Roanoke Valley
Christian Writers
RVCW MONTHLY MEETING
​Monthly Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday each month unless otherwise listed
at the Grace Church - 2731 Edgewood St SW, Roanoke, VA 24015
from 6:30pm to 8pm
RVCW MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE
Date: March 20, 2025
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Speaker: Barbara Baranowski
Barbara Baranowski is a writer and speaker devoted to family, educational, and writers’ issues. She is the mother of two daughters, grandmother of five, two great-grandsons, with twin great-granddaughters on the way.
As a thirty-two-year veteran of the middle school classroom and adjunct faculty supervisor with Virginia Commonwealth University’s student teaching program, Barbara spent many years involved with guiding others to develop their gifts and refine their skills. She directed the Young Authors’ Contest for Henrico County, VA middle schools as an encouragement to students who enjoy writing. During graduate school she was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education. She was “Writer of the Year” in 2005 for American Christian Writers.
In 2010 Barbara was a founding member of Richmond Christians Who Write and brought that experience to Roanoke upon her move in 2012, founding Roanoke Valley Christian Writers in 2013. Inspiring authors to write, sharpen their skills, and learn the submission process for their works has been a passion for her.
Barbara has been published in numerous magazines, online periodicals, collective books, including Grandparenting Through Obstacles and God Still Meets Needs, educational journals and writing magazines. She was a radio script writer for the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry and has authored two devotional books, In God’s Creation: Devotions for the Outdoors and In God’s Creation: Devotions for the Beach. Her website is Inspiredsenior.com.
Barbara and her sweet, ever-supportive husband John live in Roanoke, Virginia. She gives God all the glory for His work through her—"Not I, but Christ,” Galatians 2:20.
Date: January 16, 2025
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Speaker: Steve Garay
Co-director of RVCW. Steve published travel articles for the Senior News Magazine for several years. He has written a memoir for his family and grandkids and a Christian western along with multiple short stories.
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Topic: Creating Interesting Characters
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WRITERS SWAP
Story Swap Meeting Information—Come for help, if needed, and wonderful fellowship.
Barnes and Noble Tanglewood at 6:00 pm.
1. The Saturday before our Thursday Story Swap meeting, I will email RVCW attendees
asking for those who want critique or would like to read a writing. Please send me an email
stating such, with a copy of the reading. Word count should be 1500 or less.
2. I will take the first six writers’ requests received. I will hold the others until the next Swap
time.
3. You must make submissions to me by Tuesday before our Story Swap on the fourth Thursday
of each month, except November and December.
4. I will email a list of accepted submissions to be read.
5. Those coming to Swap will read their submissions to the group. For written comments, if you
want your piece critiqued, bring copies—double-spaced—to give out.
6. My email is: steve_garay@yahoo.com
If you have questions about this, please contact me.
Thanks,
Steve Garay