2015 Mid-South Book Festival official program

Homewood Suites and Literacy Mid-South present

Mid-South Book Festival September 9-13, 2015 Free and Open to the Public

AT PLAYHOUSE

ON THE SQUARE IN MEMPHIS, TN

Go to MidSouthBookFest.org for more information.

SPONSORED BY:

HARRY FREEMAN 4MEMPHIS, MEMPHIS DAILY NEWS TM

#MSBF2015

THE MID-SOUTH BOOK FESTIVAL IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM SOUTH ARTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AND THE TENNESSEE ARTS COMMISSION.

Table of ContentS 2: Thank You to Our Sponsors 3: Letter from: • Kevin Dean • Courtney Miller Santo Well Read Reception 4: Literacy Summit

6: 2015 Presenting Authors / Festival Vendors and Food / Children’s Area 7: Mid-South Book Festival Schedule: Saturday, September 12 • Panels 10am-1pm

5: 2015 Presenting Authors

8: Mid-South Book 10: Mid-South Book Festival Schedule: Festival Schedule: Saturday, September 12 Sunday, September 13 • Panels 2:30pm• Mid-South Writers 5:30pm Conference • Festival Map • Mid-South Student • Street Festival Reading Writers Conference Tent Schedule 11: About Literacy Mid-South 9: Map

Thank you to all of our sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR

BOOK FESTIVAL SUPPORTER

AUTHOR SPONSOR

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY AREA SPONSOR

PANEL SPONSOR

FRIENDS OF MID-SOUTH BOOK FESTIVAL

WELL READ RECEPTION SPONSOR

HARRY FREEMAN

MEDIA SPONSORS

PROGRAM SPONSOR

4MEMPHIS SPECIAL THANKS TO

ARTS SPONSORS

TM

2|

#MSBF2015

A LETTER FROM

Kevin Dean Dear Reader, Two years ago, this festival was a simple idea that was scrawled across a whiteboard. “In a few years,” we said.

We never thought our idea could grow so quickly and elaborately as it has.

This year, we’ve added our Writers Conferences for adults and youth, a Literacy Summit for parents and educators, our Well Read Reception for avid readers, a street fair, new children’s activities, and new authors. We hope that the Mid-South Book Festival will become the centerpiece for the writing and reading community in the MidSouth, and we know that you’re going to have an awesome time.

I want thank our event chair, Courtney Miller Santo, who has provided me with

A LETTER FROM

endless guidance. Heather Dobbins, our Writers Conference chair, singlehandedly wrangled dozens of writers and created a fantastic schedule of events for our conference. The Literacy Mid-South staff, especially Knox Shelton and Troy Wiggins, have taken such ownership of this event, and I couldn’t be happier being part of such a fantastic team. Finally, I’d like to thank Ashley Roach-Freiman for helping us create the schedule, energizing the base of local talent, and keeping me sane.

Enjoy your time at the Mid-South Book Festival, and be sure to tag us in your tweets and photos! #MSBF2015 Kevin Dean Executive Director Literacy Mid-South

COURTNEY MILLER SANTO Dear Reader, We’re thrilled you’ve joined us for this year’s Mid-South Book Festival. The staff and volunteers involved in this momentous undertaking have been at work for more than a year to bring you access to amazing writers—in the way of panel discussions and hands-on writing instruction. This combination is unique among book festivals and a tradition we hope becomes the backbone to our celebration of stories.

Memphis has long been synonymous with music—especially with the sort of songs that have a story to tell. Why is that? It’s because the people here have important ideas formed by the land, the history, each other, and about what it

means to be human. And so, although it is less visible than our music heritage, we also have a literary heritage.

Our hope is that this festival and the support it provides to the efforts of Literacy Mid-South to increase our community’s ability to read will expand everyone’s idea of Memphis. It’s been said that those who claim to only have one life, are those who don’t read. The same is true for our city, but because you are here and you are a reader, then we are more than one thing.

