The workshop draws approximately 350 writers from around the country and typically sells out very quickly; the 2014 workshop sold out in 12 hours, says Teri Rizvi, who is executive director of communication strategies at University of Dayton and founder of the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop.
The workshop — the only one in the United Stated devoted to both humor and human-interest writing — launched in the year 2000.
“That year, Bill Bombeck was planning to donate Erma’s papers to the University of Dayton, so holding a writers’ workshop for a weekend in her name seemed like a logical idea,” Teri says.“I really thought the first year would be the only year.”
“But we spent three days learning about writing and laughing,” Teri said, “and there was a great interest in having it again. We waited a year, and held the next workshop in 2002. And we thought that would be the last year. But again, we spent three days learning about writing, and laughing!”
Since then, the workshop has been held every other year.
“By now, I’ve figured out that we’re nowhere close to the last Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop,” Teri says, appropriately enough, laughing.
Teri credits the enthusiasm of participants as well as “a stellar faculty, year after year.”
The 2016 workshop will feature a special staged reading of a new one-woman play, “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End,” starring Barbara Chisholm, and an exciting lineup of keynote speakers:
• Roy Blount Jr., humorist and social critic. A master storyteller and prolific writer, Blount has written two dozen books and is a familiar voice on National Public Radio’s trivia show “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me!”
• Amy Ephron, best-selling novelist, journalist and contributing editor at Vogue.
• Kathy Kinney (known for her role as Mimi on TV’s “The Drew Carey Show”) and Cindy Ratzlaff (marketing guru behind the South Beach Diet). The longtime friends are the creative force behind the Queen of Your Life book series, calendar and blog.
• Leighann Lord, stand-up comedian, actress, commentator and author who’s known as “the Urban Erma.”
Find out more about the 2016 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop at www.humorwriters.org/2016-workshop/ including information about the full slate of faculty. (Note: in full disclosure, you'll find my name on that faculty list. It's an honor to serve!)
Winning poets
Congratulations to winners of the 2015 Dayton Metro Library Poetry Contest. Winners were announced at a Poetry Party on Nov. 7 at the Black Box Theater in Dayton.
Gwen Owen, who works in external relations for Dayton Metro Library, says there were 298 entries in the library’s poetry contest, now in its 18th year.
Winners in each age category received cash prizes, courtesy of the Friends of the Dayton Metro Library. All the finalists, including Honorable Mentions, were compiled into a booklet that was distributed at the awards ceremony and which will be cataloged in the Dayton Metro Library collection.
Adult Category winners:
• First Place: Stephanie Coates, Dayton
• Second Place: Brian Powell, Dayton
• Third Place: Paula Frew, Sidney
• Honorable Mention: Courtnie Cottrill, Dayton
• Honorable Mention: Wendy Dereix, Centerville
• Honorable Mention: Jill Summerville, Huber Heights
Teen Category winners:
• First Place: Maddie Strickland, Xenia
• Second Place: Jack Laden, Kettering
• Third Place: Maddy Myers, Vandalia
• Honorable Mention: Katie Coyle, Tipp City
• Honorable Mention: Maddie Frasure, Dayton
• Honorable Mention: Makayla Nash, Dayton
Senior Category winners:
• First Place: Betsy M. Hughes, Dayton
• Second Place: Roger E. Dunlap, Centerville
• Third Place: Cecile Cary, Dayton
• Honorable Mention: John Stidham, Brookville
Event
From 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, at The Booksellers at Austin Landing: Jan Irvin, featured in my Nov. 15 Literary Life column, will hold her first public reading and signing of her debut novel, "The Dark End of the Rainbow."
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