The 2009 Oxford Conference for the Book (2/26 – 28) kicks off unofficially tomorrow (2/25) with a Writer’s Workshop lead by Oxford native and coordinator of off-campus writing programs at the University of Mississippi, Margaret-Love Denman. The daylong workshop, “Mining Your Raw Materials,” will take place Wednesday, March 25, at the Downtown Grill on the Oxford Square.

The 2009 Oxford Conference for the Book will celebrate the life and legacy of Mississippi Gulf Coast artist, author, and naturalist Walter Inglis Anderson (1903–1965) on the opening day. Nearly 1,000 local schoolchildren will join the audience on Friday morning for sessions with authors of books for young readers, and the conference will continue through Saturday afternoon with a variety of addresses, readings, and panels. The conference edition of Thacker Mountain Radio, a session on book and author promotion, a 1fiction and poetry jam, a marathon book signing at Off Square Books, a writing workshop (March 25), and an optional literary tour of the Mississippi Delta (March 22–26) are also part of the festivities.