The English department hosted its 17th annual Pee Dee Fiction & Poetry Festival on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8 at the Lowrimore Auditorium in the Cauthen Educational Media Center.
The Pee Dee Fiction & Poetry Festival is an annual event showcasing authors from the Pee Dee region while bringing in more national talent as well.
This year highlighted the works of Jamila Minnicks, author of “Moonrise Over New Jessup;” Franny Choi, author of “Soft Science” and “The World Keeps Ending and the World Goes On;” Santiago García, author of the graphic novel adaptation of “Beowulf” and Jo Angela Edwins, professor of English, poet laureate of the Pee Dee and author of “A Dangerous Heaven.”
Franny Choi was unable to attend the showings on the second day. Due to this, Al Black, curator of the Jasper Project’s “Poetry of the People” online feature, attended the panel in her place.
After the event, a separate opportunity to get your books signed by the authors was held at the Cottage located on campus.
Alongside book signing, panel sessions were held to conjure discussion amongst the attendees and the panel members. Throughout the panel sessions, the audience would ask questions about the authors’ works and their craft techniques.
One question the audience would frequently ask about was about their experiences with writer’s block and how they have dealt with it.
“Usually, in the mornings, I’m brilliant,” guest author Jamila Minnicks said. “But I’ve learned to listen to myself when I’m tired.”
One of the primary goals of the event was to show students that authors are people too; that is, writers make mistakes and struggle too.
With high attendance, the English department is hoping that next year’s Pee Dee Fiction & Poetry Festival will be even bigger with more enlightening panel discussions.