We are a bluff city, a blues city, and a book city.

Courtney Miller Santo Mid-South Book Festival Chair

Well Read Reception

We’re kicking off the 2015 Mid-South Book Festival with a bang! Network with Festival authors, publishers, poets, bloggers, and other special guests at this exclusive event for avid readers. You’ll also enjoy live music by Brennan Villines, hors d’oeuvres by Chef 4 A Day, and libations. Tickets are $25 in advance and $40 at the door. For ages 21 and over.

Purchase tickets in advance at www.midsouthbookfest.org.

#MSBF2015

|3

Literacy Summit WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 (9:00 AM-3:30 PM) PRESENTING SPONSOR

SPONSOR

• Check In/Registration 8:30am-9:00am • Introductions 9:00am-9:30am Location: Main Stage • Jeff Edmondson, Managing Director of StriveTogether 9:30am-10:30am Jeff Edmondson is managing director of StriveTogether, a national cradle-to-career Jeff Edmondson initiative that brings together leaders in Pre-K-12 schools, higher education, business and industry, community organizations, government leaders, parents and other stakeholders who are committed to helping children succeed from birth through careers. Edmondson was founding executive director of the Strive Partnership in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, a partnership of postsecondary, K-12, business, philanthropic, non-profit, and civic organizations in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky aimed at increasing educational aspirations, achievement, and attainment of students throughout the region.

• David C. Banks, Author and President/ CEO of Eagle Academy Foundation 10:30am-11:30am David C. Banks is the President/CEO of The Eagle Academy David C. Banks Foundation. He was the Founding Principal of The Eagle Academy for Young Men, the first school in a network of innovative all-boys public school in New York City. As President he is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization, which is charged with the replication of the successful Eagle model.

Since opening in 2004, the Eagle Academy family has grown to encompass a total of six schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Newark, Harlem, Staten Island and is expanding its vision nationally.

• Breakout Session: Data 101: Tracking Attendance 11:40pm-12:30pm Location: Ballet Room Presenter: Cate Joyce, Director of Continuous Improvement, Seeding Success This session breaks down the importance of attendance and the data involved in tracking attendance. The audience will leave with an understanding of how schools track attendance, what the data looks like in Shelby County Schools and what measures organizations can make in an effort to increase satisfactory attendance.

4|

#MSBF2015

• Breakout Session: Phonological Awareness 11:40am-12:30pm Location: Café Presenter: Rosemary Williams, Director, S.M.I.L.A. (Simultaneous Multisensory Institute of Language Arts) Through phonological awareness children learn to associate sounds with symbols and create links to word recognition and decoding skills necessary for reading.

The audience will learn hands-on ways to improve students' phonemic and phonological abilities.

• Breakout Session: The Continuum of Reading Needs for Struggling Learners 1:40pm-2:30pm Location: Café Presenter: Dr. Mark Conley, University of Memphis Whether a struggling learner is a child, an adolescent or an adult, each faces a range of reading needs. The challenge is to assess where an individual is on the journey to literacy and how to support him or her on their journey. This session will share practical strategies for assessing a child’s reading profile and how to address particular needs, given where they are.

• Breakout Session: Toxic Stress and its Effect on Behavior and Learning 11:40am-12:30pm Location: Main Stage

• Breakout Session: Oral Language and Vocabulary Development 1:40pm-2:30pm Location: Ballet Room

Presenter: Vicki Murrell, Ph.D.; Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, University of Memphis.

What is toxic stress? How does it affect brain development, behavior, and learning in children? How do we identify it? What can we do about it? How can we change the way that we interact with children (and adolescents) to help build resilience and lessen the impact of toxic stress? Outcomes: Participants will be able to discuss the symptoms, causes, and impact of toxic stress and to identify ways to address the resulting issues that impact behavior and learning.

Presenter: Elisabeth F. Lee, Director of Education, Literacy Mid-South If a student does not understand a word when it is spoken, how will she or he understand it when it is in writing? The audience will learn ways to help students develop oral language and vocabulary skills. These skills will help students better understand words when they meet them in print.

