Nia and Ness, a dancer-poet performance art duo based in Brooklyn, N.Y.
GULFPORT — Do you write books for a lesbian audience? If so, we invite you to join us for the 2020 Gulfport ReadOut: A Festival of Lesbian Literature. This premier lesbian literary event, now in its third consecutive year, features three days of activities for writers and readers.
Acclaimed novelist Sheree L. Greer, whose most recent work “Bars” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, will be the 2020 keynote speaker and workshop leader. The theme for this year’s event is “Why Our Stories Matter.”
At Readout, authors share their works with an audience of readers who love to buy books. Friday afternoon readings will be dedicated to romance and erotica; Saturday morning and afternoon will feature a mix of fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
The workshop and panel discussion will take place on Sunday. In addition to the keynote, workshop, social events and book sales opportunities, Saturday night will feature entertainment at Gulfport’s Hickman Theatre by Nia and Ness, a dancer-poet performance art duo based in Brooklyn, N.Y.
To be a featured ReadOut author and read from your work during the festival, please download and complete the ReadOut Featured Author application. All applications must be received by Sept. 30. Authors will be notified of their acceptance no later than Nov. 15.
There are a limited number of author slots available, so authors are advised to follow all instructions and submit their best work. Authors who are not selected to be featured are still welcome at all events and to have a vendor table. An application for vendors will be available at a later date.
Authors had this to say about previous ReadOuts:
“I thought the weekend was fabulous and I can’t think of anything I would change. Truly… Thanks again for bringing me to your community!” — Lesléa Newman
“I loved the friendliness, informality, and the genuine interest of the attendees. The events were well attended, which is a huge plus for visiting authors.” — RJ Samuel
ReadOut takes place at the Gulfport Library. If you’ve never been to Gulfport on Boca Ciega Bay, we are a richly diverse community with a robust lesbian presence. If you’re flying in from out of town, Gulfport is just 30 minutes from Tampa International Airport.
Remember, the ReadOut Featured Author application can be found online at https://mygulfport.us.
For more information, email us at GulfportReadOut@gmail.com.
