Missouri Writers Recognized During Writers Week

   

Langston Hughes.  Maya Angelou.  Walter Cronkite.  David Harrison.  Kate Chopin.  Samuel Clemens.

 Readers do not have to live in Missouri to be familiar with these names.  All are known throughout the U.S. and beyond as major contributors to the fields of journalism and literature, but their common bond is that each can call Missouri their home state.

 Governor Jay Nixon has signed a proclamation presented to the Missouri Writers’ Guild, the state’s professional writers’ organization, to recognize the many contributions of Missouri’s writers, past, present and future, during the week of April 3 through 9.  Throughout this week, schools, libraries and booksellers are encouraged to spotlight the works of Missouri writers, schedule author visits to schools, or host “meet the author” events at local libraries.

 The week will be capped off by the annual MWG “Just Write!” Conference in St. Louis.  Slated for April 8-10 at the Westport Plaza Sheraton Hotel, the conference will feature writers from MWG and its chapters from around the state, as well as writers from around the country who will present classes and workshops, along with book sales and signings, pitch sessions with over a dozen agents and editors, panel discussions, and a “Show-Me Showcase” awards banquet.  The banquet will include presentation of the Walter Williams “Best Book of the Year” Award written in 2010 by a member of the Missouri Writers’ Guild.

 Keynote speaker for the Saturday luncheon will be “Beauties” author Mary Troy, director of the M.F.A. program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and editor of “Natural Bridge, a journal of contemporary literature.”  Former “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” columnist and mystery writer Elaine Viets will return to Missouri from her current home in Florida to give the banquet keynote on Saturday evening.

 The conference is open to anyone with an interest in writing or publishing.  Pre-registration continues until March 31st, with prices set at $185 for members of the general public.  Door prices for the public will be $210 from April 1st through the duration of the conference.

 Additional information can be found on the Missouri Writers’ Guild website at www.missouriwritersguild.org./mwg_conferencenews.shtmlor by contacting Conference Chair Deborah Marshall at mwgconferenceinfo@gmail.com. 

 The Missouri Humanities Council has partnered with the Missouri Writers’ Guild, the state’s professional writers’ organization, to enable both to reach writers and readers across the state.  This alliance will allow the launch of a number of ongoing literary and community projects within the next few months.

 “This is a natural partnership which will create an awareness of Missouri writers among the state’s readers, while assisting these writers in reaching a larger Missouri audience,” said Deborah Marshall, vice president of MWG.

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