Scorching Texas temps signal fall literary events

 (Updated July 13 to include Richardson Reads One Book)

July temperatures in Texas are in the high-90’s with “feel-like” temps in the triple digits. Which is great news because – it means autumn’s on the way!

So, for the next few months, here are some literary events in the state to look forward to. But first, a couple of contest updates.

First: The Writer’s League of Texas reminds me their manuscript contest is still open. But only until July 10. Which I’m guessing means the League really, really wants to see our work. I even dug out an older manuscript, brushed it off and sent it in, with the promise of whether their editors loved it or hated the tar out of it, I’ll get feedback in September.

A couple of things in this contest were new to me, although possibly not to more recent participants. Usually, the entry form requests the first 10 pages of manuscript plus a synopsis. This time, the limit is 2,750 words INCLUDING synopsis. My advice – keep the synopsis as short as possible, using the format from my February 22, 2025, post “Writing a synopsis – the short road to a long tale.”

Check the WLT’s site for full details.

Second: Since I posted about the Laree Bryant Memorial Scholarship Contest sponsored by Dallas Mystery Writers the group has updated some of its requirements.

Previously, the contest was advertised as open to all fiction genres. DMW has now added “except erotica” to that list.  Also clarified is that entrants may not be traditionally or self-published in any form of fiction for the past year. That’s after September 5, 2025, for this year’s contest ending September 5, 2026.  Previous winners must wait three years to re-enter.

Unlike the WLT’s contest, there’s no entry fee for this one, and the winner receives a paid in full registration for the October 2026 Dallas-Fort Worth Writers Conference . Again, see my post, “Sunny days of writing & reading – plus a new writing contest,” for details. 

image from  Pixabay

Now, to upcoming events: 

Sept. 11-13: ArmadilloCon 2026, the sci-fi/fantasy/horror convention has a new hotel – Holiday Inn Austin Midtown, 6000 Middle Fiskville Rd. Other than that, it’s the same fan-run, fan-generated convention that’s been putting the “weird” in Austin since 1979.

Besides chances to hear and see favorite genre writers and artists, it includes a writers workshop on the 11^th.

Early bird adult memberships are $80 or add the writing workshop for a total of $179, including Friday lunch and membership in the rest of the convention. See th-ole site for registration and special rates for student and child memberships.

Hotel reservations at convention rates are also available, but this is the weekend for the Texas v. Ohio State football game, so the hotel expects to sell out quickly.

Sept. 15: Richardson Reads One Book, the North Texas city's municipal-wide read-a-thon, returns with New York Times best-selling author Kate Messner's The Trouble with Heroes. The story follows 13-year-old Finn Collins, who lashed out at fate following the death of his father in the COVID pandemic by vandalizing the grave of a legendary woman mountain climber. The woman's daughter offers a surprising chance at redemption--if Finn can match the climber's record while accompanied by her dog.

Free online tickets for the author discussion available starting in September. Contact the Richardson Public Library at 972-744-4100 or at richardsonreadstx@gmail.com for more information.

Messner will appear at First United Methodist Church Richardson, 503 N. Central Expressway, Richardson, at 7: 30 p.m. Sept. 15. 

Sept. 23-27: Archer City Traditional Workshop, sponsored by the Larry McMurty Literary Center . is open to writers of nearly every genre  -- fiction, nonfiction narratives, memoir, history, features (even poetry and songwriting!) at all levels of experience. At the Spur Hotel, 110 North Center Street, in Archer City, with opportunities to visit McMurtry’s former “Booked Up” bookstore and the home of the Larry McMurtry Literary Center. See the site for detailed information, itinerary and registration.

Cost: $795 by Sept. 1, $895 thereafter, $100 non-refundable deposit required upon first registration. Fee includes lodging and even meals Wednesday through Saturday. 

For hotel questions or questions about Archer City, contact Kathy Floyd at kfloyd@lmcmurtrylitcenter.org.

Sept. 30 – Oct. 4: The Larry McMurtry Literary Center also sponsors the workshop, Writing Dynamic Memoir: From Lived Experience to Gripping Story, with instructors Ronin Plank and Glenn Stout. Also at  the Spur Hotel in Archer City.

Ronit Plank is a writer, teacher and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times and numerous other venues. Glenn Stout is the author, editor or ghostwriter of more than 100 books for both adult and  juvenile audiences.

Cost: $1,395 by Sept. 1, $1,495 thereafter, with $100 non-refundable deposit. Fee includes lodging and evening meals Wednesday through Sunday. See the site (www.lmcmurtrylitcenter.org)  to register.

For hotel questions or questions about Archer City, contact Kathy Floyd at kfloyd@lmcmurtrylitcenter.org.

Oct. 3-4: DFW Writers Conference returns to the Hurst Convention Center, 1601 Campus Dr., Hurst, TX. Lots of programming and a ticket buys one chance to pitch to the agent or editor of your choice (while time permits).

Regular registration through September 20, $449. Regular one-day registration through Sept. 20, $250. Late registration Sept. 21-Oct. 1, $499 (two-day) and $299 (one-day). See the site  for registration and additional information. Or add on the pre-con Pitch Perfect Workshop, Oct.2 for $20.

Hotel reservations at the adjoining Hilton Garden Inn are also available at convention rates while space is available.

Oct. 16-18: Hay Festival Forum Dallas 2026 presents writers, musicians and activists in conversations, performances and book clubs across the Bishop Arts District in Dallas.

Limited information so far, but Hay Festival Forum Dallas will highlight over 25 artist and 30 events. Now in its eighth year, this will be the largest and most inclusive Forum yet, offering big stage conversations, workshops and book clubs in venues across the city, including The Texas Theatre, Dallas Public Library, Whose Books, Oak Cliff Assembly, and The Wild Detectives bookstore.

The bilingual program promises a world of different perspectives, celebrating the range of backgrounds, languages, and experiences represented by its guests, while bridging the border with local writing stars and headline names from further afield.

Nov. 14-15: The Texas Book Festival returns for venues at the state capitol and around Austin! Stay tuned to the site for more details.

 

Beloved book review series returns, but space limited

 I'm glad to announce that the beloved Rejebian Series of book reviews returns this summer, even as its host facility, Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas undergoes significant renovations.

Rejebian is back, still free, but due to space limitations during construction, attendance will require advance online registration. 

Programs begin at 7 p.m. in the church's historic main sanctuary, with doors opening at 6 p.m. 

Dinner, as always, is optional, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the Third Floor Confirmation Space, for $20 per person. Again, due to space limitations, dinner reservations are only available online. Phone reservations and payments at the will not be accepted. Please make dinner reservations by noon on the Friday prior to the speakers event.

Unfortunately, the announcement caught me by surprise, so the June 10, July 1, and July 29 speaker programs have already reached their seating limits. 

