Washington Island Lit Fest is One for the Books

One of the best-kept secrets in literary circles these days is that of the Washington Island Literary Festival (WILF). Now in its fourth year, the WILF hosts fewer than 10 authors and not more than 125 participants. It’s a small, intimate celebration of books and the people who write them, as well as the people who read them, avidly.

This year’s gathering of writers and readers will be held Sept. 16-18, just as autumn is arriving on Washington Island. Each year the Festival Committee chooses a theme. This year’s theme is “The Mystique & Mystery of the Midwest,” a theme chosen to emphasize the broad spectrum of subject matter and literary style that can be addressed under the rubric of mystery. Featured authors are: Kathleen Ernst, Brian Freeman, Rebecca Makkai, Michael McCarthy, Nicholas Petrie, Patricia Skalka, and Kimberly Blaeser, the 2015-16 Wisconsin Poet Laureate.

At the festival, authors and readers have the time and opportunity to interact not just for a brief few seconds at a book-signing table, but throughout the weekend event – at workshops, on nature walks, at break times over coffee, tea and soft drinks, at a reception on Friday and a dinner on Saturday. Light continental breakfast, coffee breaks, reception and Saturday night dinner are all part of the registration fee of $125.

For program information and workshop fees, visit WashingtonIslandLiteraryFestival.com. To register early, go to truebloodpac.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, click on Literary Festival.