A Reading from the Poetry and Fiction Contests with Judges Amy Hempel and Julie Kane

Why not kick-off the weekend with something new? As part of our organization’s mission to encourage and support new talent, the Festival turns an eye to the next voices in American letters with a reading from our 2012 Fiction and Poetry Contest winners. Hundreds of entries poured into our offices from around the world from writers who have yet to publish a book in their genre.

In this panel, the victors take to the stage to share their work alongside our illustrious judges, Louisiana Poet Laureate Julie Kane and respected short story author Amy Hempel, who will introduce and chat with this year’s cream of the crop. Past winners are already making their mark. Don’t miss your chance for a first look at the next wave.

Paul J. Willis, Executive Director

Paul J. Willis, executive director, has over 16 years of experience in non-profit management. He earned a B.S. degree in Psychology and an M.S. degree in Communication. He started his administrative work in 1992 as the co-director for the Holos Foundation in Minneapolis. The Foundation operated an alternative high school program for at-risk youth. Paul has been the executive director for the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival since 2004.

Kevin Lovelace, Associate Director

Kevin Lovelace, associate director, began working for non-profits while serving as an AmeriCorps member in 2001 and received his Master’s of Social Work degree from University of Illinois-Chicago in 2005. He served on the Board of Directors for the Austin International Film Festival from 2009-2010, where he acquired an appreciation for those who work hard to make a festival successful. With six years of resource development and non-profit administration experience, Kevin assists the executive director in the operation of the Festival activities.

Amy Wong, Marketing Director

Amy Wong, marketing director, manages electronic marketing campaigns, membership databases, box offices, and writing contests; works with print designers and the Festival publicist to create media strategy; and oversees summer interns and graduate assistants. Before joining the Festival in 2011, Amy was a writer and interactive producer at Zehno Cross Media Communications for six years. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in mass communication, with a concentration in advertising and a minor completed in psychology from Louisiana State University.

Ellen Johnson, Festival Publicist

Ellen Johnson, Festival publicist for 19 years, formed One on One Productions, her public relations and marketing firm, in 1993, after serving as marketing director at the Contemporary Arts Center. With a focus mostly on the arts and other non-profits, she has worked with the New Orleans Film Society, Orleans Dollars for Scholars, Dag’s House, and New Orleans City Bark, among others, but says the national and international interest in the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival has provided the richest experience.

Susan Larson, Vice-President for Literary Programming

Susan Larson is the vice president for literary programming for the Festival. She was the book editor for the New Orleans Times-Picayune from 1988 to 2009. She hosts The Reading Life on WWNO, 89.9 FM, and is the book critic for Steppin’ Out on WYES-TV. She is the author of The Booklover’s Guide to New Orleans, currently being updated for a new edition, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle.

Robert Bray, Scholars Conference Chair

Robert Bray is the founding director of the Tennessee Williams Scholars Conference. He is also the founding editor of the Tennessee Williams Annual Review, the only journal dedicated exclusively to works by and about the playwright. Bray is the author of dozens of articles on Williams, and his books include Tennessee Williams and His Contemporaries, Hollywood’s Tennessee: The Williams Films and Postwar America (with R. Barton Palmer), and the upcoming Modern American Drama on Screen (also with Palmer). Robert is a professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University.

Jessica Ramakrishnan, Festival Graduate Assistant

Jessica Ramakrishnan, Festival graduate assistant, coordinates our writing contests, manages our social media and takes care of general business. Her journalism has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Harper’s Bazaar and Style.com, amongst other publications. Her fiction was recently published by [PANK]. A graduate of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, she is currently an MFA candidate at the University of New Orleans.