Shawn Westfall

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• Posted The Mike Huckabee Comedy Juggernaut Rolls On to DCist
  Former GOP presidential candidate and governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee surprised practically all of the country a few months back when he ably and deftly spoofed himself on an episode of Saturday Night Live, proving that he was not only a good sport about his candidacy and didn’t take himself too seriously, but that there were some discernible comedic chops there. Last night at the DC Improv, Huckabee proved his SNL appearance was no fluke,...
• Posted National Book Festival Line-Up Announced to DCist
  The National Book Festival, which has become a flagship event for area bibliophiles, just announced its 2008 author line-up. The festival, held rain or shine on the National Mall, will take place on Sept. 27 and once again be hosted by First Lady Laura Bush in conjunction with the Library of Congress. Retaining its inclusive tradition, the event will feature writers, readings, book and activities for readers of all ages. This year’s line-up features over...
• Posted Reader, Meet Author to DCist
  MONDAY: Those of you interested in questions of population growth and its relationship to female sexual autonomy will want to catch Robert Engelman, vice president for programs at the Worldwatch Institute, as he discusses his new book, More: Population, Nature, and What Women Want, at Busboys and Poets. 6:30 p.m. Sorry folks, Salman Rushdie’s discussion and signing of The Enchantress of Florence at Politics & Prose is, sadly, sold out. TUESDAY: Bestselling author Lauren Weisberger...
• Posted DCist Interview: Deborah Ager to DCist
  Last month was National Poetry Month. But for poets and proselytizers of poetry, the work never stops. Local poet and human dynamo Deborah Ager is the driving force behind 32 Poems, one of the most respected poetry journals in the country, one that has, in the short time its been around, attracted the attention and the work of such notable poets as Brigit Pegeen Kelly and former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Ager and 32...
• Posted DCist Interview: Kerry Reichs to DCist
  Most first-time novelists never actually become first-time novelists; in most cases “first novels” end up abandoned as real life overwhelms the time commitment and intellectual energy necessary to take a book from concept to completion. Those lucky enough to finish sometimes never find a publisher, ending up instead with dashed hopes and a pile of rejection notices that begin with “While we found your book intriguing and well-crafted…” and end with “…and we’re sure that...