Once again, we have Luanne Smith to thank for sponsoring our trip to the AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) conference. As always we saw so very many friends–authors and editors with whom we have worked. Authors with whom we hope someday to work. Experts in the field with good advice, and talented new poets and writers. It didn’t seem as crowded as in years past, and there was clearly concern behind the cheery smiles and pats on the back. It’s a tough time to be trying to sell spots in creative programs. And it’s a tough time to try and make a living in publishing. We especially enjoyed connecting with fellow Texas publishers. Here are a bunch of photos. I’ll put them here and try to add the names!!!
And we missed pictures somewhere… Those who took photos with us, please share!
This is an incomplete photo gallery from Madville Publishing’s AWP25 experience. There were several other authors we know we photographed… We need to connect with a couple of others who took photos. Bruce Overby? Patricia Clark? Lee Zacharias already sent hers…
We had many favorable comments about our new backdrop, and we have to admit that we got it from VistaPrint. They do amazing things quickly and inexpensively. I mention it here because some of our friends asked.
We had a smaller showing at this year’s AWP conference. Kim didn’t attend, having begun her college career in Missouri, she could only think of the weather and the unpredictability of flights in early February in Kansas City. But of course, Madville has a number of authors who have no such aversion to the cold or fear of driving on icy roads, and they did attend and represented Madville happily.
Poet Rick Campbell reads at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum reads at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis reads at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Queen Dolly regally awaits selfies with fans at the Book Fair! Photo by Lee Zacharias. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Wondra Chang reads from her Sonju during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Jenny Molberg reads during the Madvillans Read Event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author and photographer Lee Zacharias takes a photo with authour Michael Gills. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Mike Hilbig reads at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Anna Sandy-Elrod reads during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Michael Gills reads from The Green Mage during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis reads during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Maurice Carlos Ruffin and Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis take a photo with Dolly at the Book Fair. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Poet Rick Campbell reads from his collection Gunshot, Peakcock, Dog at Madvillans Read. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Kari Gunter-Seymour reads during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Writer Cherise Pollard reads during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Former Texas Poet laureate Karla K. Morton reads from her collection, Turbulence and Fluids, during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Writer Troy E. Wilderson reads during the The Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty panel. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Bruce Overby reads from The Cyclone Release at the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Ulrick Casimir reads at the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Lisa Lanser Rose reads at the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Mike Hilbig reads during the Madvillains Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Jodi Angel speaks during the The Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty panel. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Poet Raye Hendrix reads during the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Former Texas Poet laureate Karla K. Morton reads from her collection, Turbulence and Fluids, at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Lisa Lanser Rose reads at the Madvillans Read event.Michael Gills reads from The Green Mage during the Madvillans Read event.Former Texas Poet Laureate Karla K. Morton reads from her collection, Turbulence and Fluids, during the Madvillans Read event.Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis, author Lisa Lanser Rose, unknown, and writer Cherise Pollard take a group photo before setting up the Book Fair booth.Author Kari Gunter-Seymour reads during the Madvillans Read event.All the books ready to go to the Book Fair!Author Jenny Molberg reads during the Madvillans Read Event.Author Anna Sandy-Elrod reads during the Madvillans Read event.The view from the conference hotel in Seattle.Writer Cherise Pollard reads during the Madvillans Read event.Our beautiful booth, stocked with books for AWP 2023!Bill Davis sightseeing in Seattle before AWP 2023.Author Stephanie Powell Watts during the Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty panel.Michael Gills speaks during the Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty panel.Sightseeing in Seattle before AWP 2023.Poet Raye Hendrix reads during the Madvillans Read event.Sightseeing in Seattle before AWP 2023.Cat Smith and Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis pose in front of the Madville Publishing booth poster at AWP 2023.Author Bruce Overby reads from The Cyclone Release at the Madvillans Read event.Francine Rodriguez laughs as Jodi Angel speaks during the The Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty panel.Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis reads at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Author Jodi Angel reads at the Madvillans Read event. Photo by Lee Zacharias.Cat Smith and author Francine Rodriguez eat dinner at Ristorante Barolo Ristorante.Former Texas Poet Laureate Karla K. Morton and Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis pose in front of the Dolly poster. Karla is holding a stack of copies of her poetry collection, Turbulence and Fluids.Madville Publishing founder Kim Davis and author Stephen Powers take a photo in front of the Dolly poster.Lana K. W. Austin, author of Like Light, Like Music, reads at the Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press.Author Susan O’Dell Underwood reads at the Madvillans Read event.Author Mike Hilbig reads during the Madvillains Read event.Author Francine Rodriguez gets a photo with the Dolly poster at the AWP Book Fair.Francine Rodriguez reads from A Woman’s Story during the Urban and Rural: Writing about Poverty panel.
4:00 PM-5:30 PM – Offsite Reading at The Chieftain Irish Pub: Madville Publishing, Iris Press, and Stephen F. Austin State University Press (Readings from Lana K. W. Austin, Rick Campbell, Mike Hilbig, Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, karla morton, Bruce Overby, Susan O’Dell Underwood, Lee Zacharias & more!)
6:00-7:30 PM –Meet and Greet the Madvillans
Reception in the Ballard Ballroom, Sheraton Grand Seattle, Third Floor, Pike Street Tower Madville Publishing invites friends and those who would like to become friends to join us for an opportunity to meet our authors. There will be libations!!
Friday, March 10, 2023
9:00-5:00 PM – in the book fair (Booth number 722)
The Columbia Room, Sheraton Grand, Seattle, Fourth Floor, Union Tower
(Readings from Jodi Angel, Lee Zacharias, Maurice Ruffin, Cherise Pollard, Lana Austin, Michael Gills, Francine Rodriguez, karla k. morton, Wondra Chang, Rick Campbell, Kari Gunter-Seymour, Makayla Gay, Bruce Overby, Susan O’Dell Underwood, Mike Hilbig, Dion O’Reilly, Hillary Behrman, Kim Addonizio, Anna Sandy-Elrod, Raye Hendrix, Jenny Molberg, Kim Davis, Lisa Rose, and Gigi Marino.)
Saturday, March 11, 2023
9:00-5:00 PM – in the book fair (Booth number 722)
While class is often the backdrop to a story rather than the main point, writing about poverty is often compartmentalized. Grit Lit, Street Lit, Kmart fiction, even noir, there seems to be a place to put this work rather than actually looking at it as writing about the human condition. This panel brings together prose writers from rural and urban settings to discuss commonalities, differences and the bigger picture when class is a major factor in the work.
Have a look at our Spring 2023 books, & help us launch them at AWP23
original cover art by Andrew Dunn, “Tessia and the Dragon”
