Celebrating the Wild Side of Florida

Bill Belleville gives a compelling presentation on identifying our natural landscapes in Florida, and understanding how other writers and artists have been inspired by them over time. In doing so, Belleville also helps us understand the threats to these natural systems from Florida’s unbridled sprawl.

This lecture will be FREE to the public thanks to the generous support of the Speakers Bureau of the Florida Humanities Council.

Join award-winning nature writer Bill Belleville as he shows compelling images and reads excerpts from his latest book, “The Peace of Blue: Water Journeys”— a collection of first-person stories that take place near, atop, or under water.

According to Carl Hiaasen, Bill Belleville “writes gorgeously and straight from the heart.” In The Peace of Blue”, the author guides you on a lyrical journey to natural places in Florida and the Caribbean that have been shaped by water in some way. He poetically affirms the vitality of this most essential substance in our lives by showing the many ways in which water-driven landscapes nurture plants, wildlife—and the human spirit.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Galloway Room, Mill’s Building

7p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Belleville has written seven books of creative non-fiction—including the award-winning “River of Lakes” and “Losing It All to Sprawl”. He’s also contributed to nine national anthologies, and authored over 1,000 articles and essays for publications. He’s traveled widely overseas for the Discovery Channel and scripted radio documentaries for NPR and video docs for PBS. He’s currently co-producing and scripting a film for PBS on Florida’s springs. (More information: www.BillBelleville.com )

For more information on this event, please contact: Ann Francis (AFrancis@Rollins.edu)

The Orlando Premiere of the movie Body and Soul: the State of the Jewish Nation will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 29th, 2015 at Congregation Ohev Shalom, 613 Concourse Parkway South, Maitland, FL. The screening is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (a Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando) and Congregation Ohev Shalom, in memory of Robert Shapiro, M.D.

A post-screening discussion will be held with Producer/Director Gloria Z. Greenfield.

Free and open to the community.  Light refreshments following the program.  Questions? Contact Estelle Wheeler at mwheeler8@cfl.rr.com.

See the trailer.

Friday, January 30th at 7 p.m., Elaine Person will host a Poetry Coffee House at the Maitland Library, with open mic.  She teaches writing workshops there and at the Winter Park Library.

The FSPA Spring Place will take place on April 10-11 in Leesburg. Two days of poetry for a reasonable price.

The National Convention of State Poetry Associations will be in St. Petersburg, FL on June 24-28, 2015 at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

Download the state or national application.