There's are still plenty of goodies:

• June 17: A Gentleman in Moscow, by Armor Towles, with reviewers Lisa Fairchild and Kim Titus
• June 24: Most Honorable Son: A Forgotten Hero's Fight Against Fascism and Hate During World War II, with author Gregg Jones
• July 8: The Gun Fighters: How Texas Made the West Wild, with author Bryan Burrough
• July 15: The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore, by Even Fries with reviewer Dana Harkey
• July 22: American Graffiti: Where Were You in '62, by George Lucas with reviewer Dave Tanner

Happy reading, happy listening!

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Sunny days of writing & reading -- plus a new writing contest

 School's out -- what you gonna do with the kids? Sleep all day, play video games all night? Seriously?

How about a writing camp? With apologies for my lateness, registration for the Dallas Writer's Garret summer writing camps ends today, May 29. If these are for you, contact the Garret promptly!

Here are the options:

Time Trekkers -- discovering Dallas history by traveling through the city and walking its walks, ultimately creating Camp Zine from student writing. Dates: June 8-12.

Rail Riders Summer Camp -- journalism in motions, via the DART light rail system, uncovering real stories at every stop, and creating a Dallas Beat news magazine from student writing. Dates: June 22-26.

Art Quest Summer Youth Writing Camp -- creativities combing visual art with writing, with field trips to area museums including the Dallas Museum of Art and the Amon Carter Museum. Dates: July 13-17 or August 3-7.

All camps are for ages 11-14, maximum of 15 campers for each. Cost: $450 for each camp. See the Garret site for additional information and registration.

***

OK, maybe you want something free, with options for all ages? How about the Dallas Public Library's Science, Math, Art, Reading and Technology (SMART) Summer program, starting this Saturday, May 30, at multiple sites.

The free, 10-week program is aimed at encouraging Dallas residents of all ages to continue reading during the summer. Readers -- even adults -- enrolled in the program can even earn free books.

See the library site for more information, and sign up at dallaslibrary.beanstalk.org or at the Beanstalk app.

***

For Richardson, Texas, residents entering grades 5-9, there's still time to sign up for the (also free) Richardson Public Library Young Authors program. Participants must be city residents with Richardson Public Library cards. (Not sure not to get a card? Ask a librarian -- they love to help!)

Registration runs through June 9, with classes through August 4.

With the help of guest speakers, including children's book author Nancy Churnin, participants will learn to write and illustrate their own picture books. They'll get one glossy, hardbound copy to keep, while a second goes into the library's permanent collection. Imagine seeing your own book on a library shelf!

***

And now, for some contests. I didn't find any age limits on these, so why not encourage some of your teen writers to take a bite?

Image from Pixabay

First, the for-pay one. 

Now through July 10: Enter the Writers' League of Texas manuscript contest. This is separate from the WLT's conference. See the site for details and submission requirements. You don't need a completed manuscript, only the first 10 pages plus a synopsis. Winners in a number of fiction, nonfiction (including memoir) and children's writing categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent -- the final judge in their category -- via Zoom. All contestants, winners or not, can opt to receive a written critique from an experienced editor.

Cost: $65 for WLT members/$85 for nonmembers, which includes the critique. Or opt out of the critique and pay $25 for WLT members, $35 for nonmembers.

See the site for details.

***

And/or, if you want a contest with no entry fees (who doesn't?) take a look at the Dallas Mystery Writers updated memorial scholarship contest.

• No entry fee! And open to all fiction genres
• Entries can be submitted electronically. (I'm not sure how else you would submit them, unless you show up at a DMW meeting -- held the first Saturday of each month) to hand them over. Which could be a great start!)
• Entrants must be on the Dallas Mystery Writers mailing list. There's no charge to join the list. See the group's tech bro, James, for information.
  
• Entrants cannot be traditionally or self-published in any form of fiction for the public in the past year.
• Entrants must submit a sample of their writing, between 1000-1500 words, along with a bio of not more than 300 words which includes their writing goals.
• Deadline for entries is September 5, 2026.
• Entries must be on a double-spaced manuscript with 1-inch margins, in Times New Roman font, 12-point only, in WORD (.docx) format
• Email entries to sandysteenwrites@gmail.com
• All entries will be judged by DMW

The winner will receive a paid in full registration for the DFW Writers Conference, with a value up to $500. The scholarship will be awarded in time for the conference, October 3-4, 2026.

***

Want more literary events? I like Lone Star Literary Life for its state-wide lists. Plus, still to come at this site: fall events including ArmadilloCon, the Dallas Hay Festival Forum, the Archer City Traditional Workshop (held in the hometown of great Texas writer Larry McMurtry) and the DFW Writers Conference, among others.

Spring into summer with Texas literary events

 April showers bring out literary events in Texas! Here's a sampling of upcoming ones:

April 25: Oak Cliff Book Crawl -- one day, six bookstores, plus music, food, drinks and community. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Participating bookstores: Whose Books, Pan-African Connection, Blush Bookstore, Poets Books, The Wild Detectives, and Lucky Dog Books.

No charge except to buy books, eats and drinks. Parking is limited, so consider walking, bike riding, or using a ride share if you're out of the area. All stores are located at or near the Bishop Arts area in the Dallas Oak Cliff neighborhood, although Pan-African Connection, one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the area, does require a short drive. Organizers recommend using it as your starting or ending point.

Please note, the parking lot at Whose Books will be used for vendors and outdoor festivities.

Check individual store websites for more information. And yes, feel free to stop by any of the other Bishop Arts restaurants and shops!

May 6-9: Dallas Is Lit!, A project of the Dallas Writers Garret, has everything from slam poets to literary organizations, to local bookstores. Located (where else!) in the Dallas Bishop Arts district, it offers activities for a variety of ages and interests. See the site for specific programs, venues, and ticket purchases.

May 26-August 4: The Young Authors program returns to the Richardson Public Library for students entering grades 5-9. This one's just for residents of Richardson, Texas, but it's one of my favorites. Free, but participants must be Richardson residents with Richardson Public Library cards. Registration runs from May 26 to June 9, with classes running through August 4. 

With the help of guest speakers, including children's book author Nancy Churnin, participants will learn to write and illustrate their own picture books. They'll get one glossy, hard bound copy to keep, while a second goes into the library's permanent collection. All for free!

To register, call 972-744-4358 or visit the Youth Services Help Desk at the library. Librarians can also help with library cards for eligible students who don't already have one. For more information, visit the library website at  www.cor.net/Library

June 11-13: Reading to find writing inspiration in the local that inspired a Texan to invent one of fiction's most iconic characters? That would be Conan the Barbarian (or Cimmerian, as his creator, Robert E. Howard, preferred). 

