Wordcraft – Bridges open to a new year of literary events

Maybe it’s the mild El Niño weather that’s getting spring literary events in Texas get off to such an early start. Here’s a preview of events across the state with emphasis on the North Texas area. As this post shows, the action for 2016 starts next week, so gear up, writers and readers!

January 11 – “Being a Good Literary Citizen” panel discussion sponsored by the Writers League of Texas, 7 p.m. at Half Price Books, 5803 E. Northwest Highway, Dallas. Free.

January 11 – Dallas Museum of Art’s Arts and Letters Live season opens with memoiristas Mary Karr and Mary-Louse Parker, 7:30 p.m., Horchow Auditorium, DMA, 1717 North Harwood. $35.

January 15 – Deadline for the Writers League of Texas new novel contest. No finished manuscript required. Submit first ten pages plus synopsis for chances to have your work professionally critiqued and meet with a literary agent in your genre. Cost $55 for WLT members, $65 for nonmembers. See the site for details.

January 19 – Literature +Medicine conference, with guest speaker Dr. Abraham Verghese (Cutting for Stone, and more). At Fogelson Forum Auditorium on the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas campus, 8200 Walnut Hill Lane, 5:30 – 8 p.m. Cost is $25, which includes a reception with appetizers and beverages.

February 4 – Authors LIVE opens its 2016 season with Stephen Harrigan’s A Friend of Mr. Lincoln, Wesley Hall, Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. The 7 p.m. presentation is free. Cost of a 6 p.m. reception with the author and a signed copy of the book is $30.

February 12-14 – ConDFW, a literary science fiction and fantasy convention, Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre, 5410 LBJ Freeway, Dallas. Convention membership is $40, special author guests John Scalzi and Seanan McGuire.

February 25 – Highland Park Literary Festival  features guest speaker Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and more) at 7 p.m. in the Highland Park High School, 4220 Emerson Avenue, Dallas. Free.

March – SMU Lit Fest, date TBD.

April 1-30 – Dallas Big Reads. TBD.

April 8-9 – North Texas Book Festival, Patterson-Appleton Center for Visual Arts, 400 East Hickory St, Denton. Dozens of Texas authors eager to connect with readers. Free.

April 23 – North Texas Teen Book Festival, Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving. Free.

April 23 – North Texas Book Reviewers Preview, Dallas Library Central Branch, 1515 Young St., Dallas. Meet more than 30 local book reviewers at this free event, starting at 1 p.m.

April 23-24 – DFW Writers Conference, Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., Fort Worth. Slightly early bird registration $350 through February 1.

April 29-May 1 – Houston Writers Guild Annual Conference, Marriott Houston Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Dr., Houston. Early bird registration $170 until April 1.