CD Wright Women Writers Conference

The inaugural CD Wright Women Writers Conference at University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR on November 2 and 3 was a smashing success. 

Below, Et Alia's Erin Wood visits ESSE Purse Museum in Little Rock's SoMa District on Friday with Emily Shearer of Minerva Rising Press. The two became friends at AWP 2017 in D.C. in February. 

Erin participated in an engaging writing workshop at ESSE along with a dozen other women, who grew to know one another and each other's writing through the contents of our purses. 

Tayari Jones was Friday's keynote speaker, who captivated the audience with a reading from her forthcoming novel, An American Marriage. 

Below, Eliza Borne, senior editor of The Oxford American Magazine, speaks on "The Topography of Contemporary Publishing," and Poet/Memoirist Jo McDougall speaks as part of the panel "A Call to White Women: Because the Warp is Everywhere."

During the conference, McDougall joined Erin's Women Makers of Arkansas project. 

Below, Erin Wo-mans the Et Alia booth at left, and gets a shot with friends Emily Shearer and Kim Brown at Minerva Rising at right. 

Women Makers of Arkansas/Women Makers of the South Nominations OPEN!

Women make Arkansas. Women make the South. We want to show how.

Nominations are officially open for two related book projects until February 15, 2018. Nominate yourself or your favorite food producers, distillers, artists, photographers, jewelers, fashion designers, authors, craftswomen, and other creatives by emailing womenmakersofarkansas at gmail.com. 25–40 makers will be selected for each book project. Books will be edited by Erin Wood and published by Et Alia Press in Fall 2018 and/or Spring 2019.

In your email, please include:

  • Subject line:  
    • Women Makers of Arkansas Nomination; or
    • Women Makers of the South Nomination
      • Note that Arkansas nominees will automatically be considered for South. The subject line is simply for organizational purposes.
  • Brief Nominee Biography (175 words or fewer)
  • Brief Description of Nominee’s Art, Craft, Product, etc.
  • Contact Information. If nominating someone other than yourself, please note whether they are aware of your nomination and/or whether you are making them aware. If selected, we'll need to do follow up interviews and procure images, so want to make sure nominees are willing participants. 
  • Website (if available, though not required)
  • Any Press or Publicity Links, or other brief pertinent information you think we should know.

Depending on the number of submissions, the nomination date may close earlier, so act quickly to ensure that you or your nominee(s) are included for consideration. Please use a separate email for each nomination. Each selected maker will receive a gratis copy of the book in which she is featured, and will have the opportunity to purchase additional copies at a discount. 

We can’t wait to learn how you or your nominee(s) shape Arkansas and the South through craft!