• Funders Forum 11:40am-12:30pm Location: 4th Floor Presenter: Mark Sturgis, Executive Director, Seeding Success In order to make an impact on reading in Shelby County, all sectors of the community need to work collaboratively around targeted outcomes. Local funders are invited to discuss the importance of aligning funding around measurable outcomes.

By invite only.

• Lunch 12:30-1:30pm Location: Main Stage • Breakout Session: The Importance of Read-Alouds 1:40pm-2:30pm Location: Main Stage Presenter: Rene Friemoth Lee, Ph.D. Read-alouds are a powerful technique to build foundational literacy skills and reading comprehension. Reading aloud exposes children to different kinds of text structures and language, builds awareness of how sounds are connected to words, demonstrates phrasing and fluency, builds vocabulary and background knowledge, and fosters a love of reading. This session will present ideas on how to read aloud to children.

• Breakout Session: Expanding on Sight Words 2:40pm-3:30pm Location: Café Presenter: René Friemoth Lee, Ph.D. Teaching sight words (both irregular and high-frequency words) is a common tool in early reading instruction because children need to recognize some common words before they have the sound-letter knowledge to sound them out (e.g., the, this). However, teaching sight words should not overshadow the importance of teaching children to learn how to use word-identification strategies to figure out words. This session will discuss the role of sight word learning and other word identification strategies such as onset-rimes and spelling patterns in learning to read.

• Breakout Session: Maximizing Time with Students 2:40am-3:30pm Location: Theater Presenter: Josh Clark, Head of School, Bodine School The audience will discuss the limits of homework help and learn how after school programs can better utilize their time with students to focus on literacy.

• Breakout Session: Comprehension for What?

2:40pm-3:30pm Location: Ballet Room Presenter: Dr. Mark Conley, University of Memphis This session will focus on four areas where comprehension goals and practices could and should differ: 1) Early Literacy 2) Disciplinary Literacy in the Content Areas 3) Literacy Required for Assessments 4) Literacy for the Workplace and Beyond. Practical strategies and practices for each goal will be shared.

Speakers & Presenting Authors

Nat Akin

Richard Alley

Ace Atkins

David C. Banks

Eric Barnes

Shelia Bell

John Bensko

ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Richard Boada

Marshall Boswell

Dennis Bryon

Allison Campbell

James E. Cherry

Dan Conaway

Molly Crosby

Miriam DeCosta-Willis

Eric Jerome Dickey

James Dickson

Heather Dobbins

Hannah Dow

Tim Earley

Susannah Felts

Beth Ann Fennelly

Tom Franklin

Yolanda Franklin

Daniel Friedman

Christian Anton Gerard

Sacorsha Golden

Mark Greaney

Jennifer Haigh

Jamey Hatley

Cary Holladay

Caitlin Horton

Tim Johnston

Janis Kearney

Harrison Scott Key

Frederic Koeppel

Jamie Kornegay

Sara Lewis

Sonja Livingston

Sandy Longhorn

Jonathan May

Chris McCoy

Mary McCoy

Kim McLarin

Eric McQuade

Moriah McStay

Craig Meek

Corey Mesler

Michael Morse

Tara Mae Mulroy

Summers Owens

Natalie Parker-Lawrence

Rebecca Phillips

Heidi Pitlor

Aisha Raison

#MSBF2015

|5

Speakers & Presenting Authors

Lonette Robertson

Bobby Rogers

Dassia Rose

Dana Sachs

Courtney Miller Santo

Elaine Scudder-Walters

Margaret Skinner

Cheryl Smart

Dorchelle Spence

Jeffrey Stayton

Caleb Tankersley

Rachel Taylor

Kristin Tubb

Queen Ugenius

Jasiri Uhuru

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Susan Vaught

Jim Warner

Neil White

Holly Whitfield

Caki Wilkinson

VIEW THE

Mid-South Book Festival

AUTHORS BIOS:

