We are very honored to have as this year’s keynote speaker FRYE GAILLARD, who has written extensively on Southern race relations, politics and culture as the author or editor of over twenty books, including Cradle of Freedom: Alabama and the Movement That Changed America and The Books That Mattered: A Reader’s Memoir. Gaillard, writer-in-residence at the University of South Alabama, will speak at Thursday evening’s banquet at Freedom Point at Liberty Park, overlooking the beautiful Cumberland River and historic downtown Clarksville.

The conference banquet will be encompassed by two days of interesting presentations and valuable workshops on Thursday and Friday, June 6 and 7. Authors scheduled to speak include:

• JANINE BOLDRIN, freelance journalist for Military Spouse magazine and author of e-book The Thinking Spouse’s Guide to Military Life;
• BETH ANN FENNELLY, award-winning poet (Unmentionables, Open House, Tender Hooks) and co-author of forthcoming novel The Tilted World;
• TOM FRANKLIN, New York Times bestselling author of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, co-editor of anthology Grit Lit: A Rough South Reader, and co-author of forthcoming novel The Tilted World;
• RHETA GRIMSLEY JOHNSON, journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the memoirs Hank Hung the Moon and Enchanted Evening Barbie and the Second Coming;
• DALE RAY PHILLIPS, short story writer and author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated collection My People’s Waltz;
• ADAM ROSS, author of 2010 New York Times Notable Book Mr. Peanut and short story collection Ladies and Gentlemen;
• CHUCK SAMBUCHINO, editor of Writer’s Digest’s Guide to Literary Agents and author of Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript and Create Your Writer Platform;
• ANN SHAYNE, former editor of book review BookPage and author of novel Bowling Avenue and Mason-Dixon Kitting: The Curious Knitter’s Guide;
• GEORGE SINGLETON, author of often humorous short story collections and novels, including Stray Decorum, Work Shirts for Madmen and Pep Talks, Warnings, And Screeds: Indispensable Wisdom And Cautionary Advice For Writers.

In addition to the scheduled presentations and workshops, free manuscript consultations with two literary agents will be available to conference participants:

• DEBBIE CARTER, literary agent with Muse Literary Management in New York City;
• GINA PANETTIERI, literary agent with Connecticut-based Talcott Notch Literary Services.

A limited number of query letter critiques with CHUCK SAMBUCHINO will also be available for an additional charge of $25.

A complete package including all conference activities is offered, as well as a la carte options. Discounted rates are available for early registration, which is postmarked on or before May 23, 2013. (Late registration is postmarked between May 24 and May 30, 2013.) Visit the conference website at www.artsandheritage.us/writers for author bios, the conference schedule, registration information and more.

The 2013 Clarksville Writers Conference is made possible in part through the generous support of the Tennessee Arts Commission, City of Clarksville, Austin Peay State University, Dr. Howard and Patricia Winn, Gannett Foundation / The Leaf-Chronicle, APSU Office of President Tim Hall, Greater Nashville Regional Council and the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center. Additional sponsors include the Fort Campbell Officers’ Spouses’ Club, Drs. David and Jennie Beth Johnston, Dee Boaz, Jeanie Page Randall, Jean and Wendell Gilbert, and Wade and Rebecca Bourne. The conference was developed in 2005 by Patricia Winn.

The Mt. Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society, along with Austin Peay State University’s Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society and African American Cultural Center, is proud to host the United States Colored Troops Living History Association’s Annual Conference and Banquet on October 19 and 20, 2012.

A reception with Civil War scholars will be held at Austin Peay State University’s African American Cultural Center on Friday, October 19, from 1pm to 2:30pm. The reception is free and open to the public.

Hari Jones, Assistant Director and Curator of the African American Civil War Freedom Foundation and Museum, is scheduled to keynote the banquet at Austin Peay State University’s Morgan University Center on Saturday, October 20, at 6:30pm.

Tickets are $25 and available through the Mt. Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society by calling Geneva Bell at (931) 552-8026 or Beth Kasper at (931) 387-3715; or through the Clarksville/Montgomery County Arts & Heritage Development Council via the below button. (Online ticket orders carry a $2.00 shipping/handling fee.)

Additional sponsors of this event include Amvets Post #78, Clarksville/Montgomery County Arts & Heritage Development Council, Clarksville/Montgomery County Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, Austin Peay State University’s Office of the President, and Walmart of Wilma Rudolph Blvd.

More information is available at www.mtolivecemetery.org.

Glenraven Mansion

Both Montgomery and Robertson counties have been major producers of dark-fired tobacco, and income from that crop has allowed planters in both counties to build lovely homes that dot the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee. This fall, the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council is hosting an all-day guided bus tour of five of those historic homes in Robertson County.

The 2012 Heritage Home Tour of Robertson County will be held on Saturday, September 22. Departing from the Riverview Inn parking lot (50 College Street, Clarksville) at 8:00am and returning at approximately 5:00pm, the tour bus will visit the following locations:

• Glenraven Mansion, the last large-scale, consciously designed tobacco plantation landscape in Tennessee (with a talk about the Tobacco Wars by Dr. Rick Gregory);
• Wessyngton Plantation, built in 1819 by Joseph and Mary Washington (with a discussion of The Washingtons of Wessyngton by author John Baker);
• Carousel House, with lunch catered by Burdett’s Tea Room;
• Russell House, in the process of being restored by owners Greg and Stephanie Lee;
• White House, called Maybelle by its current owners because they see it as the Belle of May Street (original name of 5th Street);
• Cheatham House, a spacious Federal-style home built by Richard Cheatham — father of Edward Cheatham, for whom Cheatham County is named — which was later changed into a Colonial Revival;
• Garner House and perhaps a few surprises still in the works!

Beyond tobacco, Montgomery and Robertson counties share a joint history. They were originally part of the same county known as Tennessee County of North Carolina. In 1796, a new state split off from North Carolina. When its first general assembly officially adopted the name Tennessee, representatives divided the original Tennessee County, naming the western part Montgomery for John Montgomery, one of the founders of the city of Clarksville, and the eastern part Robertson in honor of James Robertson, Father of Middle Tennessee.

This event is made possible in part through the generous support of Queen City Disposal, Planters Bank, Cumberland Bank & Trust, F&M Bank, Legends Bank, and Wyatt-Johnson Automotive Group.

Reservations, including lunch catered by Burdett’s Tea Room, are $70 (non-AHDC members) and $65 (AHDC members). Space is limited, and payment is due at the time of reservation. Checks made out to “AHDC” may be mailed to AHDC, PO Box 555, Clarksville TN 37041. Reservations are also available via the PayPal button below; a $2 convenience fee will accompany credit card purchases. We also recommend that you bring a lawn-chair for the John Baker talk at Wessyngton Plantation.

We regret to say that tickets to the Heritage Home Tour of Robertson County are sold out. Thank you to all of you who will be attending.