A Week of AWP and Dog Control

It’s AWP week in Minneapolis, and I was just going through my schedule of events. If you’re going, I’d love to see you at any or all of these.

Thursday, April 9

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Totally WIPped Off-site Event: University of St. Thomas, 1000 LaSalle Avenue Thornton Auditorium, Room 206 (William Alexander, Marina Budhos, Pete Hautman, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Laura Ruby, Anne Ursu, and series organizers Swati Avasthi and Heather Bouwman)
In honor of the Second Story Reading Series’ sixth season, the University of St. Thomas hosts eight Second Story authors, who will convene to quake with terror, take a deep breath, and read from their works in progress. Terrence Murphy Hall, located at the University of St. Thomas’s Minneapolis campus, is about six blocks (10 minutes’ walk) from the convention center. The reading is free, you can buy books and get them signed, and there will be a reception with the chance to mingle. A great start to your AWP experience!

Friday, April 10, 2015

10:30 am to 11:45 am

YA and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction: What's at Stake?

Mpls. Convention Center

Room 211 A&B, Level 2

(Heather Bouwman, Pete Hautman, Laura Ruby, Justina Ireland, Anne Ursu)

The world of speculative fiction for kid and teen readers is diverse and deep. This moderated panel, composed of middle grade and young adult fantasy and science fiction authors, will discuss the special craft and genre concerns of MG and YA speculative fiction and the direction(s) in which they see the field headed.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

10:30 am to 11:45 am

And the Award Goes To: Who Benefits from an Awards Program?

Mpls. Convention Center

Room M100 H&I, Mezzanine Level

(Alayne Hopkins, Pete Hautman, Wang Ping, Chris Fischbach, John Reimringer) 

What impact does a state awards program have on the career of a writer? How can these programs serve as a platform for readers to discover local writers? These questions and more will be discussed by Minnesota Book Award winners, some whom have also served as judges for other book awards, and include a perspective from a literary press. Panelists will consider the role of subjectivity in the review process, the value of literary prizes, and the place of competition in the writing community.

Baudelaire, aka Bodie. Six pounds, sixty miles per hour.

Should be a fun and busy week. My list of panels and events to attend is getting huge. I may have to bring my "therapy dog."

BTW, we have discovered that Bodie is an escape artist, and VERY FAST. He led us on a merry (for him) chase through the neighborhood last night.