Created by The Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society, Inc., a non-profit literary and educational organization, Words & Music regularly receives underwriting support from important public agencies like The Arts Council of New Orleans andThe Louisiana Decentralized Arts Funding Program.

Special co-presenters of Words & Music, 2007 included the Danish Arts Council, Faulkner House, Inc., The Goldring Foundation, Harrah's Casino & Hotel, Catherine P. Hill, The Herman Grima House, The Historic New Orleans Collection, The Deming Foundation, The Louisiana State Museum, The Lupin Foundation, Marie Shannon Monroe, The Monroe Library at Loyola University, Nancy & Hartwig Moss, Theodosia M. Nolan, Tia & James Roddy, Judith "Jude" Swenson, Peter & Heather Tattersall, Tulane University, the Whitney National Bank, and others.

Dreaming the Impossible Dream and...
...Making it Come True!
Every author's ultimate, sometimes seemingly impossible dream is publication of that manuscript embodying the writer's heart and soul and countless lonely hours of grappling with words, seeking the right word pictures to make a character, a plot line come alive.

The Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society, Inc.-founded in 1990 by men and women dedicated to good books and the literary arts-is the creator a unique sort of writers' conference, which is the center of a multi-discipline arts festival every fall. Our fondest desire has been to give writers a boost in making their impossible dreams come true, to provide them with an inspiration break in a city which has inspired countless authors, including William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, to help them get their work published. We are proud of our record of assisting authors make their dreams come true. For details of our most recent success stories on behalf of writers and the success we have had in attracting prestigious authors as advisors and faculty, click on: Success!

Concurrently, our mission has been to provide entertaining, intellectually stimulating literary programming for the reading public of Louisiana and our visitors.

Words & Music: A Literary Feast in New Orleans is the result of our dream. It includes sessions for writers conducted by literary masters, who also hold forth on timely theme material of interest to the general reading public. Words & Music is a feast for the ears, the eyes, the soul with its examination of fiction, non fiction, and new phenomena within the literary and communications arena and its photographic art exhibitions, film sessions, drama, poetry readings at the cocktail hour, great music, dancing, and the renowned cuisine of New Orleans. The festival annually features 75 to 100 new and established authors, scholars, editors, publishers, and performing artists. Words & Music serves three primary audiences each year: the reading public, aspiring authors, and our prestigious faculty of well known authors, critics, scholars, editors, publishers, literary agents, and performing artists, who enjoy an opportunity to exchange ideas in the relaxed atmosphere of New Orleans hospitality. Programming for the festival reflects this audience diversity.

An annual theme series of discussions by faculty members features provocative topics bearing on contemporary life and literature. Each session affords the audience an opportunity to interact with the authors. Aspiring authors, talented men and women seeking to improve their work and get it published. Each year, established masters of the literary arts share their experience and wisdom in sessions on the art of writing, designed primarily for developing writers but also open to the reading public.

The Words, 2007
The programs of Words & Music, 2007, for instance, revolved around recognition of the war in Iraq, the controversy over immigration, spirituality, and other issues impacting our lives today. The 2007 theme of discussions for the general reading public was:
When Cultures Collide:
The Fallout for Literature and Life.

And Words & Music, 2007 had a distinctly exotic flavor with the presentation of new faces and new voices, including, from left below, Iranian scholar, author, and journalist Reza Aslan; Palestinian poet Ibtisam Barakat; Egyptian author Khaled Heggazi, and Pakistani fiction writer Aneela Shuja. Joining them will be the noted Palestinian poet, editor, author, and translator, Salma Jayussi, and Andy Young, co-founder with Hegezzi of the new Arabic/English literary journal, Meena.

        

Some Other New Faces

 

Keynote Speaker for Writers
Among the special events of Words & Music were appearances by acclaimed mystery writer Deborah Leblanc, an award-winning author and business owner from Lafayette, LA. She's also a licensed death scene investigator and an active member of two national paranormal investigation teams. Deborah's unique experiences, enthusiasm, and high-energy level make her a much sought after speaker at writers' conferences across the nation. She is the president of the Horror Writers Association, president of the Writers' Guild of Acadiana, and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the National Association of Women's Writers, and International Thriller Writers Inc. In 2004, she created the LeBlanc Literacy Challenge, an annual national campaign designed to encourage more people to read. She also takes her passion for literacy and a powerful ability to motivate to high schools around the country. Among recent novels are: Family Inheritance, Grave Intent, and A House Divided. Deborah's latest release, Morbid Curiosity, is available in bookstores now. Ms. Leblanc,who has successfully managed her own writing career, shared the secrets of her success in a Master Class session and appeared with Erica Spindler in a discussion about writing for the thrill-seeking reader.

