Welcome

THE PIRATE’S ALLEY FAULKNER SOCIETY
The Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society is a nationally recognized non-profit arts organization with programming  designed to honor and assist writers, provide high quality literary entertainment for general public readers, and combat the growing national disgrace of illiteracy. The Faulkner Society was created in 1990 with the overall goal of working to enhance thenational image of New Orleans as a cultural and intellectual destination. In addition to enlightening and entertaining events for the general public, mission specifics include providing realistic assistance to developing writers of all ages, creating literacy initiatives and continuing education  in literature and writing. Many of our programs are offered free or at discounted rates to students and the general reading public. The Society, which offers special programming benefits for members and sponsors.is a 501 (c) (3) literary and educational institution and, as such,
grant donations, membership contributions, and contributions to our fundraisersare fully tax-deductible.

LITERARY PROGRAMS FOR READERS AND WRITERS
Faulkner Festival Scheduled for September 26 – 29, 2024
Our programming year begins annually with our celebration of William Faulkner’s birthday on September 25th. In 2024 Mr. Faulkner’s actual birthday will be celebrated with a private cocktail event honoring the Society’s founding members, patrons, and volunteers. Special Guest of honor for this patron party will be bestselling author
Thomas Mallon.. Faulkner for all! is the primary literary happening of the Society’s program year. The four-day festival honors our namesake and the work of all great writers: past present, and yet to come. Faulkner for All!, 2024 will take place September 26-29, opening on the 26th with a Master Class for Students taught by Thomas Mallon. His subject for the event is The Importance of Keeping A Diary…if You Want to be a Writer. Professional literary agents agents and editors will be star presenters on the writers’ side of the programs with opportunities for writers registered for the festival to have their work critiqued and to meet literary professionals in one-on-one  sessions. Reading enthusiasts will hear from such literary luminaries as Thomas Mallon, author of the novel Fellow Travelers, recently adapted for a new TV series, which premiered on Showtime and can be accessed now on Prime Video. Mallon’s novels also include Landfall, partially set in New Orleans and centering on President Bush and the mishandling of the Katrina aftermath. Mallon will be presenting to adult readers and writers on the topic: If You Want to Find the Truth in these Troubling Times, Read Fiction. The evening sessions starting at 5 p. m. on September 26th will tackle The Deliciously Delectable Side of Diversity.  Elizabeth Williams, founder of the National Food and Beverage Foundation and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, will introduce Zella Palmer, expert in the influences of the African Diaspora on New Orleans cuisine, to discuss Black Hand on the Pot. Then, drawing on her own heritage, Liz Williams will zero in on the attributes of the Big Easy’s cuisine contributed by the Italian/Sicilian heritage of the city. Finally, Ms. Williams will introduce and interview the 2024 Special Guest of Honor for the festival, Marcelle Bienvenu, known fondly across the U. S. and throughout Louisiana as the “Queen ofAcadian Cuisine.” Ms. Bienvenu has a stunning new book coming about the Acadian culture, including its marvelous food. The book, being published by Susan Schadt Press, is a re-imagined, redesigned, udated version of her classic and itwill be introduced to the public at this event. The title, of course, is: Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux? Foreword to the book is by Emeril Lagasse. Ms. Bienvenu will sign at the even

A welcome party for all guests and presenters will follow the presentations on New Orleans cuisine. The caterer is being asked to prepare items from the appetizer recipes of Ms. Bienvenu, along with several items obviously related to African and Italian/Sicilian influences. Each year, the Faulkner Society recognizes a person who has contributed enormously to our culture with its ALIHOT (A Legend in His/Her Own Time) Award. This year, the Society will present an ALIHOT gold medal to Ms. Bienvenu at its Black Tie annual meeting to take place Sunday, September 29^th at the historic Ursuline Convent complex in the Vieux Carre. The program will take place in St. Mary’s Chapel and the gala following will be in the convent’s tented garden. Food will be from the recipes of Marcelle Bienvenu and music for the party will be Zydeco. New winners of the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition will be introduced at the Black tie annual meeting, too, and presented with their gold medals.

Writers attending who wish to have their work critiqued by literary professionals must first register for the festival. For a form, e-mail [email protected] or CLICK HERE!   Before submitting material for critique, read critique guidelines HERE! 
Remembering Sybil Morial, Click Here!
Commentary on the 2024 theme By Society Co-Founder Rosemary James, Click Here!
Schedule of Events, Click Here!

The Society’s other ambitious annual undertakings are:

• Workshops, Master Classes, Manuscript Critiques for Developing Writers.
• Literacy Initiatives for those At-Risk for Illiteracy, Including National Read-a-thon Day, NEA sponsored BIG READ projects, and partnerships with the English Speaking Union and One Book One New Orleans.
  
• The Double Dealer literary journal and Student Intern Program.
• Free public sessions of Meet the Authors and My New Orleans events for dedicated readers.
• Joint Ventures with other non-profits to embellish the Louisiana’s available cultural resources. Joint ventures include government institutions, private foundations, and businesses as well as other non-profit organizations.
  
• Series of six free public concerts with literary components during. The concerts will begin in 2025 on Wednesday, a week from Ash Wednesday and continue on Wednesdays during Lent.
  
• Late Spring fundraiser.

