Thursday’s Work-in-Progress: Preparing for Literary Travel

Four weeks from today, I’ll be heading to Charlottesville, Va., for an event-packed few days. Everything is being organized around the Virginia Festival of the Book, an annual shindig I’ve known about for years, but will be attending for the first time.

I’m looking forward to this trip with great anticipation. I have three “official” events on my schedule: a seminar on freelancing that I’ll be teaching at WriterHouse, the local literary center; a festival panel on “the art of short fiction”; and an event at the local synagogue. While I await instructions from the panel moderator, I’m working hard to prepare the seminar materials and to polish the remarks that I’ll be offering at the synagogue.

Everyone in Charlottesville–the festival staff, my WriterHouse contact, and the congregation’s rabbi–has been amazingly receptive, generous, and helpful. And then there’s all of the “extra” stuff: the events where I won’t necessarily have to be “on,” but rather where I will be able to sit back, listen, and learn (I really can’t wait for a panel featuring Thomas Mallon on Saturday afternoon).

I can already tell this is going to be a great trip. Any chance that I may meet some of you in Charlottesville?

4 thoughts on “Thursday’s Work-in-Progress: Preparing for Literary Travel

  1. Armand Inezian says:

    Oh this sounds great! Have a wonderful time!

    1. Erika Dreifus says:

      Thanks, Armand! I plan to!

  2. Yes, Erika, you’ll be seeing me at the WriterHouse seminar. I’m a WH member and as soon as I discovered you were coming, I signed up. I’m looking forwarding to meeting you after reading your posts for several months. I’m sure you’ll love Charlottesville.

    1. Erika Dreifus says:

      Pauline, that is wonderful news! Thanks so much for signing up. I think we’re going to have a great session. And I’m sure that you’re right: I expect to love Charlottesville!

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