Dear Friends:

While our 2008 Summer Words Writing Retreat and “Passage to India” Literary Festival have come to an end, we continue to celebrate the written word here at the Aspen Writers’ Foundation by provoking thought, broadening perspectives, fostering connections, and inspiring creativity. Those of you who joined us for this year’s weeklong Summer Words celebration certainly inspired us, and we thank you for allowing us to be a part of your literary journey.

We hope you are still buzzing from the opportunity to immerse yourself in words with celebrated author-educators; mingle with India’s literary giants; listen to Salman Rushdie’s thoughts on Satanic Verses (Video footage to come); have intimate dialogues with publishing industry powerhouses; enjoy live music; talk songwriting; chat over drinks and dinner with your colleagues and friends; take a yoga class; and still have time to enjoy Aspen’s enviable recreational, sightseeing, dining and shopping prospects.

If you missed some or all of the Summer Words week, please make sure to click on the preceding links for author bios, an assortment of photos, and Salman Rushdie’s keynote address.

While there are too many wonderful Summer Words sponsors to thank in one email, we would be remiss if we did not send out a special thank-you to Cheryl and Sam Wyly, Explore Booksellers, The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation, the City of Aspen, Colorado Council on the Arts, Les Dames d’Aspen, and the Bedell World Citizenship Fund. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring Summer Words 2009, or becoming a member of the Aspen Writers’ Foundation.

Your feedback regarding Summer Words – and all of our programs – is crucial. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to fill out the 2008 Writing Retreat evaluation form and/or the 2008 Literary Festival evaluation form . Complete the survey and you will automatically be registered to win a free 2009 Aspen Summer Words Literary Festival pass. We take these evaluations very seriously, and we will do everything in our power to improve what you like, add what is missing, subtract what is too much, and leave the things that aren’t broken in well enough alone. We invite you to take a look at a sampling of the comments that we have received from the Writing Retreat students thus far, and to view the logistical history of our thirty-two year-old conference for a bit of perspective on why and how we do what we do!

Having said that, please indulge us as we share a favorite comment from the week by faculty member Bill Loizeaux who stated, “If God could create a writer’s conference, this just might be it. Impeccably organized. World-renowned, headline authors. Talented and motivated students. Inspiring readings and panel discussions. Snow-capped mountains. Roaring rivers. And at the heart of it all, the hard and rewarding literary work: the constructive scrutiny of participants’ writing by professional authors, agents, and editors; then the hammering of drafts into publishable ideas and manuscripts. It’s a heady time, these six days in Aspen. A delight for students and faculty alike.” We couldn’t agree more.

Please stay tuned for information regarding our 2009 Aspen Summer Words Writing Retreat and Literary Festival, to be held June 21st – 26th in Aspen. The Writing Retreat faculty will be announced this fall and the manuscript submission deadline for juried workshops is April 1, 2009. The literary heritage theme for 2009 will be announced shortly, and presenters, editors and agents will be publicized in March.

In the meantime, we invite you to keep abreast of the many exciting AWF programs and activities that occur throughout the year by visiting our homepage and signing up to receive our email newsletters and snail mail brochures.

With all best wishes from the AWF team, Lisa, Natalie, Jordan, Nicole and Lara

Literary Festival Presenting Sponsor:

Writing Retreat Presenting Sponsor

The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation