FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHAT: Festival of Words 2014

WHEN: Nov. 6, 7& 8

WHERE: Grand Coteau and surrounding area

CONTACT: Patrice Melnick, (337) 254-9695 or festivalwords@gmail.com


The Festival of Words will take place Nov. 6-8 in Grand Coteau and surrounding areas. The festival features literary readings by nationally recognized authors, creative writing workshops in the public schools and community centers, a community stage for open mics, drive-by poetry, and many opportunities for people to interact with featured authors.

This year’s festival authors include Luis Alberto Urrea, Louisiana Poet Laureate Ava Leavell Hayman, Latasha Weatherspoon, Roddie Romero and Anderson Dovila. Students from throughout Acadiana will participate in the annual “Drive-by Poetry” readings, where poetry will be read impromptu in places such as grocery stores, boutiques and restaurants.

To learn more about featured authors and the Festival of Words events, visit festivalofwords.org or contact Patrice Melnick at (337) 254-9695 or festivalwords@gmail.com.

Luis Alberto Urrea, 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for nonfiction and member of the Latino Literature Hall of Fame, is a prolific and acclaimed writer who uses his dual-culture life experiences to explore greater themes of love, loss and triumph. His first book, Across the Wire, was named a New York Times Notable Book and won the Christopher Award. Urrea also won a 1999 American Book Award for his memoir, Nobody's Son: Notes from an American Life and in 2000, he was voted into the Latino Literature Hall of Fame following the publication of Vatos. Born in Tijuana, Mexico to a Mexican father and an American mother, Urrea has published extensively in all the major genres. The critically acclaimed and best-selling author of 13 books, Urrea has won numerous awards for his poetry, fiction and essays. Urrea lives with his family in Naperville, IL, where he is a professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois-Chicago.



Poet Laureate of the State of Louisiana, Ava Leavell Haymon's most recent poetry collection is Eldest Daughter, published by Louisiana State University Press. She has written three previous collections, Why the House Is Made of Gingerbread, Kitchen Heat, and The Strict Economy of Fire, all also from LSU Press, and edits the Barataria Poetry Series, which will premiere Spring 2014. Her poems have appeared in journals nationwide. Prizes include the Louisiana Literature Prize for poetry in 2003, the L.E. Phillabaum Poetry Award for 2010, the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters 2011 Award in Poetry.

Roddy Romero, Songwriter. RODDIE ROMERO & the HUB CITY ALL STARS are a renowned, Grammy-nominated Louisiana band who have been performing worldwide at the most prestigious festivals and venues for over 20 years. This premier Louisiana band is celebrated not only for their authenticity when performing or recording traditional Cajun and Creole music indigenous to South Louisiana, but also for their original songwriting which stays true to Louisiana inspirations. They have recently garnered a GRAMMY nomination for their double record, The La Louisianne Sessions Louisiana-Roots-Rockers's fiery vocals, pumping accordion and slide guitar mastery lies the Louisiana roots sound of Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars. You will not only experience great, original music at a Hub City All Stars' concert, but you'll witness one of the tightest bands from the swamps of Louisiana put on an energetic and soulful show.

Latasha Weatherspoon, a native of Ville Platte, Louisiana, is a mentor, educator, and poet. She has also served as a mentor writer for WordPlay as well as a Community Mentor for Project Rise. She was on the Baton Rouge slam teams for 2005 through 2009. She graduated in the class of 2011 with a Masters of Science Speech, Language & Heearing Science from Southern University. She is currently a speech therapist in Houston.

Anderson Dovilas was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This young author has published in France, the U.S. and Canada. He has attended the State University of Haiti where he studied Linguistics with a minor in Ethnology. He is a poet-activist, a cultural journalist, a playwright, and an actor. Dovilas has participated , collaborated and organized several cultural events; and often organizes street performances to rein-act the history of the battered country. He did this to create social activites, to educate and entertain. He is one of the directors of the Haitian American Art Network., INC.

Sponsors include the Louisiana Division of the Arts and the Louisiana State Arts Council in partnership with the Acadiana Center for the Arts; South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Grand Coteau Cultural Foundation and The Consulate General of France in New Orleans.



SCHEDULE


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

All Day, authors teach in the St. Landry and St. Martin Public Schools.


Event: Awards Ceremony + for grades 6 – 12

Time: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Location: The South St. Landry Community Library, 235 Marie Street,

Sunset, LA 70584

Plus: Open Mic & Special Performance by LaTasha Weatherspoon

6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

All Day, authors teach in the St. Landry and St. Martin Public Schools.


Authors: Roddie Romero & Anderson Dovilas

Event: Poetry & Musical performance and + Q & A

Time: 7:00 — 9:30 p.m.

Location: St. Charles Chapel, 252-A Church St., Grand Coteau, LA 70541


SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Presenters: Bruce Coen, James Blanchard and friends

Event: “Drive-by” Poetry”

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location: MLK Dr., Grand Coteau in cafes and gift shops, and on the streets


Author: Ava Leavell Haymon

Event: Poetry Workshop

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Location: St. Charles Chapel, 252-A, Church St., Grand Coteau, LA 70541


Author: Anderson Dovilas

Event: Poetry Writing Workshop (French/English)

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Location: St. Charles Chapel, 252-A, Church St., Grand Coteau, LA 70541


Author: Luis Alberto Urrea

Event: Fiction Writing Workshop

Time: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: St. Charles Chapel, 252-A, Church St., Grand Coteau, LA 70541


Event: Community Stage showcasing literary and spoken word groups of Acadiana

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Location: The Thensted Center, 268 Church St., Grand Coteau, LA 70541


Authors: Luis Alberto Urrea + Ava Leavell Haymon

Event: Public Reading + Q & A

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location: St. Charles Chapel, 252-A Church St.

Grand Coteau, LA 70541

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