David Wesley Williams

Brandy Wilson

Barry Wolverton

Jessica Young

MidSouthBookFest.org

Vendors • Sundress Publications • Barefoot Books — Rebekah Gianapp • Dixon Gallery and Gardens • K.D. Wood, Author • Elaine Meece, Author • Maria Hoskins, Author • Maggie Russell, Artist • Innovo Publishing

• Writing Our World Press • Sibling Rivalry Press • The Pinch Literary Journal • Babb Books and Literary Art • Memphis Light Gas & Water • State Farm Insurance / Kathy Thurmond-Edwards • Kristy L. Brewer, Author • Yelp Memphis

Street Fair Reading Tent SCHEDULE

9:30 Elaine ScudderWalters 10:00 Lonette Robertson 10:25 Betsy Phillips 10:50 Harrison Scott Key 11:15 Sandy Longhorn 11:40 Eric McQuade 12:05 Heather Dobbins 12:30 Caki Wilkinson 12:55 Jonathan May 1:20 Cheryl Smart

6|

#MSBF2015

1:45 2:10 2:35 3:00 3:25 3:50 4:15 4:30

Natalie ParkerLawrence Jamey Hatley Tara Mae Mulroy James E. Cherry Neil White Christian Anton Gerard Jamie Dickson Courtney Miller Santo

• Junior League of Memphis • Christian Brothers University • Memphis Public Library and Information Center • Homewood Suites

by Hilton • Rosalind Guy, Author • Joe Werner, Author

• • • • • • • •

Glinda McKinney, Author Renea Gott, Author Sushi Jimmi The Meltdown Bodine School WKNO Leafless First Book

Children’s Area SCHEDULE

SPECIAL EVENTS: 10:00am Story time with

author Barry Wolverton 3:00pm Story time with author Jessica Young 3:30pm Book signing with Jessica Young Also in the children’s area: • Costumed characters all day • Free children’s books • Special pop-up story times • Bookmark making • Face painting (afternoon only) • Story time with Christian Duncan

Saturday Schedule SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 10:00 AM

Bill Clinton and the Bee Gees: Memoirs from the Spotlight

Dennis Bryon of the Bee Gees and White House appointee Janis F. Kearney have lived amazing lives, and their memoirs serve as a behind-thescenes glimpse at the world of politics and pop culture. Join them as they share their stories about the Clintons, civil rights leader Daisy Bates, the Bee Gees, and more!

Presenters: Dennis Bryon and Janis F.

Kearney Moderator: Neil White Location: Playhouse on the Square

Main Stage

Kill Your Darlings

If you hurt your main character, you run the risk of alienating your reader...but is it sometimes worth the risk? Authors certainly think so. Join them for a consideration of the advantages of jeopardizing the main characters in your stories, no matter how much you love them.

Speakers: Tom Franklin, ReShonda

Tate Billingsly, and Eric Barnes Moderator: Darel Snodgrass Location: Ballet Room at Playhouse on the Square

Making Memphis You can’t put Memphis in a story without Memphis really living in the story. The authors in this panel will discuss the “voice” of Memphis as a character — how it can be incorporated as both a place and an influence, and how writers can write Memphis while still maintaining their own voice.

Speakers: Courtney Miller Santo, Bobby Rogers, and Dana Sachs Moderator: Harry Freeman Location: Circuit Playhouse Main Stage

Interconnected: Essays and Short Stories More authors are finding ways to examine a singular character, place, or point of focus through the multifaceted lens of interconnected short works. These authors will discuss theme as a thread in storywriting, and the possible advantages of connecting stories over novel-writing.

Speakers: Cary Holladay, Jennifer

Haigh and Marshall Boswell Moderator: Thad Cockrill Location: Playhouse on the Square Café

11:30 AM

Better Reading Through Murder, Extortion, and Kidnapping

Readers love a salacious plot twist, but violence and crime can be tricky for a writer.

