When James Frey appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and admitted that he fabricated portions of his memoir "A Million Little Pieces," the genre of nonfiction was thrust into the spotlight.
And although some of the attention was damaging, the profile of nonfiction books grew.
In response to this new popularity, Salem State College is dedicating this year's Eastern Writers' Conference to the theme "Writing Nonfiction and the Memoir."
The conference, which will be held Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23, features well-known literary experts in the field of nonfiction publication.
The headliner for the two-day conference is Michael Patrick MacDonald, author of New York Times bestseller "All Souls: A Family Story from Southie" and his latest, "Easter Rising."
"This is a very popular genre at the moment and we're bringing in some great professionals who really know the field," says conference coordinator Regina Flynn of the Salem State English Department's Professional Writing Program.
Guest speakers include Amy Caldwell, senior editor at the Beacon Press in Boston and Lisa Adams, literary agent and founder of the Garamond Agency, a literary agency based in Newburyport.
Next Friday night will feature a reception, reading and book signing by MacDonald. The intimate setting will provide listeners the opportunity to hear MacDonald give life to his own words, which have won numerous awards and gained recognition across the country. The evening runs from 7 to 9 p.m. in the North Campus Dining Commons and costs $15.
Next Saturday's events feature an expert discussion panel, reading by author and Salem State professor J.D. Scrimgeour, an open mike hour and a workshop.
The workshop, hosted by author Perry Glasser, will offer writing exercises for ambitious authors. Lunch and snacks will be provided during the day, which begins at 9 a.m. and wraps up around 3 p.m. The cost of Saturday's events is $60.
The cost for both days is $75, and although preregistration is strongly recommended, attendees will be accepted at the door.
"We want to invite the public to gain a greater understanding of what it's like to write a memoir or a piece of creative nonfiction," says Flynn.
If you go
* What: Eastern Writers' Conference, "Writing Nonfiction and the Memoir"
* When: Friday, June 22 through Saturday, June 23
* Where: Salem Stage College, 352 Lafayette St., Salem
r How: Download the registration form from www.salemstate.edu and then call, fax or mail form. If you do not preregister, bring the completed form directly to the conference. For more information, call 978-542-6334.
