Gift Bags for @StoryfestCT Overnight Guests are Made & The Count-Down to Kick-Off Is Getting Real Close

I will not get sick. I will not get sick. I will not get sick. I spent all day in Canisius Hall and suddenly my cough is back. Go away, cough! Go away.

There's a saying that I often channel when in sprint-mode that I try to keep center to how I operate. "It's not the sprint, but the marathon." Although I feel like I'm racing quickly right now, my pace and mind is more on the long-term goals of the work. For the last few weeks I've been collecting items for the gift bags that will greet 25 writers staying at the Westport Inn - these are overnight guests who will not be commuting on Saturday. With support from the Saugatuck StoryFest Youth Advisory Board, my teaching friends, Kim Herzog and Rebecca Marsick, and the librarian superstars, Cody Diagle-Orians and Alex Giannini, I think they will have snacks, toys, and reading materials galore for their overnight stay (nice to see my new frog painting made the cut of this post, too).

The Connecticut Writing Project at Fairfield University is thrilled to be part of this 2nd-year event. Lady year, we tapped out CWP-Fairfield work with Ubuntu Academy and hosted Ubuntu Matters on campus. This year, we're delighted to celebrate The Superpower of Hope and bring writers to the festival who have a direct connection with the classrooms and summer programs that matter to our teachers most.

If I can curb my cough, I'm going to be ready for a three-day festival of absolute awesome. Last year, our crowd was 2,000 participants and we're hoping to break that this year with the new Westport Public Library facilities.

It is a stellar location. I can't wait to share it with the writers.

Today is my long day...a graduate course late into the night and a day of finishing the touches on a national grant that I will throw into the universe to see what comes of it. I'm not optimistic, but as this summer's theme has done, I love / to believe / in hope.

There's so much to be said, written, and explored with this library, National Writing Project, Connecticut Writing Project, local teacher collaboration. This is powerful and it comes from a network of writers, dreamers, and advocates for the power of words.

Phew! And we're already planning for 2020.