Howard Days is the annual festival held in Howard's hometown of Cross Plains, Texas. Technically, the festival runs June 12-13, but this year organizers have added an Emerging Writers Workshop on the 11th at the Cottonwood Downtown Cafe, 240 Main St., in Cross Plains, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Note that, despite the term "emerging writers," the workshop only means the manuscript submitted to it must be unpublished. Also, the submission does not need to be heroic fantasy but may be any of the fiction genres in which Howard wrote, including sword & sorcery, western, historical fiction, boxing tales, horror, detective, or comedic versions of these.

Instructors are authors Adrian Simmons, Jason Waltz, and Howard biographer Mark Finn. Cost: $50, which includes workshop, discussion, and written critique. Most of the proceeds will be used toward the ongoing Howard House Preservation Project.

image by suki for Pixabay

See the Robert E. Howard page on Facebook or the details at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly for more information. 

But get a move on, pardner! The submission deadline is May 10.

Note: updated April 30, 2026, to add proper link to Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.

June 11-14: For the young or young at heart, CALF aka, Children's Art and Literacy Festival, features the classic stories and art of Winnie-the-Pooh, with readings by Young Audiences of Abilene. See the site for additional information and events around the city of Abilene.

Early registration until May 15 is $12 for children ages 3-12, $20 for adults age 13 and older. 

June 26-28: The Writers League of Texas Agents & Editors Conference takes over downtown Austin from its perch at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Conference registration is open but going fast. From now through June 28 (as seats are available), registration is $549 for WLT members, $599 for nonmembers.

Perks are days filled with panels, meet-ups, and chances for information talks with agents, book editors, and fellow writers. For writers with finished manuscripts, consultations with agents or editors are available for individual purchase as space allows. See the site for details and registration.

Now - July 10: The Writers League of Texas manuscript contest  is also open for submissions, separately from the conference. See the site for details and submission requirements. It is not necessary to have a completed manuscript, only the first 10 pages plus a synopsis. Winners in a number of fiction, nonfiction (including memoir), and children's writing categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All contestants, winners or not, can opt to receive a written critique from an experienced editor.

Fee: $65 WLT members/$85 for nonmembers, which includes the written critique. Or writers can opt out of the critique for a fee of $25 for WLT members, $35 for nonmembers.

See the site for details.

***

Want more literary events? I like Lone Star Literary Life for its state-wide lists! Plus, still to come at this site -- fall events including ArmadilloCon, the Dallas Hay Festival Forum, the Archer City Traditional Workshop (held in the hometown of another great Texas writer, Larry McMurtry), and the DFW Writers Conference, among others.

Stampede to young Texan literary events

First -- the kids will be alright! Spring break season is coming fast, kicked off on a dark and stormy Saturday with the North Texas Teen Book Festival. And once it's spring break, can summer vacation be far behind? 

And there's more for a young person to do during holidays than huddle indoors from the ferocious Texas heat. Especially with a spring through summer roundup of literary events just for them. Note: some of the events are age limited. For others, you only need to be young at heart.

Now-March 9: Time's running out to register for the Dallas Writers Garret's Rail Writers: Time Trekkers Spring Break Writing Camp . Time Trekkers takes writers 11-14 years old on DART light rail March 16-20, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., to uncover important moments in history while strengthening writing skills in character development, world-building, and story arc.

Registration closes March 9 and is limited to 15 riders. Registration is $400 (including lunch). See the site to register and for additional information.

April 11: Registration (free!) is open for TeenBookCon at Alief Taylor High School, 7555 Sugarland Howell Road, Houston. See the site to register and for list of participating authors and events.

April 18: Teen Bookfest by the Bay at Education Center 2, 209 N Water St., Corpus Christi. Free! See the site for additional information and list (so far!) of participating authors.

May 1: Registration (also free!) opens for the SMART SMART Summer program of the Dallas Public Library. Kids ages 0-18 are challenged to read (or be read to), discover, and create, May 30-August 8. Kids can earn free books over the summer, free food coupons (while supplies last), and more. And, OK, people age 18 and up can also win prizes. See the site for more information and registration.

June 11-14: Registration is already open for CALF, aka, Children's Art and Literacy Festival featuring the classic stories and art of Winnie-the-Pooh, with readings by Young Audiences of Abilene. See the site for additional information and events around the city of Abilene. 

Early registration until May 15, is $12 for children ages 3-12, and $20 for adults age 13 and older. After May 15, registration increases to $15 for children, $20 for adults.

New year, new literary events in Texas

 New year, new resolutions -- to get back to blogging! 2025 was a busy, wonderful, terrible, happy, sad year, and I'm ready for a recharge. January in Texas can't decide whether it's the tail end of winter or the first peek at spring. I'll go with some early spring events, especially in my North Central part of the state. With events for everyone from kids to teens to full-on adults, there's something for all.

January 31-June 30: The Dallas Museum of Art continues its Arts & Letters Live season of author appearances. Venues and ticket prices vary, so see the site for complete list and ticket purchases.

February 4: The Reading Time Out! Dallas Mavericks Reading Challenge has been rescheduled from January due to weather. At the Dallas West Branch Library, 2332 Singleton Blvd., Dallas, from 4-5 p.m. All ages invited, from toddlers to teens to families. Free, but sign up for the Mavs Reading Challenge at dallaslibrary.beanstack.org to earn prizes. See the library's general site for additional events city-wide.

February 19: The Highland Park Literary Festival features bestselling author/screenwriter Blake Crouch (Dark Matter, Recursion, Upgrade and more) at the Highland Park High School auditorium, 4220 Emerson Ave., Dallas. Free author discussion at 7 p.m. followed by book sale and signing. See the site for additional information.

Image by Pixabay

February 20-22: FenCon, the fan-operated science fiction and fantasy convention, has a new venue, the Crowne Plaza Dallas Market Center -- Love Field, 7050 N. Stemmons Freeway in Dallas. Although the con is still taking suggestions for programming, its list of guests of honor includes Kevin J. Anderson (Assemblers of Infinity and more), artist David Lee Anderson, and science guest of honor NASA project manager Andrew Presby. 

Also returning, the FenCon Writer's workshop, led by Monalisa Foster.

Cost: $60 for adult memberships (also required for the writers workshop), $30 for young adults, free for children up to age 10. See the site for additional information and writers workshop.

Hotel rooms are also still available at convention rates. See the site for additional information and reservations.

March 7: The North Texas Teen Book Festival at the Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas, is a free book festival created to celebrate teen literature, including middle-grade and YA authors. 

(Teachers get their own peek a day earlier, March 6. Also free, but check the site for information.) 

More than 70 authors, dozens of small breakout events, and plenty of books to buy, read, and get signed.

OK, did I say free? Parking at the convention center is $15. But there's bus access and proximity to a DART station as well. See the site for details and a full list of authors!

March 12-14: Are you more of a spoken word person, reader? Well, this one's for you: the 41st annual Texas Storytelling Festival at the Denton Civic Center, 321 E. McKinney, Denton, Texas. General admission weekend pass: $100 ($135 after March 6) but see the site for special prices for Storytelling Association members, single event/workshop tickets, and more. Plus, there are free events!

