OVERVIEW
Deaf Lit Fest is a brand-new event being hosted by Deaf Spotlight on October 11-12, 2024 at Hugo House in Seattle, Washington.
This is a festival that aims to spotlight Deaf authors of various backgrounds, provide some workshops related to writing and the literary world, and give opportunities for people to meet other like-minded people.
Shortcuts
FEST SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct 11:
6:30 PM | At Door Tickets Open
7 PM | Doors Open
7: 30 - 9 PM | Interview and Book Signing with Sara Nović
10 PM | Doors Close
Saturday, Oct 12:
9:30 AM | Doors Open
ALL DAY | Vendor Booths
10 AM - 12 PM | Character Development Workshop with Kalen Feeney
10 - 11 AM & 2 - 3 PM | Drag Storytime with Anastasia Di’Nitta
1 - 2 PM | Panel featuring Awet Moges, Elsa Sjunneson, and Ross Showalter
2 - 3 PM | Zine Making Session
4 - 5 PM | Interview and Book Signing with Jonaz McMillan, Co-Author of Monster Hands
6 PM | Doors Close
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: “Writing Workshop Presented by Kalen Feeney..” with a picture of Kalen Feeney on right. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book’s cover.
Character Development Workshop with Kalen Feeney
Want to create compelling characters for your story? During Deaf Spotlight's Deaf Lit Festival, a workshop to help enhance your writing skills will be added! This workshop will be led by the renown Kalen Feeney, a Deaf writer and actor from the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up with a love of the outdoors. Kalen will guide us on character development (exploring character flaws, wants & needs, etc.) and how to make the characters pop off the page.
This will be an interactive workshop—so bring your writing instruments and ideas!
This workshop will be in ASL. For access requests, please email info@deafspotlight.org.
Featured Authors
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: "Sara Nović. Author." with a picture of Sara Nović. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book's cover.
ID 2: Deaf Lit Fest Flyer with True Biz Book Cover.
Sara Nović
Sara Nović is the author of the New York Times bestseller True Biz, as well as the books Girl at War and America is Immigrants. She holds an MFA in fiction and literary translation from Columbia University, and is an instructor of Deaf studies and creative writing. She lives in Philadelphia with her family.
Learn more about her work: https://sara-novic.com/
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: "Awet Moges. Author." with a picture of Awet Moges. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book's cover.
ID 2: Deaf Lit Fest Flyer with “Pantheon: Volume 1 Heterotopia” Book Cover by Awet Moges.
Awet Moges
Awet Moges is a mythopoet who dreams are full of ancient mythologies but revised with subversive sci-fi tropes. As a writer-artist with over 15 years of experience, he has worked on all sort of jobs in a varieties of industries, with various organizations & has won several awards of recognition (just ask his mother!) He is currently teaching at CSULB.
His first book, PANTHEON: HETEROTOPIA, is the first among its kind: the first graphic novel written & drawn by a Deaf Eritrean-American, & the first instance of a brand new genre: panfuturism.
You may find him on IG @thanatologist.
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: "Ross Showalter. Author." with a picture of Ross Showalter. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book's cover.
Ross Showalter
Ross Showalter's stories, essays, and criticism have appeared in The New York Times, Electric Literature, Passages North, CRAFT, Literary Hub, Nat. Brut, and elsewhere. He teaches creative writing in UCLA Extension Writers' Program.
You may find him on www.rossshowalter.com.
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: "Elsa Sjunneson. Author." with a picture of Elsa Sjunneson. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book's cover.
ID 2: Deaf Lit Fest Flyer with “Been Seen: One DeafBlind Woman’s Fight To End Ableism” Book Cover by Elsa Sjunneson.
Elsa Sjunneson
Elsa Sjunneson is an award winning Deafblind writer of speculative fiction and non-fiction living in Seattle, WA with her family. She was the lead reporter on the Radiolab episode "The Helen Keller Exorcism."
Check out her website: www.snarkbat.com
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: "Jonaz McMillan. Author." with a picture of Jonaz McMillan. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book's cover.
ID 2: Deaf Lit Fest Flyer with “Monster Hands” by Karen Kane and Jonaz McMillan.
Jonaz McMillan
Jonaz McMillan, a writer and creative artist based in Los Angeles, is currently pursuing his MFA in Writing for Film and TV at Emerson College. He co-authored the children's book 'Monster Hands' and produced 'Hands Land.' Notable projects include 'The Tuba Thieves,' premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, 'CBS Showcase 2022,' 'Moonbug's MyGo,' and 'Noggin's Troop Dragonfly.' He believes that through creating content, we leave stories for healing and to shift the paradigms of our society. Occasionally, he writes from the heart on napkins and leaves them in public places, hoping they resonate with strangers.
ID 1: Flyer with ripped light blue paper strips over a background resembling a page of a book. Text on top: “Deaf Lit Fest. Oct 11-12, 2024.” Text in middle: “Drag Storytime with Anastasia Di’Nitta.” with a picture of Anastasia Di’Nitta on right. Below is an illustration of a person’s arms holding a book open with blue hands popping out of its page, signing. Deaf Spotlight logo is on the book’s cover.
