Novel Idea. Hold Me Like a Book.

Wordstock Invites Word Lovers to Get Lost

in Three-Day Literary Festival

WHAT: Hear from 150 authors, poets and storytellers over three days during the Northwest’s greatest book event, Wordstock Festival, in Portland, Ore. In its 4th year, the three-day festival features the Wordstock Superstar Poetry Slam Competition, a Book Fair at the Portland Convention Center, readings, workshops, lectures and a children’s stage with authors, music and celebrity storytellers. The event benefits the Community of Writers, a professional development program for K-12 teachers that seeks to improve student writing performance by training and supporting teachers of writing.

A highlight of this year’s festival is a specific focus on graphic novels and mystery, two popular genres in the literary world and among authors in the Pacific Northwest. Wordstock also is the cornerstone of an entire weekend of literary events in Portland, including a poetry reading Thursday, Nov. 6 by U.S. poet WS Merwin, sponsored by Literary Arts; The Text Ball, the annual costume ball of the Independent Publishing Resource Center Saturday, Nov. 8; and the Literary Arts Oregon Book Awards, Sunday, Nov. 9.

WHO: Among the famed writers participating:

· Jeffrey Deaver, a New York Times best selling author releasing his newest novel Broken Window

· Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain, a New York Times best-seller and a Starbucks book selection

· John Hodgman, an author and humorist best known for his personification of a PC in Apple's "Get a Mac” campaign as well as his stints on The Daily Show

· William Least Heat-Moon, narrative non-fiction pioneer and author of Blue Highways and the new Roads to Quoz

· Lynda Barry, award-winning graphic novelist and author of Ernie Pook’s Comeek

WHEN/WHERE:

9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6

Wordstock Superstar Poetry Competition / $15

Baghdad Theatre: 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd.,

8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 8

LiveWire 4^th Annual Wordstock Extravaganza / $25

Aladdin Theater: 3116 SE 11th Ave

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, Saturday – Sunday, Nov, 8-9, 2008

Wordstock Book Fair

Oregon Convention Center: 777 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

COST: $5 for adults, 17 and under free.

Workshops and other special events prices vary

DETAILS: www.wordstockfestival.com