Acknowledgements

When Jim Brock, poet extraordinaire and conference brainchild, stopped me in the hall in fall 2005 and said, “Let's form a committee to start an annual writers conference on Sanibel Island,” I joined on the spot because, well, it involved Jim, and it meant we had a chance of bringing some of our favorite writers to the area.  Jim drafted the initial proposal and budget, and enlisted Kimberly Campanello, Jesse Millner, Adrian Greene, Ingrid Martinez-Rico, Karen Tolchin, Jim Robison, Mary Ferarro, Jane Meek, and Lori Cornelius to lend their wisdom and talent to the cause. We dubbed ourselves the Florida Gulf Coast University Sanibel Writers Committee, made a list of the writers we'd like to invite, and somehow managed to be productive, focused and agreeable.  You would not be reading these words were it not for the committee members' individual commitment and collective effort.  Thanks to them all for pitching in and making a molehill out of a mountain chain.

Thanks to Associate Dean Jim Wohlpart, Dean Donna Henry, Provost Bonnie Yegidis, former President William C. Merwin, and acting President Richard Pegnetter for flashing the green light and cutting the red tape.  It is an understatement to say that their vision and enthusiasm, their monetary and moral support, and their acknowledgment of how important creative writing is at Florida Gulf Coast University made all this possible.

A special thanks to the eternally optimistic and encouraging chair of the Department of Language and Literature, Dr. Joe Wisdom, a man who lives up to his name, and who exudes a calm serenity that lowers my pulse rate.  Joe also owns a truck that can haul lots of refreshments.

Bottomless gratitude to Lynne Garcia – secretary, accountant, all-around MVP – who is, as my father used to say, busier than a one-armed paper hanger, yet still makes all the right calls, manages the database, organizes all the paperwork, and reminds me what to do and when.  When you meet Lynne, hug her. 

Huge thanks and hoorays are due to:

All the students who joined FGCU’s Creative Writing Club, particularly founding officers Amy Ortolano, Andrew Schmid, Ally Wickman, and Kaleena Deland-Zepeda, for demonstrating initiative, intelligence, humor, and keen fashion sense;

Kevin Toler, for his initial design ideas;

Lourdes Méndez Germain, for her keen aesthetic sense and wonderful images;

Susanna Wohlpart, for her gorgeous photographs of Sanibel;

The Department of Web, eLearning, and Publication Services at Florida Gulf Coast University, for designing and developing this site;

Cindy Chinelly, for her sage advice, tasty bran muffins, and organic green tea;

John Cornelius, for his generosity;

Rebecca Totaro, for taking the time out of her busy schedule to offer advice and support;

BIGARTS, for the classrooms and stage;

David Sendler and the fine staff at Gulfshore Life, for all those magazines;

Arturo Hernandez, for his swanky graphic designs;

Charlene and the whole West Wind Inn crew, for the rooms with a view of every Sanibel sunset;

Carol Defrank, Jeri Magg, and Diana Foor and the whole Gulf Coast Writers Association; and Mary Lou Hess and the Florida Writers Association, for spreading the word;

Angela Petrella, Heidi Meredith and the whole McSweeney’s gang, for making Believers of us all.

Thank you to everyone who helped promote the conference, including -- but certainly not limited to -- Audrea Anderson, Glenn Miller, Sterling Watson, Kelly McCarthy, Joe Pacheco, Marta Lee, Christine Caya, Karyn Everham, Joe Higgins, Julie Ann Howell, Karen Sloan, Kristin Nail, Robert and Tracy Jones, Susan Haley, Mary Walch, Jonathan Rose & Laura McDermott (both of the excellent Palm Beach Poetry Festival), Emma Trelles, Andrew Foley and everyone at Sarasota News & Books, the folks at ShawGuides.com, everyone at BIG ARTS, Hollie at the Sanibel Island Bookshop, Theresa Acker, Andrea and the whole staff at Follett, Amy Tardif, Cathy Chestnut, Linda Campbell, Phil Thompson, and all the people who told their friends, announced it in their classes, hung up flyers, and forwarded e-mails.  If you helped in any way and I neglected to list your name, give me a nuggie next time we cross paths. 

And, finally to authors/workshop leaders/editors/agents past and present: Steve Almond, Jonathan Ames, Julianna Baggott, Lynne Barrett, Jordan Bass, Jill Bialosky, Jim Brock, Robert Olen Butler, Nick Carbo, Elizabeth Dewberry, Larry Doyle, John Dufresne, Denise Duhamel, Robert Gelinas, William Giraldi, Sue Henshon, Michael Hettich, Heidi Julavits, Jesse Millner, Lyn Millner, Christopher Schelling, Martin Tolchin, Susan Tolchin, Judith Viorst, and Dan Wakefield, for writing and publishing so many words worth reading.

Thanks thanks thanks,

Tom DeMarchi, Director
July 2007