Best-selling novelists Garth Stein, who wrote “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” and Olivia Hawker, author of “One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow,” will answer questions and discuss their writing journeys during the Lewis County branch of the Association of American University Women’s (AAUW) Evening with Authors on Friday night, Sept. 6, in Centralia.
All proceeds from the event benefit Hope Alliance of Lewis County, which works with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students. In addition to the panel, the evening features book signings by local authors as well as hors d'oeuvres, beverages and raffle baskets.
Matthew Young, of Tumwater, an associate professor at Centralia College who earned a six-figure advance for his memoir, “Eat the Apple,” will moderate the evening panel. The event takes place in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 7 p.m.
Both Stein, an internationally best-selling author and cofounder of the Seattle7Writers Seven, and Libbie Grant, whose pen name is Olivia Hawker, will be teaching at the 10th annual Southwest Washington Writers Conference. All proceeds from the conference benefit the Centralia College Foundation.
Hawker will teach a master class on Friday, Sept. 6, consisting of two sessions: “Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing” and “How to Write a Bestseller.”
Stein will keynote the Saturday conference and share about “The World According to Garth.” He’ll also teach one of the 24 hour-long workshops offered during the conference — “It’s All About the Rock.”
Other presenters include Oregon authors Christina Suzann Nelson, of Philomath; Miriam Gershow, of Eugene; Kate Ristau, of Tigard; Linda L. Kruschke, of Lake Oswego; Jennifer Anne F. Messing, of Portland; Erick Mertz, of Oregon City; Kellyn Roth (also known as Kelly Langdon), of The Dalles; and Jeff Cheney, of Vernonia.
Washingtonians teaching at the conference are Curtis Chen, of Vancouver; Carmen Peone, of Inchelium; Christine Pinto, of Shoreline; literary agent Scott Eagan, of Puyallup; Wendy Kendall, of Edmonds; Shannon Blood, of Olympia; Craig Allen Heath, of Longview; Mary Stone, of Castle Rock; Tracy Cram Perkins, of Gig Harbor; and Annette Grantham, of Winlock.
Evening with Authors tickets cost $20 for adults and $15 students. In addition to the panel, the evening features book signings by local authors as well as food, beverages, and raffle baskets. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 7 p.m. Contact Jo Martens at 360-561-2831 or by email at jj83martens@gmail.com for more information.
To learn more about the writers’ conference, visit www.southwestwashingtonwriters.com.