The best-selling authors on this panel discuss the extremes in crafting hot, fast, twisty fiction.

Speakers: Eric Jerome Dickey, Mark

Greaney, and Ace Atkins Moderator: Kathy Thurmond-Edwards Location: Playhouse on the Square Main Stage

Go Away, I’m Blogging

Every writer likes to pretend that the only job worth doing is dedicating time to the craft. The truth is that self-promotion is an important aspect of the job too. Join these social media mavericks for a panel on how to balance social media and writing, how to incorporate elements of craft into your promotional techniques, and how to have fun with the whole thing.

Speakers: Holly Whitfield, Dan

Conaway, and Fredric Koeppel Moderator: Betsy Phillips Location: Playhouse on the Square Café

The Magical Interior: Landscape and the Imagination

Poets use landscape in myriad ways - to paint a rich scene, to reflect the interiority of a poem’s speaker, to deepen and complicate an assumed narrative. Listen to poets read poems and reflect on their own writing and influences.

Speakers: John Bensko and Richard

Boada Moderator: Aaron Brame Location: Memphian Room at Circuit

Playhouse

Challenging The Mythology of the Lady Writer What if the work of the domestic goddess is to burn the house down? These writers explore and subvert the tropes of, among other things, marriage, children, food, and girlhood through gorgeous, honest, and lyrical writing.

Speakers: Beth Ann Fennelly, Sonja Livingston, and Kim McLarin Moderator: Sally Stover Location: Circuit Playhouse Main Stage

1:00 PM

The Word

Nearing its sixth year in existence, The Word is Memphis’ longest running open mic event that features a live band. The event serves as an artist showcase and gives attendees a perfect sample of everything cool that Memphis has to offer in terms of music. The Word has served as a spring board for many artists and those new on the scene can find a place, make friends, and make collaborations.

Presented by Neosoulville.

Speakers: Jasiri Uhuru, Sacorsha

Golden, Aisha Raison, and Dassia Rose Moderator: Tonya Dyson Location: Playhouse on the Square Main Stage

Writing to the Backbeat

Music is a powerful motivator for human emotion, and the authors on this panel know how to write it so it sings. Join a discussion of music and musicians as main features in storytelling.

Speakers: Richard Alley, Brandy T.

Wilson, and David Williams Moderator: Pat Mitchell Location: Ballet Room at Playhouse on the Square

Breathing Life into the Past

Names, dates, times — history so often falls flat on the page. This genre-diverse panel will discuss ways to enliven the past through language, poetry, and storytelling.

Speakers: Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Molly Crosby, and Jeffrey Stayton Moderator: Erin Pounders Location: Playhouse on the Square Café

2:30 PM

Family Ties: Writing About Loved Ones

The Art of the Curveball

Memoirs, memories, and mothers...can they come to grips with one another? These authors will discuss the emotional impact of writing about family, with humor and mystery as a viable creative lens for stories relating to family.

Speakers: Mary McCoy, Moriah McStay,

Speakers: Harrison Scott Key, Corey Mesler, and Dana Sachs Moderator: Ashley Bonds Location: Main Stage at Circuit Playhouse

A good twist is hard to come by. These three writers will share their know-how of thrillers, twists, plots, and clues to shed light on reverse engineering the coolest curveballs in literature.

and Daniel Friedman Location: Memphian Room at Circuit Playhouse

The Nail Biter’s Guide to Literary Tension

Nothing makes a reader dig into a story like high tension...but how do you create it, and can you maintain a strong sense of literary quality at the same time? The authors on this panel will discuss the creation of thoughtful spine-tingling suspense.

