The York Lesbian Arts Festival, York England
This Yearly Event Attracts Women From Around the World.
Nov 3, 2008
Workshops were held every day, and authors talked about their books and writing processes, and took the time to sign books between sessions. Artists displayed their wares in the Marketplace on the first floor, where you could also find books for sale.
Editors Reese Szymanski and Stacia Seaman Start it off Strong
This year kicked off on Thursday, October 23rd with editors Reese Szymanski and Stacia Seaman doing a workshop on Self Editing for Writers.
Friday's workshop was sold out, as author Stella Duffy talked about "Writing without sitting down." This workshop got amazing feedback, and hopefully Stella will be able to offer it again next year. Friday also began the book festival. Authors Radclyffe, Manda Scott, VG Lee and Therese Szymanski opened the discussion sessions by talking about character in writing, and how they go about building characters.
After a great session on screenwriting and time to browse the marketplace, the next session began. Bold Strokes Books authors and editors talked about "author voice" through discussions and illustrative readings. Jennifer Fulton discussed the elements that create an author’s unique style with Radclyffe, Kim Baldwin, Cindy Cresap, Xenia Alexiou and Julie Canon. This was a fun, informative session given by some of the most popular names in lesbian fiction to date.
The rest of the day was very much the same: great authors discussing their work and taking questions from the audience. In the afternoon the YLAF Playas put on a hilarious skit before two hundred women who were doubled over laughing.
Saturday Begins with Love and Ends with Dancing
Saturday morning's panels began with a talk about love in writing. Authors Jackie Kay, Marcia Finical, Julie Canon, Fiona Cooper and Jane Fletcher discussed how they handle romance and love in their fiction. This session was followed by one on publishing and how to do it according to Cindy Cresap, Kelly Smith, Jennifer Knight, Stacia Seaman and Radclyffe.
The Conversation with Radclyffe part of the day (formerly accorded to Genevieve Turner, who had to cancel at the last minute), was in front of a packed house. Radclyffe talked about her own writing, what she likes to see in romance novels and books in general, and played dress up with Moderator and YLAF Director Crin Claxton.
The rest of the days topics included: Are Lesbians the Only Fruits, Glorious Gore, Footprints and Lip-prints, The Plot Thickens-Making your Plot Make Sense, and On the Couch with Val McDermid, Jennifer Fulton and Manda Scott.
The Book Festival part ended, but Club Diva began in the evening, and YLAF attendees danced the night away next to their favorite authors.
Sunday is a Lesson in Herstory
On Sunday, from noon to 1:30, women gathered in Priory Square to celebrate women's prose and music and to listen to a history (Herstory) of women's rights and movement through the ages. It was a lovely, calm end to an excellent festival.
Next year’s dates have not been announced yet, but if you want to attend a fun, intelligent even surrounded by interesting and varied people, this is it. York is a place of immense historical background, and there are tons of places to visit and enjoy outside the festival as well. The Jorvik Viking museum, for instance, is built on top of a current archeological dig, and visitors can wander through and watch as the scientists work below. Or, visitors can walk on the Roman walls that surround the city to this day.
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