See the site for full details, registration and ticket purchases.

***

Whew! That's all for now, but stay tuned for writing contest and reviews of Texas writers, still to come!

Updates for Texas summer literary events and beyond

 Mark your calendars for summer literary events -- and previews of some beyond summer -- coming up fast!

May 15-18: The annual Dallas Is Lit! festival sponsored by the Dallas Writer's Garret opens this Thursday (May 15) with Hear Me, See Me, a blend of poetry, music and movement at The Oak Cliff Assembly, 919 Morrell Ave., in Dallas. 7 p.m. Tickets $25. See the site for details and ticket purchases.

Dallas Is Lit! continues at 7 p.m. Friday (May 16) with former U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo in conversation with Jodi Voice Yellowfish at the historic Texas Theatre, 231 Jefferson Blvd., in Dallas. Harjo is the first Indigenous person to hold the national poet laureate title. Tickets from $35. See the site for details.

While you're still at the Texas Theatre (yep, the place where JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested) follow Harjo's appearance with Late Night Lit, featuring spoken word artists and the first ever Dallas Is Lit! poetry slam. At 10 p.m. Tickets $25.

Additional events continue through Sunday, May 18. See the Writer's Garret site for details and locations.

May 24: The Writer's League of Texas Big Writer Meet-Up hits nine cities across the state from 3-5 p.m. These in-person events and free and open to all, intended to bring as many writers together as possible. No formal program, but games, conversation and community. See the site to register and for additional details.

June 11-July 30: Sometimes all we want during a Texas summer is to sit in a cool place and let someone else do the heavy lifting. That's the idea behind the Rejebian Series of book reviews.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

Come to the Wesley Hall auditorium at Highland Park UMC, 3300 East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, for talks by Texas writers and book reviewers. No fees and no reservations needed unless you opt for dinner. Books writing by speakers will be available for purchase on the nights of their event. See the site for complete list of speakers/authors, optional dinner reservations, and more.

June 13-14: On the other hand, what's a summer in Texas without a hotter than hell outdoor event? Like the annual Howard Days festival honoring Robert E. Howard, the early 20th century Texas inventor of Conan the Barbarian and more legendary literary heroes.

It's held in Howard's hometown of Cross Plains, Texas, with celebrations at his home (now the Robert Erwin Howard Museum, 625 SW St.) and around town. Mostly free or opt for the Friday night (June 13) banquet and silent auction for $25. (Note: make banquet reservations pronto -- Howard fans literally come from all over the world for this event!). The Cross Plains Review office gives fans a glimpse of the 1930's newspaper office where Howard briefly worked. The Cross Plains Library houses a growing Howardian collection. And the Cross Plains branch of the U.S. Postal Service offers an HD souvenir with a unique Howard Days cancellation stamp. 

See the site for additional information and to register for the banquet.

July 11: As mentioned previously, this is the deadline for entries for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest. Use the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis descripting the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: $75 for Writer's League members, $95 for nonmembers who request the written critique. $35 members/$75 nonmembers without critique,

See the site for online submission forms and additional information. 

***

Beyond summer, there are still events, but check deadlines and updates for the following:

Aug. 6: That's the deadline for manuscript entries for the horror/fantasy/sci-fi writing workshop of Austin's ArmadilloCon. Dates for the convention itself have been (mercifully) pushed back to September 12-14. But our fellow writers will need time to read and critique each other's offerings before then! As always, at Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governors Row, Austin.

Check the general site for basics, some of which are still sketchy. Then follow the link for entry fees to the entire convention, including the workshop, as well as detailed instructions for writers.

Sept. 27-28: AuthorPalooza, sponsored by the Houston Writers Guild, has been moved from its previously announced date of the first week in October due to a scheduling conflict. See the HWG site for details. 

Looking ahead -- Texas literary events & contest updates

 When I last posted here about spring literary events in the state, some had only limited information available. So, some updates!

Now-April 30: Submissions are open for the Houston Writers Guild anthology Journey into Hope contest. Word count should be no more than 5,000 words, and submissions in all genres must involve the anthology's theme, journey into hope, in some way. Winners and honorable mentions will be published, with first through third place winners also receiving cash prizes.

In addition, all prize winners will receive complementary 3-Day Pass registration to the AuthorPalooza Conference hosted by the HWG October 3-5, 2025.

Entry fees: $30 for HWG members, $40 for nonmembers.

Site the site for details.

May 15-18: Tickets will soon be available for the annual Dallas is Lit! festival of the Dallas Writer's Garret. Events include music, an evening with U.S. poet laureate Jo Harjo, books and author fair, Common Language Project reading event, and more. Check the site for details and to reserve space for authors, bookstores, literary organizations, and creative businesses.

Now-July 11: The site for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest is now open with complete information.

Use the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis describing the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: $75 for Writer's League members and $95 for nonmembers who request the written critique/$35 members/$75 nonmembers without critique.

See the site for online submission form and additional information.

***

Of course, check my previous posts for ongoing contests and state literary events. Meanwhile, wouldn't it be nice to have something local, preferably free, especially for those of us not close to major metropolitan areas?

Image by XWu from Pixabay

Lucky us! Besides its many in-Austin and online classes, the Writers League offers two free morning writing workshops in small Texas libraries in April.

April 19, Meg Gardiner (Unsub) and Stacey Swann (Olympia, Texas) visit the Coleman Public Library, 402 S. Commerce St., Coleman, for a writing workshop beginning at 10 a.m. Pre-register at (325) 625-3043.

April 26, Swann teams with Amy Gentry (Good as Gone) at the Salado Public Library, 1151 N. Main St., Salado, beginning at 10 a.m. Again, free, but pre-register at (254) 947-9191. Light refreshments provided at both sites.

By the way, attendees at the Coleman workshop are only about a half hour drive from the town of Cross Plains, home to early 20th-century writer Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian and more. However, note that Howard's house at 625 SW St. in Cross Plains probably will not be open to the public until the annual Howard Days festival June 13-14. More on that still to come!

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.

***

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!

DFWCon word limit caution -- plus, the Gong Show

 I settled in the auditorium of the DFW Writers Conference  early Sunday morning for the annual query Gong Show. This is the event iin which writers submit their anonymous literary queries to a panel of agents and editors, who strike table-top gongs to signal the point at which they would stop the read if receiving such a query in their own emails.

As I hoped against hope not to hear a repeat of the usual agents' complaints, something new startled me. The word counts cited in some of the entries.

After several years of relentless gonging at this contest, canny writers know opening with a 135,000-ish word count is a nonstarter.

What startled me out of an insufficiently caffeinated daze was carping about a 70,000-word entry for middle grade readers. "Middle grade" is a publishing term for readers aged approximately 9-12 -- those old enough to read independently.

