Media Advisory: Words Awake 2 Celebrates Wake Forest Writers and Writing
More than 40 alumni who are novelists, biographers, journalists, screenwriters, poets and hip-hop artists return to Wake Forest University this month to share their experience as professional writers during a two-day Words Awake celebration of writers and writing taking place April 8-9.
The event will demonstrate the power of writing with workshops, panels and readings that are free and open to the public. A complete schedule of events is available here.
On Friday, April 8, Wake Forest alumni will visit local elementary, middle and high schools. Media are invited to cover these visits and performances. Here are some highlights:
- Candide Jones (’72), author of the children’s book “In the Tree Top: A New Lullaby” — a new version of “Rock-a-Bye Baby” with a joyful ending — and Piedmont native singer/songwriter Laurelyn Dossett will be performing at Brunson Elementary School from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
- Blake Brandes (’06), a hip-hopper with a Ph.D. who helps students recognize their power and create lives they love by proactively changing their perceptions and actions, will perform at a school assembly at Winston-Salem Prep from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. He’ll be joined by social justice advocate Nia Evans (’15).
- CANCELLED: Interested in a cooking demonstration? Elizabeth Norfleet (’85), a magazine editor, cookbook editor and writer, and regional critic on food will be at the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Career Center. There will be four 90-minute blocks: 8:30 to 10 a.m.; 10 to 11:30 a.m.; 12:45 to 2:15 p.m.; and 1:35 to 3:10 p.m.
- Laura Elliott (’79), author of young adult historical novels, including “Da Vinci’s Tiger” and “Across a War-torn Sea,” will talk with students at Northwest Middle School from 7:30 a.m. to noon with author Lauren Wright (’10), whose book, “On Behalf of the President: Presidential Spouses and White House Communications Strategy Today,” will be released in April. They will also visit students at Summit School in the afternoon at 12:30 p.m.
Other writers will be visiting Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Contact the Wake Forest News Office for a detailed schedule and to arrange coverage.
At a banquet Saturday night, April 9, Wake Forest will induct five alumni, including Pulitzer Prize winning writer, journalism professor and current associate vice president and editor-at-large of Wake Forest magazine Maria Henson (’82), into the Wake Forest University Writers Hall of Fame.
