Aspen Words

Literary Prize Longlist Announcement Party
2017-12-13 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Denver) | United States
Please join us for a free community event celebrating our inaugural Aspen Words Literary Prize longlist! The AWLP is a $35,000 annual award for an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture. All of the longlisted titles (fiction published in 2017) will be available for purchase. Give the gift of influential literature this holiday season!
Limited complimentary food and drink provided by Pyramid Bistro. Winter Words season passes and Aspen Words swag will also be available for purchase.
FREE EVENT – Please RSVP
SPECIAL THANKS TO ELLEN HUNT

AWN Holiday Party - Invite Only
2017-12-06 17:00 - 18:30
Aspen Writers’ Network members are invited to a year-end celebration and networking event with fellow Roaring Fork Valley writers. Join us for appetizers, cocktails, literary trivia and holiday cheer!
Free for members. RSVP to Elizabeth Nix. * Bring a wrapped book (new or used) for a fun gift exchange.

Community Partner: Aspen Film Screening of Arthur Miller Documentary
2017-12-02 17:30 - 20:30
A Benefit for Aspen Film | Special Sneak Screening
ARTHUR MILLER: WRITERAn HBO Documentary Film by Rebecca Miller
“…for those who revere Arthur Miller’s best work, this film is an indispensable and deeply personal addition to an understanding of the artist and the man.” –Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter
Aspen Words is a community partner for the Aspen Film screening of “Arthur Miller: Writer,” an intimate portrait of one of the greatest American playwrights of the 20th century. This documentary is told from the unique perspective of an award-winning filmmaker: his daughter, Rebecca Miller. The film includes material never before seen by the public, including in-depth interviews and home movie-style footage, providing insights into Miller that are quite different from the ones the public has previously seen. Rebecca Miller opens the door to the man behind the icon, delves into the roots of his life as an artist, and explores his character – both its strengths and its weaknesses.
Post film discussion with producer, Cindy Tolen followed by a reception at Explore Books.
All proceeds benefit Aspen Film. Tickets $75 (on sale Nov 6) | aspenshowtix.com | 970-920-5770

Writer in Residence: Erica Bauermeister
2017-10-24 17:30 - 18:30
DOORS OPEN AT 5PM — Arrive early to purchase drinks or food so as not to disrupt the author talk. While these events are free and open to the public, donations at the door are encouraged.
Erica Bauermeister is the bestselling author of three novels, The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, and The Lost Art of Mixing. Her fiction has been published in over 25 languages. She is also the co-author of two non-fiction works, 500 Great Books by Women: A Reader’s Guide and Let’s Hear It For the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. She has a PhD in literature from the University of Washington and has taught there and Antioch University. She lives in Port Townsend, WA.

Set It Free—Getting Your Manuscript Ready For the World
2017-10-07 09:00 - 12:00
You’ve spent months or years writing your novel or memoir. You’ve written and revised and revised some more. Now all you need is for that perfect agent or editor to fall in love with your writing. But how can you be sure your work is ready for submission? We’ll talk about how to determine if your work fulfills its promise to the reader and explore practical strategies for making sure your story is strong enough to stand out from the slush pile. Bring your almost-there manuscript and a willingness to look at your work with a fresh and critical gaze.
(NOTE: Students should feel free to bring their entire manuscript in digital or printed form, but everyone should bring the following: the first chapter or section of the manuscript; one climactic/pivotal scene or chapter; one weak or troublesome scene or chapter; your preferred writing tools.)
WORKSHOP FULL
To be added to the waitlist, email Marie Chan or call 970.925.3122 ext. 5
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR Tiffany Quay Tyson’s debut novel, Three Rivers, was a finalist for both the Colorado Book Award for Literary Fiction and the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award for Fiction. Her second novel, The Past is Never, is forthcoming in Spring of 2018 from Arcade/Skyhorse. Tiffany was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. She is a graduate of Delta State University. After college she worked for a brief stint as a newspaper reporter in the Mississippi Delta, where she received the Frank Allen Award for Journalism. She is the recipient of two Heartland Emmy Awards including one for writing for a children’s public television program. She is a faculty member at Lighthouse Writers Workshop and the Lighthouse Young Writers Program. She lives in Denver.
No refunds for cancellations made within two weeks of the workshop. Thank you for your understanding.

