Press Release: DC Conference Considers the Crisis in Book Review

News Release — Day Eight

Contact: Sarah Katz

Joyce Carol Oates, Brian Broome, Providing Keynote Address

Washington, DC, January 26, 2022—Books published by DC-area authors are a cultural highlight of each year yet many books by area authors don’t receive a single book review. DC-based arts nonprofit Day Eight is focusing on this “Crisis in Book Review” in its annual arts journalism conference to be held February 22-26. The conference consists of a series of workshops, panels, and keynote sessions. The conference is produced in partnership with The DC Line, The Washington Independent Review of Books, Alan Squire Publishing, Barrelhouse Press, Dryad Press, Pen/Faulkner, The Writer’s Center, Tagg Magazine, and through support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and HumanitiesDC.

“The immense energy and focus local authors put into writing their books is betrayed by the failure of the literary community, as a whole, to provide consistent and quality reviews for local authors,” said journalism program director Robert Bettmann. “Too much is the responsibility of the author, particularly leaving less economically-advantaged authors at a loss accessing readers, and literary careers.”

The conference opens with a virtual panel discussion Tuesday, February 22, 7:00 pm, featuring critics, editors, and publishers, including Sarah Marloff, Washington City Paper Arts Editor; Rob Brunner, Washingtonian Arts and Culture Editor; Regie Cabico of Capturing Fire Press, Merrill Leffler of Dryad Press, and Rose Solari of Alan Squire Publishing; moderated by Day Eight’s Robert Bettmann.

A highlight of the conference are the free workshops for prospective book reviewers that will be taught the morning of Saturday, February 26 by Stephanie Merry, Washington Post book editor; Ron Charles, Washington Post book critic; and Holly Smith, editor in chief of The Washington Independent Review of Books. 

Keynote speakers Friday February 25 and Saturday February 26 include renowned author and critic Joyce Carol Oates, DC poet and literary activist E. Ethelbert Miller, playwright and Pen/Faulkner executive director Gwydion Suilebhan, historian Russell Jacoby, poet Teri Ellen Cross Davis, author and Hurston/Wright Foundation co-founder Marita Golden, New York Times editor Jennifer Harlan, and author/commentator Brian Broome. All events are free and open to the public, but each event requires separate registration to attend live on zoom.

Seven new book critics have been invited to write reviews of local books within the conference, and those reviews will be published by The DC Line and The Washington Independent Review of Books post-conference.  Visit the DayEight.org website for information and registration links.

Day Eight’s annual arts journalism conference is produced within the DC Arts Journalism Fellowship program operated by the organization. Founded in 2016 the Fellowship hires cohorts of four to six early career arts writers ongoing. Day Eight is also an arts producer and non-profit press, publishing the arts magazine Bourgeon, producing exhibitions and performances, education programming for children and youth, and publishing books. 

Recent books by Day Eight include: Ashes to Justice by Quetta Nelson, So Much of Everything by Jenn Koiter, and The Forgotten River: an Anacostia Swim Club member anthology edited by Kim B Miller, Hope Greenleaf, and Thea Joselow.

For more information about the organization and conference please visit: DayEight.org.

A conference Facebook group has been set up for attendees at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bookreview

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