Best-selling author and legendary talk-show host Dick Cavett will be kicking off the inaugural literary event, “Word Up: Long Island LitFest,” a day of live, non-fiction readings by best-selling authors and award-winning columnists and essayists. This one-of-a-kind celebration of the written word is scheduled for Sunday, May 31 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Gold Coast estate Castle Gould at Sands Point Preserve.
“Word Up: Long Island LitFest is a day to disconnect from gadgets and connect with each other,” said Claudia Gryvatz Copquin, LitFest founder and producer.
As keynote reader, Cavett will head up the first of three, one-hour sessions with a selection from his latest book, “Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments and Assorted Hijinks.”
Other notable Long Island authors include:
Susan Isaacs; “Goldberg Variations”
Arlene Alda; “Just Kids from the Bronx”
TIME and PBS contributor Roger Rosenblatt; “Making Toast” “Kayak Mornings”
Syndicated humor columnist Jerry Zezima; “Leave It to Boomer”
Humorist Carol Scibelli; “Poor Widow Me”
Plus Thurber Prize winner Dan Zevin, “Dan Gets a Minivan;” New York Times humor columnist Henry Alford, “Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That;” author Julie Klam, “Friendkeeping;” columnist Susan Konig; “Teenagers and Toddlers Are Trying to Kill Me!” and more.
“We’ve left a few spots open for selected voices from the community,” said Copquin, who will also be in the line-up.
To be eligible, previously published writers must submit their essays online by April 1. Writers will be chosen to participate by a blind judging process.
Books will be available on-site for purchase through sponsor Book Revue of Huntington and author signings will follow each session.
In addition to Book Revue, sponsors include Friends of Sands Point Preserve, NYU Langone, Bloom Media, AriZona Iced Tea, Anton Media Group and Jill Blau Publicity.
For more information, visit LongIslandLitFest.com. Admission is $20; tickets will be sold at the door.
