The Aspen Summer Words literary conference has been a staple of the early summer cultural season since 1976, when poets and writers began gathering here for workshops and talks under the shade of aspen trees.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s grown and evolved over the decades, and in recent years has included writer panels at The Gant conference center, student readings on the patio and the presentation of the Aspen Words Literary Prize at a gala event in the Hotel Jerome ballroom.<\/p>\n
This year, of course, as the novel coronavirus pandemic has led to most in-person events cancelling in Aspen, is different.<\/p>\n
But the conference and workshops will go on (online) while the public author talks are going virtual and going free and running through June.<\/p>\n
The virtual panels had been slated to open Thursday, but have been postponed \u201cin solidarity with all those fighting for a more just and equitable society,\u201d citing the local and national protests against police brutality and racism.<\/p>\n
In the first panel, NPR Books editor Petray Mayer on June 11 will moderate the fiction craft talk \u201cPeople, Places, POV\u201d with Almond, Catellani and Philadelphia poet laureate Yolanda Wisher, a former Aspen Words writer-in-residence.<\/p>\n
Novelist Leah Henderson on June 16 will host \u201cCan I Write About This?\u201d tackling the hot topic of whether authors can write about people and subjects outside of their immediate experience, a debate that intensified early this year with publication of the the novel \u201cAmerican Dirt,\u201d written about Mexican migrants by white American author Jeanine Cummins. Panelists have not yet been announced for the virtual event.<\/p>\n
Novelist and A Mighty Blaze co-founder Jenna Blum, on June 17, will talk to publishing industry insiders about \u201cThe Business of Being a Writer.\u201d Participants include Chase Literary Agency founder Farley Chase and Little, Brown executive editor Vanessa Mobley.<\/p>\n
Aspen Words executive director and \u201cWild Game\u201d memoirist Adrienne Brodeur on June 18 will moderate \u201cWriting About Real People\u201d with \u201cCandyfreak\u201d author Steve Almond, \u201cLeading Men\u201d novelist Christopher Castellani, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and memoirist Gregory Pardo and author\/grief expert Clair Bidwell Smith.<\/p>\n
The virtual series will close with \u201cThe Writer\u2019s Journey\u201d on June 22, bringing together alumni of the Summer Words conference to discuss their careers. Moderated by Aspen Words managing director Caroline Tory, it will include best-selling \u201cSweetbitter\u201d author Stephanie Danler, poet Trapeta Mayson and \u201cHow Much of These Hills is Gold\u201d novelist C. Pam Zhang.<\/p>\n
Aspen Words began moving programming online last month, beginning with the ceremony announcing its Aspen Words Literary Prize on April 16. The prize went to \u201cBeekeeper of Aleppo\u201d author Christy Lefteri, capping a day of virtual events with prize finalists. Aspen Words hasn\u2019t yet announced plans for its events for the Roarign Fork Valley community read of Lefteri\u2019s book, which had been to include local book clubs, events and a talk by Lefteri herself at Summer Words.<\/p>\n
\natravers@aspentimes.com<\/p>\n