The Southern Literary Festival is an event held yearly to encourage undergraduate writing and is open to the community. Featuring renowned author W. Ralph Eubanks and established screenwriter Chris Dowling, these speakers would appear on April 4 and April 5, respectively. The writers will speak about their experiences and their work, enriching the community not only by sharing the creative journeys but also through sharing the stories of their lives.
W. Ralph Eubanks is a Mississippi author whose rich prose style and engaging narratives have made him a success across multiple venues. His work has appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Yorker; he was director of the Library of Congress for almost twenty years; he has received multiple prestigious fellowships.
Chris Dowling is a screenwriter and director born in Flowood, Misissippi. A veteran of the movie industry for almost twenty years, his films run the gamut from faith-based themes to apocalyptic horror, and he has won awards from the Heartland Film Festival, the Dallas Film Festival, the Dove Awards, and Movieguide. He also has had the opportunity to work with a variety of actors, including Thomas Haden Church and Dennis Quaid. The major factor in his invitation to this event was the nature of his talent: his success as a screenwriter.
The lectures will take place over the space of two days: April 4-April 5, 2025 at Blue Mountain Christian University in Blue Mountain, Mississippi. They will be held in Garrett Auditorium. More specifically, Eubanks will speak on April 4, 2025 at 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm, and Dowling will speak on April 5, 2025: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm.
Blue Mountain’s parking facilities are open to the public.
