Sisters in Crime

Sisters in Crime

Florida Gulf Coast Chapter

March 2026 Meeting

The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime Worldwide is pleased to announce that Cynthia Fabian will be the speaker at the March 7th chapter meeting.

Cynthia’s presentation, “Creepy-Crawlys Aren’t Just for Gardens – Using Bugs and Insects for Effect in Your Crime Novels,” dives into the fascinating world where entomology meets mystery. Discover how even the smallest creatures can inject tension, deepen atmosphere, and turn an ordinary scene into a page‑turning moment. She’ll explore surprising (and delightfully gross) facts, smart ways to weave insects into your plots, strategic placement that heightens suspense, and how to keep every creepy‑crawly detail both plausible and compelling.

Meeting Details:

  • Date: March 7, 2026
  • Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
  • Location: In person at the William Jervy Venice Public Library. The meeting will also be available via Zoom:
    • Chapter members will receive the Zoom link with the meeting agenda packet the day before the meeting
    • SinC Worldwide members can obtain the Zoom link from the SinC LinC event notification in Chapter Events
    • Non-members of the Florida Gulf Coast chapter or Sisters in Crime Worldwide can request the Zoom link by sending an email to flgulfcoastsinc@gmail.com

Bio: Cynthia was born in Los Angeles but grew up in New York City. She’s a general writer, writing for local newspapers and SRQ. She invented a patented product that kills bugs naturally. A retired English and ESOL teacher, she loves writing for kids and has published 10 children’s books.

Social Media: cynthiafabianbooks.com

January 2026 Meeting

The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Sisters in Crime Worldwide is pleased to announce that Sue Toth will present “Five Reasons You Should Use the Same Editor for Your Series” at the January chapter meeting.

Meeting Details:

  • Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
  • Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm
  • Location: Via Zoom

The chapter meeting agenda will include a short presentation on “How to use SinC LInC.”  Sue Toth’s featured presentation will immediately follow the chapter business meeting.

Chapter members will receive the Zoom link, meeting agenda, and additional meeting documentation the day before the meeting.

SinC Worldwide members can obtain the Zoom link from the SincLinC event notification in Chapter Events.  SinC LinC

If you are interested in attending the presentation but are not a member of the Florida Gulf Coast chapter or Sisters in Crime Worldwide, you can request the link by emailing flgulfcoastsinc@gmail.com.

Presentation Title and Description:

“Five Reasons You Should Use the Same Editor for Your Series”

Maintaining consistency across a fiction series isn’t easy. Having the same editor by your side can make all the difference. In this presentation, we’ll explore five crucial reasons why a long-term editorial partnership can strengthen your storytelling, shorten your revision process, and maintain the continuity your readers love.

Bio:

For the past 25 years, Sue’s specialty has been in collaborating as an editor with authors to turn their books into the ones that readers can’t put down. She works with authors on book coaching and developmental editing. Sue’s goal is to be sure books are edited for clarity, coherence, and captivating charm. Many authors Sue has worked with have gone on to achieve Amazon bestselling status.

Her entire career has been dedicated to either diving into her own editing projects or teaching others how to do it well. In addition to editing, Sue has taught fiction editing at the University of San Diego and journalism and writing at the college level.

Social Media Links:

suetoth.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetoth/

https://www.facebook.com/suetothediting

https://www.instagram.com/suetothediting/?hl=en

@suetoth.bsky.social

https://www.threads.net/@suetothediting

November 2025 Chapter Meeting

November 1, 2025 - Energy Medicine for Writers

November 1, 2025

Braden River Library
4915 53rd Ave
Bradenton, FL 34203

1 PM – Chapter business meeting
Presentation – immediately following the meeting
In person and via Zoom!

Learn simple healthy ways to rejuvenate yourself while writing your novel!

 

October 2025 Chapter Meeting

Saturday, October 4th, 2025

Fruitville Library
100 Apex Rd
Sarasota FL

In person and via Zoom.

1 PM – Business Meeting
Presentation begins immediately after the business meeting.

Ritu Anand – D4EO Literary Agency
Agent-Author Collaboration – How to Make the Most of Your Relationship

June Chapter Meeting

June 7 program - Using AI for Publishing

DESCRIPTION: Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most rapidly expanding technologies in human history. Artificial intelligence tools can generate stories in a few seconds, books in less than a minute, and then convert novels into audiobooks and movies in less than 30 minutes. The impact of artificial intelligence on authors and publishers will be at least as great as the invention of the printing press.
Readers probably know that the screenwriters’ strike in California was partly about the possible loss of jobs due to the ability of artificial intelligence to write film and television scripts. However, AI can also increase revenues for authors and publishers with new products and services such as AI-generated movies, audiobooks, and rapid translations into many languages.
This talk discusses a new kind of e-book that lets readers meet and talk to characters in the book. It also discusses using artificial intelligence to illustrate conventional books.

Murder is My Cup of Tea

This monthly program will be held at The White Heron Tea & Gifts, a tea cafe, and offer 22 readers a chance to participate in a crime fiction book club that is not a club per se–but a chance to join in the fun as their schedule or the book offered allows.

The inaugural tea party (4-6 pm on Wednesday, May 21) will feature a discussion of Lisa Malice’s psych thriller, LEST SHE FORGET, while everyone sips on tea (specially selected to complement the book) and enjoys scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam.

April Meeting:

On Saturday, April 5th, at the Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime April chapter meeting, Joel Shulkin, MD, will speak on “Crafting a Medical Thriller that Doesn’t Commit Malpractice.”

The chapter meeting is at 1:00 pm, with the presentation immediately following the meeting. Hope to see you all there. Also on the agenda is the vote to approve the chapter bylaws changes.

Description: The list of medical thriller books is flooded with books that portray surgeons and ER staff and, consequently, scenes in the operating or emergency room. Often, this is because when one thinks of medical thrills, they think of life-or-death situations and invasive procedures. After all, what could be scarier to someone not in the medical field than someone invading their body? But some pretty interesting things can happen outside of the OR and ER, and for a non-physician, it’s easy to stumble over details. This lecture will help authors understand what defines a medical thriller, identify scenes and situations where a medical thriller might occur, identify subgenres that overlap with traditional medical thrillers, discuss common mistakes made by writers when crafting medical scenes, and discuss how to focus on character to drive the story in a medical thriller.

Bio: Joel Shulkin, MD, is the author of The Memory Thieves series and the award-winning Death Benefits series, as well as various short stories and articles. A developmental-behavioral pediatrician and United States Air Force veteran with a master’s in public health, Joel lives in Florida with his wife, twin daughters, and two puppies.