Novels aimed at adult readers can easily hover around 80,000 words -- higher for science fiction and fantasy works. Even classic middle grade novels such as the original Harry Potter clock in at over 75,000. 

How far out of bounds was a book of 70,000 words?

Ask a dozen agents, authors, and internet sites and you'll get two dozen answers. Writer's Digest, in a post updated in 2021, cites 20-55K for middle grade, with slightly higher word counts for science fiction and fantasy works.

Image: wikimedia

WD also states that middle grade word counts have been trending up lately.

But agents at DFW said otherwise. That the opposite, in fact, is the case.

The reason -- the pandemic shutdowns of many schools that hit when the middle graders of 2024 were barely beginning their journeys as fluent, independent readers.

Shutdowns of in-person learning, hopefully saved lives. But coupled with Zoom classes and other online learning venues, they hit younger readers at a uniquely vulnerable point in their development. Conference agents expected to see the lower-word-count issue follow into YA (young adult) books as readers who were in elementary school during the pandemic reach their teens.

Will the trend eventually age out? We're waiting to see. In the meantime, authors of books for young readers need to be particularly aware of their needs.

Oh, and those doorstop-sized Harry Potters? Besides getting extra word leeway for being a fantasy, it was first published nearly a quarter-century ago. To a readership who were only getting their first taste of the internet.

***

Now, a return to the rest of the Gong Show results.

DFW reader George Goldthwaite zipped through 11 randomly chosen, rapidly gonged queries before hitting paydirt with number 12, whose breathless author rose to take a bow.

Otherwise, too many authors -- not paying attention to this blog's repeated warnings -- spent far too much of their query on synopsis-like plot descriptions.

One query made it almost to the end before being hopelessly gonged, but even that ran to a second page. (Repeat after me: one page, 300 words max.)

Aside from the middle grade hopeful, writers were generally good at stating the word count and genre of their stories. However, more than once queries failed to follow through on the expected tropes of their genre or leaned on generic descriptions. Other dislikes involved talking down to the agent (and potential readers): "I don't need time travel explained to me."

And the ultimate, never, ever -- an entry beginning, "This is the query you have been waiting for!" The author may well have intended this opening to be funny, but it triggered multiple simultaneous clanging of gongs.

(Host Russell C. Connor admitted he had once, no doubt long, long ago, submitted a query with a similar opening. And was gonged. Whoever the unlucky author was, they were not alone.)

Agents did offer positive suggestions such as:

• Color-coding words, allowing authors to visualize repeated ones and remove them
• Reading lots of back cover blurbs for suggestions on what works in a query -- remembering, "all we need is an effective hook and a pitch"
• Allowing the author's unique voice to shine

***

Next: There's more to come from the DFW conference. But first, a chance to catch up on autumn literary events that didn't make it into earlier posts.

Fall in Texas, y'all -- football, fairs & writing

 I feel like Rip Van Winkle -- as if I've slept since last posting here in January. All I can say is, it's been a year: multiple international trips (not necessarily for fun stuff), as well as typical Texas weather -- monsoon rains followed by months of hellish heat, both with power outages.

But TGIF -- which in Texas means, thank God it's fall, with its abundance of literary events. Most of these listings are in the state, particularly in my corner of North Texas. But if there's something particularly juicy in another region, I'll dish it up too, starting this weekend.

September 21: The Writer's League of Texas presents Texas Writes with free workshops by authors Alex Temblador ("Prep Your Book: Going from Idea to Opening Pages") and Diana Spechler ("Writing Our Lives: The Art of the Personal Essay"). At Chico Public Library (that's north of Fort Worth), 106 W. Jacksboro St., Chico, TX. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Refreshments provided. Free. Pre-register by calling the library at (940) 644-2330.

Now-December 1: The Historical Novel Society North America presents its first short story contest. In honor of the society's 205 conference setting in Las Vegas, entries must be set in or around Vegas at any time up to 1975. Stories must be historical, but any subgenre is acceptable. Unpublished stories only, with a 4,000-word limit. Entry fee $25. Cash prizes and anthology publication for finalists and grand prize winner, chosen by a panel of best-selling historical fiction writers. See the site for details.

September 24: Richardson Reads One Book presents author Brendan Slocumb ("Symphony of Secrets") at 7:30 p.m. in First United Methodist Church Richardson, 503 N. Central Expressway, Richardson. Free, but tickets are only available online, on a first-come, first-served basis at bit.ly/RROBLecture24.

September 25: Dallas indie bookstore The Wild Detectives, 314 W. Eighth St., hosts "Banned Book Trivia," 7-9 p.m. Assemble a team and grab a beverage from the bookstore's bar as you test your knowledge of banned books. There's a general discussion of book bans, including Dallas' favorites, to bring you up to date! Free, except for food and drink selections.

October 4-6: Houston Writers Guild hosts the AuthorPalooza conference with craft workshops, industry panels, and literary fun! A few acquisition editors will also be available October 5 (Saturday) to take pitch sessions. Events at Rick University, 6100 Main St., Ley Student Conference Center. See the site for schedule and tickets.

October 5-6: The DFW Writers Conference at the Hurst Convention Center, Hurst, TX, offers craft and business workshops and panels, keynote speakers Steve Berry and A.S. King, and literary agents from around the country. Registration includes one free pitch selling, with additional sessions offered for sale.

This year's agenda also includes a Romance Forum, with a panel of New York Times best-selling authors. See the site for schedules. Regular registration (ends September 22!) is $449 for both days or $250 for one day. Late registration through October 4 is $99 (two day) or $299 (one day).

The adjacent Hilton Garden Inn is sold out, but other nearby hotels include Hampton Inn Suites Dallas, Holiday Inn Express & Suites DFW, and Hyatt Place Fort Worth/Hurst. Or drive in. Traffic should be less than fiendishly awful on a weekend.

October 11-13: HAY Festival Forum Dallas 2024 returns to the city's Bishop Arts District with 25 artists across 21 events over four venues! The festival includes both free and ticketed options. Opening night at the Wild Detectives bookstore, 314 E. Eighth St., opens with a free session by Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen. See the site for a complete list of events. Day passes which ensure admission to all ticketed and free events are $85 for October 12 (Saturday), $65 for October 13 (Sunday, or $100 for an all-weekend pass.

November 13: Dallas indie bookstore Interabang Books presents best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Krys Boyd of KERA's Think. At Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 East Mockingbird, Dallas, 7 p.m. Tickets are free, although seating is limited, or $32 for exclusive "meet and greet" with the author. Gladwell will share his new book, Revenge of the Tipping Point. Books for sale which supplies last. See the site for ticket purchases/reservations.

***

Want more? Of course you do! Stay tuned for these and other Texas literary events!

Writing contests, classes & conferences: welcome to fall!

