Weather frightful? Texas literary events delightful!

 Yes, it's a snow day here in Texas which means -- it's nearly spring! With a new season of Texas-centric literary events to get us through the cold.

ASAP: The Writers Workshop of the sci-fi/fantasy/horror conference FenCon is back! It nearly escaped my notice, and the email I received said the entry deadline was January 7. But always hopeful, I sent a writing sample anyway and received the encouraging news that there are still slots to be filled. But hurry! Workshop attendance is limited to 20 writers, and workshop leader/author Kevin Ikenberry  needs time to read them before the workshop's opening February 13.

FenCon's official dates this year are February 14-15 but it opens early for writers. You'll need a FenCon membership ($55 and up) with writing workshop upgrade ($65) for the whole meal deal. See the site for full details.

January 11 - June 10: The Dallas Museum of Art's Arts & Letters program presents a series of notable authors, including Bill Gates (yes, that Bill Gates!), Percival Everett (James), David Sedaris and many, many more! See the site for the complete list of speakers, ticket prices and venues.

January 31: Deadline to register for the Writers League of Texas Agents Symposium, with online presentations by 10 agents February 22-November 22, 2025. The WLT alternates agents symposiums annually with its in-person conference, whose next date will be in 2026. Symposium registration is $449 for members, $509 for nonmembers. A $150 non-refundable deposit by January 31 will hold a spot for either members or nonmembers.

See the site for a listing of agents and topics. Information on additional WLT classes and programs (some free!) is available at the general site. I'll also post later about this year's WLT manuscript contest.

February 20: The HP LitFest hosts Mark Sullivan, New York Times best-selling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and more. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at the Highland Park High School auditorium, 4220 Emerson Ave., Dallas, with presentation at 7 p.m. 

Before becoming a novelist, Sullivan was also an award-winning journalist. The event is free, but donations are welcome. See the site for details.

March 1: The North Texas Teen Books Festival hosts more than 70 authors of middle-grade and young adult fiction at the Irving Convention Center, 500 West Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas.

image by Arbaz Khan for Pixabay

Middle-grade keynote speakers are Karina Yan Glaser, Alan Gratz and Ruta Sepetys at 9 a.m. Young adult keynote speakers are Gabi Burto, Stephanie Garber and Lauren Roberts at 2:30 p.m. As always, the festival is free. You don't even have to be a teen to attend, but there's also an educators day February 28. See the site for details, including complete list of attending authors.

Still to come: The Dallas Writer's Garret returns with its Dallas Is Lit! literary festival May 15-18, including a mix of authors, performers, and book lovers. Check the site for additional information.

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Want more? Of course, you do! Check out Lone Star Literary Life for additional listings around the state. 

And yes, as dog is my witness, this site will post soon about writing contests!

When the weather’s frightful, make tracks for lit events

Readings, conferences, contests – let the new year of Texas literary events begin! I’m listing a sample, in order of urgency. Don’t let frightful weather keep you from venturing out.

Now – March 18: Dallas Mavs winter reading challenge for kids 0-18. Family members can help kids too young to read by reading to them. Register here or at any Dallas library branch for fun and prizes.

January 18: Authors LIVE! continues with its first author appearance of 2018. Melanie Benjamin will discuss and sign The Girls in the Picture at 7 p.m. at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. Free, or choose a reservation-only reception at 6 p.m. for $30, which includes a copy of the book. Contact 214-523-2240 for reservations/more information, or visit the site for additional Authors LIVE! programs.

image: pixabay

January 18: Love PBS’s drama series, “Victoria”? The Dallas Museum of Art presents “Victoria” producer Daisy Goodwin at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Dallas, 1928 Ross Ave., as part of its Arts & Letters Live series. This one will set you back $40. Discounts available for museum members, KERA members, students and educators. See the DMA’s site for tickets and more Arts & Letters Live appearances.

January 23: Interabang Books, 10720 Preston Road, Suite 1009B (in the shopping center at the corner of Preston and Royal), Dallas, hosts a panel of local authors from 7 – 9 p.m. on “Building Your Writing Community: How to Find Writing Groups & Support Other Writers.” Free, courtesy of the Texas Writers’ League. See the League’s site for a complete list of programs.

January 27-28: Need more bookishness? The Dallas Central Library, 1515 Young St., hosts its gargantuan semi-annual book sale. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. January 27, 1-4 p.m. January 28. Or join the Friends of the Dallas Public Library for a January 26 first dibs preview.

January 31: This is the deadline for the Texas Writers’ League’s 2018 Manuscript Contest. Show them the (approximately) first 10 pages of your unpublished manuscript, get written critiques and a chance to win both free admission to the League’s 2018 Agents and Editors Conference this summer and a session with a literary agent in your genre. See the League’s site for details and contest fees.

February 8-10: Lone Star Ink  hosts its premiere literary conference at the Dallas Central Library,1515 Young St., Dallas. Cost is $125 for two full days of workshops plus Friday keynote address. And remember – if you’ve already signed up for Lone Star’s first pages contest, entries are due January 20! See the site for details and a list of instructors and editors.

February 16-18: North Texas science fiction/fantasy conference ConDFW welcomes author guest of honor Charlaine Harris (Southern Vampire series), at Radisson Fossil Creek hotel, 2540 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth. Three-day tickets for adults $35, kids (ages 6-12) $15, with discounts for educators and military members. See the site for details.

February 22:  The Highland Park Literary Festival hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson (The Orphan Master’s Son) at Highland Park High School, 4220 Emerson, Dallas. Johnson gives the festival’s keynote address at 7 p.m., with book signing to follow from 8-8:45 p.m. Free and open to the public.

February 28: Deadline for the new book award contest of the Writers’ League of Texas, for books published in 2017. See the site  for details and contest fees.

March 12: DL Hammons announces the return of WRiTE Club, the readers’-favorite, knock-‘em-dead contest writing contest. He’d also appreciate a little help from his friends – judges to sort through the slushpile of 500-word contest entries. See the WRiTE Club site for details.

Whew – that’s all for now, folks! Stay warm, and I'll see you later at this site for spring events.