Chuckanut Writers Conference Update from Chasse Gunter

Dear Writers:

Chasse Gunter, intern for this year’s Chuckanut Writers Conference, offered this guest blog to bring us up to date on conference details, so take it away, Chasse!

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You know that point in time when something is closer than it is far away ? That time has come! The Chuckanut Writers Conference is only 50 days away! There’s only one thing closer than the conference itself—the Early Bird Discount deadline. In all situations, the early bird gets the worm, but in your case, the early bird gets a whopping discount, too! That price is $229 and all you have to do is register before May 15^th. Don’t mark your calendar; just go grab a spot right now. I’m an English major not a Rocket Scientist—and the decision is still obvious to me: cheaper is better. So just visit the registration page on our website www.chuckanutwritersconference.com/register/and join the discount flock. That’s thirty dollars off—or thirty coffees, or four nice rolling pens and a Moleskin journal, or a tank of gas (or I suppose you can save it for next year’s conference). There are student rates available, too.

Now that I’ve thrown my spiel at you, I’ll supply some of the conference logistics. The Conference will spotlight a plethora of authors and agents in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.  It’s a joint effort between Village Books and Whatcom Community College. Writers at any level of their career will benefit from the craft presentations, workshops, author/agent interactions and discussions this year has to offer. This year’s faculty are: Alice Acheson, Bruce Beasley, Jeff Bender, Wendy Call, Karen Finneyfrock, Waverly Fitzgerald, Kathleen Flenniken, Mary Hammerbeck, Thor Hanson, Gary Luke, Frances McCue, Suzanne Paola, Brenda Peterson, Naseem Rakha, Natalie Serber, Jennie Shortridge, and Garth Stein. Agents Elizabeth Kracht of Kimberly Cameron and Associates and Felicia Eth of Felicia Eth Literary will also be in attendance . There are also optional pitch sessions and marketing consultations for a low additional price. (Laurel Leigh will give a pitching 101 briefing during registration and Paul Hanson of Village Books will discuss how to maximize your conference experience.)

I’ve heard great things about the entire faculty this year!  People have been recommending that I take a class from Bruce Beasley since my first days at Western Washington University—but college passed me by quicker than I could say Iambic Pentameter. At least I’ll get to meet him on June 21^st and 22^nd. On that note, the Conference begins at 9 am sharp on June 21^st and concludes on Saturday evening of the 22^nd.  There will be open-mics for attendees in beautiful historic Fairhaven after the conference.

Besides satisfying your brain muscles, the Conference is sure to satisfy your stomach and musical muscles as well (no, I don’t know what the muscles that appreciate music are called ). Bellingham’s growing convoy of food trucks will be there to serve lunch. Bellingham’s own sultry history buffs, the Good Time Girls will be offering special historic tours to attendees. I’ve been on a couple of these tours, and you’ll have a good time, I promise (pun entirely intended). There’s word, too, that perhaps some of the faculty are in a band of some sort—details are veiled for excitement’s sake .

For more information, including conference program, registration, and the forthcoming announcement of our pre-conference event, visit the website: www.chuckanutwritersconference.com. Remember to take advantage of the Early Bird Rate—before May 15^th. I look forward to seeing you there!

— Chasse Gunter, Chuckanut Writers Conference Intern

Chasse Gunter is a Pacific Northwest writer who was born and raised in the one-street town of Belfair, Washington. Since college was the sensible next step after high school, he then moved to Olympia and received an associate’s degree from South Puget Sound Community College. Chasse then transferred to Western Washington University where he’s nearly completed a bachelor’s degree in English with a creative writing emphasis. He currently resides in Bellingham, Washington where he writes stories and letters to the editor between homework assignments and happy hours. He has been published in the Percival Review and Adbusters Magazine, and appeared in The Cooper Point Journal, The Sounds, and The Western Front. He is Managing Editor of a new campus magazine called Grano Salis Magazine.