Alice Hoffman, one of America’s most distinguished and bestselling novelists, will be the keynote speaker at the 12th annual Sanibel Island Writers Conference presented by FGCU Nov. 2-5 at BIG Arts on Sanibel.
Participants can now register for a variety of workshops, panels, lectures and readings presented by celebrated and experienced writers and teachers.
Hoffman has published more than 30 novels, three books of short fiction and eight books for children and young adults. Her novel “Here on Earth,” an Oprah Book Club choice, was a modern reworking of some of the themes of Emily Bronte’s masterpiece “Wuthering Heights.” “Practical Magic” was made into a film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, and Hoffman just released a prequel, “The Rules of Magic.” Her novel, “At Risk,” which concerns a family dealing with AIDS, can be found on the reading lists of many universities, colleges and secondary schools.
Hoffman’s keynote address is free and open to the public, and begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, in Schein Hall at BIG Arts, 900 Dunlop Road.
On Saturday, Nov. 4, singer-songwriter and author Frank Turner will perform selections from his six albums and four rarities collections. Turner has been touring regularly for the last 10 years, performing to millions of fans around the world, including sold-out gigs at Wembley Arena and as an opener at the London 2012 Olympics. He also is the author of the bestseller “The Road Beneath My Feet.” The free event takes place at BIG Arts at 6 p.m.
On Thursday, Nov. 2, celebrated singer-songwriter and author Dan Bern will perform songs from the vast catalogue of albums he’s recorded over the past 20 years. Bern’s songs have been featured in films and television shows such as “Get Him to the Greek” and “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” and the Amazon cartoon series “The Stinky and Dirty Show.” His novels include “Quitting Science” and “10,000 Crappy Songs.” The free concert takes place at at 6 p.m. at BIG Arts.
For a complete schedule of workshops, presentations, panels and readings go to the conference website or contact Tom DeMarchi at [email protected] or (239) 590-7421.