The Jackson County Public Library is one of 40 organizations that will host Indiana authors during 2020 as part of a statewide speakers bureau and writing workshop program offered through the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards.
Indiana Humanities, the new driving force behind the Indiana Authors Awards, selected the hosts and will provide support for award-winning authors to travel the state to speak to public audiences.
Funded through the support of Glick Philanthropies, the programs are open to public libraries, schools, churches, museums, community centers and other nonprofit organizations. Glick Philanthropies is a family of charitable initiatives, programs and organizations focused on building community and creating opportunity.
Next summer, the library in Seymour plans to host a writing workshop led by Indiana writer Jean Harper, who will discuss how to write memoirs.
She is the author of “Rose City: A Memoir of Work” and the forthcoming “Still Life with Horses.” She also wrote and directed the documentary film “1:47.”
Harper also has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Indiana Arts Commission, New Bedford Whaling Museum and Indiana University. The author holds a Masters of Fine Arts from Emerson College, teaches at Indiana University East and lives in the rural northeast part of Indiana.
The workshops, which are open to the public, are a new feature of the Indiana Authors Awards. Six other other Indiana organizations, besides the Jackson County Public Library, will be hosting writing workshops, while 33 organizations will host author talks.
“We’re thankful for this partnership and the opportunity to expand access to Indiana’s most talented authors across our state,” said Keira Amstutz, president and chief executive officer of Indiana Humanities. “The generous support from Glick Philanthropies allows more Hoosier readers to engage with impactful literature and thoughtful conversations.”
Dates, times and other details for the author talks and writing workshops will be announced at a later date. Information will be available online at indianaauthorsawards.org/calendar.
A new slate of Indiana Authors Awards winners will be announced in 2020. Nominations are due Jan. 6 for awards that will recognize the best books published by Hoosiers in 2018 and 2019.
Awards will be given in 10 categories, including fiction, nonfiction, genre, children’s, young adult, poetry, drama and emerging author. Awards also will be given in the categories of literary champion and lifetime achievement.
The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards honor the best books written by Indiana authors. Awarded every two years, they celebrate Indiana writers, shine a light on the Hoosier State’s literary community and deepen connections between Indiana writers and readers. For information, visit indianaauthorsawards.org.
Indiana Humanities connects people, opens minds and enriches lives by creating and facilitating programs that encourage people to think, read and talk. For information, visit indianahumanities.org.