What’s On

Upcoming Events for April 2023

Please note a venue change for

15 April 2023

The Mudgeeraba Community Centre,

Mudgeeraba Community Centre, Firth Park, Somerset Dr, Mudgeeraba QLD 4213

Our GCWA meetings include an exciting speaker, and a hands on workshop.

Our next GCWA Meeting is on Saturday, 15 April, 2023

Please note a venue change for April 2023 to Mudgeeraba Community Centre, Firth Park, Somerset Dr, Mudgeeraba QLD 4213.

Members and visitors are encouraged to arrive 10-15 minutes early to complete the entry process so we can start on time. If you have flu-like symptoms, please stay at home and get better quickly.

Entry prices are: Members: $5.00 (EFTPOS payment preferred, although cash is acceptable)
Visitors: $10.00 (EFTPOS payment preferred, although cash is accepted).

Order of Events from 12pm

12:00 Start
12:05 Introduction
12:15 Speaker: Jen Swenson
13:00 Afternoon Tea: Pre-packed refreshments provided or BYO
13:45 Workshop: Paul Smith and Christine Betts
15:00 Close

Introducing Our Speaker for April – Jen Swenson

The Importance of Being Seen

About Jen

Having accounting & small business experience spanning over 3 decades, I cut my financial services teeth working as an accounting & auditor’s assistant for Chartered Accountants firms back in the mid 80’s using an adding machine, paper cashbooks, journals and ledgers and fast forward through the various forms of accounting software and desktop computers to today’s mobile fintech age of cloud apps and shared office spaces.

My combined passion for technology and entrepreneurship means I am a results-focused leader at ease in high stress and fast-paced environments. Having studied human behaviour and being a Xero consultant and trainer for over 7 years, I combine these skills to assist business owners to automate & collaborate their weaknesses so they can focus on being a Purpose driven business that grows in influence and profits.

With my history as a small business bookkeeper & consultant since 2000 this gives me vast experience of personally working hands on with hundreds of businesses across diverse industries and sectors.

My warm, energetic personality combined with my deep and wide experience in business and personal development is a valuable foundation for all that we do at Enthusia

Join her on

Our Workshop for April

Swords, Knives and Weapons

by

Paul Smith

Paul’s will speak about his passion for weapons, their origin and the importance of accuracy when using weapons in your storytelling. About a dozen swords, knives a other weapons from different periods will be on display. Paul will regale us in stories and give a brief description about each weapon, their origins and use.

Question time with Paul is always an adventure, so have your questions ready.

About Paul

PAUL SMITH wrote and published his first novel Walk with the Tiger, not long after retiring. This is the first adventure/thriller book in the Jack Harrigan series set in the seventies. There are several more Jack Harrigan stories in the process of editing and imagining.

Paul has also written short stories, published in anthologies and on websites. His storytelling career really began with his epic adventures he’s tell his children about the giant octopus. When not spinning a yarn, Paul is often working on his 1956 Desoto or collecting replica weapons from retro detective stories.

Paul is part of the Rainforest Writing Retreat’s crew.

You can find out more about Paul

Here

Bonus talk by Christine Betts

The Power of Email Lists for Authors

In this short workshop, Christine Betts will introduce a variety of ways to build your own database of readers. Over the past few years, many authors have focused on building a presence on Social Media platforms. However, most authors, including the big names (like King, Rowling, and Attwood, etc) also have a direct link to their readers through their own Email List. This workshop will show you how to create an author newsletter and build your own database of fans with useful platforms like Bookfunnel and blogs.

About Christine

Christine Betts writes novels about women, love, and loss, award-winning short stories about sisters and Bali, lost girls, and stand-up comedy, and blogs about creativity, travel, and the inner life. A firm believer that writers will save humanity, she writes daily and encourages everyone around her to join in.

In 2021 her short story, Death of a Show Princess, was Shortlisted for the Scarlet Stiletto Awards. Her story, Tough Crowd, won the November Right Left Write competition through the Queensland Writers Centre. In April 2022, Christine won The Tasmanian Writers’ Prize for her short story, How I Got this Tattoo.

Christine lives and works on Bundjalung country. She is the Newsletter Editor for the Gold Coast Writers’ Association and co-facilitates the popular Write & Sip fundraising events.

More about Christine on her website