Murder and Mayhem
Bestselling suspense novelist Erica Spindler, left, was among other new faces at Words & Music, 2007. Ms. Spindler has 27 gripping thrillers to her credit and she shared the ways she has discovered for keeping the reader on edge cover to cover. Erica is the recipient of the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence, and a two-time Kiss of Death Award winner. Her novels reflect a lifelong fascination with the human psyche, the intricacies of human relationships, crime and punishment. Her latest blockbuster, Last Known Victim, was an October, 2007 release.

Getting the Words Published

       

Words & Music, 2007 featured insiders in publishing—who gave writers advice on improving their work and getting it published—insiders like, from left above, literary agents Deborah Grosvenor, who represents such fiction successes as Tom Clancy; Michael Murphy, former publisher of William Morrow, now owner of his own literary Agency, Max and Company, whose published clients include Faulkner Society and Words & Music co-founder Rosemary James; Jeff Kleinmann, who has signed a number of hopefuls at Words & Music and gotten them published, including Laurie Lindeen, author of a highly entertaining memoir about playing with a rock band. These three agents have been among the backbone faculty members for some time. Jeff Kleinman was 2008 Chairman of Agents and Editors; Michael Murphy will be 2008 Chairman. They were joined in 2007 by Anna Stein of the Irene Skolnick Literary Agency and Jenni Ferrari-Adler of Brick House Literary Agency. Editors this year included, from left, bottom: Brandi Bowles, Three Rivers; Jofie Ferrari-Adler, Grove/Atlantic; Peter Joseph, Thomas Dunne Books; Will Murphy, Random House; and Webster Younce, Harcourt. For more information on these important faculty members, click here on Faculty. Since signing on as an editor for Words & Music, Brandi Bowles has become an agent. These agents and editors will be invited to return in 2008, along with new editors and agents to be announced early in the new year.

              

Writers who wish to submit manuscripts for critique by these and other publishing industry experts can click here on Manuscripts for guidelines. Manuscripts must be in our hands by September 15, 2008.

Humor is always an important part of Words & Music.

The 2007 sessions for the general public included, for instance, the Society's Special Class for Readers: How to Read Faulkner and Love It: The Sly Humor of William Faulkner, led by famous Washington Post critic Jonathan Yardley, left, with Faulkner Society co-founder W. Kenneth Holdtch and Roy Blount, Jr., a renaissance man who can write or talk about anything.

            

They explored the unexpected quips and bits of droll, dry humor Faulkner slipped into his work to keep readers on their toes.

Like Napoleon's Army...

...New Orleans Moves on its stomach and that explains why our annual Literature & Lunch series, Thursday through Sunday of the festival always is a hit both with local audiences and our visitors. The 2007 sessions took place in well known dining establishments such as The Bistro at Maison de Ville and G. W. Fins.
Old Favorites Returned
  
Roy Blount, Jr., left—a legend in his own time, both as the South's most beloved humorist, and as an author who can write intelligently and entertainingly about anything— discussed the literature of losers at one Literature & Lunch session with Civil War expert and novelist David Madden, right, who currently holds the Robert Penn Warren Chair at LSU, with their topic: Was Robert E. Lee the Father of Southern Literature?

  
When the World is Going to Hell, Have Something Good to Drink!
New Orleans Glamor Girls Ti Adelaide Martin and Kerri McCaffety held forth on the cocktail revolution they initiated with their books: In the Land of the Cocktail: Adventures with the Cocktail Chicks and Obituarty Cocktail and they let the audience in on the correct ways to imbibe and the best places to do it, while passing out samples of their favorite mixology libations. Their success with food and drink volumes is an inspiration for those who have ideas for coffee table books.

Lies & Laughs!
Literary experts tell us that good fiction depends on the ability of the author to be inspired by the truth and then tell a good lie about it. The lighter side of literature is always the focus during our popular annual Tall Tales Competition. The ever funny Michael Malone, author of the southern classic Handling Sin and expert screenwriter; and Ken Wells, who writes like a dream, especially when he's talking about Louisiana in his picaresque novels, including his latest, Crawfish Mountain. With humorist Roy Blount, Jr., author of the new collections of essays, Long Time Coming and Feet on the Street, leading, they explored The Art of Humor and Brevity.

