Tuesday, November 16, 2021

ACFW-SC Chapter Combines with ACFW UpstateSC Chapter


Even a good book has to end, but at least you've lived and enjoyed the story! So ONWARD we go.

November, 2021

To Our Dear Writer Friends,

From: Elva Cobb Martin,                                        President,  ACFW-SC Chapter

This is to announce the closing of the ACFW-SC Chapter going strong since 2014. But it is also a combining opportunity with the nearby new Greenville/Greer chapter,  ACFW UpstateSC Chapter, founded by Tammy Karasek. You can contact the chapter for more info at upstatesc@acfwchapter.com.  Also, please read the below letter from Tammy to all our chapter members and friends:

I personally want to thank all of you who have supported ACFW-SC Chapter since 2014! It's been a lot of fun, learning, and networking. When I helped found this chapter way back in 2014 I had NO NOVELS published. Today, we have five novels published and are working on the sixth. God has been so good, and I give Him praise, but I also thank all of you who helped with critiques, encouragement, and friendship. I do hope you will support the new chapter still in the upstate area. Some of you have similar testimonies of writing success! 

Here's Tammy's letter to you:

Greetings ACFW Anderson!

First, on behalf of our chapter, I'd like to thank you all for your very generous gift to our treasury. As a brand new chapter, it will come in handy for those start up fees that add up! Thank you, thank you. 

Second, we know you have chosen to close the chapter. We'd love to extend a heartfelt invitation to come and try out our chapter. We are your next closest ACFW chapter, and while we may not be close to your home, we are still in the upstate area. 

Here are our meeting details:

We meet the second Saturday of every month with no breaks. Our doors open at 9:30 for registration and fellowship. Our meeting begins at 10:00 am and we are done before 1 pm.
We are close to Woodruff Rd. for those of you who love to eat together after a meeting! We do too! We have gone to Culver's and Your Pie (a great pizza place) and both can hold a group of rowdy writers!

Meeting Location:

Cross Roads Baptist Church
705 Anderson Ridge Road
Greer, SC 29601


We do critiques every month and as of November, we are trying a new system! We are having pieces submitted the week before, then divided into groups and sent out so everyone has the opportunity to read through the submission and make their suggestions without hurrying. We giving it a try for a few months to see how it works! Folks can still bring something to the meeting if they didn't submit the week before. Everyone will be critiqued. 

Again, thank you for the gift and I hope to see many of you at one of our meetings in the future!
In fact - I'd love to see you Saturday,  December 11, at our next meeting! This will be a special meeting that will include critiques, potluck, and a book exchange game. We ask each attendee to bring a brunch dish.

Blessings to all of you and don't lay down those pens, dear writers!

Tammy Karasek, 2021 President
ACFW UpstateSC

                                                                            ***

Friends, I hope you'll try the new UpstateSC chapter if you're really interested in growing stronger in your writing! Iron does sharpen iron! BTW, Cross Roads Baptist is where author Lynette Eason's husband pastors!

Please do stay in touch, friends. You can always share your news or prayer requests with me at elvacmartin@gmail.com. 




Blessings and Onward we sail,
Elva Cobb Martin 
2021 president of ACFW-SC
My historical romance novels 😍 https://amzn.to/3jdvHFu






Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Pirates of the West Indies - Guest blog by Bill Federer --Enjoy this history recap! --Elva Cobb Martin

American Minute with Bill Federer
Pirates of the Caribbean, War of Jenkin's Ear, & The Ballad of the French Fleet
In 1655, British Admiral William Penn, the father of Pennsylvania's founder, captured Jamaica from the Spanish.

As Jamaica was too far from England be defended, inhabitants turned to privateers, freebooters, buccaneers and pirates for protection.
Port Royal, Jamaica, became a haven for the likes of Blackbeard, Calico Jack and Captain Henry Morgan.
With English, Portuguese, French and Dutch establishing bases in the Caribbean, Spain's power was being challenged.
Spain's most prosperous port in the New World was Porto Bello, Panama.
Spanish ships were loaded at Porto Bello with gold and silver from Peru, and then they set sail for Spain.
In 1668, English privateer Captain Henry Morgan and some 500 buccaneers attacked and captured Porto Bello.

They cruelly tortured the inhabitants to get them to surrender their treasures.
Captain Morgan demanded 100,000 pesos of silver and gold from the Spanish to ransom the inhabitants of the fort and its town.
The repercussions of this attack ended the tenuous cease-fire between Spain and England, renewing open hostilities.
In 1669, Captain Henry Morgan attacked and captured the Spanish port of Maracaibo (Venezuela).
Sailing into Lake Maracaibo in search of more treasure, Morgan was almost trapped.

He sent forward a decoy ship filled with gunpowder, which exploded and destroyed a Spanish ship.

He then faked a land attack, causing the Spanish fort to reposition its cannons landward, allowing him to quickly sail past to the sea.
In 1671, Morgan again sacked Panama.
In 1731, a Spanish commander in the Caribbean detained an English ship.

He cut off the ear of the English Captain Robert Jenkins and told him to take it to his King.

This began the War of Jenkins' Ear.
British Admiral Edward Vernon recruited 400 American colonists, including Lawrence Washington, George Washington's older half-brother.

They sailed to Panama and captured the port city of Porto Bello.
British Admiral Edward Vernon also attacked Cartagena, Columbia, but was unable to capture it.
Lawrence Washington returned to Virginia as a 25-year-old war hero.
Lawrence served in Virginia's assembly and militia, and named his farm "Mount Vernon" in honor of Admiral Edward Vernon.
After Lawrence died, George, at age 20, inherited Mount Vernon.