After spending the month of April working on the grounds of Linden Place, 8 creative
writers will present their works-in-progress at a unique, free community reading and moderated
discussion on Thursday June 8 th from 6:30-8pm.
The audience will meet on the front lawn of the property and then travel around the exterior of
the mansion to various pit stops where each writer will read from their works. The last stop will be the
ballroom where the audience will sit for a short, moderated discussion with the writers. In lieu of heavy
rain, the whole event will take place in the ballroom.
The works being read from include a speculative fiction short story that sees Linden Place as
an NFT up for auction in a future reality by Galen Auer; poems about Linden Place’s history from the
perspective of the linden trees on the property by Cassandra Bousquet; a set of short stories that put
a paranormal spin on Linden Place’s history by Candace Breen; poems based on
documented enslaved people connected with the DeWolf family by Gail Burton; speculative nonfiction
about Samuel P. Colt’s connection to the firearms industry by Teresa DeFlitch; creative nonfiction that
explores viewpoints on holding wedding celebrations at sites of enslavement by Susan Resnick;
sestina poems that give voice to Black, queer, enslaved, and other people who have been erased
from the museum’s history by Erin Vachon; and an excerpt from a queer, gothic fantasy novel set at
the turn of the 20 th century in a manor based on Linden Place by Loren Walker.
The writers were chosen by a panel of expert judges - Poet and Pushcart Nominee Jennifer Lighty,
writer and Black History scholar Adam McNeil, and award-winning author Padma Venkatraman - after
a statewide open call earlier this year. They were judged with a set of criteria that included social
impact, creativity, merit of writing, and a statement of intent about how their proposed works would
include Linden Place.
Following the readings and discussion will be an after-party fundraiser inside the museum with
nibbles and drinks provided by local restaurants from 8-9:30pm. Tickets for the after-party are $20. To
purchase visit the ‘Events’ tab on LindenPlace.org.
Linden Place Writers’ Residency has a number of community sponsors and partners that help
support the program. Bradford Dimond Norris House B&B provides discount accommodations to
writers who want to stay nearby while working. The Greenery provides fresh bouquets for the writing
desks throughout April. The Bristol Historical and Preservation Society provides research support.
What Cheer Writers Club and School One help with outreach and submissions review while providing
the community with public writing events. And, the residency is made possible in part by a grant from
the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General
Assembly and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
For more information visit LindenPlace.org/Writers-Residency.