 What a summer it's been! I'm back from the hades that is summer in Texas, amazed at how good it felt recently to have days when the temperature didn't top 101 degrees F. (What we in the Lone Star State call a "cool spell.") Even cooler, the new season come with a fresh list of writing conferences, classes and contests. I'm partial to Texas-related events but sometimes include others, especially if they're online.

First: the contests:

Now-Oct. 15: Pulp Literature's Raven Short Story Contest for unpublished short fiction (500-2,500 words). No need to include birds but hurry, total entries are limited to 200. Early bird entry fee (before September 15) $15, regular entry fee $20. Or add an editorial critique for $25. 

Now-Oct. 24: A Texas contest! The Kathryn McClatchy Flash Fiction Contest sponsored by the Writers Guild of Texas. Entries must be unpublished, with word counts between 300-1,000. Limited to WGT members but for a fee of $35, non-members receive a one-year membership as well as entry into the contest. Cash prizes for first through fourth (honorable mention) winners. See the site for details, including format and judging criteria.

Now-Oct. 31: How about, from across the pond, Flash 500's Novel Opening & Synopsis Competition? For novels, whether started or completed, with strong, credible characters, page-turning plots and compelling synopsis. Send first chapters (up to first 3,000 words) of unpublished works only, plus synopsis. Cash prizes. Entry fees: £10 for one novel, £18 for two, £26 for three. Online payment methods will happily translate these amounts into dollars. See the site for details.

Oct. 1-mid-Nov.: Carve Magazine's Prose & Poetry Contest seeks the best literary fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Carve is based in Dallas, Texas, but accepts writers from all over the world. Cash prizes in each genre, with winners published in the magazine's spring issue. See the site for details.

Dec. 1: Still missing the now-retired PitMad? Don't be sad! Try Cam Cat Books version on X (formerly known as Twitter). Check out details at www.twitter.com, #CamCatPitMad.

Want more contests? Check out lists from Publishing. . . and Other Forms of Insanity, Writer's Digest, Reedsy and Writers of the Future.

***

Now, about polishing the craft, pitching, networking, and just plain loving the whole writing and literature thing with Conferences and Classes:

Sept. 9-10: Hay Forum Dallas, at indie bookstore The Wild Detectives, 314 W. 8th St., Dallas, features writers from several Latin American countries as well as the United States. The format is based on the original festival at Hay-on-Why, Wales, which has since branched across Europe and Latin America. Free. RSVP at the site for times and details. 

Sept. 13 (repeating monthly): Another Texas goodie from Dallas Writers Garret and The Wild Detectives -- a monthly poetry series. RSVP at The Wild Detectives site for an evening with featured writer Christine Suggs, followed by a brief open mic session.

Sept. 16: Indie bookstore The Dock in Fort Worth celebrates National Literacy Month with the Trinity River Book Festival, featuring more than 20 local and national authors plus other family-friendly events. At Trinity River Pavilion 1, across from Chuy's Restaurant, West 7th St., Fort Worth.  See the site for details.

Now-Nov. 28: Arts & Letters Live continues its literary and performing arts series, sponsored by the Dallas Museum of Art. Guest speakers include Jonatha Eig, Barbara Kingsolver, Mary Beard, Jesmyn Ward, Zadie Smith and more. Ticket prices and venues vary. See the site for details.

Sept. 26: Richardson Reads One Book Author Lecture at 7:30 p.m., in First United Methodist Church, Richardson, 503 N. Central Expressway in Richardson, Texas, showcases Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures. Free, or add on an author interview and luncheon at the University of Texas at Dallas Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center. See the site for details, including how to secure free tickets for the lecture and purchases for the interview and luncheon.

Image: Carlos Villada for Pixabay 

Oct. 7-8: The DFW Writers Conference offers more than 50 classes, 12+ agents and editors, and guest speakers Dave Eggers and Evangeline Lilly, at the Hurst Conference Center, 1601 Campus Dr., Hurst, Texas. See the site for full agenda and tickets.

Nov. 1-30: Neither a class nor a conference, but NaNoWriMo offers a full month of incentives to finish that first draft of a novel. Free. See site for details, including ways to become involved locally and with other writers.

Nov. 11-12: The Texas Book Festival in Austin includes national and regional authors such as Ann Patchett, Abraham Verghese, Time magazine editor Walter Isaacson, political leader Stacey Abrams, and more! Free. See the site for details and venues throughout downtown Austin.

Dec. 9-10: The last few years were big on virtual conferences and the online format's become a staple. So, I can't resist mentioning the Writer's Digest University Historical Fiction virtual conference. Contents include webinar presentations from six award-winning, best-selling historical fiction authors, query letter feedback, and more. See the site for cost and details. 

In there more? Yes, indeed! The Writers League of Texas offers numerous classes both in person and online. See the site for details.

***

Still to come: Stuff I learned while it was too hot to post!

Sun shines bright on summer literary events in Texas

 As soon as the thermometer hits 90 degrees F., it's summertime in Texas. And summer literary events are off to a blazing start, beginning this week. (Note: some events have earlier registration deadlines.)

May 9-August 16: Dallas Arts & Letters Live opens its 2023 season with Abraham Verghese (The Covenant of Water). In-person tickets for this opening event are sold out, but see the site for virtual tickets, $15 for the public or $12 for Dallas Museum of Arts members. Ticket prices and venues vary for additional speaker programs. See the site for details and ticket purchases.

May 10-14: The Dallas is Lit! literary festival, courtesy of the Dallas Writers Garret features programs at a variety of venues in Dallas' historic Oak Cliff neighborhood and for a variety of ages, including a Rail Writers field trip, ghost story telling, multilingual poetry performances, readings and workshops. Most events free, but reservations may be recommended. See the site for details and locations.

May 11: The Dallas Historical Society presents "Blood and Thunder: An Evening with Mark Finn" in discussion about Texas pulp fiction author Robert E. Howard and his place in Texas literary history. Howard's creations -- Conan, King Kull and others -- defined heroic fantasy but the author himself, who died tragically at age 30, has fallen into obscurity. His biographer, Mark Finn, offers a tour of Howard's world as he saw it -- through his incomparable imagination. In the Hall of State, Fair Park, 3939 Grand Ave., Dallas, at 6:30 p.m. Free, but see the site for ticket reservations.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

May 26-June 9: Reservations begin for Richardson's Young Authors program for kids entering grades 5-9. Classes run June 9-July 28. Children can write and illustrate their own books and receive personal copies with help from children's book author Nancy Churnin and library staff. Free, but participants must be Richardson, Texas, residents with a Richardson Public Library card. Call 972-744-4358 or visit the Youth Services Help Desk at the library to register.

June 3-August 12: Summer reading programs aren't just for kids! Grownups can participate too, through the Dallas Public Library's SMART Summer program. Read 60 minutes a day (ebooks and audiobooks count!) and pick up a free book every 20 days. Adults who read at least 50 days by August 12 will be entered to win the grand prize. Readers can also earn challenge badges with STEM and art activities and classes for additional prize choices. Free, but register at the site.

