We are so sorry to report that Dakin Williams, Tennessee's brother and a frequent visitor to the Festival over the years, passed away on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Dakin enjoyed the Festival, joining in the activities year after year and chatting with Festival guests. He was in the panel of judges for the first Stella! contest; at the last contest he judged, he surprised everyone by walking to the front of the stage at Le Petit Theatre and declaring, "I've always wanted to do this..... STELLAAAAAAA!"

Dakin was a living connection to Tennessee Williams. We are sorrowed by his passing.

Read more about Dakin Williams:

• Dakin Williams, brother of Tennessee, dies
  (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Dakin Williams Brother of Tennessee Williams made his mark as area lawyer
  (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Theater Guy: Remembering Dakin Williams, Tennessee's 'professional brother' and a colorful fixture at N.O.'s Tenn fest
  (New Orleans Times-Picayune)

Judge: Richard Ford

Grand Prize

• $1,500
• VIP Festival Pass ($500 value), March 25-29, 2009
• Publication in the New Orleans Review
• Domestic Airfare and Accommodations to attend the Festival in New Orleans
• Public Reading

Second Prize: $200, a Public Reading, and Festival Pass

Third Prize: $100, a Public Reading, and Festival Pass

Eligibility: Short stories, written in English, up to 7,000 words

Deadline: November 15, 2008 (postmark)

Entry Fee: $20

• Unlimited entries per person
  
• Only open to writers who have not yet published a book of fiction. Stories must be previously unpublished. If you have only self-published your fiction you are allowed to submit.
  
• Please include a cover page with only your TITLE, NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, and E-MAIL ADDRESS. Do not include your name on any other pages.
  
• No manuscripts will be returned.
  
• Winner and finalists will be announced on this website by March 1, 2009

Two ways to enter:

1. If entering by mail, make checks or money orders payable to Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, and send your check and entry to:
   

   Writing Contest
   Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
   938 Lafayette Street, Suite 514
   New Orleans, LA 70113

2. If entering online, begin your online entry submission here.

Note: Volunteers and board members of the Festival, and Loyola students and faculty are ineligible. If you wish to receive details about the selection process, please write to the address above requesting them and provide a SASE.

The W New Orleans
French Quarter

The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities has provided invaluable support to the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival throughout the years.

To learn more about the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and to sign up for their e-newsletter list CLICK HERE or visit www.leh.org

LEH also publishes the quarterly magazine Louisiana Cultural Vistas which focuses on the state's culture, arts and history, bringing the best in both visuals and text from Louisiana scholars, artists, photographers, fiction writers, essayists, and reviewers.

CLICK HERE AND SUBSCRIBE TODAY! .