Co-sponsored by my fabulous friends at Chaos to Clarity, this year’s Kensington Book Festival is this weekend! Check it out from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. — kk

Photo by Ozan Uzel

The 6th annual Kensington Day of the Book Festival is fast approaching! Writers, publishers, book artists, illustrators, and Kensington community organizations will gather on April 17, 2011, from 11am to 4pm on Howard Avenue in historic Old Town Kensington, Md. The afternoon street festival celebrates the International Day of the Book by bringing together a variety of literary participants set up to show, sell, and discuss their works.

If you would like to join us and get more exposure for your work, you’ll find participant sign-up information on the website. Secure your place at the festival and rev up your local marketing and outreach for only $25. The sooner you sign up, the sooner you’ll be included on the website and in promotional materials. You can sign up for email updates right on the homepage.

It is going to be a great day—the Nighthawks are performing and special guest, mystery author George Pelecanos, will read with the band. JP McDermott and Western Bop will also be there to rock the Avenue!

Meet folks from the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. There will also be:
·       Rare book evaluations
·       Free books from Bookcrossings
·       Author readings
·       Open poetry mic
·       The chance to play Chess Master Allan Savage
·       Children’s activities like book arts, storytelling and a literary scavenger hunt
·       Free parking in the neighborhood and at a number of parking lots in town
·       Tasty treats from established restaurants and cafes

Cosponsored by the Town of Kensington and the Pauli Bellet Foundation Catalan Library, the Festival was cited by the Washington Post as one of the top literary festivals in the DC area.

Chaos To Clarity is a proud sponsor of the Festival this year and we invite you to stop by our table or attend one of our presentations at 12:30 or 2:00pm on How to Promote Your Books & Business with the Web. We’ll share lots of useful tips and strategies to help you make the most of social media, blogs, and websites—your own and other people’s!

Please feel free to contact the organizer, Elisenda Sola-Sole, with any questions at kensingtonbookfestival@gmail.com or 301-949-9416.

Kensington Day of the Book Festival
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No, no, not THIS hill. But isn't it pretty?

The lovely and enterprising Kathleen Franks was kind enough to forward me details about the upcoming Writers on the Hill creative writing workshop in DC, starting this month and lasting into May. Download the Writers on the Hill Info Flier (PDF) for more details and contact information. A brief summary:

Tuesday Morning Coffee Writers >> 9:30-11:30 a.m., April 19 – May 26

Wednesday Lunch Writers >> 12:00- 2:00 p.m., April 20 – May 27

Thursday Tea Time Writers >> 4:30-6:30 p.m., April 21 – May 28

All workshops take place in a private home and are limited to 10 writers or fewer, so advance registration is required.

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About the Book. Author Nava Atlas’ The Literary Ladies Guide to the Writing Life: Inspiration and Advice from Celebrated Women Authors Who Paved the Way is not just a great read but also a gorgeous one. Before I even got into the content, I was struck by how darn pretty it is. Kudos to Atlas and collaborator Amy Papaelias for the stunning page design.

But then I started reading, and I fell in love. [click to continue…]

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YA Or Not YA? (That is the Question)

Sunday, April 17, 7pm

Teenaged characters do not automatically a young adult novel make...or do they?Is every book with a young protagonist a YA book? How do authors navigate the boundary between young adult fiction and categories marketed to adults? Sarah Collins Honenberger will discuss her crossover experience with “Catcher, Caught,” a book in which a teenaged protagonist who idolizes Holden Caulfield is dying of cancer.

This event is free and open to the public.

WriterHouse is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

WriterHouse
508 Dale Avenue
434-296-1922
www.writerhouse.org

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Two classes start on Monday night at 6:30. If you’re interested but not yet registered, come a few minutes early on Monday and join the class. Email classes@writerhouse.org so we’ll know to expect you.

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If you love writing, you’ll love WriterHouse! It’s my favorite writing home-away-from-home in Charlottesville, VA. Here’s what they have going on for the rest of the month. -kk

*Tonight, Monday March 14, 7pm–Winter Session Student Reading
Hear brief readings from writers who have been taking classes over the past eight weeks. Meet and mingle with writers afterward over refreshments. Free and open to the public.

*Friday, March 18, 10am-11:45am–”Novels about Novelists”–a program of the Virginia Festival of the Book sponsored and hosted by WriterHouse
Join three acclaimed novelists, John McNally (AFTER THE WORKSHOP and two previous novels), Martha McPhee (DEAR MONEY and three previous novels) and Carolyn Parkhurst (THE NOBODIES ALBUM and two previous novels) as we discuss the risks and rewards of novels in which the main character is a novelist. Is it a case of “writer what you know” gone too far or are there particular insights available to a main character who is in the business of observing life? Free and open to the public. [click to continue…]

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