Writer in Residence: Tatjana Soli
2017-09-19 17:30 - 18:30
DOORS OPEN AT 5PM — Arrive early to purchase drinks or food so as not to disrupt the author talk. While these events are free and open to the public, donations at the door are encouraged.
Tatjana Soli is a novelist and short story writer. Her bestselling debut novel, The Lotus Eaters won the James Tait Black Prize, was a New York Times Notable Book for 2010, and a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize. Her second book, The Forgetting Tree, was a New York Times Notable Book for 2012. Her third novel, The Last Good Paradise, was a Millions Most Anticipated Book for 2015. Her stories have appeared in Zyzzyva, Boulevard, and The Sun. Her work has been twice listed in the 100 Distinguished Stories in Best American Short Stories.
Soli will hand in the final draft of her forthcoming novel, The Removes, to Farrar, Straus & Giroux on October 2 for a publication date of June 2018. She will spend her September residency making the last tweaks to the manuscript.
FREE copies of The Last Good Paradise are available through our Catch & Release program. Pick up a copy from the Aspen Words office in the Red Brick Building at the beginning of the month. Read it, pass it along to a friend, and come meet the author at their public event!

Writer in Residence: Chigozie Obioma
2017-08-15 17:30 - 18:30
DOORS OPEN AT 5PM — Arrive early to purchase drinks or food so as not to disrupt the author talk. While these events are free and open to the public, donations at the door are encouraged.
Chigozie Obioma is a Nigerian writer from Akure, Nigeria. The Fishermen (Little, Brown, 2015), his debut novel won numerous awards, including the FT/Oppenheimer Awards and an NAACP Image Awards, and was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize and the Guardian First Book award. The novel has been translated in 26 languages and is being adapted into a stage play. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska where he is a professor of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
FREE copies of The Fishermen are available through our Catch & Release program. Pick up a copy from the Aspen Words office in the Red Brick Building at the beginning of the month. Read it, pass it along to a friend, and come meet the author at their public event!

Writer in Residence: Grant Faulkner
2017-07-18 17:30 - 18:30
DOORS OPEN AT 5PM — Arrive early to purchase drinks or food so as not to disrupt the author talk. While these events are free and open to the public, donations at the door are encouraged.Grant Faulkner is the executive director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the cofounder of 100 Word Story. His stories have appeared in dozens of literary magazines, including The Southwest Review, 14 Hills, Green Mountains Review, and Puerto del Sol. His essays on creativity have been published in The New York Times, Poets & Writers Magazine, Writer’s Digest, and The Writer. He recently published a collection of one hundred 100-word stories, Fissures, two of which are included in The Best Small Fictions 2016. His book of essays on creativity, Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo, is forthcoming from Chronicle Books in the fall of 2017.
FREE copies of Fissures are available through our Catch & Release program. Pick up a copy from the Aspen Words office in the Red Brick Building at the beginning of the month. Read it, pass it along to a friend, and come meet the author at their public event!

SUMMER WORDS PANEL - THE TAKE AWAY
2017-06-22 16:00 - 17:15
Moderator: Jamie KravitzPanelists: Carole DeSanti, Hannah Tinti, Jane Hamilton, Jericho Brown, Jess WalterNow what? After a week of full immersion into the art of fiction, memoir, and poetry, what will happen when you return to the blank page? Summer Words faculty share their advice for reentering the day to day writing life.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE DOOR OF THE EVENTDOORS OPEN @ 3PM

SUMMER WORDS STUDENT OPEN MIC
2017-06-21 16:30 - 18:00
Listen to short readings by the Summer Words workshop students! Wine and crostini specials will be available for purchase.

SUMMER WORDS PANEL - LIVING THE CREATIVE LIFE
2017-06-20 18:00 - 19:15
Panelists: Jess Walter, Dani Shapiro, Jericho BrownModerator: Adrienne Brodeur, Aspen Words Executive DirectorMaking a life as an artist has its joys, just as it has its frustrations. Rejection, confusion, disappointment – can all make a creative career an uphill battle. Simply finding time to create can seem impossible. Hear from three authors on their experience of finding ease and clarity in the creative life.
$25 Individual Event Tickets$75 Summer Words Pass | Includes access to all five public eventsAvailable for Aspen Words members only | Become a Member

Advance tickets from aspenshowtix.com are only available for the evening events at Belly Up.
Workshop students and Readers’ Retreat participants receive a pass to all of the Summer Words events with their tuition.
Read featured author bios here.
FULL PUBLIC EVENTS SCHEDULE

SUMMER WORDS PANEL - CRAFTING CHARACTER
2017-06-20 16:00 - 17:15
We all have those characters we know and love, that live on in our imaginations long after we finish reading a story. George Hodgman, Jane Hamilton, and Ben Fountain share their advice on writing compelling characters.Moderator: Sara NelsonTICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE DOOR OF THE EVENTDOORS OPEN @ 3:30PM
George Hodgman is the author of the memoir, Bettyville, and a veteran editor in books and magazines. He has worked at Simon and Schuster, Henry Holt, Houghton Mifflin, Vanity Fair, and the start-ups of Talk and Details. He has recently been a guest professor in Creative Nonfiction at the University of Missouri.

