Schedule | Saturday, July 25

8 a.m.–10 a.m. Late Registration, Hilton Lobby

8:00–8:35 a.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

"Infiltrating Subterranean Subcultures: Getting in Good with Those Seedy Groups Your Mother Warned You About" Panel Discussion with rising stars Mike Mooney and Ashley Harrell of Village Voice Media.

8:35–8:45 a.m. Q & A with Mike Mooney and Ashley Harrell

8:50–9:25 a.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

"Summoning Spirits" Bill Minutaglio, author of an unauthorized biography of George W. Bush and a number of other narrative biographies.

9:25–9:35 a.m. Q & A with Bill Minutaglio

9:40–10:15 a.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

"Wasting away in Margaritaville: Where Empty Barstools Tell the Border Tale Better Than Body Counts" Dianne Solis, Alfredo Corchado and Sonia Nazario, Pulitzer-Prize Winning Author of Enrique’s Journey. They’ll take you through the backwaters and big cities of Mexico and the United States, telling their tales of hope and heartache.

10:15–10:25 a.m. Q & A with Dianne Solis and Alfredo Corchado

10:25–10:40 a.m. Break outside La Verde, refreshments in Lobby

10:40–11:15 a.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

“Shattering Conventional Wisdom: Long Form Storytelling Works on the Web” Joy Sewing, the Houston Chronicle’s fashion and beauty writer.

11:15–11:25 a.m. Q & A with Joy Sewing

11:30 a.m.–12:05 p.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

"Lights, Camera, Action! The Naked Truth about Documentary Story Telling" Allen and Cynthia Mondell, documentary filmmakers.

12:05–12:15 p.m. Q & A with Allen and Cynthia Mondell

12:15–1:15 p.m. Lunch in Hotel Cafeteria

1:15–2:05 p.m. Panel Discussion, Auditorium

“Lost Causes: Finding Great Stories in the Criminal Justice System” Mike Hall, an award-winning writer for Texas Monthly. Skip Hollandsworth, executive editor of Texas Monthly, moderates.

2:05–2:15 p.m. Q & A with Mike Hall

2 p.m.–4 p.m. Close Encounters of the Literary Kind, Session 2, Location TBA

Optional – fee is $50 – sign up in conference registration. See the ticket in your nametag for designated time and location. Bring your ticket and nametag. Important: Please arrive early for your 15-minute appointment with one of our literary agents.

2:05–2:40 p.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

“The Accidental Memoirist: The Art and Ethics of Living Backward” Stephanie Elizondo Griest, a journalist and author who enjoys mingling with the Russian Mafiya, polishing Chinese propaganda, and belly dancing with Cuban rumba queens.

2:40–2:50 p.m. Q & A with Stephanie Elizondo Griest

2:55–3:30 p.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

“Consumed by Hunger” Roger Thurow, author and foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.

3:30–3:40 p.m. Q & A with Roger Thurow

3:40–3:55 p.m. Break outside La Verde, refreshments in Lobby

3:55–4:30 p.m. Plenary Session, Auditorium

“The Art of the Narrative Essay” Julia Reed, a contributing editor at Vogue and Newsweek and author of Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialties.

4:30–4:40 p.m. Q & A with John Burnett

4:45–5:25 p.m. Panel Discussion, Auditorium

“Alphabet Juice: Getting Physical With Your ABCs” Roy Blount, Jr., a contributing editor of The Atlantic Monthly and one of America’s wittiest writers.

5:25–5:30 p.m. Wrap-up with Roy Blount, Jr.

6:15–7:15 p.m. Literary Lights Dinner, Hilton Ballroom

Session Open to the Public, $100 admission.
Advance reservations only. No payments at door.
Time to dress up and enjoy an elegant evening in the Hilton Ballroom.

7:15–7:45 p.m. Literary Lights Award Presentations, Hilton Ballroom

7:45–8:35 p.m. Keynote Address, Hilton Ballroom

“This American Life: The Guiding Principles of Good Storytelling” Ira Glass, host and producer of NPR’s "This American Life.” http://www.thislife.org/

8:35–8:40 p.m. A Reading from Momaday's essays

8:40–9:00 p.m. Q & A with Ira Glass

9:00–9:30 p.m. Book Signings with Ira Glass and all Conference Authors, Lobby outside the Ballroom.