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January 18, 2020With the upcoming annual writer’s conference in March, deadlines for the fiction and poetry contest are both closing fast.
The Terrebonne Parish Public Library’s 17th annual Jambalaya Writer’s Conference is on March 14. Both the fiction and the poetry contest entrants are due on February 21st.
“It’s an all day event for writers and readers alike,” said Jessi Suire, Public Relations and Adult . “Even if someone wants to come just to meet the authors and get their books signed and kind of mingle, they’re totally free to do that.”
Host of this event for the past 3 years, Suire has sought to get 27-29 writers to speak and hold workshops to help aspiring writers. This year’s keynote speaker is New York Time’s bestselling author Lisa Gardner. These authors will also sign books at the end of the day.
Of the guest speakers, two will be editors who will hold pitch sessions throughout the day. These sessions could lead to aspiring writers receiving a book deal. Suire said she encourages those interested to arrive early because the editors’ time slots fill quickly.
More than one workshop will be held simultaneously in different rooms of the library, and attendees will be treated to a buffet-style choice of lectures, panels, workshops focused on different aspects of professional writing.
“It’s a day filled with sessions,” Suire said. “We have lectures, panels, workshops – all that good stuff – about the creative writing craft and about publishing.”
Suire herself will be hosting a panel at this year’s conference called The Southern Writer’s Workshop, named after a workshop she hosts at the library on the 1st and 4th wednesday of every month. The group even has their own online publication: www.dirtyrice.press
Those interested in submitting either a piece of fiction or a poem can visit either the library or www.mytpl.org/jwc.