Hello all!

Wow, April has been such a busy month as I’m wrapping up the school year and preparing for summer and my last year of college! (what?!)

Earlier this month, I went to AWP, the Association for Writers and Writing Programs conference. I went on behalf of the University of Iowa as a representative of the English department. I got a stipend in exchange for working a shift at the Iowa booth at the book fair.

In my free time, I spent time exploring the conference by chatting with presses and publishers, buying books from independent presses, and going to sessions held by authors and people in publishing. I learned tons of writing advice, how to pitch manuscripts, and even got my book signed by Carmen Maria Machado, an Iowa alum and a favorite author of mine!

In the evenings, my friends and I explored downtown L.A. This was my first time being in that part of California, and it was fun! We had a fancy dinner at a rooftop restaurant and went to the Last Bookstore and found ridiculously cheap books.

The conference will be held in Baltimore next year, and I have every intention of going again!

-Solenn