A few days ago I was listening to Willy Mason’s song “Oxygen,” playing it over and over again, fixating on one line then moving on to contemplate another. I’ve found that music — along with walks on the beach and a good book — is a great retreat from the smash-and-crash headlines of the day.
While we don’t have a beach walk planned, we will be talking about both music and politics at this summer’s Islanders Write. Well, to be more precise, the conversations will be focused on writing music and covering politics.
Islanders Write will kick off on the evening of Sunday, August 17, with a panel discussion on politics and the press, censorship, and coverage, and will end on the afternoon of Monday, August 18, with songwriters (including Willy) talking about songwriting.
The rest of Monday’s schedule will include panel discussions, writing workshops, and author signings hosted by Edgartown Books. I’m still waiting on the possibility of adding one additional panel discussion, and haven’t finalized the workshop schedule quite yet. What I will confirm is that we’ve asked four writers working in different genres, whose writing is research intensive, to talk about turning their research into a compelling narrative. We’ll also be talking about using the unreliable narrator as a literary device, and three best-selling historical fiction writers will be in conversation together.
We don’t usually do what I call “book talks” at Islanders Write –– but Paul Karasik’s new graphic novel adaptation of Paul Auster’s “New York Trilogy” is so unique that we’ve asked him to talk about his craft as it relates to the making of the book. We’re also welcoming back the pitch panel, and we’re currently accepting pitches.
While this list is still incomplete, it is my honor to announce that the following extraordinary writers and publishing-industry professionals –– all of whom have ties to the Vineyard—will be joining us at this summer’s Islanders Write: Elizabeth Benedict, Emma Brodie, Geraldine Brooks, Márcia De Castro Borges, E.J. Dionne, Nicole Galland, Meryl Gordon, Judith Hannan, Jemima James, James W. Jennings, Paul Karasik, Martha Hall Kelly, Mara Liasson, E. Lockhart, Willy Mason, Richard Michelson, Torrey Oberfest, Misan Sagay, Charles Sennott, Sherry Sidoti, Polly Simpkins, Nancy Star, Rosemary Stimola, Dawn Tripp, Christopher Willard, Patricia J. Williams, and Gretchen Young.
This edition of the Islanders Write newsletter also includes an essay on writing by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Bob Drogin, and an essay written by Valerie Sonnenthal from our Vineyard love story prompt. A new prompt with a new deadline, our Vin-lit quiz, a list of literary events, and the Islanders Write marketplace.
In the past few weeks, The MV Times has written about a few new books. I’m including links to those articles here:
“Sheepish” by T. Elizabeth Bell
“15-Minute Focus: Executive Function” by Noel Foy
“The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club” by Martha Hall Kelly
We are forever grateful to the individual sponsors who help keep Islanders Write free to attend, and to the Mass Cultural Council and the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation for the generous grants we’ve received. If you would like to help support Islanders Write, tax-deductible donations in support of Islanders Write can be made here
To wrap this up, I thought I’d swing back to Willy Mason and his poignant and prescient lyrics.
Do you remember the forgotten America?
Justice, equality, freedom to every race?
Just need to get past all the lies and hypocrisy
Makeup and hair to the truth behind every face.
–– Willy Mason, “Oxygen”
Write on!
Kate
Kate Feiffer is the director of Islanders Write and the author of twelve books
I’m an American historian living in France and have close family ties to the Vineyard. Do you ever need something written about some aspect of local history there?
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