From hunting rattlesnakes to staying high and dry during a flood, from savoring beauty to coping with loss, the Driftless Writing Center’s recently published collection of new works by area authors and artists highlights the diverse people, history and stories of the Driftless area. “Contours: A Literary Landscape” features previously unpublished essays, poems, short stories, novel excerpts, black-and-white artwork and hybrid forms from 64 contributors who have been influenced by the richness of the region and offer readers a multitude of viewpoints and vistas.
“The creation of a showcase for local and regional authors has long been a dream of those who started and supported the Driftless Writing Center, and we are thrilled to present this anthology of work as a testament to the diverse talents and experiences that make our landscapes and communities unique and resilient,” writes DWC co-founder Lisa Henner in the anthology’s introduction.
One early reader recently commented, “I am making my way through ‘Contours’ and can already tell I will be disappointed when I am done. It is an immersion into an extended neighborhood, and I feel like I am getting to know this place I call home through all the writers who contributed.”
Area contributors include Michael Brandt, Rose Brookins, Sarah Cords, Paula Dáil, Leslie Damaso, Keith Burrows, John Heasley, Kate Franzmann and Justin O’Brien. A reading from “Contours” will be held at 3-5 p.m. April 25 at the Slowpoke Lounge, 137 W. Jefferson St., Spring Green. RSVP by calling Arcadia Books at (608) 588-7638 or by e-mail to info@readinutopia.com. Books are available at Arcadia Books or online at http://www.driftlesswritingcenter.org.
The Driftless Writing Center, Inc. is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit corporation founded in 2010 and headquartered in Viroqua that connects writers, readers and audiences through workshops, discussions and public performances. The DWC celebrates the unique culture of the Driftless Region and seeks to enhance the creative expression of the people who live here because everyone has a story to tell.