“A word after a word after a word is power.” ― Margaret Atwood

January 14, 2019

Geraldine Brooks 

Margit and Shayne

“A word after a word after a word is power.”
― Margaret Atwood

Sadly, all good things must come to an end and the conclusion of the 2019 Key West Literary Seminar seemed to come up way to fast. I can always tell when it has been a good seminar by my readiness for things to wrap up and this year, in spite of multiple 14 hour days in a row, I could have kept going and was really sad for the seminar to end.

 

Joeseph Cassara

Madeline Miller

Everything came together like clockwork and it went off smoothly from both a logistical perspective, which is always my primary concern, but also from a content perspective. The topic, writers involved, conversation and even the crowd seemed more engaged than usual and the weather was pretty much perfect, which helped make the social gatherings, receptions and dinners perfect as well.

 

Michael and Doug

I have to thank the amazing staff and volunteer crew who each year work to make the seminar something special. I was blessed to inherit an amazing crew of volunteers ten years ago when I took over the position of volunteer coordinator. Many of that group still show up year after year and the additions that we have made to the volunteer crew since have been able to blend in like pros. It is especially gratifying to see the reviews that are filled out by our attendees each year that consistently rate the volunteers and staff with the highest ranking of any aspect of the seminar.

Dexter Palmer

Valerie Martin 

These people that I work with year after year are not just co-workers, but have become good friends, so it is sort of bittersweet each year at the end of the seminar, because many come from out of town to work and this may be the only time of the year that I see them. Of course the work is exhausting as well, I feel both physical and mental exhaustion by the time the closing night parties roll around. This year the closing night party was hosted at my fellow board member Peyton’s lovely home and the board, authors, staff and other guests gathered to celebrate the completion of another excellent seminar.

 

Shayne and Kate

To illustrate just how exhausted I felt, at one point of the party I sat down on a small, but comfy looking couch near the pool. There were five of us sitting around a small table having a wonderful conversation, myself, fellow board member and friend Hilary and her husband and the iconic writer Margaret Atwood and her companion. All I wanted to do was go home and go to bed, yet I knew that this was truly a unique and special opportunity that many literary fans would give their right arms to experience so I forced myself to stay.

Margaret Atwood

It was one of the most fascinating, enjoyable and eye-opening experiences that I have had in twenty-three years of attending the seminar. Atwood is one of the smartest, most-witty, charming and interesting people you could ever engage with and there I was having a ninety minute intimate conversation with one of the most impressive writers of this generation. I sometimes have to ask myself, what the heck am I doing here? And this was one of those times.

Still I was too tired after that to attend the after-after party at our friend Nan and Mark’s house that they host each year, the late night party is where the crew and often writers, really cut loose and celebrate and again this year I missed it which I always regret the next day, but could not physically have made it that night. All in all the seminar was a wonderful success and an amazingly good time. I feel so fortunate to be involved with such a wonderful group of people and to be able to experience it each year.

 

Danille Paige

Now it is time to look ahead to the 2020 Key West Literary Seminar, “Reading between the lines: Sports and Literature”, which I have been selected to be the chairperson of the committee to select the writers that we will be inviting. It is a daunting yet exciting prospect and we will have big shoes to fill based on the amazing seminar just completed.

 

Protesting cosmetics shops next to San Carlos