Immerse yourself in a full day of stories from the South at HOMEGROWN.
Hosted on the beautiful Gulf Park Campus of The University of Southern Mississippi, HOMEGROWN invites locals and visitors alike to discover the power of Southern storytelling and the culture that inspires it.
Enjoy panels, author talks, and more featuring award-winning storytellers who share insights into character, craft, and creativity.
Share your HOMEGROWN story in a quick video interview across from the FEC Auditorium between 12-1pm or 3-4pm.
HOMEGROWN Room Schedule
9:00 AM
FEC AUDITORIUM - MAIN STAGE
Welcome, Opening Remarks & Announcements
9:30 AM
FEC AUDITORIUM
Panel: Stories Through Food
Esteemed author Marcelle Bienvenu moderates this panel including Dale Gray (South of Somewhere), Melissa M. Martin (Bayou; Mosquito Supper Club), and Phillip Ashley Rix (For the Love of Chocolate).
9:30 AM
NORTH ACADEMIC BLDG - RM 101
Panel: Children’s Literature
Join children’s lit author and librarian Andrea Moreau as she speaks with Natalie Guess (Field of Greens; Fueling up for the Big Game), Beth Kander (Please Don’t Eat This Book), and Linda Williams Jackson (The Lucky Ones).
9:30 AM
FEC BUILDING - RM 101
Presentation: Navigating the Publishing Industry
Join author Johnnie Bernhard as she discusses current publishing trends. This interactive presentation will provide a guide for query writing and tips on successful pitching.
9:45 AM
NORTH ACADEMIC BUILDING - RM 102
Panel: Poetry in Motion
Megan Holt, director of One Book, One New Orleans, moderates this poetry panel featuring Nadia Alexis (Beyond the Watershed), Skye Jackson (Libre), and C.T. Salazar (Headless John the Baptist Hitchhiking).
10:45 AM
FEC BUILDING - RM 201
Word Shop: Creative Writing
Join author and journalist Ellen Ann Fentress for this hands-on writing workshop.
10:55 AM
FEC AUDITORIUM - MAIN STAGE
Panel: Memoirs
Mississippi Humanities Council’s Stuart Rockoff moderates this panel featuring Brooke Champagne (NOLA Face), Lauren Rhoades (Split the Baby), and Jordan LaHaye Fontenot (Home of the Happy: A Murder on the Cajun Prairie)
11:15 AM
NORTH ACADEMIC BUILDING - RM 102
Film Screening: En Famille
Check out C. A. Munn’s adaptation of work by renowned New Orleans poet Skye Jackson.
1:00 PM
FEC AUDITORIUM - MAIN STAGE
Panel: Southern Noir
Johnny Bernhard moderates Alexander Blevens (Arkansas Black), Max Hipp (What Doesn’t Kill You Opens Your Heart), and Michael Farris Smith (Lay Your Armour Down) in discussion about all-things Southern Noir.
1:00 PM
FEC Auditorium - RM 202
Panel: Madville Publishing
Hear from Kim Davis, moderator and publisher, alongside Susan Cushman, Michael Amos Cody (Streets of Nashville), and Julie Whitehead (Hurricane Baby).
1:30 PM
NORTH ACADEMIC BLDG - RM 102
Oral History: From Roots to Rockets
Brehm Bell tells the story and screens his film recounting NASA’s acquisition of land in Hancock County and the displacement which occurred, affecting communities and residents.
1:30 PM
NORTH ACADEMIC BUILDING - RM 101
Panel: Storied Fiction
This Adult Fiction panel features author and educator Sheila Sundar moderating Addie Citchens (Dominion), Minrose Gwin (Beautiful Dreamers), and Olivia Clare Friedman (Here Lies).
2:30 PM
NORTH ACADEMIC BLDG - RM 101
Panel: Alabama Stories
Authors Gabriella Saab (The Star Society), Julie Cantrell (Into the Free), and Jodie Cain Smith (Splintered Reeds) share their knack and talent for distinctly Southern storytelling.
2:45 PM
FEC AUDITORIUM - MAIN STAGE
Film Screening: Chasing Rabbits
Based on short fiction by Michael Farris Smith, Thaxton Studios presents Chasing Rabbits.
3:00 PM
Biloxi Community Reading Project - FEC 201
3PM-5PM
LOBBY
Author Meet & Greet