On Tuesday, November 6,  WordFest will be meeting at The Brits, 1427 Commerce Avenue, in Longview, 6:00-8:00 PM.

WordFest regular Dale Duman will read from his recently published novel, Path to Peril, a story about cyber-terrorism and its political repercussions on the U.S. government and society. Dale is an engineer and computer scientist, who has been writing and teaching informational technology strategies for over 28 years.

Steve Anderson will be reading from Jeremiah’s Wink, his debut mystery novel about a modern day monk and master illuminator who is sent to the U.S. to   recreate a 15^th century Book of Hours. Steve is master-prepared in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Oregon with a focus on public administration and special education.  He retired last year from a career in health care administration.   He is actively seeking a traditional publisher.

Elizabeth Evans will be reading a selection of new poems.  She has been writing poetry since age ten.  Her work has been published in We Accept Donations, Spring Hill Review, Street Lights, and The Salal Review.

The Brits offers a full dinner menu as well as selection of wines and beers for those who wish to enjoy a meal and beverage with the readings.

On Tuesday, October 2, WordFest will be meeting at The Brits, 1427 Commerce Avenue, in Longview, 6:00-8:00 PM.

Leslie Slape from the Storytellers Network will be hosting the event.

Poet and novelist Carolyn Caines will read a series of poems from her newest book, A String of Perils, Poems of Hurt and Hope.  Carolyn is also the author of the novel, Passage to Love, an Ellis Island Story, and an earlier collection of poetry, In the Noiseless Night, Poems about Childhood in the ‘50s.

Charolette Conklin will be reading “Oblivious”, a short story appearing in the Chicago literary magazine Rambunctious Review. Charolette, along with Mary Stone, teaches a creative writing class through Longview Parks and Recreation.

Sally J. Jones will be reading “Prayer for Worn Moccasins,” which is appearing in the WordFest holiday anthology later this year, and also a short story about a woman in a rehab facility,

The Brits offers a full dinner menu as well as selection of wines and beers for those who wish to enjoy a meal and beverage with the readings.

On Tuesday, September 4, WordFest will be meeting at the new Grounds For Opportunity Cafe, 413 S. Pacific Avenue, in Kelso, 6:00-8:00 PM.

Poet Janice Haupt will be reading a series of poems about persons who have been important in her life.

Fred Hudgin will read a short story about a father who finds out his son has been killed in Afghanistan.

Kelley Jácquez will be reading an excerpt from her forthcoming book Holding Woman and Other Stories of Acceptable Madness, soon to be released by Bilingual Press, Tempe, AZ.

For those who wish to enjoy a meal with the readings, GFO’s Chef Keven Robinson will be offering a buffet of Apricot Chicken, Beef Rib Roast in Burgundy Mushroom Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Orzo Pilaf, Glazed Carrots, Tossed Salad, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake for $10 per person, which includes soda, coffee, and tea. Espresso drinks will be available at regular menu prices.

Grounds for Opportunity, or GFO, is the newest social enterprise of Lower Columbia Community Action Program (CAP). A full service cafe open to the public, it is also a training kitchen, preparing people to work in the local restaurant industry. And finally, GFO is CAP’s central kitchen where Meals on Wheels and Senior Community Lunches are prepared daily.

WordFest resumes its monthly gatherings on Tuesday, September 4th, 6:00-8:00 pm, at Grounds for Opportunity Cafe, 413 South Pacific Avenue in Kelso (across the street from the train station.)

Good reading! (and writing!)

On Tuesday, July 3, WordFest will be meeting at the Backstage Cafe, 216 S. Pacific Avenue, in Kelso.

Orla Parkinson and Scott Coombs live in the wilds of county Leitrim in the northwest of Ireland with their three children. Leitrim is well known in Ireland for its arts community and Orla and Scott are both active in local writers groups. Orla, who works as a librarian in a local village on the border with Northern Ireland, will read from a selection of her poems, short stories, and from a play she is currently working on. Scott works in Dublin for an Information Technology consultancy and will read from a collection of short stories he is preparing. He also enjoys letterpress printing and runs the Barking Angels Press in his spare time.

In the second hour, Longview attorney David Rorden will read from a novel he is writing about a jury trial for an involuntary mental commitment case. Set in Longview and Stevenson in Skamania County, the story centers on a high profile case involving a bearded young man wearing a white robe  who sits in the lotus position on the I-5 freeway. His attorney soon learns that his client’s bizarre behavior was designed to put the state’s system of forced mental health treatment on trial. The novel draws on Rorden’s experiences as Cowlitz County’s contracted public defender in ITA (Involuntary Treatment Act) hearings.

In honor of Independence Day, WordFest regular Mary Lyons will read from her writings on patriotic themes, and people are invited to participate in the open mic period following Mary’s’ reading, sharing their own patriotic reflections in prose or verse (10 minute limit.)