July 11 - 28 -2010 - Writer's Haven in Taos

Writing the Story of Your Life? Memoir Writing Opportunities Abound at the Taos Summer Writers’ Conference!

And, it’s not too late! A few spaces remain to study with acclaimed writers at this year’s 12th annual Taos Summer Writers’ Conference, taking place July 11-18. Workshops focusing on the craft of memoir, taught by Debra Monroe, Minrose Gwin, Sarah Manguso and Michelle Otero, are still open for registration. These include two weeklong workshops, one weekend workshop and one master class. Workshops are capped at twelve students and take place at the Sagebrush Inn Conference Center in Taos, New Mexico.

Weeklong Memoir Workshops:
Advanced Memoir: Challenges and Struggles (Advanced) - Minrose Gwin

For writers at least halfway through a memoir manuscript, the workshop will focus on the unique craft challenges that memoirists tackle. Minrose Gwin’s recent novel, The Queen of Palmyra, was selected by Barnes and Noble for their “Discover Great New Writers” series. She is also the author of an acclaimed memoir about her mother, Wishing for Snow.

The Search for an Orderly Story in the Disorderly Tangle of Memory: Memoir (Intermediate)- Debra Monroe

How do you translate the rich landscape of memory into a written story? This workshop will guide you through the process of discovering tension and building structure around the stories of your life. Debra Monroe’s new memoir, On the Outskirts of Normal: Forging a Family Against the Grain is receiving rave reviews: Vanity Fair listed the book in its Required Reading list, and Oprah’s Magazine, O, will feature the memoir in its August issue. Monroe is also the author of four works of fiction.

Weekend Memoir Workshop:

Writing The New “Normal”: Memoir When Life Happens (All Levels) – Michelle Otero

One challenge of writing about one’s life is that it keeps happening even as you write. So, this workshop focuses onwriting through life’s transitions. Michelle Otero is the author of the essay collection, Malinche’s Daughter, based on her time living in Oaxaca, Mexico. Otero is a former Fulbright fellow and a tenth generation New Mexican.

Master Class:
Memoir - Sarah Manugso

A workshop for writers who have completed a full-length manuscript. You’ll examine your own writing as well as two published works, and discuss the ways in which omission and repetition function in the craft of memoir. The New York Times Book Review named Sarah Manguso’s most recent memoir, The Two Kinds of Decay, an Editor’s Choice. She has also published a story collection and two books of poetry, and has been awarded a Pushcart Prize and a Rome Fellowship among many other honors.

2010 Taos Summer Writers' Conference Schedule of Public Events

All events take place at the Sagebrush Inn Conference Center,
1508 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos, New Mexico.

All readings are free and open to the public.

SUNDAY, JULY 11, 8 PM
Cristina Garcia, Keynote Speaker.
Dreaming in Cuban, was a finalist for the National Book Award; The Lady Matador’s Hotel will be released in September.

MONDAY, JULY 12, 5:30 PM
Jon Davis. Full-length collections of poetry include Preliminary Report, Scrimmage of Appetite, and Dangerous Amusements.
John Dufresne. Novels include Louisiana Power & Light, Love Warps the Mind a Little, Deep in the Shade of Paradise, and Requiem Mass.
Priscilla Long. Author of Where the Sun Never Shines: a History of America’s Bloody Coal Industry and The Writer’s Portable Mentor.
Debra Monroe. Author of the memoir On the Outskirts of Normal: Forging a Family Against the Grain and two novels, Newfangled and Shambles.

TUESDAY, JULY 13, 5:30 PM
Jonis Agee. Author of thirteen books, including five novels – Sweet Eyes, Strange Angels, South of Resurrection, The Weight of Dreams, and her most recent, The River Wife.
Jeff Davis. Author of The Journey from the Center to the Page and City Reservoir
Minrose Gwin. Author of a novel, The Queen of Palmyra, and Wishing for Snow, a memoir.
Jesse Lee Kercheval. Author of the memoir Space, the short novel Brazil and the poetry collection Cinema Muto.

WEDNESDAY JULY 14, 5:30 PM
Dorothy Allison is the author of Bastard Out of Carolina; her novel She Who is forthcoming from Penguin
Jane Ciabattari is the author of the short story collection Stealing the Fire and the president of the National Book Critics Circle.
Sarah Manguso. Author of the memoir The Two Kinds of Decay, the story collection Hard to Admit and Harder to Escape, and the poetry collections Siste Viator and The Captain Lands in Paradise.
Rob Wilder. Author of two books of essays: Tales From The Teachers’ Lounge and Daddy Needs a Drink;

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 5:30 PM
Jill Bialosky. Author of the novels Life Room and House under Snow and poetry collections, Subterranean and Intruder, she is Executive Editor and Vice President at W. W. Norton
Pam Houston. Author of two collections of linked short stories, Cowboys Are My Weakness and Waltzing the Cat and the novel, Sighthound.
Mark Sundeen. Author of two books of creative nonfiction, Car Camping and The Making of Toro, and is a correspondent for Outside magazine.
Summer Wood. Author of the novel Arroyo, her novel Wrecker will be released in Winter 2010.

SATURDAY, JULY 17, 7 PM
Annie Dawid. Author of And Darkness Was Under His Feet: Stories of a Family, Lily in the Desert:
Stories, and York Ferry: A Novel.
Joy Harjo. Author of several poetry books including She Had Some Horses, The Woman Who Fell
From the Sky, and How We Became Human, New and Selected Poems.
Pam Houston. Author of two collections of linked short stories, Cowboys Are My Weakness and Waltzing the Cat and the novel, Sighthound.
Valerie Martínez. Author of several poetry books including Absence, Luminescent, World to World, A Flock of Scarlet Doves, And They Called it Horizon, and Each and Her.

Daniel Mueller. Author of a collection of stories, How Animals Mate.
Michelle Otero. Author of Malinche's Daughter.
Mark Sundeen. Author of two books of creative nonfiction, Car Camping and The Making of Toro, is a correspondent for Outside magazine.

Details available online at: http://www.unm.edu/~taosconf/Workshops/special_events.htm