Kerouac's House and a Writer's Opportunity
john v. omlor (omlor@packet.net)
Mon, 03 Aug 1998 17:24:01 -0500
Hello all,
A while ago we were discussing writers' homes and in particular someone
mentioned Kerouac's house here in St. Pete. Well, he also lived for a
short time in Orlando at a house on Shady Lane Drive and Clouster Avenue.
Now it turns out (as reported by Susan Eastman in The Weekly PLanet down
here) that an organization called Jack Kerouac Writers in Residence of
Orlando, Inc. has raised a down payment of $10,000 for the house where Jack
lived in '57. They are trying to raise the other $40,000 to buy the house
outright and more money to fund a new writer's retreat program. Rollins
College, nearby, is interested in participating and writers working at the
retreat may get a chance to lecture there as well. The plan is also to
raise enough money to pay *all the expenses* for an aspiring author each
year to roam the country like Jack. There's a jazz concert in October by
some of Jack's old friends to raise the money and there's some private
money coming in apparently, so this may all actually take shape.
In any case, if any writers out there would like more info about the
program and what's happening you can get it, apparently, by calling
Chapters Bookstore at (407)-246-1546 and asking about the Jack Kerouac
Writers in Residence of Orlando, Inc.
Just in case anyone feels the call of the....
Well, you know.
--John