AWP'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE COMES TO SEATTLE!

Each year, AWP holds its Annual Conference & Bookfair in a different region of the United States in order to celebrate the outstanding authors, teachers, writing programs, literary centers, and small press publishers of that region. The Annual Conference typically features hundreds of presentations: readings, lectures, panel discussions, and forums plus hundreds of book signings, receptions, dances, and informal gatherings. The conference attracts more than 10,000 attendees and hundreds of publishers. It’s one of the biggest and liveliest literary gatherings in the country.

This year it's in Seattle, specifically at the Washington State Convention Center & Sheraton Seattle Hotel, February 26 through March 1, 2014. For a general overview of this year's conference including panel and event schedules, visit here.

On Friday, February 28, noon to 1:15 p.m., I will be moderating a panel titled "Chicana/o Noir: Murder, Mayhem and Mexican Americans" with panelists Lucha Corpi, Manuel Ramos, Sarah Cortez and Michael Nava. For more specific information on this panel visit this link.

Also on Friday, I will be at the Fairy Tale Review table (K26) from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. in honor of the review's tenth anniversary edition, The Emerald Issue. I have a little story featured in it titled, "The Last Dream of Pánfilo Velasco."

And at 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. that same Friday, I will be at the University of Arizona Press booth (#1605) to sign my novel, The Book of Want. Come on by and check out the other wonderful titles!

Because the representation of Latin@ writers has grown throughout the years, I have gone through the AWP online schedule and marked those panels that have significant Latin@ representation. You may visit that schedule here. If I've missed a panel, please drop a comment below and give the relevant information including a link.

Finally, don't forget to join Con Tinta and los Norteños Writers in honoring Jesús “El Flaco” Maldonado and Kathleen Alcalá on Thursday, February 27, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Mexico Cantina y Cocina, Pacific Place-Level 4, 600 Pine St. (or 1611 6^th Ave.), Seattle, WA 98101. Ph #: (206) 405-3400. Please be our guest and join us for hors d’oeuvre,  cash bar celebration and more.  If you're interested, here is Xánath's post from last week that has more information.

See you in Seattle!

P.S. If you're on Twitter, I will be tweeting from @olivasdan to #LatinoLit and #AWP14.

IN OTHER LITERARY NEWS...

[UPDATED INFORMATION] My interview with poet Verónica Reyes regarding her debut collection, Chopper! Chopper! Poetry from Bordered Lives (Arktoi/Red Hen Press), will go live this Thursday and may be read at the Los Angeles Review of Books. Just click the link under her bio and enjoy...on Thursday!