About &Now
&NOW is a biannual gathering for authors and critics of contemporary, innovative literature and art, including fiction, poetry, e-writing, visually-driven writing, and other kinds of mixed and indeterminate genres. Over a 3-day period, we:
- Organize panels of readings of innovative literature and writing. Four sessions, with approximately four writers each, simultaneously. Each session is an hour and a half long.
- Organize panels of papers and discussion on topics having to do with the theory and\or practice of innovative writing of all kinds, including its dissemination, and reading, or any subject related to its role in society, and the ways it has found to live in new spaces. These take place as part of the regular sessions during the day.
- Organize a plenary session with a plenary speaker/reader, and special sessions of highlighted readers.
- Host a book fair for publishers of innovative fiction from around the country, e-writing and hybrid-writing from around the country.
- Provide time throughout the day at receptions and in the evenings after all the sessions are over for participants, friends, colleagues, local visitors to gather together to talk, talk, talk.
- Present special events having to do with innovative literature and art.
&NOW was founded by Steve Tomasula at the University of Notre Dame in 2004. IN 2006, the conference-festival was held at Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois, Davis Schneiderman, Director.
In 2008, the conference will take place at Chapman University, Orange, California. Martin Nakell, Rebecca Goodman, Christopher Reiner - &NOW ‘08 Committee