Wordstock knows that you would never judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it helps to see the cover, right? And interesting covers lead to great adventures in reading. That’s why we’re so excited about our new bookshelves at Powells.com – fiction, non-fiction and poetry. All the books from this year’s festival authors in one spot. See the covers, read the reviews, and buy the books. Because when you buy a book off of Wordstock’s shelves, Powell’s will donate a percentage of the sales back to the non-profit Wordstock. As if you needed more reasons to buy books from Powells!

“Reading and telling stories about all the drama that is your momma”
Baghdad Theater
Thursday, May 7th at 7:30 PM
Doors open at 6:30
$12.00 online / $15.00 door

21 AND OVER ONLY

Tickets are now on sale for Word to Your Mother!
Wordstock has paired up with LiveWire and Back Fence PDX to create an evening celebrating what it means to be a mother, have a mother, or to take issue with mothers. Mamas will receive treats from Saint Cupcake, and everyone will be entertained with appearances by Courtenay Hameister and Chelsea Cain of True Stories; Greg Gasperin and Sarah Hoopes of Mortified; Adam Arnold and David Bragdon of Back Fence PDX. Derrick Brown will be the evening’s host, and Loch Lomond will perform!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!!!

Join Wordstock at the Writer’s Resource Fair at the Central Library from noon to 3 pm this Sunday (March 15th). We’ll have information on our short fiction competition, writer’s workshops, and upcoming events. And, of course, Wordstock buttons.

Sharpen your pencils and Macbooks.

Wordstock’s 3rd annual Short Fiction Competition is now open for submissions. This year’s judge is esteemed nature writer and National Book Award winner Barry Lopez. First place winner will receive $1,000 and have their story published in the September issue of Portland Monthly. All 10 finalists’ stories will be published in The Wordstock Ten, an anthology available for purchase at the festival, Portland-area bookstores, and online at wordstockfestival.com. All entrants will receive a complimentary copy.

Entries must be less than 4,000 words, and will be accepted by mail only at 8536 SW St Helens Dr., Suite D, Wilsonville, OR 97070. Entries must be postmarked by July 1, 2009.  The entrance fee is $25 per submission. Click here for the complete guidelines.

Last year’s competition drew over 300 entries from all over the world. The 1st place winner, Kurt Rheinheimer of Roanoke, Virginia, won $1,000 and had his story, “Calendar Girl Arrested, Freed” published in the December 2009 issue of Portland Monthly.

The Oregon State Library wants to help you celebrate Oregon’s Sesquicentennial (150th birthday!). And we all know how libraries like to party (a lot like us at Wordstock, actually); with a huge stack of books, in a quiet corner. “For 150 years, Oregon has been a state of readers and writers,” said State Librarian Jim Scheppke. “It’s no accident that we have some of the best libraries and bookstores anywhere in the country.” The library’s collection of 150 books about Oregon looks quite good. And, like Oregon itself, there’s something for everyone. You know: poets, social dissidents, history buffs, walks, hikers, bikers, bakers. We all live here and all have a story. And this list is packed with amazing stories. Check it out here.

Wordstock is pleased to announce the winners of the 2nd Wordstock Short Fiction Competition. The final judge for this year’s competition was Ursula K. Le Guin.

First Prize

“Calendar Girl Arrested, Freed”
by Kurt Rheinheimer of Roanoke, Virginia

Second Prize

“The Sunbather”
by Brendan Kerr of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Third Prize

“Buried Dinner”
by Gregory Loselle

Finalists

“Zagharoot” by Linda Barnhart of Charming Forge, Pennsylvania
“Looks Like Newsprint” by Danya Bush of Park City, Utah
“My Father Moves Through Time Like a Dirigible” by Gregg Cusick of Durham, North Carolina
“You Must Remember This” by Norton Girault of Norfolk, Virginia
“Voices of the Doomed” by James Gish, Jr.
“The Albatross” by Jendi Reiter of Northampton, Massachusetts
“The Way Home” by Lones Seiber of Morristown, Tennessee

Mr. Rheinheimer’s story a first prize of $1,000 and publication in the December 2008 issue of Portland Monthly magazine. All 10 finalists’ stories have been published in the Wordstock Ten, an anthology that will is available at Portland-area bookstores and online through the website of the anthology’s publisher, William, James & Co. Every writer who enters the competition will receive a copy of the anthology.

Congratulations to the winners!

With so much being said about Portland we thought it time we hear it from the people that say it best– local writers. So we asked the finest ones we know (who all happen to be featured at Wordstock) to write a 50-word piece on Portland topics and to turn it around in a couple of days. So was born “Portland on Portland”. You can view the project by clicking on the animated red button in the top right of our homepage.

Or by clicking this link!