     
Pan American Voices: Strong Women

       (Photo by Marion Ettlinger)

The Faulkner Society was pleased to present an important new voice in American letters, Loida Maritz Pérez, shown here at right. Author of Geographies of Home, she appeared with Marie Arana at Pan American Voices: An Evening with Marie Arana & Loida Maritza Pérez, which took place at The Historic New Orleans Collection. Peruvian born Marie Arana is Editor of The Washington Post's review section, Book World and author of the novel Cellophane and the memoir American Chica. For more on Ms. Arana and Cellophane, click here on Arana. They were introduced by Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer Prize author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain.

Words & Music, 2007 also featured writers who know how to use to turn terrible reality into highly imaginative and gripping fiction. Janette Turner Hospital, for instance, whose recent novel, Due Preparations for the Plague and her latest, Orpheus Lost, deal with terrorism and its impact on our lives in large and small ways. One of Australia's leading writers, Ms. Hospital currently holds the endowed Dickey Chair of Creative Writing at the University of South Carolina. She will participate in discusions relating to cultural clashes and will also do a workshop session. For a review of this exciting writer's work by one of Australia's leading critics, click here on Hospital. Janette will team up with Elizabeth Dewberry, whose most recent novel, His Lovely Wife, uses the death of Princess Diana as the departure point for a soul-searching exploration of failed human relationships and identity crises. For more information on Elizabeth and her book, click here on: Dewberry . They appeared with noted literary critic Jonathan Yardley and critic and Book World's editor Marie Arana in a discussion about the literary fallout of terrible times.

Spiritual Journeys
   
Dreams and how they both inform the creative process and provide the signposts on the road to self discovery will be the subject of Spiritual Journeys in a three-part program, led by Rodger Kamenetz, left, bestselling author of The Jew in the Lotus and the exciting new non-fiction book, The History of Last Night's Dream, and Pulitzer Prize fiction writer Robert Olen Butler, author of the non-fiction book about the creative process, From Where We Dream. For more on Kamenetz and his explorations into the spiritual realm, click here on Kamenetz. For more on Butler and his dream-inspired writing, click here on Butler. To order their books, call Faulkner House Books, (504) 524-2940. Others invited to participate in this program included, from left below, journalists Christopher Drew, Jed Horne, and Jack Davis; fiction writer Maritza Pérez and photographic artist Josephine Sacabo. For more on these talented authors and artists, click here on Faculty.

            

    

The Poets Came On Strong at Upstaging, 2007
  
Nicole Cooley, whose collection Resurrection won the Walt Whitman award, and Gordon Walmsley, whose new collection Touchstones, was released last month by the prestigious Irish publisher of poetry, Salmon Publishing, were among important poets participating this year, reading at Upstaging and advising poets on how to get their poetry published. Nicole judged the Society's poetry competition this year and presented her winner, Emily Lupita Plum, during the conference. Gordon's appearance was sponsored by the Danish Arts Council.

Is the Memoir Replacing the Novel in Contemporary Literature?
Brandi Bowles, Michael Murphy, and Jeff Kleinman, all publishing professionals, explained how the best memoir manuscripts are giving novels a strong run for the money.

      

But Fiction is not Dead at All!
Expert fiction writers John Biguenet, author of The Torturer's Apprentice; discussed the art of short fiction with Moira Crone, author of What Gets Into Us, and Michael Knight, whose new book is The Holiday Season. Michael, was another of the new faces of
Words & Music, 07.

      

The Hollywood Experience

Words & Music, 2007 went to the movies...
...and taught developing artists how to break into film themselves. Amy Serrano, screenwriter and producer of documentaries, center, screened her new film, The Sugar Babies, a documentary about child slavery in the sugar industry during a session of When Cultures Collide with Ken Wells, whose new novel Crawfish Mountain, deals with the devastating exploitation of coastal Louisiana's environment. Other films to sampled during Words & Music, 2007 were a preview of a film in progress by Jason Berry, far right, on the relationship of jazz and New Orleans burial practices; and Tootie's Last Suit, a film about the city's famed Mardi Gras Indians, produced and directed by Lisa Katzman. The film's executive producers, Randy Fertel and Alexa Georges, are Faulkner Society members. Michael Malone, left, who is much loved for his humor, charm, and his novels set in the South, is an expert screen writer as well, who has written for live daytime dramas for years. For more on Malone and his work and his humor, click here on Malone on Faulkner. Malone and Robert Olen Butler, who has written screen plays for such film legends as Robert Robert Redford, explored the various kinds of screenwriting. What kind of novel is right for a screen adaptation, for instance? Four young hotshot film professionals explained to students and young professionals looking for a career change How to Blaze Your Trail to a Career in Film. Panelists were, from left below, Jordan Kessler, postproduction executive; Colby Johnson, director and producer; Laura Dodd, production assistant; and Zack Godshall, writer and directors. For more on this free program for students and teachers, click here on Schedule and scroll down to The Hollywood Experience. For more on their credentials, click here on Faculty.

