The Festival of the Book: A Celebration of Literature, Student’s Work, & Montana’s Poet Laureate, Sheryl Noethe.
Walking around the streets of downtown Missoula, on October 6, 2011, people were making their way in and out of local shops. The Festival of the Book was taking place; many writers, students, and Missoulians were ready to celebrate the gift of the written word.
Fact & Fiction Bookstore held the event for The Missoula Writing Collaborative & the radio program, Reflections West. The Missoula Writing Collaborative was honoring Sheryl Noethe, in her efforts to inspire students, writing the truth, and conquering all odds through poetry. Lisa Simon, founder of Reflections West, a local literature radio station program, works closely with Sheryl between both of their work pertaining to Missoula Writing Collaborative.
I had the privilege of working with Sheryl and Lisa last spring, writing, sharing, and speaking at Hellgate Middle School about Native American heritage. I was a featured writer on Reflections West, and as a way of “thank you” for all of Sheryl’s inspiring work and dedication, Lisa asked me to read a piece I wrote in response to Sheryl Noethe’s poem “Fjords” at The Festival of the Book.
I was able to read my piece, share my experiences about talking to middle school students, and working with Missoula Writing Collaborative to a room full of strangers. Sheryl wrote an honest poem about her heritage; in response I wrote a piece that reflected the truth about my life, growing up on the Colville Indian Reservation.
The experience of celebrating what writers do everyday and how it touches the lives of so many people really was an honor. I was able to reach people on a different level, while celebrating writing, literature, and the future of creative writing. Becoming a young writer at The University of Montana has opened my eyes to a different world. Faculty, students, and the Missoula community notice me for my reflection on Reflections West, and I am determined to continue writing my poetry, and short stories. I want to break out of my shell as a writer, I am more than a “one hit wonder”.
If you’re a young writer and you want to become more involved in the writing process, have your work heard, or just become more familiar with Missoula’s options:
Reflections West: http://www.reflectionswest.org/
Missoula Writing Collaborative: http://www.missoulawritingcollaborative.org/