Speakers: Tim Johnston, Jamie

Kornegay, and Heidi Pitlor Moderator: Kevin Dean Location: Circuit Playhouse Main Stage

Making a Monster: Middle Grade Fiction Activity

Kids love to meet the authors of their favorite books, and authors love to introduce new books to kids. This is the perfect opportunity to do both! A kid-lit crew will present a handson “exquisite corpse” activity and book-related fun for participants. The exquisite corpse is an inspired generative art activity that requires participants to add to another artist’s existing creation...without seeing what has already been made. Kids will end up with life sizemonsters with surprising attributes. While the books cater to kids from 5th to 8th grade, all ages are welcome at this fun session!

Speakers: Kristin Tubb and Barry Wolverton Moderator: Justin Willingham, WKNO Location: Ballet Room at Playhouse on

the Square

#MSBF2015

|7

Saturday Schedule SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Impossible Language

This Memphis-based poetry reading series will present award-winning poets Tim Earley, Michael Morse, and Yolanda Franklin.

Readings will be diverse and exciting. Not sure about poetry? Come with an open mind.

Speakers: Tim Earley, Yolanda Franklin,

and Michael Morse Moderator: Ashley Roach-Freiman Location: Main Stage at Playhouse on the Square

Memphis Landmarks

Joe’s Sputnik. The Pyramid. The Lorraine Motel. Sun Studios. Memphis has a rich cultural landscape dotted with famous landmarks — each has a story to tell. Join this panel of authors, designers, and academics for a lively discussion of Memphis landmarks and their identity in Memphis as a place of civil rights activism, tourism, and culture.

Speakers: Miriam Decosta-Willis, Caitlin Horton, and Rebecca Phillips Moderator: Austen Onek Location: Memphian Room at Circuit Playhouse

Just City Book Club: Exploring Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

Join Just City as we read Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson and begin the discussion of what justice means to us and our fellow Memphians. Just Mercy: A story of Justice and Redemption is the moving account of a young, idealistic lawyer who founded a law practice in Alabama dedicated to serving those in poverty. Bryan Stevenson’s memoir is as much the story of those most marginalized in our society as it is a damning examination of the harshness of the criminal justice system.

Moderator: Kamilah Turner Location: Playhouse on the Square

Café

4:00 PM

Self Promoting For Self Publishing and Independent Press It’s a myth that you need a big house publisher to make it in the book world — but it takes a lot of work. The authors on this panel will discuss tools and strategies for making it as a self-published author or an author published through an independent press in the high-demand book world.

Speakers: Shelia Bell, Dorchelle T. Spence, and Summer Owens Moderator: Richard Billings Location: Playhouse on the Square Café

8|

#MSBF2015

The Mind as a Broken Mirror: The State of Alternative Mental Illness in Writing Literary Spaces / Tennessee Mental illness is real for many, and an unfortunate source of misunderstood narratives and characters. As a writer, how does one tackle the complex landscape of the compromised mind? The writers on this panel discuss best strategies and tactics for writing mental illness.

Speakers: Susan Vaught and Sandy

Longhorn Moderator: Derek Moseley Location: Main Stage at Circuit

Playhouse

Everyone Wants to Be One of Us: The Cool Factor of the South What is it about living in the South that is so evocative, that carries such panache?

Concepts of Southern food, writing, poetry, and life are thought to be charmed, but much of that has been interpreted by nonSoutherners. Join a lively panel of actual Southerners for a discussion of the tropes of the cool South.

Speakers: Craig Meek, Margaret

Skinner, and Heather Dobbins Moderator: John Klyce Minervini Location: Main Stage at Playhouse on the Square

Writing in the Pines: Poetry, Prose, and Discussion from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Writers The University of Southern Mississippi has nationally recognized MA and PhD programs in creative writing and is home to the Mississippi Review, a literary magazine that has published the likes of Raymond Carver, Joyce Carol Oates, Rita Dove, and Tony Hoagland. To learn more about the program and magazine, come to this reading and discussion from current students of the Center for Writers and associate editors of the Mississippi Review.

Speakers: Hannah Dow, Sara Lewis, Caleb Tankersley, Allison Campbell Moderator: Matt Gallant Location: Memphian Room at Circuit Playhouse

Readings, workshops, and publishing opportunities have long been associated with academic or mainstream environments, perhaps limiting access to the greater public.

