That first word, sentence, paragraph and page can be the most difficult. Luckily, help is on the way. How does getting some insight and instruction from an acclaimed author sound? Not only is Cuban writer Cristina Garcia debuting The Lady Matador's Hotel: A Novel at the book fair but she will be leading the "Getting Started A Fiction Workshop with Cristina Garcia" event on Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. It's free, so take advantage. Learn more and find out how to fill out online registration at the jump.
Those interested in learning from a pro click here and fill out the workshop registration on the left of the page. Participants are asked to bring a book of poems by their favorite author or an anthology to use in a class exercise.
Garcia should be able to impart considerable wisdom on her charges as she is a proficient author with success in several genres. Maybe more important than that, she also teaches creative writing --which means she's used to explaining the nuances of writing to knuckleheads like you.
Though she is Cuban, Garcia is not a local writer. In fact, she grew up in New York after her family was forced from Castro's Cuba. Besides a job as Time Magazine's Florida and Caribbean bureau chief in Miami in the mid-1980s, Garcia doesn't have too many Miami ties. She's actually been criticized for by some Cuban ex-pats for her lack of activism. Even so, she'll be actively trying to move you from the ranks of frustrated writer to a published author at the writing workshop. Okay, so that's a stretch! For other Miami Book Fair events click here.
The Getting Started A Fiction Workshop with Cristina Garcia takes place Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Miami Book Fair International at Miami Dade College (300 NE Second Ave., Miami). You must register for the event. Call 305.237.3023 or 305.237.3298 or visit miamibookfair.com.
