My BW and I have just returned (well actually it was Saturday evening) from the Blue Ridge Community College Bookfest in Flat Rock, NC. It was a wonderful experience, far surpassing any expectation that we had. http://blueridgebookfest.org/index.html
It was both a “fest” for readers and an opportunity for writers and wannabe writes to network and attend workshops. On Friday I attended a session lead by Maggie Bishop entitled Write Now! and then a second session with BRCC instructor Jennifer Parrack-Rogers and Katie Winkler on Connecting the Reading Heart and the Writing Mind. Friday evening found me at a mixer and reception for the authors and then a very sobering evening session with Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with the story of Picking Cotton, a case of rape conviction based on mistaken identity. Saturday started off with a keynote conversation with Terry Kay. Wonderful. There were a number of Saturday sessions in parallel tracks that I could have taken but I chose the “Writer Only”. As we moved through the day, each 45 minute session dealt with another aspect of writing and the business of writing.
In addition to the educational sessions, there was an opportunity to meet and talk with over eighty authors in the large auditorium. Malaprop’s bookstore was also there to sell the author’s books. This was a great chance for me to meet potential speakers for our writer’s club.
By the time 4:00 rolled around, We were bushed, We got in the Highlander and headed down the mountain. Glad we went and planning go back next year.
