The
weekend will
start off on Friday, May 9th with a series of master classes on topics
from “The Role of the Editor” with John
Scognamiglio of Kensington
Press
to “A Novel Approach” with Katherine Forrest to
“How They Done It” with
mystery writers J.M. Redmann and Greg Herren. The opening party of the
weekend is a Friday night reception in that hot spot of Bourbon Street,
Ambush Mag headquarters. A special part of the weekend will be a chance
to attend an intimate dinner party with a featured author such as
Patricia
Nell Warren, Dorothy Allison, Felice Picano, Katherine V. Forrest, Jim
Grimsley,
William J. Mann, Ron Suresha, and J.M. Redmann. The dinners will take
place
in the elegant homes of some of New Orleans most renowned hosts.
Saturday kicks off with panel discussions and a reading series. There
will be something for everyone with topics ranging from what editors
want to poetry to writing literotica to the Hollywood interview. The
saints can take an early night on Saturday, but for the sinners there
will be an erotica reading emceed by Gennifer Flowers at her bar in the
French Quarter.
Sunday continues with the panel discussions and reading series. And the
weekend ends with a closing reception upstairs at the Bourbon Pub.
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The festival
hopes to accomplish two things. One is to raise funds for NO/AIDS Task
Force and its programs and services. But the festival will also serve
as a community awareness forum, something to show another side of the
GLBT community other than the one shown at party times like Mardi Gras
or Southern Decadence. While there must be many facets to HIV
prevention efforts, one way is to give the community social outlets
other than ones that seem to place emphasis on drugs, alcohol and sex,
as well as role models of talented and accomplished gay men, lesbians
and straight people who are open minded and supportive for
young people struggling with their sexual identity and needing
affirmation for who they are and who they might become.
The festival will take place in the heart of New Orleans’
historic
French Quarter, using the Cabildo, the Shim Sham Club and
O’Flartery’s
Irish Channel Pub as spaces for the readings and panels. Everything
will be within easy walking distance of only a block or two. Visit the
Festival web site at
www.sasfest.com for a complete schedule of events, list of
participants,
and registration forms.
For additional information or to register by phone, contact Tina Simon
at 504-821-2601 x 217 or funddevelop2@noaidstaskforce.org.
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