August 23, 2002

Vollman featured at 16th Focus on Writers Conference

The California State University, Sacramento, Library will co-sponsor the 16th annual Focus on Writers Conference from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, in the University Union.

The conference features Sacramento author William T. Vollman as the keynote speaker and includes 12 workshops on writing, research and marketing.

Vollman is a prolific and controversial author who has written 12 books, including The Atlas, winner of the 1997 PEN Center West Award for the best novel by an author living west of the Mississippi River. He is known for his dangerous lifestyle and has covered stories in Mexico, Bosnia and Afghanistan. His opening address will be followed by three sets of workshops covering a variety of writing genres - including poetry, screen writing, biography, mystery and suspense, children's writing, history, novels and science fiction - presented by published authors. Other workshops cover personal marketing, library research, E-book publishing, and, in observance of the centennial of John Steinbeck's birth, writing like Steinbeck.

CSUS is co-sponsoring the conference with Friends of the Sacramento Public Library.

The conference is open to the public and pre-registration (before Oct. 15) costs $35 for Friends of the Library members, $40 for others; registration at the door is $45. A box lunch is included. For more information, call (916) 264-2880 or visit www.lib.csus.edu/new or www.saclibrary.org/friends/friends.html. Media: For additional assistance, contact CSUS public affairs at (916) 278-6156.

####