A note from 2008

Marise Morse of Washington, D.C., attended BWC 2008 with her daughter, Delphine, and wrote us recently about how the conference helped with her pursuit of graduate writing programs. She's set now to continue writing with guidance from authors at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. "My time at the Baltimore Writer's Conference is memorable in several ways," she wrote.

From the beginning I was struck by the convivial, welcoming atmosphere. The opening panel session of writers with keynote speaker Larry Doyle was lively, amusing, and for me, revealing. I found their personal stories and anecdotes stimulating and when the discussion turned to their motivation for writing it particularly struck home for me. I had several conversations on various writing programs which proved extremely helpful & found the feedback from one-on-one sessions discerning and very encouraging. Before arriving I wasn't sure what to expect and once there discovered a wonderful synergy of writers, authors and readers. I was not only moved but motivated by a sense of people dedicated to their craft, writers wishing to learn and teach, open and ready to offer advice, and plenty of insights.

Panel on YA novels to include FUNNY LITTLE MONKEY author

Andrew Auseon, a video game designer and the author of young adult novels, will join the Baltimore Writers Conference for its panel on writing for young adults. Auseon's books include Funny Little Monkey, Jo-Jo and the Fiendish Lot, and Freak Magnet. His recent project, Alienated, will be published in fall 2009. Written in collaboration with filmmaker David O. Russell, Alienated tells the story of two boys who discover aliens in their town, a discovery that puts them in the center of an intergalactic struggle.