What an amazing literary town. St. Francisville plays host to three different literary festivals each year and I get to participate in the planning of all three! We are well underway planning for all of the 2018 events and you won’t want to miss these so pull out your calendar and mark off these dates.
First up we will have The Writers and Readers Symposium on February 17, 2018. This event is in it’s eleventh season and is hosted by A Celebration of Literature and Arts. This day long Saturday event brings together award winning authors from different genres to talk about their books and the craft of writing. With such a diverse group of authors there is something for everyone. This year’s featured presenters include :
Genaro Ky Ly Smith whose two novels The Land Baron’s Sun and The Land South of the Clouds have garnered much attention for both their subject matter and writing style. The first book described as “an elegant novel-in-verse, exploring the rise and fall and dispersal of a Vietnamese family across generations.”. The second book serves as a companion piece and beautifully continues the story. Mr. Smith will also lead a Writers Retreat and Workshop on Sunday Feb 18 at Greenwood Plantation
Poet , essayist and scholar of French literature Catharine Savage Brosman will present poems from her newest book The Memory of Manaus as well as beloved favorites from her other works.
John R. Kemp will present his book Louisiana Expressions of Place. This exquisite book is a collection of Louisiana landscapes by 37 contemporary Louisiana artists . In this one book you will see an extraordinary grouping of work that truly express the varied beauty and style that is Louisiana.
M.O.Walsh will present on his New York Times Bestselling novel My Sunshine Away. Set in Baton Rouge this combination crime novel meets coming of age story will keep you guessing until the very end at which time you still might continue guessing when you start to notice the stylistic nuances that make this book such a satisfying read.
Michael H. Rubin whose first novel The Cottoncrest Curse won the Indie Fab Gold award for best thriller by a small press has now written a second novel called Cashed Out and we are looking forward to another of Mr. Rubin’s fast paced, multi media presentations.
And finally to close out the afternoon we will be honored with a presentation by Ernest J. Gaines who will join us to talk about his new novel The Tragedy of Brady Sims. In true Ernest Gaines fashion this novel set in Louisiana explores the lives , race relations and mores of small town life in Louisiana.
Up next will be The Second Annual West Feliciana Children’s Book Festival. Scheduled for Saturday May 6, 2018 this day in the park will once again feature lots of authors and storytellers reading to the children. Illustrators giving demonstrations, face painting, craft projects and more. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Then in early June our little town will once again be swamped with lovers of Southern Literature and culture as we celebrate The Fifth Annual Walker Percy Weekend. We will again begin with an over the top soiree on Friday evening that will set the tone for a weekend of fun and literature. The presentations on Saturday will bring in scholars and experts from around the country to discuss Walker Percy’s writing as well as that of other southern writers. This year there will be an additional focus on the works of Shelby Foote. As lifelong friends Walker Percy and Shelby Foote had a huge influence on literature in the south and on each other’s lives and works. Saturday would not be complete with the now legendary Front Porch Tour and Bourbon Stroll which will be followed by a joyous, delicious, and musical crawfish boil downtown. There are plenty of other surprises in store for attendees this year and All-Inclusive tickets now available at special early bird pricing, but buy them soon this price won’t last long. As you know space is always tight for this event and a sellout is once again likely so get your tickets early.
I am so honored to be a part of each of these events and hope you will join us for one, two or even all three. See you soon in St. Francisville!