Jim Warner, Susannah Felts, and Nat Akin discuss the role of writer-as-organizer, and the kind of partnerships and programming it takes to make these spaces vibrant contributions to a city’s broader literary community.

Speakers: Jim Warner, Susannah Felts, and Nat Akin Moderator: TBA Location: Ballet Room at Playhouse on the Square

5:00 PM-6:00 PM

story booth 2014-2015 Young Writers’ Anthology Release Party

Please join story booth on the main stage to celebrate the release, reading, and signing of its first-ever annual student anthology, featuring original work by the more than 35 middle- and high-school writers of Memphis involved in story booth creativewriting workshops from spring 2014 through spring 2015. This will be the first time this professionally published book is revealed to the public (and to the writers!), so please come help us celebrate these young authors as they read from and sign their work.

Location: Main Stage at Playhouse on

the Square

Memphian Room Author Signing Table

Sushi Jimmy

MEMPHIAN ROOM

C I R C UI T P L AY HOU S E

#MSBF2015 Rosalind Guy, author

Renea Gott, author

Memphis Public Library & Info Center

Kristy L. Brewer, author

Leafless

U NI ON AVE

Babb Books and Literary Art

Maria Hoskins, author

Elaine Meece, author

KD Woods, author

Junior League of Memphis

Author Reading Area Innovo Publishing

The Bookworm

RESTROOMS

STAIRS

RESTROOMS

CAFE

Writing Our World Press

Glinda McKinney

The Pinch Literary Journal

Sibling Rivarly Press

Sundress Publications

Children’s Storytime

Maggie Russell, artist

STAIRS

MAIN STAGE

Christian Brothers University

Kathy ThurmondEdwards State Farm

Dixon

Main Stage Signing Area

FIRST FLOOR

Yelp

WKNO

MLGW

Character Appearances First Book

Barefoot Books

Homewood Suites

Bodine School

The Meltdown

Map

SECOND FLOOR

ENTRANCE

Cafe Signing Area + Information

BALLET ROOM

Author’s VIP Area Authors and moderators only

PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE

Booksellers at Laurelwood

ENTRANCE

P L AY HOU S E ON T H E S Q UA R E

B A L L I NG E R S

ENTRANCE

CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE

Burke’s Book Store

MAIN STAGE

|9

Sunday Schedule SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Mid-South Writers Conference

Mid-South Student Writers Conference

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 11:30am-12:00pm • Registration Location: Lobby

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 11:30am-12:00pm • Registration Location: Lobby

12:00pm-12:30pm • Welcome and Introductions Location: Main Stage

12:00pm-12:30pm • Welcome and Introductions Location: Main Stage

12:30pm-1:45pm • Building a Monster: Writing Fantasy with Barry Wolverton Location: Ballet Room

12:30pm-1:45pm • Smells Like It May Rain Today: Writing Memory and Senses with Cheryl Smart Location: Memphis Room

Location: Playhouse on the Square Time: 11:30am-5:30pm

Location: Circuit Playhouse Time: 11:30am-5:30pm

• Memoir Writing 101 with Neil White Location: Main Auditorium

• From the Page to Screen: Writing for Film with Rachel M. Taylor Location: Main Stage

• Under Your Thumb: Tweets, Texts, and Telephone Writing of Everyday Epistles with Christian Anton Gerard Location: Café

• Retelling Tales: Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales with Tara Rae Mulroy Location: Foyer

1:45pm-3:00pm • Getting Weird with Metaphor in Poetry and Fiction with Caki Wilkinson Location: Ballet Room

1:45pm-3:00pm • Writing from the Margins with Jonathan May Location: Memphis Room

• Screenwriting with Chris McCoy Location: Main Stage

• From the Radio to the Page: Integrating Songs into Writing with James Dickson Location: Main Stage

