image James Yamasaki, via The Stranger
It stands for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) and their 2014 conference begins this week in the Emerald City.
Though it sounds a bit academic and something you get credit for it is actually the largest literary gathering on the continent and best thing to happen around here since the Seahawk parade.
Thousands of writers, poets, publishers, editors, and related book folk are here for the conference. Plenty of headline acts, Annie Proulx, Sherman Alexie, Robert Haas, Gary Snyder, Sharon Olds and there are also 650 vendors at the bookfair! I’ll repeat over 600 literary-leaning vendors in one place, and thankfully after much controversy, the book fair will be open to the public on Saturday and it’s free.
And the action off the field is as competitive as at the conference, with offsite events littering the city.
The Stranger is all over the goings on offering a Guide to Seattle for AWP attendees and A Guide to AWP for people who have no idea what AWP is.
Here’s is what I am attempting on Thursday:
Books about Books: a Non-Fiction Conundrum
Why Can’t We Be Friends: Book Arts in the Digital Age
The Literary Legacy of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain
Then a little visit to the book fair
Then happy hour at Linda’s for a party hosted by A Strange Object, Electric Literature, Guernica, and The Paris Review,
then to Chop Suey for a party hosted by Tumblr, Tin House, and Wave Books!
and that’s Thursday!
Heaven on earth.