Warner Theatre Hosts THE (YOUNG) WRITER'S LIFE Today, 10/6

Today, October 6, 2012, the Litchfield County Writers Project will present an all day forum for young, aspiring writers in the Warner Theatre's Nancy Marine Studio Theatre lobby. The event will feature critically acclaimed first-time novelist Benjamin Hale, who will give a keynote talk and reading from his book,The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore. Ellen Litman, Professor of English at the University of Connecticut and author of The Last Chicken in America(2008), will moderate. The event, which includes lunch and a closing reception, is free and open to the public (ages 18-30). Please note that space is limited, so plan to arrive early.

The day will start with a panel of young writers whose work includes fiction, creative non-fiction, a self-help book, and blogging. Lori Carriere, a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Connectiicut, Will Hunt, and MFA student at NYU, and Scott Annan, author of Aimbitious: Creating a Wealthy Life Inside and Out will discuss the pros, cons, and how-to's of Creative Writing programs, self-publishing, and paying the rent.

The afternoon panel will feature young professionals representing various facets of the publishing business: Kelsey Smith, an acquiring editor at a major publishing house; Peter Knapp, a literary agency associate who works with commercial fiction and children's literature; and Benjamin Samuels, the founding editor of Recommended Reading, a new online literary magazine. The panel will discuss the ins and outs of the industry and how each goes about finding new writers.

In addition, keynote speaker Benjamin Hale will read from and discuss his critically acclaimed, wildly original novel,The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore. Hale graduated from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He has also worked as a night-shift baker, a trompe l'oeil painter, a cartoonist, and a technical writer-all by the age of 28. His novel, narrated by an erudite chimpanzee, chronicles the scandalous, hilarious, and touching story of inter-species love. The New York Times calls the novel "an absolute pleasure" and the Washington Post proclaims that "When the novel's antics aren't making you giggle, its pathos is making you cry, and its existential predicament is always making you think."

There will be ample opportunity for audience members to engage panelists in informal discussion, both during the panel and during lunch and the closing reception.

The Litchfield County Writers Project provides programs that celebrate the creative work of Litchfield County and support the academic aims of the University of Connecticut. LCWP gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the Warner Theater for providing space and technical support for this event.

The event will be held at the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre Lobby, Warner Theatre, Torrington. Lunch will be provided and a reception and book signing by Benjamin Hale will follow the event. Books can also be purchased at the University of Connecticut Torrington campus Co-Op, 855 University Drive, Torrington.