Dr. Kate Stewart to review Faulkner’s “Knight’s Gambit”

Events are lining up for the annual Faulkner Literary Fest which begins in July and continues through the summer with events and activities focusing on all things literary.

Dr. Kate Stewart at Museum Moments

Dr. Kate Stewart, Ph.D. will review one of Faulkner’s more obscure books, Knight’s Gambit, at the Union County Heritage Museum on Thursday, July 15, at noon.

Knight’s Gambit is a 1949 short story collection including six of Faulkner’s stories about attorney Gavin Stevens, who also takes a leading part in his novel Intruder in the Dust. One of the stories is also called Knight’s Gambit.

The first five stories were published in magazines and when the sixth came out they were all combined into one publication that some consider a novel.

A light lunch will be provided to attendees of Museum Moments by the Museum Guild beginning at 11:30.  The event is free thanks to the museum’s Community Partners.

Stewart, a Faulkner Scholar, is an English Professor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.  “The Cotton Plant native is a regular and much-enjoyed speaker during the fest in New Albany.  Her presentations have a lot of depth and she also has a great sense of humor,” said Jill Smith, museum director.

Writing for Children workshop and Faulkner Literary Competition

“We are happy to be presenting Museum Moments and the Writing for Children workshop on July 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  – cost $30,  as part of the  community’s annual emphasis on writing,” Smith said.

As the deadline nears for the annual William Faulkner Writing completion, there will be more opportunities to participate in related activities.

The competition honors Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner who was born on Sept. 25, 1897, on Jefferson Street in New Albany. Some of his other honors include the 1955 and 1963 Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction and the 1951 and 1955 National Book Awards.

Union Countians decided to begin honoring the author each year beginning on the centennial of his birth.

The writing competition was added and thanks to the donation of former Union County resident Eric Saul, now living in Tennessee, the contest includes the categories of Novel, One-Act Play, Poetry, Adult Short Story and Student Short Story.

The deadline for novel entries is only three days away: July 15. The winner receives $2,000 and second place gets an honorable mention certificate.

The one-act play, poetry and adult short story deadlines are all July 31.

The one-act play winner receives $600 with $300 and $200 for second and third place winners, respectively. The winning play is often presented by New Albany Community Theatre the following year during the celebration.

The poetry and adult short story winners also receive $600, $300 and $200 for first, second and third places.

The deadline for student short story entries is later, Aug. 31, and this category is only open to Mississippi high school students.

First prize is $250, second is $150 and third is $100.

For more detailed entry information, go to https://williamfaulknerliterarycompetition.com/ or call the Union County Heritage Museum at 662-538-0014.