Julia Alvarez Announced as Next F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Honoree

Popular novelist Julia Alvarez has been announced as the 2009 honoree for the prestigious F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Award. She will accept the award at the 14th Annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference on October 17.

Julia Alvarez is an author who excels in multiple fields of writing: storybooks for children, young adult books, nonfiction, poetry — and most notably, novels. She is best known for critically acclaimed novels How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies. More recent fiction includes Return to Sender and Saving the World.

In being selected as an F. Scott Fitzgerald Honoree, Julia Alvarez Leonard joins an impressive group of talented authors. Previous award winners to accept the Fitzgerald award at the annual conference in Rockville, Maryland include John Updike, Norman Mailer, E.L. Doctorow, Joyce Carol Oates, Ernest J. Gaines, Edward Albee , William Styron, John Barth, Grace Paley, Pat Conroy, William J. Kennedy, and Jane Smiley. Last year’s honoree was Elmore “Dutch” Leonard.

Support comes from the City of Rockville, Montgomery College, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Gazette Newspapers, the Rockville Cultural Arts Commission, Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., Vermont Coffee Company, The Legacy Hotel & Meeting Center of Rockville, Roundhouse Theater and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Society.

Learn more about Julia Alvarez and her work at her website.
http://www.juliaalvarez.com/

Make plans to see Julia Alvarez in person at the next F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference on October 17, 2009. Stay tuned to the conference website for details as they become available.
www.peerlessrockville.org/FSF

Maryland Writers conference Serves Writers This Weekend

For 21 years, the Maryland Writers’ Association has served local writers of all levels—from novice to expert—with the Annual Maryland Writers’ Conference.


The big event for 2009 takes place on Saturday, May 9 from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights.


Keynote speaker Robert L. Booth is one of many professional, successful writers planning to spend the day helping writers reach their own goals. Booth was managing editor for National Geographic and has recently retired after a 35-year career with the magazine.


Other speakers include Kevin Bolk, David E. Booth, A. C. Crispin, Michael Downs, Joya Fields, Eric D. Goodman, Gary L. Lester, Vicki Meade, Ally Peltier, Angela Render, Cynthia Blake Sanders, Linda Shertzer, Christine Stewart, David Warfield, Elissa Brent Weissman, Richard White, Gregg Wilhelm and Betsy Greenleaf Yarrison.


Topics range from writing for children to the various aspects of writing adult fiction (literary, genre, commercial), from the business side of writing to the creative side, finding a publisher, avoiding scams, polishing your work, resurrecting your poetry and organizing your work station. There’s a little something for everyone.


Literary agents and editors on hand include Brian Michael Lawrence, Dan Patrell, Allisa D. Davis, Chelsea Gilmore, Carla Jablonski, Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Andrea Barzvi, Jenny Brent, and Jennifer Sinsheimer.


Join local and national experts and established writers at the 21st annual Maryland Writers' Association's conference. You’ll have the opportunity to hone your craft in sessions led by established authors, instructors, and experts. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, there’s plenty for you at the conference. Come write your own success story.


Visit www.marylandwriters.org/conferences-2009list.html for a full list of sessions, speakers, agents, and editors.


To register, or for more information, visit the conference website at www.marylandwriters.org/conferences.html.


Or, if you don’t find time to register but still want to attend, just show up! The Maryland Writers’ Association will make room for walk-ins.


In addition to the conference, there will be a Writers’ Banquet on Friday, May 8 at the same location from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Join fellow writers for a buffet dinner and join a discussion with Brian Michael Lawrence, editor-in-chief and director for Style magazine, and Dan Patrell, editor of Maryland Life magazine, on the current state of magazine publishing and what it means for writers.


Though the Banquet is presented in conjunction with our Annual Writers’ Conference, you do not have to be registered for the Conference to attend.


Learn more about the conference and the banquet at
www.marylandwriters.org/conferences.html