Wyoming Arts Council

2014 Book Festival features keynote by McConigley and combined reading by recipients of literary fellowships and Blanchan & Doubleday awards

Featured News | July 31, 2014

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Congratulations to Nina McConigley, a Casper native and Wyoming Arts Council board member, for winning the 2014 PEN Open Book Award for her short story collection, Cowboys and East Indians. McConigley, recipient of a WAC Blanchan/Doubleday writing award, will present the keynote address at the gala luncheon on Sept. 13 for the Equality State Book Festival at Casper College.

After McConigley’s speech, the Arts Council sponsors a reading from 2-4 p.m. that features the winners of the creative writing fellowships in fiction and the Blanchan/Doubleday writing awards. Reading with the winners will be fellowship judge Meg Pokrass and Blanchan/Doubleday judge Ken Waldman. This fast-paced presentation will feature flash fiction, memoir, novel excerpts, short stories and music.

Just a few of the events for the Sept. 11-13 book festival. At 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Pokrass will lead a craft talk about self-publishing and promoting your work through social media.

WAC roster artists will conduct a Sept. 11 workshop on poetry and song. Jackson poet Matt Daly, another WAC roster artist, will visit Natrona County School District schools Thursday to work with students. The two poets team up for a 7:30 p.m. reading on Friday.

Waldman will be arriving early for the book festival in order to conduct a professional development seminar for Wyoming writers, visual artists and performers from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Nicolaysen Art Museum. Waldman has made his living since 1995 writing, teaching, and performing in a wide variety of settings. The workshop is designed for artists of all disciplines and experience. Learn about readily-available resources that may not be commonly known. Learn, too, how to potentially make (more) money through your art. Guaranteed: practical tips on making and marketing work. Also guaranteed: fun and inspiration

The Arts Council is underwriting Waldman’s free workshop and invites all of our roster artists and those interested in applying for next year’s roster, with applications opening Oct. 1.

Find out more at http://www.equalitystatebookfest.com/calendar/

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