June 7-July 26: The annual Rejebian Series hosts book reviews and author talks beginning at 7 p.m., in Wesley Hall of Highland Park United Methodist Church, 3300 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. This year's series opens with author Sam W. Haynes' discussion of Unsettled Land, his history of the Texas Revolution and Republic, and the states diverse people. Programs repeat each Wednesday through July 26.

Other authors discussing their own works include Texans Kathleen Kent, Dave Lieber and Marjorie Herrera Lewis, as well as reviews by professional speakers. Free, or reserve an optional dinner at 5:30 p.m. for $15 online through the site or by calling 214-523-2240. Books available for purchase in most cases.

June 8-10: The Historical Novel Society North America holds its conference in San Antonio, Texas, this year. (There's also a virtual version.) But hurry. In-person registration closes May 15, virtual June 4. Either option offers access to award winning authors, including special guests Lisa Wingate, Jamie Ford, Libbie Grant and James Scott Bell.

Prices: $589 for in-person HNS members, $639 for nonmembers; virtual attendees $299, students $350. In-person attendees may also book rooks at the Marriott Rivercenter at the conference rate.

But, you may ask, will there be agents and editors in attendance? Yes, 15 agents and editors will offer virtual and/or in-person meetings with authors. These can include either pitches or advice on honing query letters. Cost is $25 for each pitch or query letter session. See the site for details, agent/editor lists, and registration.

August 4-6: ArmadilloCon returns with its annual writers workshop, at Austin Southpark Hotel, Austin, Texas. Registration for the workshop is $125, which includes workshop, lunch, and membership for the rest of the convention. Note: manuscripts are due June 23. The workshop is only for manuscripts of original, unpublished speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, bizarro, and similar). 

A limited number of workshop places are available to writers of color, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, and those whose financial status might otherwise prevent their participation. Contact the workshop director at www.writersworkshop@armadillocon.org for enrollment and other questions.

August 12: The North Texas Book Festival offers chances to chat with and buy the books of favorite local authors. Free to the public, at Patterson-Appleton Arts Center, 400 E. Hickory St., Denton Texas. See the site for additional information.

***

Is something missing? The pandemic, economic issues and, dare we say, climate change, have caused several rearrangements of Texas traditional summer literary events. The annual REH Days, celebrating Texas fantasy writer Robert E. Howard at his hometown of Cross Plains were moved from June to April this year. Most REH programs are outdoors, and June in Texas can get hot!

FenCon, the Dallas-area science fiction/fantasy convention usually held in early fall has been moved to February 2024, with a new venue. I'm hoping it will also bring back its writers workshop.

The Writers League of Texas Agents and Editors Conference has turned into a biannual event, next scheduled for 2024.

And no dates have yet been announced for the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, which has fluctuated between summer and fall in recent years. However, the site says registration will open soon. I'll post when more information is available.

***

Next up: Yes, there will be writing contests! Stay tuned!

It's not too early to think about spring lit events

 Information about spring literary events is piling up in my inbox. Most of these are in Texas, but I'm including at least one outside state borders because of an early deadline.

Now - March 10: New this year, Thrillerfest 2023 offers two writing scholarships, each with a $1,000 stipend and free pass to the Thrillerfest conference in New York. One scholarship goes to a BIPOC author writing a thriller manuscript featuring a BIPOC protagonist. The second goes to an unpublished author writing a mystery/thriller novel (80K to 100K words). This is a heads-up entry. See the Thrillerfest entry later in this post for the conference's dates, registration, and additional details.

February 15: Registration opens for the Historical Novel Society North America conference in-person, and in San Antonio, Texas. As far as I can tell, this is the first time the conference has been in our own state. OK, the conference actually runs June 8-10, but I'm hyping this early because, well, it's in Texas. See the site for ongoing details and lists of special guests, agents, and editors so far.

February 18: The Houston Writers Guild's Love Your Writing Seminar includes morning and afternoon sessions, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The morning session features poet/editor/essayist Sarah Cortez, with thriller writer Ronel Golden in the afternoon. In-person at Bayou City Press Offices, 10303 Scofield Lane, Houston, Texas. Full day and single session tickets ($40-$65) as well as HWG members available through the site.

February 25-November 25: The Writers' League of Texas offers its repeating, monthly 2023 WLT Agent Symposium. This virtual event features presentations, consultations, workshops and more with a variety of literary agents. All writers and genres welcome. Limited registration, with tickets $349 for members, $409 for nonmembers. See the site for full schedule, including a February 9 orientation meeting, and to register.

WLT decided to change its formerly annual conference to a bi-annual event, which return in-person in 2024. (Note: WLT still holds its manuscript contest, which opens this year March 15.)

March 2: Highland Park Lit Fest 7 p.m., at Highland Park High School, 4220 Everson Avenue, Dallas. Keynote speaker is Peter Heller, award-winning author of The River and other novels, as well as a number of nonfiction books. He is a contributing editor at Outside magazine, Men's Journal, and National Geographic. The event is free, but donations are appreciated. See the site for details.

Image: Jill Wellington from Pixabay

March 3-4: The North Texas Teen Book Festival has been inspiring middle-grade and young adult readers for years. In-person at the Irving Convention Center, 500 West Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas. Nearly 70 authors are already signed to appear. The March 3 event is for educators -- see the site for registration details. March 4 is for everyone. Free, but parking is $10, or check the site for public transport options nearby.

May 10-14: The Writer's Garret announces its first Dallas is Lit! Literary Festival featuring readings, performances, workshops and a book fair. Multiple venues. See the site for upcoming details. 

May 30-June 3: Thrillerfest in-person at the Sheraton Times Square in New York City. That's a bit outside the borders of Texas, but I can't resist mentioning it because of the thrilling scholarships for BIPOC and unpublished authors. See the site for schedules, events, pricing, and more.

***

Next: Just because I didn't write much last year doesn't mean I didn't learn. Check out the upcoming post from the DFW Writers Conference
on how to reverse engineer a mystery tale!

Post-pandemic writing conferences and contests revive

Are we experiencing a break in the pandemic clouds? So many literary events have restarted since my last posting, I'm in a hurry to catch up. Here's a rundown of Texas-centric in-person events for late summer into fall as well as virtual events and contests open no matter where you live:

July 23: Writers loved last year's virtual conference of the Historical Novel Society North America so much, the society announces a one-day virtual event this Saturday (July 23). Registration is $49, closing July 22. See the site for details.

Now-July 31: DL Hammons' reader-favorite WRiTE CLUB contest has had suffered from a decline in entries during the last two years of the COVID pandemic, and numbers this year were not sufficient to support the contest as envisioned. Here's hoping for a return for 2023!