• Writing Dreams with Jamey Hatley Location: Café

• Authentic Voice in Playwriting with Natalie Parker-Lawrence Location: Foyer

3:00pm-4:15pm • Building Imagery in Poetry with James E. Cherry Location: Main Stage

3:00pm-4:15pm • Persona Poetry and Fiction: Writing from Another’s Point of View with Elaine Scudder-Walters Location: Memphis Room

• Getting to the Universal with the Specific: Writing about Love with Heather Dobbins Location: Ballet Room 4:15pm-5:30pm • Readings and Signing

by Presenting Authors Readings Location: Main Stage Signings Location: Lobby

• Writing Home: Memoirs with Lonette Robinson Location: Main Stage

Registration Information Writers, meet your people! Join us for the Mid-South Book Festival's inaugural Writers Conference. Connect with some of the Mid-South's most respected, experienced authors, poets, and screenwriters, all pledging to help you grow and succeed as a writer. The Mid-South Book Festival Writers Conference will help you advance creatively and professionally as a writerno matter what stage of your career. Our Writers Conference is exclusively for 18 and up, while our Student Writer’s Conference is reserved for ages 12-17.

Registration is required.

Visit www.MidSouthBookFest.org to register.

10 |

#MSBF2015

• Eric McQuade: Writing Fiction About Jobs Location: Foyer 4:15pm-5:30pm • Readings Location: Main Auditorium

About Literacy mid-South LITERACY MID-SOUTH IMPROVES the quality of life in our community through education by providing literacy programs for adults and children as well as a network of collaborative projects with some of the Mid-South’s finest educational organizations. Our organization was formed to help people of all ages and backgrounds achieve the critical literacy skills they need to navigate the world. We are a group of passionate staff, volunteers, board, and community organizations dedicated to making the Mid-South a community actively engaged in continuous learning. Since our organizations founding in 1974, we have served over 154,000 Mid-Southerners through our programs and campaigns, including: • The Adult Learning Program Each year, a dedicated team of nearly 300 trained volunteer tutors facilitate one-on-one tutoring and small group sessions to help more than 500 low-literate adults reach their personal goals - preparing for the GED, obtaining a driver’s license, completing a job application, better managing their finances and health - and provide them with the tools necessary to navigate their daily tasks.

• The Read Memphis Project The Read Memphis Project is a vigorous six-month certification process facilitated by Literacy Mid-South that creates new community-based adult basic education centers throughout Shelby County. Community partners in the Read Memphis Project expand Literacy Mid-South’s reach and impact and increase the accessibility of adult basic education.

• The Smart Memphis Coalition Smart Memphis is a ma jor Literacy Mid-South initiative that builds the capacity of nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and other community groups working to improve the learning skills of both children and adults throughout the Mid-South.

• Third Grade Reading Literacy Mid-South is leading a Collaborative Action Network comprised of community organizations, school districts, businesses, and nonprofits. Every year, more than 6,000 students in Shelby County leave 3rd grade incapable of reading on a 3rd grade level. Studies show that 74% of 3rd graders who read poorly still struggle in 9th grade and 3rd grade reading skills can reasonable predict a student’s likelihood to graduate. Literacy MidSouth is committed to leading organizations to improve the rates of reading proficiency at 3rd grade for every Shelby County child.

Literacy Mid-South relies on the generosity of our community partners to provide funding for all of our programs, the invaluable gift of time to tutor our adult learners, and help execute our special events. There are several ways to invest in the future of Memphis by supporting Literacy Mid-South. Become a Literacy Leader by committing to a recurring monthly donation to Literacy Mid-South. Tutor an adult student. Help us spread awareness by volunteering for one of our special events. Host a fundraiser in your workplace, church, or neighborhood to benefit Literacy Mid-South. Learn more about our missing and advocate for the low-literate citizens in our community.

For more information about Literacy Mid-South, please visit our website at www.literacymidsouth.org. Stay connected by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram.

#MSBF2015

| 11