Autumn Writers Intensive with Rebecca Brown and Ilya Kaminsky

October 9-12, 2008
Fort Worden State Park
Port Townsend, Washington
Tuition, room, and board: $595

For four years, Rebecca Brown has been Centrum's Artistic Director for Literature—but she has not taught any workshops. That wait is over, as she joins with poet Ilya Kaminsky the weekend of October 9-12 in a weekend gathering that will offer intensive residential workshops in fiction and poetry in a supportive, inspirational environment.

You'll find yourself in the companionship of a small, tightly knit group of writers, share communal meals with Rebecca and Ilya, and soak yourself in the literary life with lots of conversation, while getting much individual attention to your work.

The two workshops will be separate—Rebecca will lead a workshop for fiction writers designed to lead you to new stories and new work, while Ilya will lead a similar workshop for poets—but you'll be able to interact with participants in the other genre over meals and evening gatherings.

You can register for this workshop by following this link or by calling our Registrar at 360.385.3102, x114. You can also download a PDF version of the application form.

Faculty

Rebecca Brown is the author of eleven books of fiction and nonfiction, including "The Last Time I Saw You", "The Gifts of the Body", and "Excerpts from a Family Medical Dictionary". Brown was the first writer-in-residence at the Hugo House in Seattle and has taught in numerous settings, including Brown, U.C. Davis, the University of Washington, Pacific Lutheran University, prisons, senior citizens’ homes, libraries, and bars. Brown also collaborates frequently with artists in different disciplines, including the opera and theater. She has lived in London and Italy and now makes her home in Seattle with her spouse, their cats, and an impressive collection of rock-n-roll, classical, and weird CD’s.   

Ilya Kaminsky was born in Odessa, in the former Soviet Union. His family received asylum from the  American government and came to the United States in 1993. His book-length collection of poems, "Dancing In Odessa", was twice a finalist for the National Poetry Series and also a finalist for the Walt Whitman Award. His follow-up collection, "Musica Humana", has been widely acclaimed. Kaminsky resided in San Francisco for many years, where he worked as a law clerk for the National Immigration Law Center and Bay Area Legal Aid, assisting immigrants, the homeless, and the impoverished in solving their legal difficulties. He currently teaches at San Diego State University.

Schedule for the Autumn Writers' Workshop

Thursday
Check-in by 7:30 pm

Friday
8-9: breakfast
9–12: morning workshop
12-1: lunch
1–5: individual writing time/individual conference time with Rebecca or Ilya.
5:30–6:30: dinner
7:30: informal student reading

Saturday
8-9: breakfast
9–12: morning workshop
12–1: lunch
2–5:30: individual writing time/individual conference time with Rebecca or Ilya.
5:30–6:30: dinner
7:30: public reading by Rebecca and Ilya.

Sunday
9–11: informal student readings of work over breakfast and coffee
12: departure