         

The Music of 2007
      
Legendary jazz clarinetist, band leader, and historian Michael White starred at Jazz After Hours at the Napoleon House. Michael was featured musician at the first Words & Music festival in 1997, created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of William Faulkner's birthday. We were delighted to have him return for our 10th anniversary celebration of Words & Music and 18th birthday of the Faulkner Society. In addition to performing, White participated in a New Orleans Sound discussion about Jazz and the burial practices of New Orleans with jazz authority Jason Berry. White and Berry are collaborating on a film about the subject. The man of many instruments, Tony Seville, entertained at the Historic New Orleans Collection event featuring Marie Arana and Maritza Perez. Tony is a member of the Society and a well known performance artist. OTRA, a hot Latin Jazz band provided music for dancing at Faulkner for All, while Armand St. Martin was featured performer at the 2007 Farewell party at The Herman Grima House. Comparable musicians will be invited to perform at Words & Music, 2008.

Pricing, 2008: Do It Your Way!
In addition to the discussion events of Words & Music you may also pick and choose from a variety of luncheon and evening events, all of which feature music, food and wine. We have package prices if you want to take in all of the events of Words & Music. You can also buy just one $5 ticket for a discussion.
Do it your way!
Submit your credit card reservations by fax, phone, or mail. For updates check our web site: www.WordsandMusic.org.
For details of pricing and reservations, click here on Pricing.

Note:
Details of specific events and venues for Words & Music, 2008 will be worked out by late Spring. However, basic pricing, such as tuition, and annual events, such as Literature & Lunch, After Hours, Tall Tales, and Faulkner for All are as posted under Pricing.

Words & Music packages purchased prior to June 1 receive special discounts.
For more about the festival, click here on: aboutword or scroll to the bottom for other options.

Important!
Note: All advance reservations must be paid when reservations are made. No refunds will be made under any circumstances on advance reservations cancelled after October 15, unless an event is cancelled with no substitute dates. We are not responsible for refunds when events must be postponed for reasons, such as natural disasters or acts of war, beyond our control. If persons cannot attend on new dates, tickets or tuition will be provided for the following year. Those who must cancel for personal reasons after October 1 will be given tuition and/or event credit for the following year.

For testimonials by faculty members and those who have participated in the Faulkner Society's programs for writers, highlight:

What They Say About Us

Words & Music is sponsored by The Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society, Inc , recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a (501) (c) (3) non-profit literary and educational organization. The Society's mission is to provide realistic support to developing writers, help preserve the art of the written word, and help enhance the image of the region as an important cultural destination.

This program also is made possible by regular co-presenters, such as:

And special funding from:

George Brotherton in Memory of William Farlowe; Karen Oser Edmunds; Faulkner House, Inc.; The Ruth U. Fertel Foundation; The Goldring Foundation; Michael Harold; Catherine P. Hill, The Historic New Orleans Collection; The Eugenie & Joseph Jones Family Foundation; Pamela and James Lott; The Lupin Foundation; Ira P. Middleberg and Middleberg, Riddle, and Gianna; Virginia Miller, Marie Shannon Monroe; The Visiting Committee of the Monroe Library of Loyola University New Orleans; Nancy & Hartwig Moss, III; The Hotel Monteleone; E. Quinn Peeper; Rheba Schlesinger; H. Paul St. Martin and Martin-St. Martin Publishing; Ron Shelton; Bertie Deming Smith; and The Whitney National Bank.Once again, to reach us:

E-mail: Faulkhouse@aol.com

Fax: (504) 522-9725

Info Phone: (504) 586-1609; Credit Card Reservations Phone (504) 525-5615


Note:
Our working schedule for 2007 is presented here to provide you with the scope of the festival. The schedule for 2008 will be comparable and it will be posted in the late Spring.


Note:
Our Faculty for 2007 is presented here to provide you with the size and diversity of Words & Music faculties. The Faculty for 2008 will be comparable and it will be posted in the late Spring.