ZZ Packer

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition defines “confab” as a chat or discussion, but we prefer Webster’s Third New International Dictionary’s more lyrical “handshakings and organization building.” No secret handshake or special membership card binds the writers gathering at this weekend’s New Fiction Confab, but still, put together, they mark some of the most exciting literary talent today, including ZZ Packer (Drinking Coffee Elsewhere), Doug Dorst (Alive in Necropolis), and Wells Tower (we named his kicky, syntactically electrifying debut collection Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned a favorite book of ’09). Authors will give half-hour readings, followed by a panel discussion moderated by Jake Silverstein.

The free event, presented by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation, starts Saturday, April 17, 1pm, at the Faulk Central Library (800 Guadalupe). See below for schedule. For more info, visit www.austinlibrary.org.

1pm: ZZ Packer

1:30pm: Doug Dorst

2pm: Nell Freudenberger

2:30pm: Wells Tower

3pm: Julie Orringer

3:45pm: Panel discussion led by Jake Silverstein

5pm: Booksigning

This article appears in April 16 • 2010.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...