Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas
The Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas (FWCA) is based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The society meets monthly from 9 AM until noon in Dining Room #3 of the Baptist Health Medical Center.
The FWCA began in 1984 as the Central Arkansas Romance Writers (CARA), which met in the back of Traderback Paperbacks in the Tanglewood Shopping Center. The organizer was bookstore owner Petei Engleby. Other founding members were Chrissy Willis, Mary Watson, and Cathy Johnson. Meetings were held each Wednesday from 6:30 to 10:30 PM. In 1985 the organization, faced with the sale of the bookstore, moved to Engleby's condominium. New members were Sally Hawkes, Gina Wilkins, Sam Perkins, and Linda Palmer.
The group changed their name to the Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas after deciding they had neither the membership or money to join the Romance Writers of America (RWA) national organization. Harlequin Romance contacted the group to host a national workshop of two hundred new romance writers, and the group prospered. Marcia Camp joined the organization at about this time.
