Registration
9:00 a.m.-9:50 a.m.
Student Center Lobby, 2nd floor.
Check in at the welcome desk. Grab your conference program and tote bag. Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided.
John Lewis Writing Grant Reading
With O-Jeremiah Agbaakin,
Olatunde Osinaike, and Tonya Richardson
10:00 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
A 201 Ballroom.
The 2025 recipients and judge of the prestigious John Lewis Writing Grants will read from their work. Help us congratulate them and celebrate the legacy of the iconic civil rights leader John Lewis. We thank the Hawthorden Foundation for generously supporting these important grants.
The Writer and Director Relationship: Screenwriting with Directing in Mind
Panel discussion with
Ariel Hairston and Charlene Fisk
11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
Room A 216.
In this panel, we’ll talk about the screenwriting process and what that looks like if you also want to direct your work. We will cover basic screenwriting expectations, the value of short films as a writer/director, and the power of community in filmmaking.
LGBTQIA+ Literary Success Grant Winners Reading
With Susanne Salehi, Cory Albertson, Ashe Prevett, and Alex Chand
11:00 a.m.-11:50 a.m.
A 201 Ballroom.
This year’s recipients of the 3rd annual LGBTQIA+ Literary Success grants will read from their work. Help us congratulate them and celebrate this esteemed achievement. These grants are now more important than ever, and we thank the Hawthornden Foundation for generously supporting them.
What happens when fiction writers start telling the truth?
A reading and panel discussion with
Josh Russell and Kerry Neville
12:00 p.m.-12:50 p.m.
Room A 216.
Kerry Neville (Momma May Be Mad: A Memoir) and Josh Russell (Commonplaces) will share their recent nonfiction and discuss the challenges and rewards of working in multiple genres.
New and Old Gothic: Writing Modern Horror in the American South
A reading and panel discussion with
Michael Wehunt and Kristi DeMeester
12:00 p.m.-12:50 p.m.
Room A 214.
This session will examine how modern authors of horror fiction are shaped by life in Georgia and the American South. Touching on history, Appalachian folklore, the atmosphere and imagery of untamed nature, and cultural legacy, the panelists will trace a line from Southern Gothic to the modern literature of our region, particularly in the vein of the horror genre.
The Bargain Store:
A Dolly Parton Poetry Workshop
A workshop with Dustin Brookshire
12:00 p.m.-12:50 p.m.
Room A 216.
What can the songs of legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton teach us about writing, craft, and perspectives in poetry? In this in-person workshop, Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology co-editor Dustin Brookshire, will guide participants through exploring the discography and cultural impact of Dolly Parton. We’ll use Dolly’s songs as inspiration for writing new poems via thematic prompts.
Lunch
1:00 p.m.-1:50 p.m.
A 201 Ballroom.
Eat, drink, be merry.
Keynote Address
by Danté Stewart
2:00 p.m.-2:50 p.m.
A 201 Ballroom.
A reading and conversation with Danté Stewart.
The Long Road:
Writing the Novel
A panel discussion with Justin Haynes, Parul Kapur, and Amy Pence
3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m.
Room A 215.
Three debut novelists will share their stories about their long journeys to publication and the lessons learned along the way. The panelists will share practical tips for aspiring novelists on how to sustain a writing practice on a project over time, how to enrich fiction with research, and how to build community. They'll also discuss the nuts and bolts of getting an agent, working with a publisher, and promoting your work.
Creative Writing in the Age of Generative AI
A panel discussion with Kurt Milberger, Pete Rorabaugh , and Sean Cho Aryes
3:00 p.m.-3:50 p.m.
Room A 216.
This session will consider the pitfalls and pleasures, if any, of generative AI for creative writers. Offering skeptical perspectives and critical insight, panelists will consider how AI tools have been used in creative writing, publishing, and other fields and discuss questions related to generative AI.
Place, Play, and Persona in the Poem
A reading and panel discussion with
Rupert Fike and Kristin Robertson
4:00 p.m.-4:50 p.m.
Room A 216.
The two 2026 Georgia Author of the Year honorees in poetry read from their collections and discuss the ways place, play, and persona shape the poem.
Ask the Authors: A writing and publishing Q&A session with YA authors
A reading and panel discussion with Channelle Desamours and Delali Adjoa
4:00 p.m.-4:50 p.m.
Room A 214.
Join YA speculative mystery author Channelle Desamours and YA romance author Delali Adjoa for a casual conversation on writing and publishing. Come learn about their novels, writing processes, and paths to publication. Bring your curiosity and questions for an open Q&A!
Social Hour and Open Mic
5:00 p.m.-5:50 p.m.
A 201 Ballroom.