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| Diana Mills, a retired Knox County school teacher and Union College staff member, continues to share her love of books through Writers’ Row, a Redbud Festival event. Three of the Writers’ Row authors—Linda Clement, Katie Pickard Fawcett and Melissa Newman—are Union College alumnae. The festival is an area tourism initiative hosted by Union College. |
Staff Member Brings Literacy to Redbud Festival Through Writers' Row
For the third consecutive year, Union College’s Diana Mills is bringing Kentucky authors to the Redbud Festival and Quilting Workshop.
In 2007, Mills urged the festival committee to consider adding a new event to the schedule—something that would promote literacy while giving guests a chance to meet and talk with Kentucky’s best storytellers. She proposed Writers’ Row, and then set out to find and invite a host of authors.
Writers’ Row now features a seemingly endless line of tables in the midst of Redbud Marketplace at Robsion Arena. This year, Writers’ Row will take place on Sat., April 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There is no admission fee.
The 2010 Writers’ Row will truly live up to its goal of promoting literacy by welcoming Steve Price, coordinator of New Books for New Readers (NBNR).
NBNR is a program of the Kentucky Humanities Council. The award-winning effort includes a series of books written at the 4th-grade reading level for adult literacy students. Written by scholars with the help of literacy students, the books cover topics in Kentucky history, literature and folklore.
Mills says Price’s participation is the perfect way to bring adult literacy into the limelight at Writers’ Row.
“This is a statewide program with books that respect the life experiences of adult literacy students,” she said. “Steve’s presence and his program’s involvement open Writers’ Row to everyone, even adults whose literacy levels may keep them from enjoying some of the other works at the event. The goal of Writers’ Row has always been to promote literacy, and Steve is helping us do that in a special way this year.”
Price will be flanked by more than two dozen authors who range from new writers to Pulitzer Prize nominees.
Sue Scalf, a Barbourville native and author of seven books of poetry, has twice been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Though she is now based in Alabama, many of her poems, including those in her most recent award-winning chapbook, “What Stays With Us,” have Kentucky settings. She will join Katie Pickard Fawcett, another Barbourville native, whose first novel, “To Come and Go Like Magic,” was recently published by Knopf/Random House.
Some of the featured new writers include Barbourville’s Melissa Newman, author of “Sister Blackberry”; Wes Henry, who will showcase “A Pilgrim’s Path”; Betty Mae Hodges, author of “The Red Can,” set in rural Clay county; Jennifer McBay Barry with her new work, “The Kingdom”; and Linda Cement with “The Cozy Little Igloo.”
In all, nearly 30 authors will participate with books whose subjects range from ghost stories to romance, mystery, historical fiction and children’s stories.
For Mills, the opportunity to celebrate great stories, meet gifted writers, and support literacy at Redbud is a natural extension of the festival and of her professional life. She spent over 30 years in the classroom and school library setting before coming to work for Union College.
“I got to share my love of literature with my students,” said Mills. “Now, I get to share it with everyone.”
The annual Redbud Festival and Quilt Workshop is scheduled for April 9 and 10 on the Union College campus. Writers’ Row is April 10 from 9:30 to 5:30 at Robsion Arena, home of the Redbud Marketplace. For more information, visit www.redbudfestky.com. Biographical information on each Writers’ Row author can be found in the Festival Events section of the Web site.
