Word Up: Long Island LitFest, the region’s first literary festival now in its third year, will take place at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College in Rockville Centre on Sunday, March 26 from 1 to 6 p.m.
General admission is $40 and includes two introductory workshops on essay writing and storytelling that begin at noon before a full day of author readings, talks and booksignings that start at 1 p.m. This year’s stellar roster of authors includes:
Pulitzer-Prize winning humor writer and New York Times bestselling author Dave Barry, whose columns and essays have appeared in hundreds of newspapers over the past 35 years.
His latest bestseller, For this We Left Egypt, a parody of the Passover Haggadah, is co-authored with Alan Zweibel (and Adam Mansbach), an original “Saturday Night Live” writer who has won multiple Emmy and Writers Guild of America awards for his work in television, including “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” “Late Show With David Letterman,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
His has also won a Tony Award and the Thurber Prize.
Gail Sheehy is author of 17 books, including the internationally acclaimed bestseller Passages, named one of the ten most influential books of our times by the Library of Congress.
She will be in conversation with Cathi Hanauer, editor of the New York Times bestselling essay collection, The Bitch in the House: 26 Women Tell the Truth about Sex, Solitude, Work, Motherhood and Marriage, and the recent, The Bitch Is Back: Older, Wiser, and (Getting) Happier.
Friars Club historian and LitFest emcee Barry Dougherty, author of several comedy books, will interview Kelly Carlin, writer, actress, producer, monologist, internet radio host, and author of A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George.
Steven Gaines is co-founder and a past vice-chairman of the Hamptons International Film Festival and author of numerous books, including Philistines at the Hedgerow and his memoir, One of These Things First.
Caroline Levitt is the author of the novel, Cruel Beautiful World, and the New York Times bestselling Is This Tomorrow, Pictures of You, and many other works.
The festival will also feature Bill Scheft, Emmy-nominated and longtime staff writer for David Letterman and author of five humor novels, including his latest, Shrink Thyself.
For more information about Lit Fest, go to www.LongIslandLitFest.com
