USD to host Milton Writers’ Conference

The Department of English at The University of South Dakota is pleased to announce that it will host the John R. Milton Writers' Conference, a unique three-day event which celebrates both our regional and our national literary culture, on campus Oct. 27-29.

This year's conference showcases an exciting roster of award-winning authors, as well as a series of creative and critical panels comprised of writers and scholars from all across the nation exploring the theme of "Frontier Nostalgia."

Conference events will include readings and book signings by featured authors, scholarly and creative panel sessions and pop culture panel sessions devoted to HBO's Deadwood and Joss Whedon's Firefly.

A Thursday night poetry slam sponsored by the Vermillion Literary Project at the Coffee Shop Gallery, conference lunches and a conference banquet will provide opportunities to socialize and interact with other writers, scholars, and conferees.

Lee Ann Roripaugh, associate professor of English at USD and conference presenter, said the literary community's anticipation for the October conference, which will be the premiere event for the university's Department of English, is hitting a crescendo.

"This year's John R. Milton Conference promises to be a very rich and multifaceted literary event. We're bringing together a nexus of award-winning authors, writers, and scholars coming from all across the country for what promises to be a very exciting three days of creative readings and stimulating panel sessions. The exploration of this year's conference theme of frontier nostalgia promises to be resonant, timely, and engaging," Roripaugh said.

Visiting featured writers include Kent Meyers, Linda Hasselstrom, Tiffany Midge, Vince Gotera and Tricia Currans-Sheehan, who will give readings and book signings along with USD's very own creative writing faculty Ed Allen, Brian Bedard, and Lee Ann Roripaugh.

Farber Hall readings by the featured writers are free and open to the public. Conference registration is required to attend the creative

and scholarly panels scheduled at the Coyote Student Center.

Faculty, students, staff, and community members are all cordially invited to register and attend the full range of conference events.

For more information about the John R. Milton Writers' Conference, please visit www.usd.edu/engl/milton, or contact Lee Ann Roripaugh at lroripau@usd.edu.