Roanoke Regional Writers Conference V:
a Strong Lineup

January 27-28, 2012

The fifth edition of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference at Hollins University, scheduled January 27-28, features what founding director Dan Smith calls "probably our strongest and most varied lineup."

Two dozen classes, taught by over 25 professionals, a round-table discussion, a Friday evening reception with two speakers and Saturday lunch are all included in the $60 tuition. The conference will feature a number of successful authors, journalists, designers, marketers and academics, as well as an accountant and a lawyer to help students with the practical end of their profession. This year, for the first time, science fiction will be featured with two classes taught by Mike Allen and Rod Belcher. Allen and Belcher have found considerable success in the genre and each has a day job to supplement the passion. Allen is a newspaper reporter and Belcher owns Cosmic Castle, a gaming store.

For the second straight year, the conference will have talks by literary agents, this year a married couple from New York, Nat Sobel and Judith Weber. The Jackson Center for Creative Writing at Hollins is sponsoring the appearance of Sobel Weber Associates.

Among those teaching who have new books are Belcher, Mollie Cox Bryan (a cookbook writer whose first mystery novel is due out in February), Doug Cumming, Cathryn Hankla, Gina Holmes, Roland Lazenby, Jim Minnick and Matthew Vollmer. Dan Smith and Darrell Laurent have new novels in the final phases of completion.

Details:

• Register online
• Conference schedule
• Presenters
• Hollins campus map

Questions?

Contact Dan Smith at (540) 556-8510 or e-mail editrdan@msn.com.