Drag Storytime with Anastasia Di’Nitta
Anastasia Di'Nitta is a performer and artist known for being a Deaf Drag Queen in Seattle. She is a remarkable artist who has emerged in the heart of Seattle's drag scene and is shattering stereotypes.
Some of her notable work includes a Video Podcast fully in ASL, where she expresses herself and breaks boundaries in the vibrant world of drag. Join Anastasia on Saturday, Oct 12th for TWO storytelling sessions!
Saturday Morning session: 10-11 am
Saturday Afternoon session: 2-3 pm
FESTIVAL COMMITEE
Rogan Shannon
Festival Director
Aly Boote
Access Coordinator
Kellie Martin
Vendor Coordinator
Buddy Elledge
Creative Director
Patty Liang
Logistics
Danica Metlay
Volunteer Coordinator
Kaitlyn Mielke
Communications
Guthrie Nutter
Communications Director
Julie Spigner
Committee Member
SUPPORTERS
ID: a white background with a green logo with a shadow: "4" and CULTURE without shadow.
ID: a white background with blue logo "C" over "A&" and text: Office of Arts & Culture with a line over SEATTLE.
ID: a white background with orange "A" with two leaves sprouting from left and black capitalized text: ARTS (bold) FUND.
ID: a white background with a green logo with a shadow: "4" and CULTURE without shadow.
ID: Logo for The Elliot Bay Book Company. In a circle, a black sailing ship with buildings and mountains behind. Underneath, black text: “The Elliott Bay Book Company. Since 1973.”
ID: black capitalized text: National Endowment for the arts with two lines and arts.gov)
ID: a white background with white cursive artwork inside a circle with different colors: blue, yellow, red, black and green with text following the curve at bottom: SEATTLE PEOPLE FUND.
Festival FAQ
What is Deaf Lit Fest?
Deaf Lit Fest is a brand-new event being hosted by Deaf Spotlight on October 11-12, 2024 at Hugo House in Seattle, Washington.
This is a festival that aims to spotlight Deaf authors of various backgrounds, provide some workshops related to writing and the literary world, and give opportunities for people to meet other like-minded people.
When is the festival?
The festival will take place from Friday to Saturday, Oct 11 - 12, 2024.
Where is the festival?
Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Where can I park?
There are street parking options up to 4 hours nearby. You can park at nearby parking lots. You are responsible for your parking expenses.
Where can I see the vendor list?
Vendor list to come soon.
Which authors will be featured at the festival?
Will the festival be virtual, in-person, or hybrid format?
The festival will be in person with all recorded interviews to be streamed later.
What is the festival schedule?
Friday | 7-9 pm | interview and book signing with Sara Nović
Saturday | 10 am to 6 pm | booths, workshop with Kalen Feeney, Drag Storytime with Anastasia Di’Nitta (2), Zine Making Session, Panel featuring Awet Moges, Elsa Sjunneson and Ross Showalter, and interview & book signing with Jonaz McMillan.
What if I want to see some specific programs, not the whole festival?
You have three options: Friday (Evening only), Day Pass (Saturday) or Weekend Pass (both Friday and Saturday).
Friday Evening
General: $20 plus fees
Youth (Age 11-18): $10 plus fees
Youth (Age 10 and below): FREE
Day Pass (Saturday)
Inclusive: $30 plus fees
General: $50 plus fees
Patron: $70 plus fees
Benefactor: $90 plus fees
Youth (Age 11-18): $10 plus fees
Youth (Age 10 and below): FREE
Weekend Pass (both Friday and Saturday)
Inclusive: $40 plus fees
General: $60 plus fees
Patron: $80 plus fees
Benefactor: $100 plus fees
What are those different price tiers for?
We are using a different ticketing approach this year. Inspired by Sound Theatre Company and other organizations, we are using the Radical Hospitality Ticket Program to make our event more inclusive and welcoming for all.
We’re excited to offer tickets at four different price levels to make Deaf Lit Fest accessible to everyone. No matter which ticket you choose, you’ll get the same great experience. Please choose the price that works for you.
What are the perks for festival passes holders?
You will get a limited edition swag bag full of goodies! Limited edition enamel pin, bookmark, Deaf Lit Fest poster, and more!
Will there be access accommodations at the festival?
We will have English voiceovers and CART for interviews and panel. There will be voice floaters for booths.
Friday, Oct 11, 7: 30 - 9 PM | Interview and Book Signing with Sara Nović
Saturday, Oct 12, 1 - 2 PM | Panel featuring Awet Moges, Elsa Sjunneson, and Ross Showalter
Saturday, Oct 12, 4 - 5 PM | Interview and Book Signing with Jonaz McMillan, Co-Author of Monster Hands
Have you any questions about ticket sales?
Email info@deafspotlight.org and we will get back to you.
Can I help support Deaf Lit Fest?
Yes, you can! Promote the festival with your family and friends and consider a donation to Deaf Spotlight.
You can volunteer! Please fill out here by Oct 4th.
What if I have a question that is not covered in this FAQ?
Email deaflitfest@deafspotlight.org and we will get back to you.
I would like to share my feedback, who should I contact?
Please do share your thoughts with us by emailing deaflitfest@deafspotlight.org.