There’s so much going on that I’ve split the latest update into two again. More to follow next week.

I’m delighted to report that several of our members have been contest winners recently. Connecticut Press Club Awards went to Kate Mayer for a speech, Marlou and Laurie Newkirk for a feature article about curling, Alison McBain as editor of When to Now (I may have mentioned this before!), yours truly for a short story in that book, and for this fabulous blog. Please let me know if you won something too (via the contact page) and I’ll update this post.

And Jacque Masumian, author of Nobody Home, came first in the One Book One Town Writing Contest run by the Fairfield Library, and along with other winners will be reading her work this evening, March 21, at 7pm at a reception at the library. Free.
The New London Library is holding its 4th Annual Local Authors Fest on March 23, from 11-2pm. Authors from Southeastern (and Southwestern!) Connecticut will be on hand to talk to you about their books and take photos. Among those appearing are our own Susan Israel, Alison McBain, Ed Ahern and Elizabeth Chatsworth. I’m told Victorian dress will be worn. It’s too late to sign up for this year, but it might be worth heading up there to see what it’s about.
This Sunday, March 24, the Pequot Library is offering an author talk, by critically acclaimed author Rhiannon Navin as she discusses her debut novel, Only Child.  Told from the perspective of a 6-year-old boy, Only Child is about healing, family, and the exquisite wisdom of children. Free and open to the public. Light hors d’oeuvres served.
Poet Brian Clements will be reading along with Marilynn Turner, Jen Sage-Robinson, and Sherezada Luisa Chiqui Vicioso on Tuesday, March 26 at the Danbury campus of Naugatuck Community College. There will also be an “open mic” for those wishing to share their work.
This event is FREE but reservations are required. Please call (203) 575-8083 or email bmonchun@nv.edu to reserve your seat by Monday, March 25 at 12 pm.
WestportWRITES, run by the Westport Library, is holding another mini-conference on March 31 from 1-4pm in Toquet Hall, Westport. A Query Letter Writing Workshop. Registration and fee required. This workshop will be broken into two parts: General Admission ($25 fee) will include the complete presentation by Cynthia Manson and Caitlin Alexander. Query Letter Review ($85 fee) will include the complete presentation plus a review of your query letter.
Register Now for Spring workshops at Westport Writers’ Workshop Classes run from April 1 to the end of May. Among other things they run a number of one-day Saturday workshops, which can help boost your writing. Among them Magical Realism – Writing the Unreal: Magical Realism, Surrealism, and Fabulism, March 30, Social Media for Authors, May 4, An Introduction to Scrivener, May 18, and Persistence & The Personal Essay, June 1. From $75-100.
On Wednesday, April 3, at 7:00pm, the Mark Twain House in Hartford will host Cathy Guisewite, creator of the “Cathy” comic strip. She’ll be talking  which ran in nearly 1,400 newspapers for 34 years, will talk about her book of essays Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault. The ticket price of $30 includes a copy of the book.
 
Something for writers of speculative fiction, in particular: on April 10 at 7pm, the Flinn Gallery at the Greenwich Library is offering a lecture as part of a series that should be of interest to all creatives: ‘The Artist as Writer’ with Brian Catling. His talk will focus on his journey and how the creative process translates and evolves into multiple disciplines, centered on his recently completed fantasy novel series, the Vorrh trilogy.
Robert McKee, Robert McKee, author of Story and world-famous screenwriter and author, will be teaching the substance, structure, style and principles of Story. In three days, April 11-13, you can learn how to apply classical story design to your own cinematic, theatrical or literary premise.
The Connecticut Center for the Book at Connecticut Humanities is now accepting submissions for the 2019 Connecticut Book Awards! These awards recognize the best books of 2018 by authors and illustrators who reside in Connecticut. Categories include: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, and Young Readers. This year the awards will include the Bruce Fraser ‘Spirit of Connecticut’ Award, in memory of long-time director Bruce Fraser and celebrating Connecticut’s sense of place .Entry fee starts at $40 for a 2,000 copy or less print run. Submissions will be accepted through April 19. Submission guidelines here.
As I said, more to come, but you can also find upcoming events on the Writers’ Calendar page of this blog. Thanks for reading!