Events

I’m manning the posts from 9:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (EST). Come hang with me. Ask questions. Make book and TV suggestions.

Event description: Who doesn’t love meeting cool authors, chat about books and win some awesome prizes? Come hang out with the members of the 17 Scribes, authors who have debut novels launching in 2017. On July 10th we’re spotlighting those who had a book launch sometime between April 1 and June 30th.

Join local authors Kelly Ford and Michelle Hoover for an evening of reading and discussion at Papercuts J.P.

Writing a novel can be an incredible journey of self-discovery. It can also be quite a struggle as you trek through the middle chapters, re-write your outlines, and wonder if you will ever finish the thing. Not only is finding time to write difficult, but overcoming psychological blocks and narrative slumps takes patience and practice. In this workshop, students will generate new material each week based on prompts from the instructor. Additionally, students will read one novel over the course of the term. The text will be discussed and analyzed in order to better understand fictional elements such as character development, scene building, conflict, chapter structure, and narrative arc. Students will come away with a clear understanding of how these elements work in fiction, as well as strategies for employing them in their own writing. Each student will share 3 pages of writing out loud each week (in response to the weekly prompt). The focus is on support and feedback, rather than critique. This class is suitable for writers at all stages of the novel-writing process.

Write the book you want to see in the world–whether you’re working on your first novel or writing short stories, poetry, plays, graphic novels, or even fan fiction! In this immersive workshop, you can be yourself and write what you love alongside other teens who share common experiences in a community that is truly your own. You’ll also develop your writing voice, hone your craft, and gain confidence in your writing and reading your work aloud.

Each day will be filled with readings from LGBTQ authors and writing exercises designed to get you thinking and creating: How can you ensure your character is three-dimensional vs. a trope? How do you tap into language—what’s said and unsaid—to create drama and tension in your work? How can you take your five senses and wield them to create fictional worlds that truly come alive?

No matter where or how you identify along the full LGBTQ spectrum, including those who are questioning, you’re welcome in this workshop! Writing notebooks will be available, but feel free to bring your own. Scholarships are available for those with financial need. For writers age 13-18 ONLY.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

GrubStreet is happy to be able to offer a limited number of full scholarships for our teen writing camps. To apply for a scholarship, please click the “APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP” link above, and complete the online form describing why you want to take the teen writing camp and detailing your financial need. Please wait to hear from our Scholarship commiittee before registering for the class, as scholarships cannot be applied retroactively. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is Friday, July 28th at 5pm.

Craft on Draft is a reading series devoted to great fiction—and the mechanics behind it. Three authors read and discuss their work, plus that of one lucky audience member. So grab a drink, a page of your own writing, and come craft your own draft.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Readings begin at 7 p.m. sharp!

The Arlington Author Salon is a free reading series with a twist: each author’s presentation includes something special to tickle the senses. Music, paintings, photographs, tasty treats, fabrics, even smells! Let yourself be transported with an immersive, literary experience.

This series is the brainchild of a group of local writers and community members involved in the literary arts who are committed to growing the literary community of the Greater Boston/Metro West area in a fun, informative, neighborly and inspiring way. Meet the organizers:

Anjali Mitter Duva
Marjan Kamali
Andrea Nicolay, Robbins Library Director
Whitney Scharer
Amy Yelin

One of Neil Gaiman’s writing rules is, “Finish what you’re writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.” Like members of a project team, writers often become overwhelmed by the work required to carry a project to completion. In this interactive seminar, you will be guided through project management techniques that can help writers who struggle with focus or managing their time. We’ll talk about a different kind of setting: that which includes goals, priorities, and deadlines. We’ll also discuss common time management pitfalls, how to avoid them, and how to get back on track if you fall into them. You will leave the session with an action plan for how you can stay focused on the finish line, whether your goal is to complete a draft or a revision.

Reading: Coming of Age

Three debut novelists will read from their recently published works, all of which focus on the turbulence and transformation endemic to growing up and coming of age. In Cottonmouths, Kelly J. Ford’s protagonist has a bit rockier journey than most, contending with meth labs, intolerance, and unrequited love following a return to Arkansas after dropping out of college. The title character in Gabe Habash’s novel Stephen Florida is, if anything, too driven by his desire to become an NCAA wrestling champion during his senior year of college. Habash’s novel, according to the Atlantic, “captures how competitiveness and masculinity can unravel those who blindly follow its codes.” And Simeon Marsalis’s As Lie Is to Grin, which was recently shortlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, also uses college as the backdrop for his protagonist’s self-discovery, as he attempts to find his place at the largely white University of Vermont while immersing himself in black literary history. Our host for this session of fiction readings is Whitney Scharer, one of the curators of the Arlington Author Salon. BPL Newsfeed Cafe 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA

The Boston Authors Club is pleased to present Three Debut Novelists Talk Turkey, led by novelist and BAC member, Erica Ferencik (The River at Night, Gallery/Scout Press) with Annie Harnett (Rabbit Cake, Tin House Books) and Kelly J. Ford (Cottonmouths, Skyhorse Publishing) at Newtonville Books, Newton MA on Thursday, November 16th starting at 7:00 p.m.

Behind every book on the shelf is its journey to publication; an odyssey often fraught with roller coaster drama, countless hours of work, and sometimes even joy. This program combines advice, experience, and humor from three local debut novelists. Please join us to hear Erica, Annie, and Kelly talk about their respective paths from dreaming of publication to holding the actual book in their hands.

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One of Neil Gaiman’s writing rules is, “Finish what you’re writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.” Like members of a project team, writers often become overwhelmed by the work required to carry a project to completion. In this interactive seminar, you will be guided through project management techniques that can help writers who struggle with focus or managing their time. We’ll talk about a different kind of setting: that which includes goals, priorities, and deadlines. We’ll also discuss common time management pitfalls, how to avoid them, and how to get back on track if you fall into them. You will leave the session with an action plan for how you can stay focused on the finish line, whether your goal is to complete a draft or a revision.

Southern Kentucky Book Fest is one of the state’s largest literary events and is presented by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Warren County Public Library, and WKU Libraries. Held annually in April, the Book Fest draws thousands of readers of all ages who welcome the occasion to meet their favorite authors and purchase signed copies of their books.

The 2018 SOKY Book Fest will be our 20th and is a fundraiser for the promotion of literacy in our community. The event is free and open to the public.

The Arkansas Literary Festival is a project of the Central Arkansas Library System. The Festival’s mission is to encourage the development of a more literate populace. Stay tuned for more details!

The Gaithersburg Book Festival is a celebration of the written word and its power to enrich the human experience. Our mission is to foster an interest in reading, writing and literary conversation.

One of Neil Gaiman’s writing rules is, “Finish what you’re writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.” Like members of a project team, writers often become overwhelmed by the work required to carry a project to completion. In this interactive seminar, you will be guided through project management techniques that can help writers who struggle with focus or managing their time. We’ll talk about a different kind of setting: that which includes goals, priorities, and deadlines. We’ll also discuss common time management pitfalls, how to avoid them, and how to get back on track if you fall into them. You will leave the session with an action plan for how you can stay focused on the finish line, whether your goal is to complete a draft or a revision.