August 5-7: ArmadilloCon, a science fiction/fantasy convention, will be in-person at Austin Southpark Hotel, Austin, Texas. Registration $65. Entries for the writing workshop are closed but still plenty of chances to meet and hear some of the best science fiction and fantasy writers in the business.

Now - September 30: L. Ron Hubbard's season Writers of the Future Contest for new writers of science fiction and fantasy. No entry fee, cash prizes. See the site for details.

September 16-18: FenCon, the Dallas-area science fiction/fantasy convention returns in-person at the Sheraton DFW Airport hotel, In Irving Texas. Early bird memberships for adults are $45 through September 1. FenCon will not hold its usual writing workshop this year (2022) but holds out hope for 2023.

October 8-9: Also returning in-person (for the first time in three years) is the DFW Writers Conference at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas. Three-day registration through September 15 is $399 which includes one free pitch session to an agent or editor. Details about agents/editors and classes still to come.

Upcoming:

October 1-mid-November: Dallas-based Carve Magazine's Prose & Poetry Contest offers winners cash prizes and publication. I'll update as more information comes available.

***

Some of my favorite contests and events bit the dust for reasons pandemic or otherwise. Pitch Wars and Twitter-fav PitMad are no more. The Writers Guild of Texas has yet to post its annual fall flash fiction contest, although I still have hopes of seeing it now that the Guild is meeting in-person. Writers Organzations 'Round Dallas WordFest event also seems to be on hiatus, although it managed a virtual event earlier in the pandemic.

I'll be back closer to fall to see what goodies cooler weather may bring to life. In the meantime, a number of sites are always available online and always free to search for contests and other writing events:

Reedsy offers a pick of 2022's best writing contests, searchable by genre.

Arthur Klepchukov's seasonal listings, now of Fiction Writing Contests Worth Your Time in Summer 2022 are always worthwhile.

Erica Verrillo's continues her monthly gathering of conferences, contests, publishers and agents at Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity.

Ralan.com also offers searchable listings of writing outlets, including contests.

(Updated to show cancellation of WRiTE CLUB contest.)

Weather and COVID can't stop Texas literary events

 I'm writing this from the land of ice and snow known as North Texas, but neither Arctic temperatures nor a pandemic can keep Texas literary events down. Still, some are hesitating -- will they go in-person, virtual, or hybrid? I'll update as information becomes available.

(Updated February 9 with information about Highland Park Literary Fest, North Texas Teen Bookfest and Dallas Literary Festival)

Now-February 28: Writers League of Texas Manuscript Contest. OK, I don't mean to turn this into a writing contest post. That will come later. For now, consider it a warmup for the Writers League's big event -- its Agents and Editors Conference, which bravely returns (as of this writing, at least) in person June 24-26. 

In the meantime, the WLT invites us to submit the opening pages of our unpublished manuscripts for constructive feedback and, maybe, a one-on-one discussion with a top literary agent in our genres. All we need are the first, approximately 10 pages and a synopsis of what we have planned for the rest of the manuscript. Fees: $55 for WLT members, $65 for nonmembers (includes written critique). Or $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers who opt out of receiving written feedback. See the site for details.

February 15-May 31: The Dallas Museum of Arts program of writers, Arts & Letters Live, returns in-person but with virtual options. In-person tickets start at $30, virtual tickets at $12, in both cases with discounts for DMA members, educators, and students. See the site for details, venues, and ticket purchases.

February 23: Keynote speaker for the 2022 Highland Park Literary Festival is New York Times best-selling writing Amor Towles, author most recently of The Lincoln Highway, as well as A Gentleman in Moscow, and more. Although the event is free and open to the public, please register your attendance at the site. I also opted for $20 valet parking, since parking space is limited. At the Highland Park High School auditorium, 4220 Emerson Ave., Dallas. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Valet parking starts at 6 p.m.

March 4-5: The North Texas Teen Book Festival keeps going! Although details are still skimpy, it promises more than 90 authors and illustrators of middle grade and young adult books. Although the educators event March is virtual, the public festival March will be in-person at the Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving, Texas. Free, but additional parking fees apply. (Or try DART, which has a stop within walking distance of the convention center.) 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

March 18-22: The SMU-sponsored Dallas Literary Festival presents featured authors Nikole Hannah-Jones, Davie Treuer, and Jelani Cobb. Assistant director Katherine Delony has informed me that the festival will be in-person with most events either on the SMU campus or at the African American Museum of Dallas. Registration information will be on the website as soon as a schedule is available.

April 22-24: Ready, Set, Pitch -- the annual spring conference of the Houston Writers Guild is emphatically hybrid. Sessions Friday (April 22) and Sunday (April 24) will be held in person with a Zoom option. Main day programming Saturday (April 23) will be fully virtual, including agent and acquisition editor pitch sessions. Tickets are $50 for a three-day pass, $25 for Friday's marketing options panel, and $35 for Sunday's workshop. Agent pitch sessions are an additional $25 each. A processing fee applies to all transactions. See the site for complete schedule and in-person venue locations.

April 29-May 1: Also in Houston, Writefest returns with a virtual book fair, a conference, and social events around the city. Social events are free and open to the public. Registration and complete schedules are available at the website.

Then there are the "save-the-date: and even "to-be-determined" events, including major conferences outside the state.

May 31-June 4: Thrillerfest XVII plans a completely in-person conference at New York City's Sheraton Times Square hotel. Agents galore, master and craft classes, and more, more, more. Check out the free Best First Sentence contest and examples from 2021's winners at the site. Too many options to list here, so see the site for schedules and prices, and to reserve a hotel room. Note that attendees must follow NYC's COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

June ?: Will the beloved DFW Writers Conference return for 2022? The best information I can find is that it may take place sometime in June at the Hurst Convention Center, Hurst, Texas. This follows numerous setbacks in 2021, including date changes and a decision to go completely virtual at that time. Again, I'll update. 

June 24-26: Agents and Editors Conference of the Writers League of Texas at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Austin, Texas. Registration not yet available but note that winners of the WLT's manuscript contest (above) receive free entry to the conference.

July 27-30: Romance Writers of America have a date and place for their 2022 conference -- Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center, National Harbor, Maryland, but no other details as yet.

September 1-5: WorldCon (also known this year as Chicon 8) takes place in Chicago. The festival anticipates starting discussions this spring about public health issues. More to come.

September 8-11: Bouchercon 2022, the world mystery writers conference, is schedule at the Hilton Minneapolis, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. More to come.

September 16-18: Fencon, the Dallas/Fort Worth science fiction and fantasy convention, will convene at the Sheraton DFW Airport hotel, 4440 W. John Carpenter Freeway, in Irving, Texas. Adult tickets start at $40. No word yet on whether there will be a writers workshop but the site asks us to stay tuned for more information.

November 3-6: The World Fantasy Convention 2022 is scheduled for New Orleans, at the Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Ave. Again, details to come.