To Support all of these Programs, we urge you to become a member and  Join Event Audiences for Entertainment and Enlightenment
The Society has launched a new late Spring event to replace our long time Juleps in June party as a Kick-Off Event for our Membership Drive.
Merry, Merry in May!
The first event was a garden party celebration in the New Orleans Garden District at the residence of Attorney Stephen Murray, Jr., Honorary Chairman of Merry, Merry in May, 2024 on Sunday afternoon May 19, 2024 and the guest of honor was Dalt Wonk, a founding member of the Society. The theme was Dangerous Gardenias, the title of Dalt’s fabulous new collection of his plays produced in New Orleans since the 70s. The collection title is taken from one of his most fun plays, Dangerous Gardenias, which originally starred Dalt’s wife, Josephine Sacabo, actress and internationally noted art photographer. Membership favors were signed copies of Dangerous Gardenias. Party decor, signature cocktails, and food were tips of the hat to Dalt and the collection. The book is not only a collection of the plays. It includes a running narrative about the production of the plays. And there are links to the great music of the plays by such famous New Orleans musicians as the Nevilles. A great assembly of musicians who styled themselves as The Splendor Harmonies, the name of another of Dalt’s creations , played many of the songs from his plays during the event and noted New Orleans actor Michael Arata did a grand salute to the author!
We hope you will join the Faulkner Society now and join us for:
Merry, Merry in May, 2025
Invitations will be issued to persons registering as members of the Society. Membership donations must be received by April 15, 2025 to receive invitations. The number of invitations issued to a donor depends on the membership level selected. For Membership Levels and Benefits and Membership form, email us at: [email protected].

 Meet the Author Series opened December 10th with a Reception honoring Walter Isaacson

The Society kicked off it’s 2023-24 Meet the Author series December 10th, with renowned author Walter Isaacson celebrating his latest book about one of America’s most intriguing and influential personalities: Elon Musk at the notable literary venue, the Beauregard – Keyes House. Free and open to the public, these events attract large audiences and reservations are required.

The Series Continued in April With An Exploration of Improv by Writer, Scholar and Philanthropist: Randy Fertel

Long time Faulkner Society patron Randy Fertel was the star attraction for another in this year’s author series, featuring food, music, and literary exploration. The event launched Randy’s new book, Winging It: Improv’s Power & Peril in the Time of Trump. This exceptional scholar, writer, and cultural activist is dedicated to the arts, education, New Orleans, and the environment. The event took place Thursday, April 4, 2024 at the Historic U. S. Mint in the New Orleans Jazz Museum there from 5:30 to 8:30 p. m. Fertel was interviewed on stage by native literary lion Lolis Eric Elie, whose credits include writing portions of the popular TV series set in New Orleans, Treme. Distinguished entrepreneur and publisher Hamilton “Ham” Fish, introduced the program. In Winging It, literary and cultural polymath Fertel returns to the interrogation of improv begun with his earlier work A Taste for Chaos. In his new volume, Fertel delves into wider landscapes of popular culture and public affairs.  To learn more about Randy and his new book, visit: www.fertel.com.

Rosary O’Neill  Publishes New Book:
Kate Chopin in New Orleans
Rosary O’Neill, New Orleans born playright and author of non-fiction books, found the publisher for her first book through the Faulkner Society’s annual festival. Now, Rosary has collaborated with her daughter, Rory O’Neill Schmidtt, PhD, to create a new book out about the 19th Century author and early feminist, Kate Chopin, whose book, The Awakening, was a shocker for its time. The book was launched April 21, with the Louisiana Landmarks Society hosting a reception for the mother-daughter author team at the historic Pitot House on Bayou St. John. For copies of the book, contact [email protected] or the The History Press at www.historypress.com.

Watch Your Email for Other Meet the Author Events

WILLIAM FAULKNER – WILLIAM WISDOM
CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
The 2021-22 Competition winners were present in September of 2023 during Faulkner for All! at the Society’s
Black-Tie Annual Meeting, Happy Birthday, Mr. Faulkner! which took place at  the historic Ursuline Convent in the Vieux Carre of New Orleans. All winners were our invited guests for all events of the Faulkner Festival weekend, September 22 – 25.  The short-lists for all categories of the 2023-2024 competition have been turned over to the final round judges to select winners and runners-up. As each category is concluded, the winners and runners-up will be notified so that they can plan to attend the Society’s gala salute to our namesake on Sunday, September 29, 2024 during the annual Faulkner for All festival. There were not enough entries in 2022 and 2023 to meet the minimum entries requirements of our by-laws. Because of COVID we skipped a year. All writers who entered material that was not judged were automatically entered in the current multi-year competition which opened December 1, 2023. The names of all who place in the current competition will be posted by category when all categories are completed along with comments from the 2024 judges.

For a list of the 2020 Winners, click on:
2020-21 Winners  

For a list of the 2021 winners, click on:
2021-22 Winners

The New Competition Opens December 1, 2024
Deadline:  June 1, 2025
All entering should review the guidelines prior to submitting material. All new entries must be in our hands not later than midnight, June 1, 2024. All material must be submitted electronically. Paper entries will not be accepted in any categories. For guidelines, CLICK HERE.

Membership Drive is Underway Now
If you have not already become a member or sponsor in the current programming year, come join us as we continue our new generation of literary services for readers and writers. We invite you to become members of the Society and secure the Society’s future. For membership levels and benefits, please Email: [email protected]
Note:
Memberships include invitations to ticketed and free, public events. Annual free events include our series of free, public concerts organized to benefit the poor of New Orleans which take place on Wednesdays during Lent at the historic Ursuline Convent complex and our year-round calendar of free, public literary events in the two series Meet the Author and My New Orleans.

FAULKNER SOCIETY IMPACT
We have launched a major fundraising campaign to commemorate more than a generation of service annually to some 7,500 writers and readers and to our beloved City of New Orleans, which was 300 years old in 2018.  To help us continue the impact, e-mail us at [email protected]. We welcome offers of volunteer service as well as financial contributions. To join our number,  E-mail us at [email protected] for a membership form and membership benefits summary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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