Registration is now open for the 20th Annual South Coast Writers Conference! The conference brings together a collection of writers from the Northwest to share, explore and celebrate the many facets of writing. Co-sponsored by Southwestern Oregon Community College and Gold Beach Visitors Center, the conference is held in Gold Beach on Presidents’ Day weekend, Feb. 13 and 14, 2015 at the Event Center on the Beach and Gold Beach High School. This is an opportunity for an extended stay to write and explore the splendor of America’s Wild Rivers Coast. The conference is an eclectic gathering of writers of various genres including novice and published authors. “It is our goal that participants and presenters leave the conference inspired and renewed, with new insights and skills, and better connected to fellow writers and resources,” said Janet Pretti, Curry Campus Executive Dean. The conference will feature some of the Northwest’s best writers to guide in an exploration and celebration of the many facets of writing: Stevan Allred, Mark Bennion, Dan Berne, Mark Graham, Kim Griswell, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Elena Passarello, Liz Prato, Jeff Shultz, and Tess Thompson. Kim Griswell will be the keynote speaker at the conference. Griswell is the developmental editor of children’s books for Portable Press, where she spends her days building the Uncle John’s FOR KIDS ONLY line. Kim has taught writers across the country through workshops for the Highlights Foundation and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and has been an instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her published works include more than 200 short stories, articles, and columns in magazines, newsletters, and books; several educational books; and a number of picture books, including Rufus Goes to School, and Rufus Goes to Sea. Workshops are scheduled to begin on Friday with a six-hour workshop with three options to choose from; the cost for the Friday session is $55. Four 90-minute workshops are offered on Saturday, with five options for each session. Register before January 31 for the early registration price of $60 for Saturday or $115 for both days. Early registration for this popular conference is encouraged to secure a place in the workshops. Authors’ Night, featuring the workshop presenters reading from their work, is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, and will be held in the Showcase Building at the Curry County Fairgrounds. This event is free and open to the public. More information is available on the conference website at www.socc.edu/scwriters.
