Julie Kuzneski Wrinn:

Welcome! Few states can claim such a rich literary history and thriving kinship of writers as Kentucky. And only Kentucky hosts the longest running literary festival of women in the nation. Over the course of 29 years, the Kentucky Women Writers Conference has become a premier destination for women writers at all stages of development—published and unpublished—and our festival of free events gathers a lively community of readers.

I became director of the conference in January 2007 after serving for three years on its board of directors. My background is in book publishing. During a decade in that business in Washington, D.C., I had the privilege of editing some of Kentucky's most beloved authors— Wendell Berry, Ed McClanahan, and the late Guy Davenport. Arriving in Lexington in 2002 already knowing these eminent Kentuckians was a happy coincidence for me. And after these six years of residing in the Bluegrass, I better understand the rich sense of place that inspires its many artists.

Our 29th annual conference will be held on September 11–13, 2008. I hope you will join us in our mission to experience a world-class literary culture in Kentucky, to showcase Lexington's vibrant historic downtown, and to foster the evolving dialogue of women's arts and letters. You won't want to miss it!