Reading Local: Atlanta

Inside the Writers Studio with Michael Wiley
Bound To Be Read Books
Weds., March 10th, 7 P.M.
Benefits the East Atlanta Security Patrol

Award-winning author Michael Wiley demystifies how to write a mystery novel when he visits Bound To Be Read Books’ Inside the Writers Studio. He’ll explain the process he used to write his new book, The Bad Kitty Lounge. Michael Wiley’s first novel, The Last Striptease, was nominated for a Shamus Award and hailed as “riveting” (The Chicago Tribune), “delightful” (Toronto Globe and Mail), and “hard-boiled fiction with tenderness and compassion” (New York Newsday). Now he offers another exciting, fast-paced page-turner with The Bad Kitty Lounge. (A Kona pick, based on title alone.)

On the last weekend in February, Macon will be flooded with nationally recognized authors and the writers who aspire to learn from them at the second Crossroads Writers Conference. This year marks the debut of the Crossroads Literary Festival, a free public series of readings and presentations that will run concurrently with the conference in the College Hill area. The conference starts early Saturday, Feb. 27 in Mercer’s Knight Hall at 7:30 am with a social breakfast where writers can mingle and network. More than 50 panels, workshops, roundtable talks and readings will follow, culminating in a big closing ceremony featuring a mini Poetry Slam, dramatic presentations and a music-heavy reading by Random House author Steve Almond. The conference offers topics ranging from the traditional (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction) to edgier forms (screenwriting, blogging, spoken word, Steampunk fiction).

Registration includes all 50+ panels, workshops, roundtable talks and readings as well as breakfast, lunch and a book tote. The literary festival, including a book fair at Centenary Church, will run on Saturday at 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at various locations around College Hill: Sidney Lanier Cottage, Jittery Joes Coffee, Centenary Church and the Golden Bough Bookstore. Details on the schedule will soon be available online at www.CrossroadsCon.org

Visiting authors include Steve Almond, Candyfreak; Judith Ortiz-Cofer, A Love Story Beginning in Spanish: Poems; Mara Shalhoup, Editor in Chief of Creative Loafing; former Maconite Ad Hudler, Househusband; Middle Georgia native Lauretta Hannon, The Cracker Queen; Megan Sexton, Under the Rock Umbrella; Emilie Bush, Chenda and the Airship Brofman; and Fulvia Lindsay, writer for television show CSI. For a complete list of authors, visit the Web site.

Local authors include Ed Grisamore, Josephine Bennett, Bill Shanks, Phillip Ramati, Kevin Cantwell, Anya Silver, Andy Silver, Robert Fieldsteel, Rick Hutto, Louise Stamen, William Rawlings, Michael McGouirk, Rick Maier, Camara Fontenot, Jared Wright, Luke Goddard and several others. Macon writer Gena Courtney attended the last conference and plans to attend once again. “The most important thing I learned at the first conference was to consider writing as a job…Work at it, everyday. Some days will be terrible, but you must write through them, to the other side, where the days may be terrific and satisfying,” Courtney said.

Crossroads is a not-for-profit civic endeavor that is completely operated by a volunteer board and a volunteer staff. The conference is funded generously by The Knight Neighborhood Challenge, the State of Georgia, City of Macon and the Macon State Foundation as well as supported by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, Macon State College, Mercer University and Mercer Press. Information and online registration is available at www.crossroadscon.org. Registration will be open the day of the conference only if space is available.