Longboat Key’s Oceanview Publishing, specializing in the genres of mystery, suspense and thrillers, will be well-represented by three of their published authors, including local author H. Terrell Griffin, who is also president of Mystery Florida Inc. Griffin self published his first mystery before working with Oceanview Publishing.
“This conference is set up to appeal to aspiring writers and fans of the mystery genre. The conference gives writers the confidence that ‘yes, I can finish, yes, I might be able to get published,’” said Griffin, who attended his first Mystery Florida conference in 2005.
“Aspiring writers can learn a lot from other writers at this two-day Mystery Florida event, and fans can learn about what goes on to get a published work from the mind of the writer to the printed page. It is a terrific networking and learning opportunity,” Griffin said. “This year we have a forensic scientist, a medical examiner, movie scouts, book scouts, agents and editors on the program.”
Circle Books provides the books offered for sale during the conference and one-half of the profits go to the Longboat Library and the Tingley Memorial Library in Bradenton Beach. Other sponsors of the event include Sarasota County Film & Entertainment Office, Sarasota and Her Islands Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.
And after the conference, dedicated writers can try their luck at getting published.
“Oceanview Publishing now has 50 books published by 28 authors,” said Frank Troncale, Oceanview’s publishing manager. “We do 12 books a year, and there is a definite submission process to follow. We ask prospective authors to submit 30 pages of their manuscript, which are carefully reviewed. If accepted for publication, it takes 18 months from contract signing to publication.”
Registration is $200 for both days, including lunch, or $125 for Saturday only. For more information, visit www.mysteryfl.com. Visit www.oceanviewpublishing.com for Oceanview’s complete submission process and the publisher’s newsletter.
[...] In addition to Terry, Oceanview attendees included: Frank Troncale, Don Bruns, Sharon Potts, and Ward Larsen. Karen O’ Dowd, a writer with the Longboat Key News, wrote a fantastic article about the conference, which featured a photo of Frank Troncale holding Patricia Gussin’s upcoming novel, And Then There Was One. (Longboat Key News article) [...]