Jane Hamilton’s novels have won literary prizes, been made into films, and become international bestsellers; and two of them, The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, were selections of Oprah’s Book Club. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Allure, O: The Oprah Magazine, Elle, and various anthologies. She’s married to an apple farmer and lives in Wisconsin.

Ben Fountain’s novel Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk won the National Book Critics’ Circle Award, the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Award, and the L.A. Times Book Prize, and was a finalist for the National Book Award. Ang Lee directed the film adaptation of Billy Lynn, which was released in November 2016 and starts Steve Martin, Vin Diesel, Kristen Stewart, and Chris Tucker. Fountain is also the author of Brief Encounters with Che Guevara (Stories), which won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for Fiction, and a Whiting Writer’s Award.

SUMMER WORDS PANEL - LITERATURE WITH IMPACT
2017-06-19 17:15 - 18:30
Panelists: Chinelo Okparanta, Ben Fountain, Saïd SayrafiezadehModerator: Carole DeSanti, Viking Penguin VP and Executive EditorThe $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize was launched this year to honor an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue. How can literature forge connections and shape public conversation around critical issues, without polarizing readership? Chinelo Okparanta, Ben Fountain, and Saïd Sayrafiezadeh will discuss the transformative power of literature on thought and culture.
$25 Individual Event Tickets$75 Summer Words Pass | Includes access to all five public eventsAvailable for Aspen Words members only | Become a Member

Advance tickets from aspenshowtix.com are only available for the evening events at Belly Up.
Workshop students and Readers’ Retreat participants receive a pass to all of the Summer Words events with their tuition.
Read featured author bios here.
FULL PUBLIC EVENTS SCHEDULE

SUMMER WORDS PANEL - WE ALL START SOMEWHERE
2017-06-19 15:30 - 16:30
You all ventured away from your writing desks to the Rocky Mountains for a week…now what? Dani Shapiro and Hannah Tinti give advice on how to utilize this week to seek progress in your writing life.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT THE DOOR OF THE EVENTDOORS OPEN @ 3PM
Dani Shapiro is the bestselling author of four memoirs: Hourglass, Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life, Devotion, and Slow Motion; and five novels including Black & White and Family History. Shapiro’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, Tin House, One Story, Elle, New York Times Book Review, Los Angeles Times, and has been broadcast on “This American Life.” Her recent essays on the lures and dangers of the internet and social media have stirred up controversy and gone viral, and are now being taught in many universities. She is co-founder of the Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy and a contributing editor at Condé Nast Traveler.
Hannah Tinti is a writer, editor and teacher. Her short story collection Animal Crackers was a runner-up for the PEN/Hemingway Award. Her bestselling novel The Good Thief won the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, an American Library Association Alex Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. In 2002, Tinti co- founded the award-winning literary magazine One Story, and for the past fourteen years has been its editor-in-chief. She teaches creative writing at New York University’s MFA Program and the Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy, which she co-founded with Dani Shapiro, Michael Maren, and Antonio Sersale. Her new novel, The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, has been optioned for television and will be published in March 2017 by the Dial Press.

Publishing Tips from Debut Author Marcia Butler
2017-05-22 17:30 - 19:00
Marcia Butler will lead Aspen Writers’ Network (AWN) members in a discussion around the process of finding a literary agent, the discipline of writing, the flow of first draft to final manuscript, and the fluidity of creativity throughout all the arts.
*This event is open to AWN Members only. If you are interested in joining AWN, please contact aspenwords@aspeninstitute.org.
Marcia Butler’s life has been driven by creativity. She was a professional oboist for twenty-five years, and performed as a principal oboist and soloist on the most renowned of New York and international stages. In 2008, she changed careers to start an interior design firm, Marcia Butler Interior Design.
Her debut memoir, The Skin Above My Knee, was published by Little, Brown and Company in February 2017. She has published personal essays in journals and online literary sites. Her first piece of flash fiction will be included in an anthology of 100 authors from Centum Press. Marcia was a Writer in Residence for Aspen Words in 2015 under the auspices of the Catto Shaw Foundation. She is currently working on a novel and lives in New York City.

Kula Gives Back Yoga Class
2017-05-19 18:15 - 19:30
Kula Yoga will host a Give Back Yoga class in support of Aspen Words Community Poetry Programs! Join in for some yogi fun, led by Lucy Roginski, on May 19th at 6:15pm.
Drop-in rate: $16Proceeds from the Kula Gives Back Class will help create spaces for community members to share their voices through poetry.
