The second annual Orcas Island Writers Festival will be held September 17-20, 2009, in the town of Eastsound on Orcas Island. Early Bird registration began Saturday, April 25.
The Orcas Island Writers Festival is a unique event, a place to grow as a writer, meet other writers and readers, and enjoy the incomparably beautiful San Juan Islands, says Festival Founder Barbara Lewis.
“This year’s event will bring back many of last year’s popular features: hands-on workshops, well-known authors for instructors, the chance to network with other writers and readers, and a gorgeous and relaxing setting, among others. We are also offering a new workshop selection and a new non-critique writing class.”
The schedule will follow the familiar, popular format. In the morning, the Festival offers workshops: Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and, as a new addition, Playwriting, taught by Diane Lefer. Matthew Goodman will return to teach the Nonfiction Workshop, and Ellen Lesser will again teach the Fiction Workshop. The Poetry Workshop will be taught by Jody Gladding, who teaches in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College. In the afternoons and evenings, classes, seminars and readings by faculty and special presenters will take place.
For picture book fans, Deb Lund, author of the popular kids’ “Dino” series, has been invited back to teach a Pre-Festival Picture Book Writing Class. There will also be a non-critique writing class during the morning slot, taught by poet and fiction writer Nance Van Winckel.
Festival organizers are pleased to invite Al Young, the Poet Laureate Emeritus of California, as special presenter. Also a novelis,t Young has published more than fifteen books, including Dancing: Poems, which won the Joseph Henry Jackson Award, and Bodies and Soul: Musical Memoirs, which won the American Book Award. Young’s works have been widely anthologized and translated into many languages. Among his numerous honors and awards are fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation, a Wallace Stegner Fellowship, and a Fulbright Scholarship. Young is known as a warm and knowledgeable presenter. The Orcas Island Writers Festival is looking forward to introducing him to Orcas.
The Festival Package ($365; Early Bird $335) includes one three-day workshop, classes, seminars, and evening readings. The Festival Three-Day Admission Ticket ($165; Early Birds $125) includes classes, seminars, panel discussions, and evening readings. The Festival One-Day Admission Ticket ($65; Early Birds $50) includes classes, seminars, panel discussions, and evening readings for the day of admission. Lodging and meals are not included. Registration begins April 25. Registration is available online or through the mail. The deadline for workshop materials is August 25. Call, email, or visit the website for more information.
Contact information follows:
Orcas Island Writers Festival, PO Box 1726, Eastsound, WA 98279. (360) 371-4383. Barbara Lewis, Festival Director. Email festivalgurus@orcasislandwritersfestival.com, or go to www.orcasislandwritersfestival.com
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